The Book Thief original cast recording announced

The original 2023 UK cast recording of The Book Thief has been released today.

Telling the story of an illiterate girl who steals an abandoned book in 1930s Germany, it is based on the best-selling novel by Markus Zusak.

The piece enjoyed limited runs in Coventry and Leicester in 2023, where our review called it “a gracious and respectful adaptation”, awarding it the full five stars.

Jodi Picoult and Timothy Allen McDonald wrote the book for the stage adaptation, while music and lyrics are by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson. It was nominated for Best Regional Production at the 23rd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards.

Lending their voices to the album are Obioma Ugoala (Frozen, Hamilton) as Narrator, Mina Anwar (Shirley Valentine, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as Rosa Hubermann, Jack Lord (West Side Story, War Horse) as Hans Hubermann and Daniel Krikler (Fiddler on the Roof, Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) as Max Vandenburg.

Joining them are Storytellers Matthew Caputo as Referee, Katy Clayton as Liesel’s Mother, Oonagh Cox as Nurse, Mark Dugdale as Alex Steiner, Michał Horowicz as Max’s Mother, Thomas-Lee Kidd as Mayor Hermann, Anu Ogunmefun as Swing, and Simon Oskarsson as Swing.

Completing the cast are Corinna Powlesland as Social Worker, Purvi Parmar as Barbara Steiner, Wendy Somerville as Ilsa Hermann, Edwin Ray as Walter Kugler, Lee V G as Gravedigger and Russell Wilcox as Wolfgang Edel.

Liesel Meminger was played by Tilly-Raye Bayer and Eirini Louskou, and Rudy Steiner was played by Thommy Bailey Vine, Preston Cropp, and Oliver Gordon.

The musicians featured on the album are Matthew Malone (Musical Director/Keys), Elaine Ambridge (Violin), Joshua Cavanagh-Brierley (Double Bass), Sophie Creaner (Reed I), Meg Davies (Reed II) and Isis Dunthorne (Percussion).

Check out musical number “In This Book” in the video below:

The Book Thief is produced by Deus Ex Machina Productions with Writer’s Cage, Andrew Paradis, and Christopher Ketner in association with Belgrade, Coventry. The cast recording, released by Center Stage Records, is available to stream and purchase on all platforms today, 14 March 2025.