Further Casting Announced For THE RHYTHMICS at Southwark Playhouse

Further casting has been announced for the premiere of brand-new life affirming musical THE RHYTHMICS this winter, playing at the Southwark Playhouse from 2 December to 8 January, with a press night on Tuesday 7 December.

As previously announced, Noel Sullivan (School of Rock, Years and Years and Gavin and Stacey) will star as 'Grey' alongside Zweyla Mitchell Dos Santos making her professional debut playing 'Silva'. Joining the cast are Ken Christiansen (Everybody's Talking About Jamie, It's a Sin, Mother Courage and her Children) as 'Nick', Kinny Gardner (Godspell, The Rocky Horror Show, The Mousetrap) as 'Sid', Rebecca Hayes (A Christmas Carol, Cylch Sialc, The Pact) as 'Robin', Andrew Patrick-Walker (Jerry Springer - The Opera, Brooklyn the Musical, The Muppets Most Wanted) as 'Jeremy', Joshua Steel (Aladdin, Friendsical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as 'Connor', and Phil Snowden (Billy Elliot, Les Miserables and Bridgerton) as 'Dennis'.

A brand-new music video for one of the numbers in the show - 'Daddy, You're My Hero' - has also been released, with the leads coming together for the first time performing together. Like the music video Got Your Back, created to accompany the release of the album, the full production will also feature BSL integrated choreography from Deaf men Dancing's Mark Smith, as well as captions throughout all performances, to make the show accessible for D/deaf and hard of hearing audiences. A cast album for the show was created during lockdown last year under socially distanced rules in studios across London, Brighton and Glasgow, and released in July 2020. The album is available via Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, Apple Music and other digital platforms.

With book and lyrics by Metta's Artistic Director P Burton-Morgan, and music and lyrics from Stiles + Drewe award winner Ben Glasstone (Reanimator), THE RHYTHMICS explores the crisis of masculinity via a collection of oddballs belting their way through a thrillingly catchy guitar-led score.

Hapless single-dad Grey is in a rut. Teenage daughter Silva packs him off to revive his rockstar dreams, successfully auditioning for 'Nick & the Rhythmics' only to realise... he's actually signed up for an All-male Rhythmic Gymnastics troupe. Against the odds these burly blokes make it as far as the World Championships - twirling their 'ribbons of fire' - and along the way Grey finally learns to commit to life. Calendar Girls meets The Full Monty in this joyous new British musical.

P Burton-Morgan says, "I'm so thrilled to be collaborating with this bunch of theatrical legends - we were blown away in auditions by the talent and enthusiasm in the room. Maybe it's this show, maybe it's the 18 month career hiatus we've all had, but never have I been met with such commitment and passion. Can't wait to share the joy of this brilliant company who are pouring their heart and soul into this life-affirming new show - truly a tonic for our times."

THE RHYTHMICS is directed by P Burton-Morgan, with choreography by Mark Smith, with Ellie Verkerk as Musical Supervisor, Erika Gundesen as Musical Director, James Nicholson as sound designer, Francine Huin-Wah as costume designer, Jane Deitch as casting director, and Will Reynolds as set and lighting designer.

Award-winning Metta Theatre is one of the UK's leading mid-scale touring companies - making exceptional theatre and opera that represents and celebrates the diversity of our world. They are known for combining emotionally powerful performances with imaginative theatricality and striking visual style. After their smash hit street-dance Jungle Book (Theatre Royal Windsor, UK & Int. tours), circus-musical Little Mermaid (Theatre By The Lake & UK tour) and BSL integrated hip hop musical In The Willows (Exeter Northcott & UK tour) Metta Theatre have spent the last year recording and releasing 5 cast albums of their new original British musicals including The Rhythmics, HouseFire, In The Willows, Little Prince & Cells. Other previous productions include Mouthful (Trafalgar Studios) and Arab Nights (Soho Theatre & UK tour).

Aria Entertainment was founded in 2012 by Katy Lipson. In 2017, Katy was awarded the Best Producer award by the Off-West End Awards and is a recipient of a Stage One Bursary and Start Up Award. She took part in the first ever UK/US Producer Exchange in 2019 and was nominated for International Producer Of The Year in 2020 by the League Of Professional Women in New York. She made "The Stage 100" a list of the most influential people working in British Theatre in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and also 2021. Katy recently produced CRUISE at The Duchess Theatre and is producing The Addams Family Tour as well as THE LAST 5 YEARS at the Garrick Theatre. She was Producing Artistic Director at the Hope Mill Theatre from 2016-2019 where she produced and general managed 13 in house musicals.

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