Verkaik and More To Perform At Anderson and Petty's YOU ARE HOME, St James Theatre, March 16

Willemijn Verkaik and Charlotte Wakefield will head a stellar line-up of vocalists at a concert of songs by acclaimed transatlantic songwriting duo Anderson and Petty at the St James Theatre Studio on Sunday March 16 as part of the venue's season of "Cabaret Nights".

Ms Verkaik - a seasoned pop band singer and veteran cast member of the musical Elizabeth in her native Holland - is currently playing Elphaba in the Stephen Schwartz smash Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, having previously played the role in the Netherlands, Germany and on Broadway. Charlotte Wakefield burst onto the West End musical theatre scene when she played the role of Wendla in the Olivier Award winning musical Spring Awakening before going on to play roles such as Sophie in Mamma Mia and (most recently) Maria in the WhatsOnStage Award-winning The Sound Of Music at Regents Park.

London-based Mark Petty and Wisconsin-born Barry Anderson (who is currently playing Bob Crewe in the US tour of Jersey Boys) have written a catalogue of songs together via "the miracle of skype and transatlantic travel" since they first met in 2010. The album "You Are Home: The Songs Of Anderson And Petty" - a 16-song journey through various musical genres, including musical theatre, pop, country, folk-rock and gospel - was released in December 2013 via Amazon and iTunes, co-produced with Dennis Michael Keefe of the Great White Wax record label. Vocalists on the album reflect the songwriters' roots on both sides of the Atlantic, feauturing US performers Jen Burleigh-Bentz (Mamma Mia), Brent Michael DiRoma (Avenue Q ), Josh Franklin (Anything Goes), Natalie Gallo (Jersey Boys), Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde), Jason Kappus (American Idiot), Jonathan Rayson (Because of Winn-Dixie), Coleen Sexton (Jekyll & Hyde), and Lucia Spina (Kinky Boots) - and UK performers Matthew Barrow (Merrily We Roll Along, The Wizard Of Oz), Gina Beck (Wicked, The Phantom Of The Opera), Kieran Brown (Pipe Dream, Wicked, Love Never Dies), Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple, I Can't Sing), Debbie Kurup (The Bodyguard, Chicago, Rent), Sophia Ragavelas (Les Miserables), and Tony Award winner Frances Ruffelle (Les Miserables, Children Of Eden, The A to Z Of Mrs P).

The concert at the St James will feature songs from the album plus some brand new songs, including material from "Lost" - a song-cycle on "the trials of life". The concert's cast will include: Matthew Barrow, Edward Baruwa, Kieran Brown, Nadine Cox, Andy Coxon, Chris Howell, Kim Ismay, Sophie Isaccs, Laura Main, Gloria Onitiri, Sophia Ragavelas, Jacynta Whyte - and the previously mentioned Willemijn Verkaik and Charlotte Wakefield.

The Broadwayworld review of Anderson and Petty's "You Are Home" album stated that "the entire songbook creates a highly emotional journey" while The Public Reviews commented: "...this is undoubtedly an excellent collection of songs, indicative of intriguing and interesting talent, and should make their concert at the St James' Studio in March well worth a visit."

You Are Home - the Songs Of Anderson And Petty

St James Studio, Victoria, London Sunday March 16 @ 7.00.pm

Tickets: £25 £20 £12.50. Box Office: 0844 264 2140

http://www.stjamestheatre.co.uk/events/anderson-petty-you-are-home-in-london/

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