Summer Holiday musical announces casting

Sheffield Theatres and Blackpool Grand Theatre have revealed casting for their upcoming co-production of Summer Holiday The Musical.

Based on the film of the same name, which featured a screenplay by Ronald Cass and Peter Myers and was directed by Peter Yates, Summer Holiday is adapted for the stage by Michael Gyngell and Mark Haddigan, by special arrangement with StudioCanal, and is helmed by Sheffield Theatres artistic director Elizabeth Newman and Ben Occhipinti.

The plot follows Don and his friends on a trip to Paris, the Alps, Italy and Greece, where they encounter runaway popstars and holiday romance. The musical features such classic hits “The Young Ones”, “Living Doll” and the titular song.

The cast includes Fanta Barrie as Barbara, Jim Duah (Good Golly Miss Molly) as Edwin, Ava Duncan (A Bit of Roll Play) as Ensemble, Charlie Hale (Come From Away) as Swing, Nis Raza Hamiliton (The Railway Children) as Angie, Robin Harris (Much Ado About Nothing) as Steve, Matthew James Hinchliffe (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) as Al, Damian Humbley as Jerry, George Jones (Witness for the Prosecution) as Don, Elliot Mackenzie (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) as Cyril, Jane McCarry (Still Game) as Stella, Isaac Savage as Ensemble, Tolia Uwalaka (Wham! The Show) as Swing and Trudy Ward (Gypsy) as Mimsie.

Newman and Occhipinti commented: “For us, Summer Holiday is pure joy – full of freedom, adventure, music and heart. We’re incredibly excited to bring a fresh new energy to this iconic musical and create a production that feels vibrant, uplifting and bursting with life.”

They are joined in the creative team by set and costume designer Amanda Stoodley, musical director Richard Reeday, movement director Lesley Hutchison, lighting designer Rory Beaton, sound designer Tom Marshall, associate director Eilidh Gibson, and casting director Arthur Carrington. Orchestrations are by Keith Strachan.

Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International on behalf of Josef Weinberger Limited, Summer Holiday runs at the Crucible in Sheffield from 20 June until 18 July, before transferring to Blackpool Grand Theatre from 29 July to 8 August.