Indecent Proposal musical announces cast and dates for world premiere

Indecent Proposal musical has announced casting and new dates for its world premiere.

The new musical will run at Southwark Playhouse from 22 October to 27 November 2021.

The piece is inspired by the Jack Engelhard novel of the same name, which was turned into an iconic 1990s film.

Atlantic City. 1988. Jonny and Rebecca are very much in love and very much in debt. He’s a struggling singer-songwriter who spends most of his time playing backup for Annie at the Oasis Casino Hotel Resort, and she works part-time at the casino and for a local charity. They struggle to make ends meet but they’re happy and that’s enough. Or is it?

When wealthy stranger Larry Harris arrives in town and offers Rebecca a million dollars to spend a night with him, will the lure of money outweigh the promise of fidelity? Will Rebecca accept Larry’s indecent proposal? Will her marriage survive if she doesn’t? Will Jonny stick around if she does?

Inspired by the Jack Engelhard book which sparked a world-wide debate and was later adapted into the 1993 hit film, Indecent Proposal is a chamber musical that stays true to book’s setting of Atlantic City in the 1980s whilst reimagining the work through the lens of the current social and political climate, allowing audiences to consider what they would do in a similar situation, whilst they watch this couple grapple with the fallout from a stranger’s proposition.

Jonny will be played by Norman Bowman, Larry will be played by Ako Mitchell, Annie will be played by Jacqui Dankworth MBE, Rebecca will be played by Lizzy Connolly and Heidi will be played by Eve de Leon Allen.

The musical features a book and lyrics by Michael Conley with music by Dylan Schlosberg. It will be directed by Charlotte Westenra and produced by Neil Marcus for 10 to 4 Productions.

Director Charlotte Westenra said: “I am so excited to share this beautiful, important story that is of its time but also painfully relevant today. Like in the show, people with influence still use it to take more than we’re sometimes willing to give.

“The fact that it happens all the time doesn’t make it right, even if you agree to give it. We can’t wait for audiences to come and contribute to the conversation and ask themselves what they would do if they were to receive an indecent proposal’.”

Indecent Proposal runs at London’s Southwark Playhouse between 22 October and 27 November with tickets available online here.

About the author: Josh Darvill

Josh is Stageberry's editor with over five years of experience writing about theatre in the West End and across the UK. Prior to following his passion for musicals, he worked for more than a decade as a TV journalist.