Following Aberdeen Arts Centre’s 2016 smash hit production of Cabaret, the award-winning team returns with a brand new production of the iconic Broadway musical, Company, with support from Aberdeen City Council. From the legendary composer of Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods comes a dark comedy about life, love and marriage.
It’s Bobby’s 35th birthday party and his married friends are all asking the same question – will he ever give up his bachelor lifestyle and settle down?
Oliver Savile (Wicked, Phantom of The Opera); Anita Louise Combe (Gypsy, Chicago); and Ashleigh Gray, who makes a triumphant return to Aberdeen after her acclaimed performance as Elphaba in the UK tour of Wicked, lead a cast of West End stars in this new production.
With music and lyrics from Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth, Company is widely regarded as a trailblazing concept musical, exploring modern relationships. It set records when it opened on Broadway, being nominated for an astonishing fourteen Tony Awards and winning six, including Best Musical.
With some of his best songs including Marry Me A Little, You Could Drive a Person Crazy, Another Hundred People, and Being Alive Sondheim has described Company as the first musical in which he found his voice.
Directed by Aberdeen born Derek Anderson, who directed the sell-out success of Cabaret and The Pillowman, Company will play a strictly limited season from 1 to 10 February 2018.
The cast also includes Simbi Akande as Martha, Kimberly Blake as Jenny, Stephen John David as Larry, Wayne Fitzsimmons as David, Jennifer Harding as April, Jaqueline Hughes as Sarah, Susie Mathers as Kathy, Lisa Anne-Wood as Susan and Barnaby Thompson as Peter.
Aberdeen Arts Centre is delighted that this marks a further step in its commitment to draw on the talent and experience of theatre professionals from all over the country, both behind and in front of the curtain, and bring them to Aberdeen to present new productions.
Derek Anderson says: “I’m very excited to be returning to the Arts Centre to bring this iconic musical to my hometown. Not only does it provide the opportunity to present his masterpiece in Aberdeen but it also gives us the chance to reunite the creative talent behind the overwhelming success that was Cabaret. Company is a unique musical, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience this production with a brilliant cast.”
This production of Company will be choreographed by Lee Crowley, designed by Nik Corall, with musical direction by Nick Barstow, lighting design by Ben Pickersgill, video design by Norydas Genys, sound design by Mick Livermore, and casting by Lucy Casson.
Aberdeen Arts Centre and David Adkin present
COMPANY
by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth
Aberdeen Arts Centre
33 King Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5AA
Thursday 1 - Saturday 10 February 2018
Opening Night: 3 February 2018
Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm, Saturday matinee 2.30pm
www.aberdeenartscentre.com/
Box Office: 01224 641122
Tickets are priced at £26/£24
Oliver Savile plays Bobby. Oliver trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. His theatre credits include: ‘Fiyero’ in Wicked (Victoria Palace); understudy ‘Raoul’ in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s); ‘Rum Tum Tugger’ in Cats (No 1 UK tour); ‘Fueilly’ and understudy ‘Enjolras’ in Les Misérables (Queen’s); ‘Peter Tork’ in Monkee Business (UK tour); understudy ‘Sky’ in Mamma Mia! (international tour); ‘Prince Charming’ in Sleeping Beauty (Theatre Royal, Wakefield) and ‘Simeon’ and understudy ‘Joseph’ in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK tour).
Ashleigh Gray plays Amy. Originally from Midlothian, Ashleigh trained at Guildford School of Acting. Her theatre credits include: ‘Kathy’ in Vanities (Trafalgar Studios); ‘Elphaba’ in Wicked (UK Tour & West End); ‘Stephanie’ in Cool Rider (Duchess); ‘Martha’ in The Secret Garden (UK Tour); ‘Lorraine’ in I Dreamed a Dream (UK Tour); ‘Amanda’ in After The Turn (Courtyard) and ‘Kim’ in Taboo – The Boy George Musical. Ashleigh has numerous credits as a recording artist and has performed at many concerts such as: Susan Boyle in Concert (Scottish Tour); Lee Mead and Friends (Pheasantry); You Raise Me Up with John Barrowman (London Palladium) and An Evening with Scott Alan and Ashleigh Gray (The Hippodrome).
Anita Louise Combe plays Joanne. She most recently appeared as ‘Mother’ in Ragtime (Charing Cross Theatre); and ‘Grizabella’ in the UK and European Tour of Andrew Lloyd Webbers Cats. Her other theatre credits include: ‘Tessie Tura’ in Gypsy (Chichester and West End); ‘Velma’ in Chicago (West End and Tour); ‘Roz’ in 9 to 5 (UK Tour); and ‘Betty Shaefer’ in Sunset Boulevard. She was also the original ‘Stephanie Mangano’ in Saturday Night Fever. Her television credits include: Eastenders; The Royals; Holby City; Doctors; Silent Witness; and Home and Away.
The cast also includes Simbi Akande as Martha, Kimberly Blake as Jenny, Stephen John David as Larry, Wayne Fitzsimmons as David, Jennifer Harding as April, Jaqueline Hughes as Sarah, Susie Mathers as Kathy, Lisa Anne-Wood as Susan and Barnaby Thompson as Peter.
Stephen Sondheim is perhaps theatre’s best known lyricist and composer. He wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins, Passion and Road Show as well as lyrics for West Side Story, Gypsy and Do I Hear a Waltz? and additional lyrics for Candide. Anthologies of his work include Side by Side by Sondheim, Marry Me A Little, You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow, Putting It Together and Sondheim on Sondheim. He composed the scores of the films ‘Stavisky’ and ‘Reds’ and songs for ‘Dick Tracy’ and the television production ‘Evening Primrose’. His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: Finishing the Hat and Look, I Made A Hat. In 2010 the Broadway theatre formerly known as Henry Miller's Theatre was renamed in his honor.
George Furth was born in Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University; he did postgraduate work at Columbia University. He has worked extensively as an actor, appearing in many feature films, including The Best Man, Oh God!, Doctor Detroit, Young Doctors In Love, The Man With Two Brains, Cannonball Run, Hooper, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Blazing Saddles, Shampoo, Sleeper, The New Interns and Myra Breckinridge; he has also acted in many major television shows. In addition to Company, he has written the Broadway shows The Act, Twigs, The Supporting Cast, Merrily We Roll Along, Precious Sons and Getting Away With Murder.
Derek Anderson returns to Aberdeen Arts Centre, having directed both Cabaret and The Pillowman. He made his directing debut with Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Twickenham Theatre), which won the 2015 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off-West End Production. The critically acclaimed production was also nominated for Best Musical Revival. Other stage works include Into The Woods (Stowe Arts), the premier of Eyes Closed, Ears Covered (Bunker Theatre) and forthcoming production, Hand To God (English Theatre Frankfurt).
David Adkin’s credits as Producer and General Manager include: The Grinning Man (Trafalgar Studios); the world premiere of Dessert directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, and the UK premieres of Stalking The Bogeyman and Next Fall (Southwark Playhouse). Other credits include: Old Vic New Voices Festival (Old Vic), Holmes & Watson: The Farewell Tour (UK Tour), Our Friends The Enemy (Theater Row, New York City), Our House The Musical – 10th Anniversary Concert (Savoy Theatre) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Twickenham Theatre). David is a bursary recipient of the Society of London Theatre’s Stage One Producers Scheme; a graduate of the Commercial Theater Institute (New York City); and the Chairman of Cherwell Theatre Company - a charity providing arts based opportunities for young people in his hometown.
Company was originally produced and directed on Broadway by Harold Prince with original orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. It is performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited
About Aberdeen Arts Centre
Aberdeen Arts Centre is an inclusive community-focused arts venue which provides facilities and opportunities for groups and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to perform, learn about and engage in performing arts. The venue includes a 350-seater auditorium, state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment, as well as rehearsal and workshop space, a café bar and gallery space. A small core staff team run the venue with vital assistance from over 80 volunteers from 16-80+years old. Bookable meeting and conference space is also available for hire.
We are open Tuesday - Saturday from 10am-4pm, and half an hour before performance times.
Aberdeen Arts Centre is a trading name for Castlegate Arts Limited registered in Scotland Number 192819.
Castlegate Arts Limited is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status.
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