New musical Smalltown Boy to receive West End workshop – with cast revealed

A new musical will receive a West End workshop presentation.

Smalltown Boy is a jukebox musical set to the iconic songs of the 1980s New Wave era, featuring 22 iconic tracks, including the title song, “Tainted Love”, and “True Colours”. Set in New York’s East Village during the summer of 1983, it follows a teenage runaway fleeing suburbia just as the AIDS crisis emerges.

The show has a book by Jeffrey Fischer-Smith, and is orchestrated and music directed by Mark Crossland. The creative team includes casting director Harry Blumenau and dramaturg Ken Cerniglia, with James Steel Productions as general manager, and Chris Whybrow as sound designer.

Set to star in the workshop cast are Aimie Atkinson as Jenny New Wave, Benjamin Cameron as Simon, Rosanna Hyland as Madga, Rob Fowler as John, Aonghas Ewen as Scotty, Adam Filipe as Max, Jack Butterworth as Robbie, WhatsOnStage Award nominee Grace Mouat as Julia, Kat Ronney as Lisa, WhatsOnStage Award nominee Jo Foster as Deeds, Lucca Chadwick Patel as Rick, Liv Andrusier as Thal and Olly Manley as Dave.

Fischer-Smith said: “Smalltown Boy was born out of a deep love for the music and spirit of the 1980s – a time of extraordinary creativity and profound loss. This music defined a generation. Our hope is to honour its emotional power while telling a story that is urgent and contemporary. At its heart, this is a story about young people finding family when the world feels uncertain. I’m thrilled to be collaborating with this extraordinary creative team as we take the next step in bringing the piece to the stage.”

The industry presentations will take place at @sohoplace in London on Friday, 13 March.

Smalltown Boy is presented by Smalltown Boy Musical Ltd and Curious George and Mighty Joe Productions, in association with Wildwood Entertainment and James Steel Productions.