Steps musical Here & Now announces lead casting

Lead casting has been unveiled for the world premiere Steps musical Here & Now, set to run at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham this November.

Penned by Shaun Kitchener and directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, the piece follows the trials and tribulations of the workers and patrons of a seaside superstore named Better Best Bargains. It is produced by Steps, theatre company ROYO and music mogul Pete Waterman.

The cast will be led by Rebecca Lock (Elf, School of Rock, Heathers) as Caz McGovern, Hiba Elchikhe (The Time Traveller’s Wife, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Aladdin) as Neeta Thakkar, Basement Jaxx lead vocalist Sharlene Hector (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, A Strange Loop, Dreamgirls) as Vel King and Blake Patrick Anderson (Rent, Hair, Be More Chill) as Robbie Davies.

Further casting will be revealed in due course.

First announced in February, the musical became the venue’s fastest selling show, with 50 per cent of seats sold within 24 hours. It extended its world premiere run in April.

Choreography is by WhatsOnStage Award winner Matt Cole, musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design by Tom Rogers, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, associate direction by Matt Hassall, associate choreography by Jane McMurtrie with associate sound design by Ollie Durrant.

The band, composed of Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee, have number one singles including “Tragedy”/”Heartbeat” and “Stomp”, as well as the likes of “One For Sorrow”, “Better Best Forgotten”, “5,6,7,8”, “Last Thing On My Mind”, “Love’s Got a Hold of My Heart” and “Chain Reaction”. All the aforementioned are set to appear in the show.

Here & Now is set to run at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre from 9 to 30 November 2024, with tickets on sale below.