ASSASSINS, Featuring Aaron Tveit, Opens Tonight at the Menier Chocolate Factory

With Fully Committed running at the Menier, and Forbidden Broadway at the Vaudeville Theatre, Artistic Director David Babani welcomes Jamie Lloyd's major revival of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins as part of Menier Chocolate Factory's 10-year anniversary season.

Joining Carly Bawden, Simon Lipkin, Mike McShane, Andy Nyman, David Roberts and Catherine Tate are Stewart Clarke, Harry Morrison, Aaron Tveit and Jamie Parker.

The production opens tonight, 1 December 2014, and runs until 7 March 2015.

Aaron Tveit makes his UK stage debut in Assassins. Tony nominated for his role on Broadway in Next to Normal, he is currently starring in hit television police drama Graceland which is running on UK TV, and recently played Enjolras in the film version of Les Miserables.

One of the original 'History Boys' Jamie Parker joins the company fresh from playing Sky Masterson in the critically acclaimed Guys and Dolls at Chichester Festival Theatre, for which he is nominated for a UK Theatre Award. Assassins reunites Parker with his Guys and Dolls co-star Harry Morrison who played Nicely Nicely.

Thirteen people have tried to kill the president of the United States. Four have succeeded. These murderers and would-be murderers are generally dismissed as maniacs and misfits who have little in common with each other, and nothing in common with the rest of us. Assassins suggests otherwise...

Carly Bawden returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory to play Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme. She previously appeared in Pippin. Her other theatre credits include Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Tristan & Yseult and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg(Kneehigh Theatre), Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Sheffield Crucible), and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens).

Stewart Clarke plays Giuseppe Zangara. His theatre work includes The Return of the Soldier (Jermyn Street Theatre),Cool Rider Live (Duchess Theatre), Ghost The Musical (UK tour) and Loserville (Garrick Theatre).

Simon Lipkin plays The Proprietor. His recent theatre includes As You Like It (Southwark Playhouse), I Can't Sing! - The X Factor Musical (Palladium), Rock of Ages (Shaftesbury Theatre), and Nicky and Trekkie in Avenue Q (Noel Coward Theatre).

Mike McShane plays Samuel Byck. His previous work for the company includes Little Shop of Horrors (also Duke of York's and Ambassadors), and La Cage aux Folles (Broadway). Other theatre work includes Tailor-Made Man (Arts Theatre),

Marlon Brando's Corset (Edinburgh Festival and tour). Television includes Who's Line Is It, Anyway?, Doctor Who and Bluestone 42; and for film, Peggy Sue Got Married and Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.

Harry Morrison plays John Hinckley. His theatre credits include Guys and Dolls, Kiss Me Kate (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Sound of Music, Crazy for You (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Lend Me a Tenor (Theatre Royal, Plymouth) and The Wizard of Oz (Royal Festival Hall). His television credits include We are Mongrels and Doc Martin.

Andy Nyman returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory to play Charles Guiteau. He previously appeared in Abigail's Party (also Wyndham's Theatre) and Terrible Advice. His other theatre work includes Ghost Stories (Liverpool Everyman, Lyric Hammersmith and Duke of York's Theatre). Television work includes Peaky Blinders, Campus andDead Set; and for film Kick Ass 2, Death at a Funeral and Severance.

Jamie Parker returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory to play Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald - he previously appeared in Proof. His other theatre work includes Guys and Dolls (2014 UK Theatre Award nomination), The Gondoliers andThe Coffee House (all Chichester Festival Theatre), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Henry V (Globe Theatre), King James Bible, The Revenger's Tragedy, The History Boys (National Theatre), and Racing Demon (Sheffield Crucible). For television, his work includes Lawless, The Politician's Husband, Parade's End, Silk, The Hour; and for film, Le Weekend, Valkyrie and The History Boys.

David Roberts plays Leon Czolgosz - returning to the Menier having previously appeared in Aspects of Love. Other theatre work includes Carl in Ghost The Musical (national tour), and Mamma Mia! (international tour). Film includesLes Miserables.

Catherine Tate will play Sara Jane Moore. Her theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Wyndham's Theatre), Season's Greetings (National Theatre), Under the Blue Sky (Duke of York's), Some Girls (Gielgud Theatre) andA Servant to Two Masters (RSC, New Ambassadors and international tour). She is known to television audiences for The Catherine Tate Show as well as Big School, Doctor Who and The Office (US). Her films credits include Nativity 3 - Dude, Where's My Donkey?; Gulliver's Travels, Monte Carlo, Starter for Ten, Sixty-six and Scenes of a Sexual Nature.

Aaron Tveit plays John Wilkes Booth. His Broadway theatre credits include Catch Me If You Can, Next to Normal(Helen Hayes Award - Outstanding Supporting Performance, Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Male Performer), Wicked, and Hairspray. His Off-Broadway /Regional credits include Rent (Hollywood Bowl, national tour,) and Hairspray. For television, his work includes Graceland (series regular) The Good Wife, Law & Order: SVU, Body of Proof, Ugly Betty, Gossip Girl (recurring); and for film, Stereotypically You, Big Sky, Undrafted, A Dream of Flying, Les Miserables (National Board of Review Award for Best Cast, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble), Premium Rush, Girl Walks into a Bar, Howl, and Ghost Town.

Other cast includes Marc Akinfolarin, Greg Miller Burns and Melle Stewart as Bystanders.

Director Jamie Lloyd's most recent credits include Richard III, The Pride, Macbeth (Trafalgar Transformed), Urinetown(St James Theatre and currently running at the Apollo Theatre) and The Commitments (currently running at the Palace Theatre). As Associate Director of the Donmar, his work included Inadmissable Evidence, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Passion - centrepiece of the Sondheim at 80 Season and winner of the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, and Piaf (also Vaudeville Theatre, Buenos Aires - ADEET Award for Best Production and Clarin Award for Best Musical Production - and Spain). His other credits include The Faith Machine (Royal Court), The Little Dog Laughed (Garrick Theatre) Three Days of Rain (Apollo Theatre), and The Pride (Royal Court - Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement).

Set and costume design is by Soutra Gilmour, with lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Gregory Clarke, musical supervision and direction by Alan Williams, orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin, and hair and make-up design by Richard Mawbey.

Photo Credit: Nobby Clark