Cast announced for Gypsy at Buxton International Festival at Buxton Opera House

Casting has been announced for Buxton Opera House and Buxton International Festival’s production of Gypsy: A Musical Fable this summer.

The new joint production of Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim’s piece will open this year’s Festival on 7 July.

Award-winning West End actor Joanna Riding (Follies, Billy Elliot, Into The Woods) stars as Rose and Monique Young (Mary Poppins, 42nd Street) as Louise aka Gypsy Rose Lee.

Joining them are David Leonard (A Little Night Music, Matilda) as Herbie, Hannah Everest (The Sound of Music) as June, Rebecca Lisewski (Mamma Mia!) as Mazeppa, Aiesha Naomi Pease (Hairspray and Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Electra and Tiffany Graves (Kiss Me Kate, The Producers and The Boyfriend) as Tessie Tura. Liam Dean is Tulsa and James Rockey is Uncle Jocko.

Completing the company are Michael Dean-Wilson, Lisa Dent, Callum Mann, Alex O’Reilly, Megan Hollie Robertson and Samuel Ashall.

Paul Kerryson directs the production with conductor Ben Atkinson, choreographer David Needham, assistant director Juliet Gough, set designer Phil R Daniels, costume designer Charles Cusick Smith, lighting designer Jake Wiltshire and sound design by Andy Johnson.

Paul Kerryson, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Buxton Opera House, said: “The Buxton Opera House and Buxton International Festival join forces again to bring this great musical to the stage of the Opera House for the first time. We are excited to welcome audiences to what will be a great night out.”

Buxton International Festival’s Artistic Director Adrian Kelly added: “It is particularly exciting that the Festival’s collaboration with the Buxton Opera House is continuing this year with Gypsy. The last few years have been hugely challenging for everybody in the performing arts, and we are delighted to be working together once more, to be bring this wonderful piece of musical theatre to life.”

For more information and tickets, visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/event/gypsy-a-musical-fable