BAFTA award-winning actor Nicholas Lynhurstand West End star Cassidy Janson are to join Kelsey Grammer and Danielle de Niese in the new production of Man Of La Mancha at the London Coliseum in April 2019.
Following their acclaimed production of Chess, Carousel, Sunset Boulevard and Sweeney Todd at the London Coliseum, Michael Linnit and Michael Grade will collaborate again with the English National Opera on this brand new production of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical Man Of La Mancha.
Nicholas Lyndhurst, who will play the Innkeeper and the Captain is best known for his TV work which includes the classic series Only Fools and Horses as well as Goodnight Sweetheart and New Tricks. His previous stage credits include the Grade/Linnit production of Carousel at The Coliseum and Trevor Nunn’s The Tempest at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Cassidy Janson who will share the role of Aldonza and Dulcinea with Danielle de Niese, played the lead role in the recent production of Chess at the London Coliseum and the lead in the West End production of Beautiful: The Carole King Story. Cassidy is one third of Leading Ladies, a group formed in 2017 with fellow musical stars, Beverly Knight and Amber Riley.
Nicholas and Cassidy join Kelsey Grammer who will make his West End debut as Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote and international opera soprano Danielle de Niese wil share the role of Aldona and Dulcinea with Cassidy Janson. Danielle is to play the roles in 33 performances and Cassidy in 17.
Featuring the iconic song ‘Dream the Impossible Dream’, Man of La Mancha is Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’s masterpiece Don Quixote.
In a 16th century dungeon Cervantes and his man servant await trial from the Spanish Inquisition. In his possession he has a trunk carrying an unfinished novel, Don Quixote. As prisoners attempt to steal his possessions, Cervantes embarks on acting out his novel as his defence, transforming himself into Alonso Quijano.
Quijano, deluded, believes he is a knight errant, renames himself Don Quixote de la Mancha, and sets off on a fantastical quest with his man servant Sancho Panza.
Chivalry abounds in this classic tale of knighthood, love, loyalty and adventure.
The music in Man of La Mancha is by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion and book by Dale Wasserman.
‘The impossible Dream’ has become an internatonally-renowned song, and has been performed by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, Luther Vandross and The Temptations, amongst others.
Man Of La Mancha plays the London Coliseum from 26 April – 8 June 2019.
