Producers to Allow Public to Invest in Julian Fellowes-Penned THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS Musical

The producers of the upcoming musical theatre adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic novel THE WIND WIN THE WILLOWS will soon allow the public to get in on mounting the production.

DOWNTON ABBEY's Julian Fellowes is writing the new book and reunites with composer and lyricist duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The three first collaborated on Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's hit musical Mary Poppins which ran for three years in the West End and has been playing on Broadway since 2006.

Whats On Stage has confirmed that 10 percent of the show's £6.5million budget will be "available to individuals willing to invest between £1,000 and £5,000."

"Although this is based on crowd-funding, it's not really the same thing," producer Jamie Hendry told the publication. "All our online investors will receive exactly the same benefits that traditional theatre investors would receive."

Should the show take off, investors could receive upwards of 60% in the first two years, according to Hendry.

"The Wind in the Willows really felt like the right project for this," he said. "Everyone we've been speaking to about it is very excited about it and anecdotally lots of people have expressed an interest in investing."

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The production is being developed and produced by Jamie Hendry Productions, whose recent productions include the Olivier Award-winning Legally Blonde the Musical, Birdsong, Spring Awakening and the Olivier Award-winning La Cage Aux Folles.

Fellowes has achieved extraordinary success recently having created the hugely successful period drama Downton Abbey for which he won two Emmy Awards in 2011. Fellowes won an Oscar in 2002 for his Gosford Park screenplay. Other screenplays include The Young Victoria, The Importance of Being Earnest and a new version ofRomeo & Juliet due for release in 2012.

Stiles and Drewe have been writing together for twenty-eight years. They are best known for writing new songs for Mary Poppins, their Olivier Award-winning Honk!, and more recently Betty Blue Eyes. Other work includes Just So, Peter Pan and they are currently developing Soho Cinders and Soapdish.

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