Former WhatsOnStage and Olivier Award-winner Nigel Harman has been cast to play a character based on Simon Cowell in forthcoming X Factor musical I Can’t Sing!
Harman will be joined in the principal cast by Cynthia Erivo, currently appearing in The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and Holby City star Alan Morrissey.
I Can’t Sing!, which is scripted by comedian Harry Hill and features music and lyrics by Steve Brown, premieres at the London Palladium on 26 March 2014 (previews from 27 February).
According to press material, the show “goes behind the microphones and under the judges’ desks at the biggest show on earth and reveals the (not necessarily accurate) tale of heartache and laughter which keeps millions of us glued to The X Factor, week-after-week.”
See Also: Our gallery of X Factor contestants who’ve crossed over to theatre
Nigel Harman‘s recent West End credits include A Chorus of Disapproval and Shrek the Musical, for which he won a WhatsOnStage Award. His other musical theatre credits include Guys and Dolls and Mamma Mia!.
Cynthia Erivo, who will play the central contestant Chenice, is currently starring in The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory and has previously appeared in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Gielgud Theatre), Sister Act The Musical (UK Tour) and LIFT (Soho Theatre).
I Can’t Sing! is directed by Olivier Award-winner Sean Foley and produced by Stage Entertainment and Syco Entertainment, which is owned by X Factor supremo Simon Cowell.
Cowell will join the company for the official press launch on Monday (2 September) – be sure to look out for full coverage on WhatsOnStage.
Come on our hosted WhatsOnStage Outing on 18 March 2014 and get your top-price ticket, a FREE programme and access to our EXCLUSIVE post-show Q&A with the cast – all for £34.50! Members save £1.00 if they book before 30 August.
