Jenna Russell leads cast of Almeida's Mr Burns

Jenna Russell will lead the cast of the European premiere of Anne Washburn's Mr Burns at the Almeida Theatre, which opens on 12 June 2014 (previews from 5 June).

Mr Burns is a futuristic drama that sees a much loved episode of The Simpsons being recalled by a group of survivors in a world without power.

According to press material, the play "asks whether the stories we tell make us the people we are, explodes the boundaries between pop and high culture and, when society has crumbled, imagines the future of America's most famous TV family".

Jenna Russell is currently appearing in Jamie Lloyd's Urinetown at the St James Theatre. Her previous stage credits include Merrily We Roll Along (Menier/West End), Soho Cinders (Soho), Into the Woods (Open Air) and Sunday in the Park with George (West End/Broadway).

Russell is joined in the cast by Fiona Digney, Adrian der Gregorian, Demetri Goritsas, Adey Grummet, Michael Henry, Justine Mitchell, Wunmi Mosaku, Annabel Scholey and Michael Shaeffer.

Director Robert Icke recently joined the Almeida as associate director, and his production of 1984 is currently running at the Playhouse Theatre.

Mr Burns is designed by Tom Scutt, who most recently worked on the Almeida’s current production of King Charles III. The show features lighting by Philip Gladwell, sound by Tom Gibbons, with joint composition and musical direction by Orlando Gough and Michael Henry.

It runs at the Almeida Theatre from 5 June to 26 July 2014.