The cast of An Officer and a Gentleman become ninja warriors

The cast of An Officer and a Gentleman are part-way through a mammoth UK tour, but we decided to put them through their paces even more!

While stopping off at Curve in Leicester, where the production was bought alive in 2018 by director Nikolai Foster, we met three cast members at Ninja Warrior Adventure for an action-packed morning.

Taking on the assault course based on the hit TV show were Olivia Foster-Browne (who plays Casey Seeger), Melanie Mason (who plays Esther Pokrifki), and Danny Whelan (who plays Craig). The musical follows naval officer candidates through their gruelling 12-week programme, where they are tasked with taking on “the wall” among other physical and psychological ordeals.

You can see them in action below:

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An Officer and a Gentleman is based on the cherished film starring Richard Gere, from writer Douglas Day Stewart’s experience as a naval officer candidate. The book of the musical is co-written by Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen and the piece features an 80s jukebox soundtrack including “Up Where We Belong”, “Alone”, “Don’t Cry Out Loud”, “You’re the Voice” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”.

Making up the cast are Luke Baker (Billy Elliot) as Zack Mayo, Georgia Lennon (The Osmonds) as Paula Pokrifki, Jamal Crawford (Fame) as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, WhatsOnStage Award nominee Paul French (Grease) as Sid Worley and Sinead Long (Sylvia) as Lynette Pomeroy.

They are joined by Masson, Foster-Browne and Whelan, alongside Tim Rogers (West Side Story) as Byron Mayo, Lucas Piquero (Sister Act) as Eduardo Cortez, Chris Breistein (School of Rock) as Finman, Wendi Harriott (The Voice UK) as Aunt Bunny and James Wilkinson-Jones (South Pacific) as Troy.

The cast is completed by Julia Jones (Mamma Mia! The Party), Etisyai Philip (Cluedo), Mia Harrison (Million Dollar Quartet), Lukin Simmonds (Annie), Will May (The Twelve Tenors) and Ellie Grace Cousins (Mamma Mia!).

Director Foster is joined on the creative team by choreographer Joanna Goodwin, while set and costume design is by Michael Taylor, musical supervision and orchestration by George Dyer, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall, wig, hair and make up design by Sam Cox, casting by Debbie O’Brien and associate direction by Michaela Powell.

The piece is produced by Jamie Wilson, Jack Maple, Gavin Kalin and Jason Haigh-Ellery in association with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Theatre Ventures.

The new tour is currently in Leicester, before visiting Truro, Bristol, Ipswich, Eastbourne, Wolverhampton, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Milton Keynes, Bromley and Hull.

Tickets for select dates are on sale below.