FROM HERE TO ETERNITY Begins Previews in West End Tonight

The world premiere of Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson's new stage musical From Here to Eternity begins previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre tonight, 30 September.

Darius Campbell (Chicago, West End) will play Warden, Siubhan Harrison (Grease, West End) will play Lorene, Robert Lonsdale (Anna Christie, Donmar Warehouse) will play Prewitt, Ryan Sampson (Open Court, Royal Court) will play Maggio and Rebecca Thornhill (South Pacific, UK tour) will play Karen.

The cast also includes Keisha Amponsa Banson, Marc Antolin, Julie Armstrong, James Ballanger, John Brannoch, Abigail Climer, Brian Doherty, Jessica Ellen, Dale Evans, Shimi Goodman, Kirby Hughes, Lauren Ingram, Dean John-Wilson, Joshua Lacey, Carolyn Maitland, Nuno Queimado, Lucinda Shaw, Warren Sollars, David Stoller, Rebecca Sutherland, Laura Tyrer, Adam Vaughan, Lauren Varnham, Stephen Webb and Matthew Wesley.

Adapted from one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, this gripping tale of illicit love and army life unites the writing talents of Tim Rice (lyrics), Stuart Brayson (music) and Bill Oakes (book). It marks Tim's first new stage musical for over ten years and Stuart's West End début.

From Here to Eternity will be directed by Tamara Harvey (Educating Rita, Menier Chocolate Factory), designed by Soutra Gilmour (Macbeth, Trafalgar Studios) and choreographed by Javier De Frutos (London Road, National Theatre). The stellar creative team also includes lighting designer Bruno Poet (Frankenstein, National Theatre), sound designer Mick Potter (Phantom of the Opera, West End/worldwide) and orchestrator & musical supervisor David White (LES MISERABLES, West End/ worldwide).

Pearl Harbor,1941, where the girls sing "don'cha like Hawaii", the men of G Company sing the blues, and where even on an army base, love and desire are never very far away. When the troubled Private Prewitt falls for the kind hearted escort club girl Lorene, and when his platoon sergeant, Warden, embarks on a dangerous affair with his commanding officer's wife, Karen, the lives of both men are set on a course they cannot control. As war approaches, the worlds of the four lovers and the soldiers of G Company are dramatically ripped apart.

Published in 1951, From Here to Eternity was James Jones' début novel. It won him the National Book Award for fiction in 1952. The narrative is loosely based on Jones' experiences in the pre-World War II Hawaiian Division's 27 unit in which he served. In 1953 the novel was adapted into a film directed by Fred Zinnemann and produced by Buddy Adler, starring Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed. The film won 8 Academy Awards out of 13 nominations.

Box Office: 020 7379 5399

To Book online visit: www.FromHereToEternityTheMusical.com