Christiani Pitts and Eric William Morris Will Star in KING KONG

Producers Carmen Pavlovic (Global Creatures) and Roy Furman have announced the first principal casting for the new musical King Kong. Christiani Pitts, currently starring in A Bronx Tale on Broadway, will star as Ann Darrow, and Eric William Morris, who played Sky in Mamma Mia!, will play Carl Denham.

King Kong will open at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway) on November 8, 2018. Preview performances will begin Friday, October 5, 2018.

Written by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) with a score by Marius de Vries (La La Land and Moulin Rouge) and songs by Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice), King Kong is directed by Drew McOnie (Strictly Ballroom The Musical).

King Kong comes alive through an innovative mix of robotics, puppetry and stagecraft.

Producers Carmen Pavlovic and Roy Furman said "When we first saw Christiani Pitts, she blew us away. Christiani embodies everything we aspired to in creating a female protagonist who is relevant in 2018. She is an Ann Darrow for our time - plucky, courageous and the master of her own destiny."

The producers continued, "Eric William Morris is a dynamite performer who will bring a fresh energy to the character of the shifty film producer Carl Denham. Eric effortlessly brings to life the unique and thrilling character re-imagined so brilliantly by Jack Thorne"

Book writer Jack Thorne said "This is an epic story but also a really intimate one - about the limits of ambition and the cages we're put in. Thankfully, in Christiani and Eric we've two remarkable talents who'll lead our incredible company beautifully."

Based on the 1932 novel, the stage production of King Kong is a contemporary take on the classic tale of beauty and the beast. The story follows a young actress, Ann Darrow, and a maverick filmmaker, Carl Denham, as they voyage from the bustling streets of 1930s New York to an uncharted island to capture the world's greatest wonder. At the center of this 21st-century reimagining: a 20-foot high, 2,000-pound gorilla brought to life by a team of seamlessly integrated artists and technicians. King Kong is a larger-than-life encounter with a legend that's always been too big to contain.

Jack Thorne (book writer) received the 2017 Olivier Award and the Evening Standard Award for Best Play for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and wrote the critically acclaimed Let the Right One In.

Director and choreographer Drew McOnie is an Olivier Award winner for the London production of In the Heights and an Olivier Award nominee this year for Jesus Christ Superstar. McOnie directed the U.K. premiere of Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom The Musical, and the recent London productions of The Wild Party and On the Town.

Composer and music producer Marius de Vries (the films La La Land, Moulin Rouge, and Romeo + Juliet) is a four-time Grammy nominee. Eddie Perfect (songs) is a Helpmann Award winner and composer and lyricist of the Broadway-bound Beetlejuice and Shane Warne The Musical.

Pioneering creature designer Sonny Tilders developed Kong for the show, bringing together the worlds of animatronics and puppetry to a degree never seen on stage before. Tilders was honored with the Helpmann Award, Australia's highest theatrical honor, for Outstanding Theatrical Achievement.

King Kong's design team for Broadway also includes Peter England (Set and Projection Design), Roger Kirk (Costume Design), Peter Mumford (Lighting Design), Peter Hylenski (Sound Design), Gavin Robins (Aerial and King Kong Movement Director) and Tom Watson (Hair Design). David Caddick is Music Supervisor.

Casting by Tara Rubin Casting. Additional casting and additional members of the creative team for King Kong will be announced at a later date. Johanna McKeon is Associate Director. Ellenore Scott is Associate Choreographer.

King Kong is authorized by the Merian C. Cooper Estate.

Tickets to King Kong are now on sale through Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200 and online at www.Telecharge.com. Tickets for groups of ten or more are available by calling 866-302-0995 or by email at info@broadwayinbound.com.