Kate Fleetwood Leads HIGH SOCIETY, Beginning Tonight at the Old Vic

Cole Porter's classic feel-good musical HIGH SOCIETY comes to The Old Vic in a glittering new production staged in the round. Kate Fleetwood will star as socialite 'Tracy Lord' in the show, to be directed by Olivier-winning director and musical star Maria Friedman (Merrily We Roll Along). HIGH SOCIETY started previews April 30 with an official opening tonight, May 14, 2015.

Friedman told the Daily Mail she wanted a "fantastic actress who can sing brilliantly" and added that Lord's character is "fiercely intelligent, bright, modern, charismatic human being," calling Fleetwood "extremely prepossessing" and "beguiling".

Joining Fleetwood in the cast will be Rupert Young (The White Queen, Merlin) as Tracy's ex-husband C.K. Dexter Haven, Jamie Parker (Assassins) as reporter Mike Connor, Barbara Flynn as Tracy's mother Margaret Lord, Annabel Scholey as photographer Liz Imbrie and Ellie Bamber as Tracy's sister Dinah.

The musical will be presented in the round, accompanied by a 12-piece band and jazz pianist Joe Stilgoe. With some book alterations by playwright Arthur Kopit, HIGH SOCIETY will include many songs from the film, including "Swell Party", "Who Wants To Be A Millioniare" and more.

HIGH SOCIETY is based on The Philadelphia Story and the 1956 MGM film musical starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. Long Island socialite Tracy Lord (Fleetwood) is planning her lavish summer wedding when her ex-husband appears to try and win her back. His unwelcome arrival threatens to disrupt proceedings. When tabloid reporter Mike Connor arrives to cover the nuptials, he too takes a shine to the bride-to-be. But which of these three suitors will she choose?

Stage veteran Fleetwood recently took the stage in the National Theatre's LONDON ROAD and will appear in Rufus Norris's film version this summer. She appeared on Broadway in MACBETH (which transferred from the West End in 2008) and received a Tony nomination for her performance. Among her more recent theatre credits are KING LEAR at the National, a cameo in the LES MIS film adaptation, and THE WINTER'S TALE and PERICLES at the RSC.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski

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