Video: Jerry Mitchell Talks BECOMING NANCY at Birmingham Rep

Watch Jerry Mitchell discuss Becoming Nancy ahead of its UK Premiere in October 2024. Check out the video here!

"I always think it's an amazing experience to discover a hit musical before it becomes a hit on the West End or Broadway, and I think Becoming Nancy has that potential," says Mitchell.

Becoming Nancy is a coming-of-age story about first love, friendship, and finding your voice. This new musical has a book by Elliot Davis, music by George Stiles, lyrics by Anthony Drewe, additional music and lyrics by Terry Ronald, Elliot Davis and George Stiles based on the novel by Terry Ronald and directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Mitchell’s production of The Devil Wears Prada will also open in the West End in October 2024.

The cast includes:  Joseph Peacock (The Last Ship; US Tour, Bat out of Hell; West End, Scarborough; BBC) as David Starr,  Joseph Vella (Fame, Annie Get Your Gun, From Here to Eternity), as Maxie Boswell, Paige Peddie (Book of Mormon, Oklahoma; West End, The Lion King; UK Tour) as Frances Bassey, Olivier Award-winning Rebecca Trehearn (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, City of Angels, Showboat; West End), as Kath Starr, Genevieve Nicole (Mother Goose and Magic Goes Wrong; West End and Dr Seuss The Grinch Musical Live; NBC and Sky 1) as Aunt Val, Mathew Craig (Susan Stroman’s s Crazy for You, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole; West End, We Will Rock You; UK Tour) as Eddie Starr, Olivier Award-winning Stephen Ashfield (Maria – a new biopic of Maria Callas to be released this year, The Book of Mormon; West End and Broadway as Hamish McClarnon (a role he created at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia) and Daisy Greenwood (Made in Degenham concert; London Palladium, There is Nothing Like a Dame; Cadogan Hall, Christmas with the Stars; Covent Garden) as Abigail Henson.

They are joined by: Layla Armstrong-Hughes (Marcia Tubbert), Shannon Bourne(Ensemble), Elliot Copeland (Swing and Dance Captain), Joseph Craig (Ensemble), Jessica Daugirda (Swing), Isaac Elder (Squirrel), Cameron Gabriel (Ensemble), Tom Andrew Hargreaves (Bus Conductor/Mr Boswell, Ensemble), Ollie Hart-Bradford(Ensemble), Sebastian Harwood (Jason Lancaster), Lucas Impey (Dennis Gordon), Jordan Isaac (Swing) Peter Lavery (Ensemble), Dominique McIntyre (Chrissie Starr), Zara McLellan (Ensemble), Richard Meek (Bob Lord), Rachel Rawlinson (Muriel/Mrs Boswell, Ensemble) and Harry Warburton (Ensemble). 

Joining Mitchell on the creative team are:  David Rockwell and TJ Greenway (co-set design), Jean Chan (costume design), Philip Rosenberg (lighting design), Tony Gayle(sound design), Dick Straker (video design), Susanna Peretz (hair and makeup design), Steve Anderson (musical supervision and arrangements) and casting by Jill Green CDGand Tom Shiels, Olivia Laydon (casting associates).

In Becoming Nancy, it’s 1979 and David Starr is unquestionably one of the smartest, most talented sixth formers in East Dulwich – he’s got a wild imagination, a vocal range to die for, and a bedroom plastered with posters of his beloved pop idols: Blondie, Sting, and Kate Bush.  But being clever, with a great taste in music may not be enough to get him through secondary school, where, to his great surprise, he’s just been given the lead role of Nancy, in the school play, Oliver!  The unconventional casting sends shockwaves to everyone around him – including his parents, his aunt, and his classmates. Before long, it seems like everybody has an opinion on whether David should go on with the show, inspiring him to turn to his no-nonsense best friend Frances and his unlikely co-star Maxie, the enigmatic captain of the football team.  

This exciting new musical, which originally premiered at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, is being built and rehearsed at The Rep.