The current trend for turning popular (and perhaps somewhat cult) movies into musicals doesn’t seem to be abating any time soon, and the next exciting project to hit the stage is Groundhog Day at the Old Vic, which will play from 20 May to 12 August 2023.
This Olivier-award-winning musical (Best New Musical and Best Actor) is directed by Matthew Warchus, who is responsible for Matilda The Musical (both the stage adaptation and the film), and the book is by Danny Rubin (who wrote the original film) with lyrics by Tim Minchin (Matilda The Musical).
Playing sardonic TV weatherman Phil Connors is Andy Karl, who has played the role previously. Alongside him are Jasmin Colangelo (swing/puppetry captain), Kelly Ewins-Prouse (swing/dance captain), Kamilla Fernandes (Debbie), Aimée Fisher (Joelle), Zach Guest (swing), Nick Hayes (Ralph), Jaqueline Hughes (Piano Teacher), Ashlee Irish (Larry), Chris Jenkins (Gus), Andrew Langtree (Ned Ryerson), Billy Nevers (Fred), Eve Norris (Nancy), Mark Pierce (Sheriff), Ben Redfern (Buster), Tanisha Spring (Rita Hanson), Durone Stokes (Deputy), Alex Stoll (Billy), Jez Unwin (Jenson), Annie Wensak (Mrs Lancaster), and Matthew Whennell-Clark (swing/assistant dance captain).
Andy Karl is probably best known for playing Edward in Pretty Woman on Broadway, and other productions include Jersey Boys, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Legally Blonde. Tanisha Spring, who will be playing Phil’s love interest, Rita, has recently played alternate Satine in Moulin Rouge, as well as Nefertiti in Prince of Egypt, Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors, and Janelle in Beautiful.
Groundhog Day revolves around Phil Connors, a fairly unpleasant TV weatherman. Phil is sent to a small town called Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania, where his job is to cover the Groundhog Day events, where the locals watch to see if their town groundhog will see his own shadow on 2 February. If he does, winter will continue for another six weeks. Phil, bored of his job and yearning for bigger (and seemingly better) things, doesn’t hide his contempt for this tradition which is a shame because, through some curse or magic, he keeps waking up to the same day morning after morning. Can Phil use his time over to become a better man? And will Groundhog Day be a show we want to see over and over again? Time will tell!
Words by Lisamarie Lamb
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