WICKED's Willemijn Verkaik and More Join Tamsin Greig in West End's WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

According to the Daily Mail, Pedro Almodovar's Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown has added more big names to its cast, including WICKED's Willemijn Verkaik and Haydn Oakley, WE WILL ROCK YOU's Ricardo Afonso, JERUSALEM's Sarah Moyle, THE WIZARD OF OZ's Marianne Benedict, and VIVA FOREVER's Rebecca McKinnis.

The show, directed by Bartlett Sher, begins performances on December 20, 2014, at the Playhouse Theatre with an opening slated for January 12, 2015.

Also in the cast are previously announced Haydn Gwynne, Jerome Pradon and Anna Skellern, joining star Tamsin Greig in the UK premiere of David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane's new musical adaptation of the Oscar-nominated film Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

Originally based by Almodovar on Jean Cocteau's The Human Voice, Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown was Pedro's first international hit. It captured a liberated Spain, placing women at the centre of their own experience. Pepa (Tamsin Greig), Candela (Anna Skellern) and Lucia (Haydn Gwynne) became iconic, showing women struggling for power over their own lives, and with enormous humour and style. It also marked the breakout of one of our most important and unique international film directors.

David Yazbek (Music & Lyrics) has most notably written the music and lyrics to the musical adaptations of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels which has recently opened at The Savoy Theatre and The Full Monty. Both scores have earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics. Yazbek was also a contributing lyricist for the musical Bombay Dreams and is also part of the creative team developing a stage musical version of the film Tootsie.

Jeffrey Lane (Book) has collaborated previously with David Yazbek on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Lane is perhaps best known for writing such television programs as Mad About You and Bette (which he also produced), Ryan's Hope, Lou Grant, Cagney & Lacey, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd and the mini-series The Murder of Mary Phagan. He has been the recipient of many accolades including five Emmy Awards, three Writers Guild Awards, two Peabody Awards, a Golden Globe and the Christopher Award.

WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN will run at the Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Ave, London, WC2N 5DE. For more information, visit www.WomenOnTheVergeMusical.com and follow on Twitter: @WomenVergeUK. Booking Number: 0844 871 7631. Ticket Prices: £24.50 - £59.50 (Premium Tickets available). Runs 20 December 2014 to 9 May 2015 - Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm; Wednesday (from 24 December) and Saturday (from 27 December) at 2:30pm; Press Night: Monday 12 January 2015 at 7:00pm.

Photo Credit: Kevin Thomas Garcia