Photo Coverage: First Look Jamie Parker, Clare Foster and More in GUYS AND DOLLS at Chichester

Guys and Dolls - a joyous and vibrant celebration of Prohibition-era New York - marks a series of firsts when it bursts onto the Festival Theatre stage at Chichester this summer, running now through 21 September 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below!

Not only will it be the first time that Guys and Dolls has been staged at Chichester during its 52-year history, it will be the first musical to open in the Festival Theatre following its £22 million redevelopment. The musical also marks debuts at Chichester for director Gordon Greenberg and choreographer Carlos Acosta.

This hugely popular and multi award-winning production first premiered on Broadway in 1950, capturing the optimism and energy of post-World War Two America. The musical was based on the colourful stories by Damon Runyon, an American journalist and author celebrated for his vivid fictional depictions of the gamblers, hustlers and actors of New York.

The music and lyrics are by Frank Loesser, whose credits include How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and the song Baby, It's Cold Outside.The book is by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Burrows' credits include How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and Breakfast at Tiffany's. Swerling's credits include the seminal film It's A Wonderful Life.

Clare Foster plays Sarah Brown. Her previous Chichester credits include The Master and Margarita and Out of This World. Other credits include West End productions of Merrily We Roll Along, Crazy for You and Avenue Q.

Jamie Parker plays Sky Masterson. His Chichester credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (also West End). Other credits include Proof (Menier Chocolate Factory), Henry V, Henry IV Part I and Henry IV Part 2 (all for Shakespeare's Globe), and The History Boys (National Theatre, Broadway and Australia and Hong Kong).

Peter Polycarpou plays Nathan Detroit. His Chichester credits include The Pajama Game, Sweeney Todd and Love Story, all of which transferred to the West End. Other credits include West End productions of LES MISERABLES, Miss Saigon and The Secret Garden, Oklahoma! for the National Theatre, and the popular BBC sitcom, Birds of a Feather.

Sophie Thompson plays Miss Adelaide. Theatre credits include Clybourne Park (Royal Court), Into the Woods (Donmar Warehouse) for which she received an Olivier Award and Company (Donmar Warehouse and West End). She is well known to TV viewers for her role as Stella Crawford in EastEnders.

The Guys and Dolls cast also includes Karen Aspinall, Lucy Banfield, Miles Barrow, John Brannoch, Stephanie Bron, Nic Greenshields, Mark Heenehan, Ian Hughes, Daniel Ioannou, Melissa James, Anabel Kutay, Melanie La Barrie, Lucinda Lawrence, Adam Margilewski, Neil McCaul, Harry Morrison, Michael Peters, Carl Sanderson, Matthew Whennell-Clark and Nick Wilton.

American director Gordon Greenberg makes his Chichester debut with this quintessential American production. Design is by Peter McKintosh; Choreography is by Carlos Acosta; Co-choreographer is Andrew Wright; Gareth Valentine is the Musical Supervisor and Musical Director, and is also responsible for the Dance Arrangements; Orchestration is by Larry Blank; Lighting Design is by Tim Mitchell; and Sound Design is by Paul Groothuis.

Guys and Dolls will be at the Festival Theatre, Chichester through 21 September. Evenings 7.30pm (except for the Press Night, Thursday 21 August, 7.00pm), matinees 2.30pm. Tickets: Previews/Press Night from £10. All other performances from £15. To book, go to cft.org.uk or contact the Box Office on 01243 781312.

Photo Credit: Roy Tan