ADDITIONAL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR
COOL RIDER: 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
STARRING AARON SIDWELL AS MICHAEL CARRINGTON, ASHLEIGH GRAY AS STEPHANIE ZINONE, KITTY SCOTT-CLAUS AS THE FRENCH ONE, AND GREASE 2 STAR MAXWELL CAULFIELD JOINS THE FACULTY AS MR STUART
TuckShop, in association with Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury, has today announced the additional casting for their reunion concert of Cool Rider at The London Palladium on Sunday, 14 April, at 7 p.m. This marks the tenth anniversary of the cult concert.
The cult musical sequel
The cult musical sequel, a loving, unofficial parody and tribute to everyone’s favourite follow-up movie played at the Lyric Theatre for two sold-out shows. It was followed by a smash hit run at Duchess Theatre in April 2014 and was immortalised in May 2015 with the Original Studio Cast Recording, funded by fans through a Kickstarter campaign.
West End stars Aaron Sidwell (Lord of the Rings, Wicked) and Ashleigh Gray (Wicked, Only Fools and Horses The Musical) will reunite and reprise their roles of ‘Michael Carrington’ and ‘Stephanie Zinone’ respectively, with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus (Death Drop) taking on the role of ‘The French One’ and Grease 2 star Maxwell Caulfield (Chicago, Guys & Dolls), aka the original Michael Carrington, joining the faculty as Mr Stuart.
Joining them will be Tom Senior (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, School of Rock)as ‘Johnny’, Hannah Levane (We Will Rock You, Flashdance)as ‘Paulette’, Jacob Fowler (Heathers, Before After)as ‘Louis’, Courtney Bowman (Legally Blonde, SIX)as ‘Sharon’,
Kyle Cox (Ain’t Too Proud, Crazy For You) as ‘Goose’, Harry Francis (Mary Poppins, Cats) as ‘Davey’ and Lucinda Lawrence (9 to 5, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)as ‘Rhonda’. The ensemble will be formed of Selena Barron (Grease),
Pamela Blair (Curtains, 42nd Street), Angus Good (Mamma Mia!), David McIntosh (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, We Will Rock You), Ashley-Jordon Packer (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Cats) and Emily Ann Potter (Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz).
Reprising their roles
Hannah Levane, Harry Francis, and Lucinda Lawrence will reprise their roles from the original runs of Cool Rider. Levane appeared in both the Lyric Theatre and Duchess Theatre runs, and Francis and Lawrence appeared in both the Duchess Theatre runs. Levane and Lawrence are also featured in the musical’s crowd-funded Original Studio Cast Recording.
The cult film told the heady and daring love story of two unlikely lovers and their road to romance from bowling alley to burger joint, sing-along-a-sex education class to talent show, and long (beautifully lit) romantic motorcycle rides to a slightly incongruous luau ending. Like its musical prequel, the story follows the ancient High School motto. If you want the guy/girl, change your personality beyond recognition and wear overly tight leather in the finale.
Unofficial parody, tribute
This concert is a loving, unofficial parody, tribute, and celebration of the music from the greasiest sequel ever made and (arguably) the best musical score ever committed to cinema.
It features the songs
BACK TO SCHOOL, SCORE , TONIGHT, COOL RIDER
WHO’S THAT GUY?, REPRODUCTION
DO IT FOR OUR COUNTRY , CHARADES PROWLIN’ ,
GIRL FOR ALL SEASONS
(LOVE WILL) TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME
ROCK-A-HULA-LUAU (SUMMER IS COMING)
WE’LL BE TOGETHER and more!
Tuck Shop
From the company that brought you Death Drop, Miz Cracker in Who’s Holiday, GALS ALOUD and sell-out drag pantos at the Harold Pinter, Trafalgar, and Phoenix theatres, Christopher D. Clegg will direct the concert. Lee Freeman will provide musical direction and orchestration. Matt Krzan will choreograph.
Guy Unsworth will provide the original direction, Toby Darvill will design the lighting, Ryan Webster will create the costumes, and Will Thompson will design the sound.
Cool Rider was originally conceived and co-produced by Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury.
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