Theatre News

Partridge, Strallen, Zimmerman & Hamilton-Barritt lead West End Chorus Line

Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff

| London's West End |

23 November 2012

Principal casting has been announced for the forthcoming West End transfer of the Tony Award-winning revival of A Chorus Line, which opens at the London Palladium on 19 February 2013 (previews from 5 February).

The cast will feature John Partridge as Zach, Scarlett Strallen as Cassie, Leigh Zimmerman as Sheila and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Diana.

The show – which takes a behind-the-scenes look at 17 hopefuls
auditioning for just eight places in a new Broadway musical – has a book
by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Date, with music by Marvin Hamlisch and
lyrics by Edward Kleban. Its famous score includes numbers such as “I
Hope I Get It”, “Sing!” and, most memorably, “One (Singular Sensation)”.

The revival is directed by Bob Avian, who also helmed the 2006
Tony-nominated Broadway production. Avian was original director Michael Bennett’s long-term
collaborator and his co-choreographer on the original production.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose Really Useful Group owns the Palladium, said: “I am delighted to welcome A Chorus Line into the
London Palladium. This classic Broadway production has not been seen in the West
End for almost 35 years. Marvin Hamlisch was a great friend and supporter in my
early career and I can think of no more fitting tribute to him than this major
revival.”

John Partridge, best known for his role as Christian Clarke in EastEnders, has appeared in numerous musical theatre productions including Cats, Starlight
Express, Tommy, Grease, The Drowsy Chaperone, Rent
and Miss Saigon. He is
currently one of the presenters of the National Lottery programme and he joined Lloyd Webber, Charlotte Church and Sheila
Hancock
as a judge on BBC1’s Over The Rainbow.

Scarlett Strallen is currently starring as Kathy in the West End production of {Singin’
in the Rain::L0858124465}
, for which she received an Olivier Award  nomination. Her previous
theatre work includes Clara in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse, the title role in
Mary Poppins in the West End and on Broadway and Truly Scrumptious in Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang
at the Palladium.

Leigh Zimmerman has appeared  twice in the West End production of Chicago
playing Velma Kelly and in 2005 she was Olivier nominated for her role as Ulla in
The Producers at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Her Broadway credits include The
Will Rogers Follies, Crazy For You
and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the
Forum
.

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt was most recently seen playing Gypsy Rose Lee in
Leicester Curve’s production of Gypsy. She also  played the lead role of Alex in
Flashdance in the West End. She also played the lead role of Maria in the
international tour of West Side Story.

Come on our hosted Whatsonstage.com Outing to A Chorus Line on Tuesday 26 February 2013 and get your top-price ticket, a FREE poster and access to our EXCLUSIVE post-show Q&A with creatives  – all for just £40!

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