Donmar Warehouse Announces Full Casting For New Musical COMMITTEE
By: BWW News Desk May. 08, 2017
Committee... (A New Musical) is edited from the parliamentary transcript of an oral evidence session held on 15 October 2015 and the words spoken by those participating in the Inquiry. Sandra Marvin (City of Angels) will play Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of Kids Company, and Omar Ebrahim will play Alan Yentob, former chairman of the charity.
Further casting includes Alexander Hanson as Bernard Jenkin MP, Rosemary Ashe as Kate Hoey MP, Robert Hands as David Jones MP, Liz Robertson as Cheryl Gillan MP and Anthony O'Donnell as Paul Flynn MP. They will be joined by David Albury and JoAnna Kirkland.
"The objective of this session is not to conduct a show trial. We want to learn some lessons."
What happens when something goes wrong? Who holds us accountable? On 15 October 2015, as part of an inquiry into 'The collapse of Kids Company', Camila Batmanghelidjh and Alan Yentob gave evidence to The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. Hadley Fraser, Josie Rourke and composer Tom Deering have transformed that evidence session into a new musical.
This production has not been authorised by any participant or Parliament. We present it to you - the public - to consider how civic life in the UK is really governed.
It is based on the Parliamentary transcript of the oral evidence session on 15 October 2015 and the words spoken by those participating in the Inquiry.
Making theatre accessible to as many people as possible remains at the heart of the Donmar's mission. Committee... (A New Musical) has KLAXON tickets available throughout the run: a new allocation of tickets, starting from £10, put on sale every Monday for performances in the following three weeks. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.
The Donmar's YOUNG+FREE scheme, which provides free tickets to those aged 25 and under, will also continue throughout the Power Season, with releases for tickets at the end of every month. YOUNG+FREE is made possible thanks to donations from Donmar audiences via PAY IT FORWARD. The Donmar has now received almost 2,750 donations alongside their partnership with Delta Airlines, which has enabled the venue to allocate almost 5,600 free tickets to those aged 25 and under.
Audiences can sign up to receive information about tickets on the Donmar's website www.donmarwarehouse.com
David Albury (Junior Clerk) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Committee... David's theatre credits include The Life (Southwark Playhouse); Exposure: The Musical (St. James Theatre); Only The Brave (Wales Millenium Centre); The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Birmingham Rep); You Won't Succeed on Broadway if You Don't Have Any Jews (St. James Theatre & Tel Aviv); Love Story (Union Theatre); Porgy and Bess (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Bare (Greenwich Theatre); The Lion King (National Tour).
Rosemary Ashe (Kate Hoey MP) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Committee... (A New Musical). Rosemary's theatre credits include Call Me Merman (Jermyn Street Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre), The Boyfriend (Albery Theatre), Les Miserables (Barbican Arts Centre), Oliver! (London Palladium), Bitter Sweet (Sadler's Wells), The Witches of Eastwick (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical, Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre), When We Are Married (Garrick Theatre), The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Waterloo East Theatre), Honeymoon in Vegas (London Palladium), Noises Off (New Wolsey Theatre), Stepping Out (UK Tour), The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Ages 13 & ¾ (Leicester Curve), Crush (Belgrade Theatre) and Sister Act (UK Tour). Rosemary's television and radio appearances include An Audience With Ronnie Corbett, The House of Eliott, Monster TV, Friday Night is Music Night and Songs From the Shows. Rosemary has also appeared with English National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera, Sadler's Wells Opera, Opera Northern Ireland and Carl Rosa in many different roles, including Musetta in La Boheme, Helene in La Belle Helene, Frasquita in Carmen and Despina in Cosi Fan Tutte. Rosemary can also be heard on many cast albums including The Phantom of the Opera, Kismet, The Boyfriend, The Witches of Eastwick, Oliver!, The 10th Anniversary Concert of Les Miserables and Mary Poppins.
Omar Ebrahim (Alan Yentob) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Committee... (A New Musical). Omar has sung in performances of contemporary operas and other works by Nigel Osborne, Michael Tippett, Harrison Birtwistle, Luciano Berio, Philip Glass, Peter Lieberson, Frank Zappa, György Ligeti, Peter Eötvös, and Michael Nyman. Omar's television credits include the title role in BBC miniseries The Vampyr: A Soap Opera, an updated version of Heinrich Marschner's opera Der Vampyr. Further credits include the role of "The Fool" in Liza Lim's opera The Navigator (Brisbane Festival). He has also participated in performances of operas by Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Kurt Weill, Georges Bizet, and Gilbert and Sullivan.
Alexander Hanson (Bernard Jenkin MP) has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in Enter The Guardsman and Brel. Alexander's extensive theatre credits include the title role in Stephen Ward (Aldwych), 42nd Street (Theatre Du Chatelet), The Truth (Wyndham's Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory), The Gathered Leaves (Park Theatre), Accolade (St James Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (O2 London and Arena Tour), Uncle Vanya (Chichester Festival Theatre), An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre), A Little Night Music (Broadway, Garrick Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory) for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award and a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Further theatre credits include Marguerite (Haymarket Theatre) and The Sound of Music (London Palladium) as well as numerous credits at the National Theatre. Alexander also originated the role of Khashoggi in We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre). Film credits include Papadopoulos & Sons, Kidulthood and Mauvaise Passe.
Robert Hands (David Jones MP) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Committee... (A New Musical). His extensive theatre credits include Mrs Henderson Presents (Noel Coward Theatre), Mouthful (Trafalgar Studios), Sun Spots (Hampstead Theatre Downstairs), Scenes From An Execution (National Theatre), A Winter's Tale, Henry IV and Richard III for Propeller, Oh What A Lovely War (Northern Stage), Spamalot (Palace Theatre), The Schumann Plan (Hampstead Theatre), Chicago (Adelphi Theatre), Mamma Mia (Prince of Wales Theatre), Troilus and Cressida (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Royal Exchange Manchester), The Importance of Being Earnest (Old Vic) and Invisible Friends (National Theatre). Robert's television credits include Dark Heart, Partners in Crime, Love & Marriage, Doctor Who, Sharpe's Battle and The House of Elliott, and film credits include Charlotte Gray, Anna and the King and the Academy Award-winning film, Shine.
JoAnna Kirkland (Chief Clerk) has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in Parade. Joanna's other theatre credits include The Adding Machine (Finborough Theatre), Shutters (Park Theatre), Season's Greetings (Union Theatre) and A Chorus of Disapproval (Harold Pinter Theatre). Television credits include Suspicion, Doctors, St Milligan's Wharf, Holby City, Casualty, The Bill, Children of The New Forest, Martin Chuzzlewit, The Benny Hill Show.
Sandra Marvin (Camila Batmanghelidjh) has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in the Olivier Award-winning production of City Of Angels. Sandra's other theatre credits include Stepping Out (Vaudeville Theatre/Theatre Royal Bath), Showboat (New London Theatre/Sheffield Crucible), Kate Bush: Before the Dawn (Eventim Apollo), Chicago (Curve Theatre Leicester), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre and UK & Ireland Tour), Ragtime, A Fairytale of New York and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Cool Hand Luke (Aldwych Theatre) and A Rake's Progress (Royal Opera House). She has also appeared on television in Citizen Khan.
Anthony O'Donnell (Paul Flynn MP) has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in Glengarry Glen Ross, Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya at the Donmar Warehouse and New York. Anthony's other theatre credits include 1984, The Ruling Class, The Captain of Kopenick, The Shaughraun, Bartholomew Fair, Ghetto, The Miser, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Under the Milk Wood, The Way of the World, The London Cuckolds and President of an Empty Room (National), A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Witch of Edmonton, The Winter's Tale, Our Friends in the North, Measure for Measure, A New Way to Pay Old Debts, As You Like It, All's Well That Ends Well, The Beggar's Opera, Henry VIII and Kiss Me Kate (RSC), Our Private Life (Royal Court), King Lear, Galileo, Dance of Death, Ivanov and The Homecoming (Almeida), The Tempest (The Bridge Project, New York, on a world tour and at the Old Vic) and The Weir (West End). Television and film credits include Stella (Series 1 to 4 and Christmas Special 2013), The Suspicions of Mr Wicher, Being Human, Gavin and Stacey, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Sweeney Todd, Much Ado About Nothing, Charles II, Moll Flanders, Doc Martin, Skyfall, Caught in the Act, The Death Defying Acts, The Baker, Match Point, Vera Drake, Love's Labours Lost, Secrets and Lies, Robin Hood, Santa Claus.
Liz Robertson (Cheryl Gillan MP) has previously appeared at the Donmar Warehouse in Kern Goes To Hollywood. Liz's additional theatre credits include Follies (Toulon Opera), Finding Neverland (Curve Theatre), Phantom of the Opera (25th Anniversary Celebration - Royal Albert Hall and Her Majesty's Theatre), Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre), Touch of Danger (UK Tour), Gypsy (Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre), Company (Derby Playhouse), Peter Pan (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), Stepping Out (Albery Theatre), The King and I (US Tour). Liz has also appeared on television in The Green Green Grass.
Tom Deering (Composer) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut as Composer for Committee... (A New Musical). His recent theatre work as Music Supervisor includes The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic), Jesus Christ Superstar (Regents Park), and the Oliver Award winning In the Heights (King's Cross Theatre). He was named as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in the 2016 honours list.
Hadley Fraser (Book and lyrics) returns to the Donmar having appeared in James Graham's play for stage and television The Vote, and Josie Rourke's productions of Saint Joan, City of Angels and Coriolanus. He also appeared in The Machine, directed by Rourke, for the Donmar co-production with the Manchester International Festival and Park Avenue Armory, New York. His recent theatre credits include A Long Days Journey into Night (Bristol Old Vic), as well as The Winter's Tale and Harlequinade (The Kenneth Branagh Company at the Garrick Theatre). He has played Marius and, later, Javert in the West End production of Les Misérables and appeared in Tom Hooper's acclaimed film adaptation. In 2012, Fraser played Raoul in the 25th Anniversary Concert of The Phantom of the Opera, which was broadcast around the world. Other theatre credits include The Pajama Game (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Fantasticks (Duchess Theatre) and Assassins (Sheffield Crucible). For TV he has recently starred in Decline and Fall for the BBC and Him for ITV. Film credits include The Legend of Tarzan. Together with Ramin Karimloo, he writes, records and performs music as SHEYTOONS and recently released his first solo recording Just Let Go. Fraser is a patron of the Performance Preparation Academy in Guildford and is an Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.
Josie Rourke (Book and lyrics) is the Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, her most recent production was Saint Joan starring Gemma Arterton. For the Donmar Josie's productions include the world premiere of Nick Payne's Olivier nominated new play Elegy; Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which was broadcast live in cinemas around the world in partnership with National Theatre Live, nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Revival and ran at the Booth Theatre, New York; The Vote, which was broadcast Live Nationwide on television on the night of the 2015 UK election to an audience of half a million and nominated for a BAFTA; City of Angels, which received the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival; Privacy, a new play created by James Graham and Josie Rourke; Coriolanus, which was broadcast live in cinemas in partnership with National Theatre Live and for which Tom Hiddleston won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor; The Weir, which transferred to Wyndham's Theatre; The Machine at Manchester International Festival and at Park Avenue Armory, New York; Berenice; The Physicists; The Recruiting Officer; Frame 312; World Music; and The Cryptogram. A new production of Privacy, written by James Graham and created by James Graham and Josie Rourke, featuring Daniel Radcliffe, played at The Public Theater New York last summer. Her additional theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing at Wyndham's Theatre, nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Revival; Men Should Weep at the National Theatre; Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare; Crazyblackmuthafuckin'self, Loyal Women at the Royal Court; King John at the Royal Shakespeare Company; and The Long and the Short and the Tall and Kick for Touch at Sheffield Theatres. Rourke was previously Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, which was named Theatre of the Year under her leadership. At the Bush Theatre, her credits include the premiere of If There Is I Haven't Found it Yet by Nick Payne.
Adam Penford (Director) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut as director for Committee... (A New Musical). He has recently been appointed Artistic Director of the Nottingham Playhouse. He was Revival Director on One Man Two Guvnors (West End/ NY and Tour) and Associate Director of the NT 50th Anniversary Gala (NT and BBC). His theatre credits include The Boys in the Band (Park Theatre and UK Tour); A Small Family Business, Is There Wi-Fi in Heaven and Island (National Theatre), Platinum (Hampstead) and Unfaithful (Found111). Other theatre credits include Watership Down (Watermill Theatre), Deathtrap (Salisbury Playhouse), Ghost The Musical (ETF), Stepping Out (Salisbury Playhouse), The Machine Gunners and Run! (Polka Theatre), The Hostage (Southwark Playhouse), Young Woody and Tea and Sympathy (Finborough Theatre).
DONMAR 2017 POWER SEASON
Committee... (A New Musical) is the final production in the Donmar Warehouse's Spring Power Season, which launched with Steve Waters' acclaimed new play Limehouse.
Award-winning Playwright Bruce Norris' new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui has just opened at the Donmar, starring Lenny Henry in the title role directed by Simon Evans.
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