Breaking: Samantha Barks To Play Elsa In FROZEN West End

It has just been reported that Pretty Woman and Les Miserables star, Samantha Barks, is set to lead the West End transfer of Disney's Frozen.

Barks joins a line of notable ladies the iconic role of Elsa, the snow queen of Arendelle, originated by Idina Menzel in the film and later reimagined by Caissie Levy in the Broadway production.

The UK production team will meet again in late January to hold final auditions for the co-starring role of Elsa's sister, Anna.

Barks recently completed a run as Vivian in the Broadway adaptation of the classic comedy, Pretty Woman. She garnered rave reviews and acclaim for her performance as Éponine in Universal's film adaptation of Les Misérables, directed by Tom Hooper starring alongside Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, and Anne Hathaway.

She received the Breakout Award at Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Awards, Best Female Newcomer by the Empire Awards, the Spotlight Award from the Hollywood Film Festival, and was nominated for Young British Performer of the Year by the London Critics Circle.

In 2008, Barks competed in the UK television program "I'd Do Anything" in which she was one of the finalists in a search for a new, unknown lead to play Nancy in a West End revival of Oliver!. Barks' career on the West End includes starring in The Donmar Warehouse's production of City of Angels, Honeymoon in Vegas, Oliver!, The Last Five Years and Les Misérables. Other theater credits include Velma in the Los Angeles Philharmonic's production of Chicago at The Hollywood Bowl, and her critically acclaimed performance of the title role in the world premiere of Amelie at Berkley Rep. Barks' film credits include The Christmas Candle, Bitter Harvest, The Revenger and Interlude in Prague.

The production will reopen the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with previews commencing in October 2020. With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen - directed by Michael Grandage - opens for priority booking late January 2020, with general on sale on 6 March 2020. Groups and schools booking opens on 24 February 2020.

Audiences are invited to learn more about Frozen the Musical, and to sign up for priority booking by 12 January 2020 at FrozenTheMusical.co.uk

Frozen, a full-length stage work told in two acts, is the first and only incarnation of the tale that expands upon and deepens its indelible plot and themes through new songs and story material from the film's creators. Like the Disney Theatrical Broadway musicals that have come before it, it is a full evening of theatre and is expected to run two and a half hours.

Based on the 2013 film written by a trio of Oscar winners, Frozen features music and lyrics by the creators of the film score Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Up Here, Winnie the Pooh, In Transit) and EGOT-winner Robert Lopez (Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon, Up Here) and a book by Jennifer Lee (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph), the film's screenwriter and director (with Chris Buck). Frozen won 2014 Oscars for Best Song ("Let It Go") and Best Animated Feature.

Frozen's director is Michael Grandage, a Tony Award winner (Red) and director of three Olivier Award-winning Outstanding Musicals (Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel and Guys and Dolls), and Rob Ashford, Tony Award winner (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and multiple Tony and Olivier Award nominee, is choreographer.