AN AMERICAN IN PARIS bursts into life on the West End stage for the first time when Christopher Wheeldon’s multi award-winning new Broadway musical comes to London’s Dominion Theatre next spring. Inspired by the Oscar® winning film and featuring the timeless music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin with book by Craig Lucas, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS has preview performances from Saturday 4 March 2017 with the official opening night on Tuesday 21 March 2017.
Jerry Mulligan is an American GI striving to make it as a painter in a city suddenly bursting with hope and possibility. Following a chance encounter with a beautiful young dancer named Lise, the streets of Paris become the backdrop to a sensuous, modern romance of art, friendship and love in the aftermath of war…
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS features many of George and Ira Gershwin’s most iconic songs including I Got Rhythm, ‘S Wonderful, and They Can’t Take That Away From Me, together with George Gershwin’s sweeping compositions including Concerto in F and An American in Paris.
Fresh from originating their roles on Broadway, Robert Fairchild (a New York City Ballet Principal dancer) will play Jerry Mulligan and British Royal Ballet dancer Leanne Cope will play Lise Dassin. These acclaimed, award-winning stars, who will be making their West End debuts, will lead a company of over 50 actors, dancers and musicians. Further West End casting to be announced.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is directed and choreographed by the internationally renowned, British-born Christopher Wheeldon, recipient of the Tony® Award 2015: Best Choreographer for this production. An Artistic Associate of the Royal Ballet, Wheeldon received an OBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours ‘for services to promoting the interests and reputation of British classical and theatrical dance worldwide’. The set and costumes are designed by the celebrated West End and Broadway designer Bob Crowley (The Audience; Mary Poppins) with projections by the prominent British designers 59 Productions (War Horse; London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony).
Christopher Wheeldon’s stunning reinvention of the MGM film, which starred Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, premiered in 2014 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris to ecstatic reviews before transferring to The Palace Theatre on Broadway, where it now in its second hit year, becoming the most awarded musical of the 2015/16 season, including four Tony® Awards. A major North American tour begins later this year.
With music and lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a book by Craig Lucas, An American in Paris is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, with set and costumes designs by Bob Crowley; lighting by Natasha Katz; sound by Jon Weston and projection designs by 59 Productions. The musical score is adapted, arranged and supervised by Rob Fisher with orchestrations by Christopher Austin; dance arrangements by Sam Davis; musical supervision by Todd Ellison; additional orchestrations by Don Sebesky and Bill Elliott and musical direction by Nigel Lilley.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS is produced in London by Stuart Oken, Van Kaplan, Roy Furman, Michael McCabe and Joshua Andrews.
Robert Fairchild is appearing with the support of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity.
