Ruffelle, Kelsey and Rawle To Star In Menier Chocolate Factory's Christmas Musical PIPPIN

Harry Hepple, Ian Kelsey, Matt Rawle and Frances Ruffelle will be featured in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Pippin, a colourful, imaginative and darkly humorous coming-of-age story with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, The Baker's Wife, Godspell) and book by Roger O. Hirson.

Harry Hepple, who will be playing Pippin, was last in the West End in The 25the Annual Puttnam Country Spelling Bee at the Donmar.

Ian Kelsey, who will be playing Charlemagne, was last in the West End as Billy Flynn in Chicago at the Cambridge. Ian is known to television audiences for his leading roles in Blue Murder, Where the Heart Is, Down to Earth, Casualty and Emmerdale.
Matt Rawle, who will be playing the Leading Player, was last in the West End in the title role in Zorro at the Garrick (for which he received a nomination for Best Actor in a Musical in the 2009 Oliver Awards and the 2008 WhatsOnStage Awards) and Che in Evita at the Adelphi (also WhatsOnStage nomination). His other recent theatre credits include The Three Musketeers (Rose Theatre, Kingston) and Light in the Piazza (Curve Theatre, Leicester).

Frances Ruffelle, who will be playing Fastrada, is best known for creating the role of Eponine in Les Misérables for the RSC and in the West End -- for which she received the Tony Award, Theatre World Award and Outer Critics Circle Award when she recreated the role on Broadway; she recently performed in the show's 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 and has also appeared in the West End in Chicago (Adelphi), Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria) and Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden (Prince Edward).
The cast also includes Carly Bawden (playing Catherine) who recently played Genevieve in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Gielgud Theatre); Stuart Neal (playing Theo) whose West End credits include La Cage aux Folles (Playhouse), Piaf ( Donmar) and The Lord of the Rings ( Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); and David Page (playing Lewis) whose recent credits include Chicago (Cambridge), A Chorus Line (Sheffield Crucible) and Kiss Me Kate (UK tour).

Also in the cast are Ben Bunce, Bob Harms, Holly James, Anabel Kutay, David McMullan and Kate Tydman.

The production will be directed and choreographed by Mitch Sebastian and will include incorporate Bob Fosse's original Tony Award-winning choreography. Timothy Bird returns to the Chocolate Factory for the first time since winning the Olivier Award for Sunday in the Park with George to design the set and projections. Lighting design is by Tony Award winner (for Chicago) Ken Billington, costume design by Jean-Marc Puissant, orchestrations and music supervision by Simon Lee, sound design by Gareth Owen and musical direction by Tom Kelly.

Pippin is being presented at the Chocolate Factory in conjunction with Michael Jackowitz/Arlene Scanlan and Adam Blanshay/Natalie Macaluso.

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Previews: Tuesday 22 Nov - 6 Dec: all seats £28.50 (meal deals £37)
Press Night: Wednesday 7th December, 8.00 pm
7 Dec - 25 Feb : £33.50 (concessions and group rate £29; meal deals £40).
A meal deal ticket includes a 2-course meal from the pre-theatre menu in the Menier Café as well as the theatre ticket.
Performances: Tuesday-Saturday evenings at 8.00pm
Matinees: Saturday and Sunday at 3.30pm
PLEASE NOTE: There will be additional preview performances on Monday 28 November, and Monday 5 December, and no performances on Sunday 27 November, or Sunday 4 December, or Sunday 11 December.

Box Office: 020 7378 1713; £2 transaction fee per booking
Website: www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1 transaction fee per bkg)
Address: 53 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU
Restaurant: 020 7407 4411
Transport: London Bridge Tube, Borough High Street exit
RV1 and 381 buses
On street parking after 6.30pm or all day Saturday & Sunday
Show Websites: www.menierchocolatefactory.com