Callum Francis Joins GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY

Callum Francis, best known for his portrayal as Lola in the hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots, has joined the cast of Girl From the North Country as Joe Scott.

UK born, now Sydney resident, Francis first played the role of Lola in the original London Production of Kinky Boots, before coming to Australia to take on the role. He won Best Male Actor in a musical at the 2017 Helpmann Awards, before returning to the UK tour and going on to play Lola on Broadway.

Callum's other credits include Cameron Mackintosh's London revival of Miss Saigon and other West End productions such as Disney's The Lion King and Ghost.

Also joining the Ensemble of Girl From the North Country is Tony Black.

Starring Lisa McCune, Callum Francis, Zahra Newman, Peter Kowitz, Terence Crawford, Helen Dallimore, Peter Carroll, Christina O'Neill, Greg Stone, Grant Piro, Blake Erickson, Elizabeth Hay and James Smith, it features Dylan's boldly reimagined, including Hurricane, I Want You, Slow Train Coming, Lay Lady Lay and Like A Rolling Stone.

Chemon Theys, Samantha Morley, Tony Black, Liam Wigney, Tony Cogin and Laurence Coy feature in the impressive ensemble, with a band featuring Mark Harris, Tracey Lynch and Cameron Henderson performing live on stage under Musical Director Andrew Ross.

The uplifting and joyful story features a fascinating cast of characters including Peter Kowitz (AFI winner and veteran of dozens of productions with STC, QTC, State Theatre Company SA and Bell Shakespeare) as Nick Laine, the guesthouse's owner, with Lisa McCune (multi Gold Logie winner and star of King And I, South Pacific) as his wife Elizabeth. Their daughter Marianne is played by stage and screen star Zahra Newman (The Book of Mormon, Wentworth, Wake In Fright) with their son Gene played by James Smith (Jasper Jones, Euphoria and Hibernation for State Theatre Company SA) and his girl Katherine, played by Elizabeth Hay (the Helpmann Award winning Emil and the Detectives, Hibernation, The Gods of Strangers).

Mrs Burke is played by Helpmann Award winner Helen Dallimore (Wicked [London's West End], Legally Blonde, Muriel's Wedding the Musical, Spring Awakening) and her husband, played by Greg Stone (Glengarry Glen Ross, Stuff Happens, Oklahoma!, Funny Girl); their son Elias, played by Blake Erickson (The Dismissal, Shrek, Mamma Mia!); Christina O'Neill (Calamity Jane, Vivid White and Avenue Q, for which she won a Helpmann Award) as the widowed Mrs Neilsen; Mr Perry, played by Peter Carroll (Helpmann Award winning star of over 100 productions, and recent recipient of an AM for services to the theatre); Dr Walker, played by stage and screen legend Terence Crawford (Romeo & Juliet, The Seagull, Hedda Gabler, 1984 and films Escape from Pretoria and The Babadook); Callum Francis (Kinky Boots) as a washed up boxer; and Grant Piro (host of ABC TV's Couch Potato, Hello, Dolly!, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Oklahoma!) as a mysterious preacher.

A modern masterpiece, Girl From The North Country opens this January at the newly restored Theatre Royal Sydney as part of 2022 Sydney Festival. The Australian premiere is supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.

All performances will have conditions of entry adhering to the relevant NSW Government Public Health Orders and health advice.

Tickets on sale at: northcountry.com.au.

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