The world premiere musical adaptation of AN OFFICER & A GENTLEMAN includes a cast chock-full of #StageFaves led by Jonny Fines and Emma Williams. The tour opens in Leicester in April. Who's hoping for a London transfer? We are!
Jonny Fines and Emma Williams will lead the cast of the world premiere production of An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical when the show opens at Leicester Curve on 6 April 2018 (press night 19 April) before beginning a UK and Ireland tour. Emma Williams plays Paula Pokrifiki and Jonny Fines is Zack Mayo, the roles originated by Debra Winger and Richard Gere onscreen. They'll be joined by Ray Shell as Sergeant Foley, Ian Mcintosh as Sid Worley and Jessica Daley as Lynette Pomeroy.
Nikolai Foster, artistic director of Curve and director of An Officer and Gentleman – The Musical said: “Douglas Day Stewart wrote An Officer and a Gentleman in response to his time serving in the American Air Force and the challenges he faced during training. It is a visceral, uncompromising and ultimately tender portrait of these personal experiences and the lives of folk living near the training facility in the early 1980s.
“We are proud to have assembled such an accomplished company of actors, led by Emma, Ray, Jonny, Ian and Jess to create our production and realise this beautiful portrait of working-class lives. All of us at Curve are excited to tell this story – set to a fantastic 80s playlist – and to be working with the talented team at Jamie Wilson Productions. Officer will certainly be a memorable moment in our theatre’s 10th birthday year.”
The cast also features Keisha Atwell who will play Casey Seegar, Andy Barke in the role of Louis Perryman, Darren Bennett in the role of Bryon Mayo, James Darch in the role of Troy, Nathaniel Landskroner in the role of Craig, George Loannides in the role of Eduardo Cortez, Joe Maxwell in the role of Fin Hooper, Corinna Powlesland in the role of Aunt Bunny and Rachel Stanley will play Esther Pokrifki. Joining them will be David Burrows, Vanessa Fisher, Aimee Hodnett, Keiran McGinn and Rhys Whitfield.
This brand-new musical is based on the 1982 Oscar-winning film starring Richard Gere which tells the story of Zack Mayo who is in training to become a US Navy Pilot. When Zack rolls into boot camp with a bit too much of a swagger, drill Sergeant Foley doesn’t make life easy for him. When he falls for local girl Paula Pokrifki and tragedy befalls his friend and fellow candidate, Zack realises the importance of love and friendship and finds the courage to be himself and win the heart of the woman he loves. It’s only then he can truly become both an Officer and a Gentleman.
The musical includes the hit song from the movie ‘Up Where We Belong’ along, with 80s classics such as ‘Alone’, ‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’, ‘You’re the Voice’, ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’, ‘Heart of Glass’, ‘Toy Soldiers’ and ‘Material Girl’. An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical is one of the highest-grossing films of all time. The screenplay is by writer and director Douglas Day Stewart which was based on his personal experience as a Naval Officer Candidate.
The book is co-written by Douglas and Sharleen Cooper Cohen. Joining Foster as director is choreographer Kate Prince, musical supervisor Sarah Travis and designer Michael Taylor. Orchestrations are by George Dyer, lighting design is by Ben Cracknell, sound design is by Tom Marshall and video design is by Douglas O’Connell.
