Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that Lesley Joseph who first played the child-hating orphanage boss in 1988 at the Victoria Palace will reprise her role as Miss Hannigan in their smash hit production of the musical Annie at The Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent this November. The73-year old will be joined by a strong cast including Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, Richard Meek as Rooster, Jenny Gayner as Lily and Carolyn Maitland as Grace Farrell. The title role of Annie is shared by Faye Katsande, Ava Smith and Freya Yates. They are joined by three teams of young performers who play the girls in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Completing the cast will be Michael Anderson, Thomas Audibert, Andy Barke, Caroline Bateson, Daisy Boyles, Blaise Colangelo, Gary Davis, Ashleigh Graham, George Rae, Anne Smith, India Thornton, Matt Trevorrow, Amy West and Samuel Wilson Freeman.
Directed by Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, the musical is set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression where brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search…
With its award-winning book and score, this stunning new production includes the unforgettable songs, It’s the Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow. Annie has music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan.
Cast Details
Lesley Joseph returns to role of Miss Hannigan having played the part in this production in 2015/16. Lesley is best known for playing Dorien Green in the hugely successful sitcom Birds of a Feather alongside Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson.
Alex Bourne reprises his performance as Oliver Warbucks after playing the role in this production of Annie in the West End, Toronto and on the 2015/16 tour. His many other West End credits include Danny in Grease, The Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Khashoggi in We Will Rock You and Fred/Petruchio in Kiss Me, Kate for which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical.
Richard Meek’s many credits include Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Brad, Eddie and Dr Scott in The Rocky Horror Show and Sir Galahad in Spamalot, all on national tour.
Jenny Gayner’s West End credits include Miss Wilson in the original cast of The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre, Hunyak in Chicago at the Adelphi, Cambridge and Garrick theatres and Spamalot at the Palace Theatre.
Carolyn Maitland reprises her performance as Grace Farrell after playing the role in this production of Annie in Toronto. Her West End credits include Ellen in Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre, Marian in The Woman in White at the Charing Cross Theatre and Groundhog Day and Kiss Me, Kate, both at the Old Vic.
Here’s a short video of what to expect:
How much do the tickets cost?
Tickets are priced from £13 to £50
How do I book tickets to watch Annie?
Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 0844 871 7649 or by visiting ATG’s website here.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The show will be opening on Monday, 18 November and will run until Saturday, 23 November 2019. Shows be at 7.30pm while there will be two matinee shows at 2.30 on Wednesday and Saturday.
Where is The Regent Theatre in Hanley, Stoke?
Piccadilly
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 1AP
Tel: 08448717649
About Regent Theatre
The Regent Theatre is a theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Constructed in 1929 as a cinema, it is one of several theatres in the city centre and one of two owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group. The building was converted for full-time use as a theatre in 1999, and since then has hosted a number of shows and musicals. The theatre is also the northern base for the Glyndebourne Touring Opera.
Tips / Information
- Parking is ample either around the public car parks close to The Regent, but do check the rules. Some parking lots might need you to pay even at night. We parked up at intu Potteries and that cost us £1 (its fixed rate after 6pm).
- The Regent also provides binoculars (usually located at the back of each seat) for £1.
- Programme Booklets are usually on sale for £5, full details of the show and cast members are featured on it.
- The Regent is a beautiful theatre with ornate decor and traditional seating. It has plenty of performances out throughout the year and lots of variety.
You may also want to read this:
Review : Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show at The Regent Theatre
Review: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap at The Regent Theatre
Review: Fame The Musical at The Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent
Photo Credit : Regent Theatre / Annie / Paul Coltas
