07 September 2024
Newsdesk
The rehearsal images have been released for Talawa's biggest ever production, Play On! This Twelfth Night-inspired musical is a joyous, jazz-fuelled extravaganza, with mistaken identities, love tangles and a toe-tapping Duke Ellington score. Starting at Belgrade Theatre in Coventry at the end of September, Play On! heads across the UK, taking in Birmingham, Liverpool, Salisbury and Bristol before waltzing into London at the Lyric Hammersmith in January!
The cast comprises Tsemaye Bob-Egbe (SIX The Musical and TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, West End) as Viola, who sets forth to make a name for herself in the New York jazz scene. Lady Liv is played by Koko Alexandra (Lovin’ Vegas and We Are One, Carnival Cruise Line; Hairspray, Pratville Theatre), the star singer at The Cotton Club. The club’s world-famous song writer The Duke is played by Earl Gregory (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, West End; Kinky Boots, The Fugard Theatre). Making up the cast are Llewellyn Jamal (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, and Get Up, Stand Up!, West End) as Jester; Cameron Bernard Jones (Ain’t Too Proud, Prince Edward Theatre; The Burnt City, Punchdrunk; The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre) as Rev; Lifford Shillingford (Britain’s Got Talent, ITV; Tarantino Live, Riverside Studios) as Sweets; Tanya Edwards (Sister Act The Musical, UK tour) as Miss Mary; and Gleanne Purcell-Brown (Living, Lionsgate UK; Curtains, West End; Spamalot, UK tour) as Ceecee.
The ensemble comprises Natalia Brown (Sister Act The Musical, West End); Freya Karlettis (Sleeping Beauty, Ipswich Regent Theatre; Hairspray, Royal Caribbean Cruises); Amber Cayasso (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Bridge Theatre); Jarnéia Richard-Noel (SIX The Musical, West End; Madagascar The Musical, UK tour); Andre Coulson (Five Guys Named Moe, The Gatehouse Theatre; To The Streets!, China Plate/Birmingham Hippodrome); Alex Okoampa (TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, West End; Motown The Musical, UK tour; The Five, Sky); Spin (Sinatra, Birmingham Rep; We Will Rock You, UK tour); and Dylan Blake-Colbet in his stage debut.
Play On! will tour to the Belgrade Theatre, Liverpool Playhouse, Salisbury Playhouse, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bristol Old Vic, and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from September 2024 – February 2025. Play On! is produced by Talawa Theatre Company and Belgrade Theatre, Coventry in partnership with J Clare Productions and Chuchu Nwagu Productions, with co-producers Birmingham Hippodrome; Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres; Lyric Hammersmith Theatre; and Wiltshire Creative, Salisbury. Talawa and partners are proud that Play On! will provide opportunities for mid-career global majority talent to work on a large-scale production and tour. In line with Talawa’s commitment to platforming African diaspora actors and creatives, the season’s Associate Programme and seed commissions address under-representation in the sector.
