Theatre News

Theatre Royal Stratford East unveils 2022 plans including Fantastically Great Women musical

The new musical has its London premiere

| London |

18 January 2022

Theatre Royal Stratford East has unveiled its 2022 season plans.

The venue will host the London premiere of new musical Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World, which is penned by Chris Bush, Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo with direction from Amy Hodge.

Telling the tale of iconic figures in history, the piece has set and costume design by Joanna Scotcher, choreography by Danielle Lecointe, lighting by Zoe Spurr, sound by Carolyn Downing, casting by Rosie Pearson, orchestration and music production by Decilveo, live arrangements by Jen Green, musical direction by Audra Cramer, production management by Tamsin Rose and general management by Kenny Wax. Casting is to be confirmed by the production, with the show playing from 15 June to 17 July.

You can watch a number from the show here:

A series of newly commissioned plays will be presented script-in-hand from 19 April to 5 May 2022 as part of the Burn It Down series, while Ballet Black will present a double bill from 11 to 21 May with one half featuring work from South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma and an original score by Michael ‘Mikey J' Asante.

The double bill is composed of Pancho and Maqoma. The former is directed by Ballet Black's founder and artistic director, Cassa Panch and has choreography by José Alves, Charlotte Broom, Isabela Coracy, Alexander Fadayiro, Sayaka Ichikawa, Rosanna Lindsey, Marie-Astrid Mence, Mthuthuzeli November, Pancho, Cira Robinson and Ebony Thomas, with lighting by David Plater, costume by Jessica Cabassa, and featuring music by Michael Asante, Jon Batiste, Flowdan, Etta James, Lord Kitchener, Steve Reich and Soweto Gospel Choir.

Opening the season will be the previously revealed Dennis Kelly's After the End, directed by Lyndsey Turner and running from 25 February to 26 March.

Artistic director Nadia Fall said: "Listening to our audiences there has been a huge appetite for congregation and debate around the most urgent political and social issues affecting all our lives. Burn it Down is very much a response to that: short, sharp, dramas from some of the most talented writers of the moment. I'm expecting lively conversations in the bar post show.

"Alongside that we have all felt the need to be uplifted and entertained. The beautiful and ever popular work of Ballet Black and the absolute knock out new musical Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World are a total antidote to drudgery, and I defy anyone not to leave on a cloud.

"After The End is a masterclass in storytelling, with dazzlingly dark twists and turns, it's pure theatre. This season is designed to be electric and life affirming, there is nothing softly softly about it."

The venue will also launch a new "Future Leaders" initiative, while also preparing to present a new production by its young company in July.