Leeds Playhouse announces 2021 plans including A Little Night Music and Wendy and Peter Pan
Leeds Playhouse will present a full summer season after reopening in May.
In August Leeds-based director Alan Lyddiard with artist Delaine Le Bas will bring horticulture to Leeds Playhouse with The Promise of a Garden, blending performance, dance, music, film and photography.
The venue will open with six commissioned monologues, playing from 19 to 29 May with writers including Maxine Peake, Simon Armitage, Leanna Benjamin, Kamal Kaan, Alice Nutter and Stan Owens.
Artistic director James Brining said: "This is an important moment for us and for the cultural life of the city as we announce an exciting and inspiring season of work, which adds to the energising buzz around the Leeds City Region as it begins to reopen with a reinvigorated sense of determination and drive."
Brining will direct Sondheim's A Little Night Music, co-produced with Opera North. Josephine Barstow stars in the piece, which plays from 26 June to 17 July. Full casting has been revealed here.
The venue will present Ella Hickson's hit play Wendy and Peter Pan from 18 November to 22 January 2022. Co-directed by Jonathan Munby (who directed the original production) and Katie Henry, the piece will blend Japanese video anime artistry with a reinvigorated classic British story.
Munby said: "It's a piece that's very close to my heart and I'm thrilled to be creating a new version of the show in collaboration with Leeds Playhouse.
"The new version will be created by an international team of artists including those from the UK and Japan. I'm overjoyed to be working with such a diverse and incredible creative team to bring this much-loved story to a 21st century audience. I'm also thrilled to be returning to Leeds Playhouse, a theatre and a city I've always loved working in."
A new family piece The Not So Ugly Sisters will run from 2 to 5 June, written and directed by Elvi Piper (Rapunzel) and designed by Antony Jones (Rapunzel). The piece stars an all-female northern cast and an original score composed by Claire-Marie Seddon and Bay Bryan. It is created by Red Ladder Theatre Company.
The company's production of The Damned United, adapted for the stage by Anders Lustgarten and directed by Rod Dixon. Based on the tale of Brian Clough's time in charge of Leeds United, it runs from 10 to 11 June.
Jenna Russell will star in Piaf, co-produced by Nottingham Playhouse, running from 23 July to 7 August. Pam Gems' piece is based on the life of Edith Piaf.
Other shows include In the Night Garden…Live and a new version of Bram Stoker's Dracula. It plays from 25 September to 9 October, and is co-produced by imitating the dog.
