Full cast set for The Secret Life of Bees musical’s UK premiere

Full cast has been set for the UK premiere of The Secret Life of Bees, a musical version of the much-loved novel. 

Running at the Almeida in north London, the show is penned by Lynn Nottage, Duncan Sheik and Susan Birkenhead and is based on the best-selling novel by Sue Monk Kidd. 

Already announced as appearing in Whitney White’s brand-new production will be Ava Brennan (Les Misérables), Tarinn Callender (Hamilton), Danielle Fiamanya (Mandela the Musical), Rachel John (Hamilton), Mark Meadows (The House of Shades) and Abiona Omonua (Caroline, or Change).

Joining them, as confirmed by the show on social media, will be Madeline Charlemagne (Hex), Eleanor House (The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart), Richard James-Neale (Othello), Daniel Krikler (The Book Thief), Shekinah McFarlane (SIX), Chrystine Symone (The Magician’s Elephant), Noah Thomas (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Marcellus Whyte (Motown) and Eleanor Worthington-Cox (Jerusalem). 

Running from 8 April to 27 May at the Almeida Theatre in London (which has recently hosted the world premiere of the Tammy Faye musical and A Streetcar Named Desire with Paul Mescal, Anjana Vasan and Patsy Ferran), the show features choreography by Shelley Maxwell, set design by Soutra Gilmour, costume design by Qween Jean, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Simon Baker, music supervision and direction by Nigel Lilley, orchestrations by John Clancy, vocal arrangements by Jason Hart, orchestral management by David Gallagher, wigs, hair and make-up by Cynthia De La Rosa, casting direction by Charlotte Sutton, costume supervision by Jackie Orton, assistant direction by Mumba Dodwell and associate choreography by Ebony Molina. 

The 1960s-set piece tells the tale of a duo forced to escape to a solitary and somewhat unusual honey bee farm.