Broadway star and American X-Factor finalist Stacy Francis plays a Catholic school nun in Julie Atherton's revival of coming-of-age and coming-out hit Bare: A Pop Opera at The Vaults this summer. Which other StageFaves are joining her in class...?
Casting has been announced for Julie Atherton's major new production of Bare: A Pop Opera, with music by the late Damon Intrabartolo and lyrics by Jon Hartmere, who together wrote the book. It runs at The Vaults in Waterloo, London from 21 June to 4 August 2018, with a press night on 26 June.
Centred around a group of students who are staging Romeo and Juliet, Bare explores identity, acceptance, faith and body issues. Altar boys have secret relationships, Golden Boys worry about what dad will say, boys and girls compete between themselves and some students start to question their faith but the show must go on! Bare delves into the minds of the students of St Cecilia’s as they have their own coming-of-age epiphanies.
Taking the role of Sister Chantelle is Broadway star Stacy Francis (Ex-girlfriend, Warner Bros; The X Factor, USA; Footloose, Broadway). Joining her as Claire is the West End’s own Jo Napthine (Mamma Mia, Novello Theatre; Made in Dagenham, Adelphi Theatre; Sister Act, London Palladium).
Mark Jardine (Emmerdale, ITV; Blood Brothers, West End; Mamma Mia, International Tour) will play the Priest, while stepping into the lead as struggling Golden Boy Jason is Darragh Cowley (Spring Awakening, Hope Mill Theatre; Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Crucible Theatre; Snow White, London Palladium). Daniel Mack Shand (The Masters of Mystery, Marlow Theatre; Rent, Frogmore Paper Mill; Les Misérables, Working Title Films) will appear as Jason’s star-crossed lover Peter as Lizzie Emery (Rent, Frogmore Paper Mill; Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Towngate Theatre) takes the role of Ivy.
The Vaults Theatre
Making her professional debut as Nadia is Georgie Lovatt, Matt will be played by Tom Hier (Miss Saigon, International Tour; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, UK Tour), and Lucas will be played by Bradley Connor (Club Mex, Hope Mill Theatre; 1917, Universal Pictures; Unforgotten, ITV).
Also joining the class are Athena Collins (West End Live: West End Masterclass), Georgia Bradshaw (Dreamgirls, West End; Flashdance, Korean Tour), Liv Alexander in her professional debut and Beccy Lane (Dick Whittington, Lichfield Garrick Theatre; Cinderella, Camberley Theatre). Completing the line-up are Tom Scanlon (Kinky Boots, West End; Dirty Dancing, UK tour; Dance Til Dawn, West End and UK Tour), Alexander Moneypenny, making his professional debut, and Hollie Ann Lowe (Flashdance, UK and International Tour; Annie, West Yorkshire Playhouse).
Producer Jason Shand-Roger says:
"We are super excited to share with you the amazing cast we have found for this production of Bare. I cannot wait for audiences to see what they can really do and bring this show to life."
With a unique sung-through pop score, heart-pounding lyrics and a cast of bright young characters, Bare is a provocative, fresh and utterly honest look at the dangers of baring your soul and the consequences of continuing to hide. Although this is a story of love and friendship, it is also about the heartbreak and turmoil that so many of us, of whatever sexuality, face throughout our lives.
Bare: A Pop Opera was first staged in Los Angeles in 2000, had its Off-Broadway debut in 2004 and has toured to over 100 countries. It had its European premiere at London's Union Theatre in 2012 and subsequently played at Greenwich Theatre.
Bare: A Pop Opera runs from 21 June to 4 August 2019 at The Vaults, Leake Street, London SE1 7NN, with performances Tuesdays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, Saturdays at 2.30pm, Sundays at 1pm and 6pm. Tickets are priced £19.50-£39.50. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!
Stacy Francis on The X-Factor
Enter our competition by 14 June
We're giving away five pairs of tickets to see Bare: A Pop Opera this summer at The Vaults.
