Lyric Hammersmith announces open casting for Bugsy Malone

The Lyric Hammersmith has announced it will hold open auditions for its production of Bugsy Malone next year.

The production, the first professional staging of the show in over ten years, reopens the venue in April following its multi-million pound redevelopment.

The Lyric is looking for young actors aged between 9 and 15 who are based in London. Roles up for grabs include Bugsy, Tallulah, Blousey, Fizzy, Fat Sam, Dandy Dan and Lena.

An open casting day will be held on Sunday 26 October 2014.

Director Sean Holmes told The Stage: "We are pursuing many different avenues to ensure we have the most exciting collection of young talent for our production of Bugsy Malone. Our crack casting team has already introduced us to a wealth of options.

"But in the spirit of Alan Parker's search for stars for his original film, it would have been remiss of us not to throw the process open – to give everyone a chance over one weekend to show us why they should be in the show. It’s also a gesture of openness and inclusivity that matches the spirit of what the Lyric is."

Bugsy Malone is set in prohibition era Chicago where rival gangsters Fat Sam and Dandy Dan wage war with custard pies and 'splurge' guns. The 1976 film version starred Scott Baio in the title role and a young Jodie Foster as Tallulah.

The Lyric's production, which will feature choreography by Drew McOnie (In the Heights, Soho Cinders) and design by Jon Bausor (The James Plays), opens on 28 April 2015 following previews from 11 April.

For more information on the open casting click here.