To Wong Foo musical announces world premiere company
The complete company has been announced for the world premiere of To Wong Foo the Musical – based on the much-loved 1995 film of the same name.
Following three drag queens – Vida, Noxeema and Chichi – as they embark on a trip across America to attend the Drag Queen of the Year Finals in Hollywood, the musical is written and directed by original film screenplay writer and multiple Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane, with music and lyrics by Lewis Flinn.
Peter Caulfield (Tammy Faye) will play Vida Boheme, with Gregory Haney (TINA – The Tina Turner Musical) as Noxeema Jackson and Pablo Gómez Jones (In Dreams) as Chichi Rodríguez.
Joining them are Carolyn Maitland (Next To Normal) as Carol Ann, Duncan Burt (Friendsical) as Sheriff Dollard, Alexander Kranz (professional debut) as Bobby Ray , Arthur Boan (Oklahoma!) as Tommy Paul, Ayesha Maynard (Hairspray) as Beulah June, Emily Ooi (Miss Saigon) as Bobby Lee, Jermaine Woods (Sister Act) as Willie Joe/John Jacob, Lee Harris (Les Misérables) as Ed Earl/Crazy Elijah, Natalie Day (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Mary Lou, Scott Hunter (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Billy Budd, Susie Fenwick (Beautifu) as Clara Pearl, Samantha Bingley (Beauty and the Beast) as Rose of Sharon and Theo Maddix (Cabaret) as Rachel Tensions/Jimmy Jack. Also in the cast are Jamil Abbasi (The Great British Bake-Off Musical) and Megan Davies-Truin (Jerry Springer the Opera).
Directed by Beane, the piece has choreography by Jane McMurtrie, musical supervision by Brad Simmons, set design by Katie Lias, costume design by Gregory Gale, wig design by Bobbie Zlotnik, make up design by Andrew Sotomayor, sound design by Sam Glossop, lighting design by Jack Weir, video design by Dan Light, musical direction by Andrew Hilton, associate direction by Joseph Houston, intimacy coordination and fight direction by Haruka Kurado, associate costume design by Rachel Tansey and casting by Sarah Leung.
The artwork is designed by FEAST Creative with videography by Umbrella Rooms.
The production will open at Hope Mill Theatre (who also produce the show) in Manchester on 21 October for a limited nine-week run, with a national press night on 26 October.
