The Shawshank Redemption UK tour reveals casting

The Shawshank Redemption will embark on a UK tour once again this autumn, opening at Theatre Royal Windsor on 3 September.

Adapted by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns and directed by David Esbjornson, the stage show is based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The 1994 film adaptation starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, and was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Leading the cast will be Joe McFadden (2:22 A Ghost Story) in the role of the wrongly convicted Andy Dufresne, Ben Onwukwe (London’s Burning) as inmate Ellis “Red” Redding, and Bill Ward (Coronation Street, Emmerdale) as the corrupt prison warden Stammas. Onwukwe reprises his role from the 2016 and 2022 touring productions of The Shawshank Redemption.

The company is completed by Graham Elwell (Bryan Hadley), Ashley D Gayle (Rooster), Jeffrey Harmer (Entwistle), Kyle Harrison-Pope (Tommy Williams), Kenneth Jay (Brooksie), Sean Kingsley (Bogs Diamond), Fernando Mariano (Rico), Aein Nasseri (Nelson) and Owen Oldroyd (Dawkins).

The creative team also includes associate director Tim Welton, designer Gary McCann, lighting designer Chris Davey and sound designer Andy Graham.

Presented by Bill Kenwright Ltd, the tour will visit Windsor, Darlington, Truro, Blackpool, Belfast, Manchester, Lichfield, Hull, New Brighton, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Poole, Bath, Peterborough, Billingham and Leeds, with further venues to be confirmed.

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