Full casting announced for The Blues Brothers - Summer Special

07 Jul
2017
Posted in: Theatre News
Author: Staff
full-casting-announced-for-the-blues-brothers-summer-special
The Blues Brothers - Summer Special casting announcement...

The Blues Brothers are back this summer, for a rockin' special! They're rolling into the London Hippodrome this July for a limited run and casting has now been announced. So Grab your shades, get ready to shake your tail feather and head to the capital for the party of the year...

The Rock ‘n’ Roll phenomenon returns to the West End at the prestigious Hippodrome for a limited, soulful summer special from 18 July - 26 August, with press night on Friday 21 July. 

Featuring 20 of the most popular rock ‘n’ roll classics of all time - including Respect, Jailhouse Rock, Soul Man and Do You Love Me? – the show is created with the blessing of the team behind the original Blues Brothers, and now also includes some never-seen-before material created under the guidance of Judith Belushi. THE BLUES BROTHERS - SUMMER SPECIAL, which is produced by Hartshorn – Hook Productions and the Hippodrome and directed by Joshua Mumby, with choreography by Lily Howkins and musical direction by James Robert Ball. 

Cast:

Joshua Mumby (Elwood Blues) trained at Liverpool Theatre School. He will be returning to The Blues Brothers after starring in the West End Xmas Special in 2015, as well as the Lowry Theatre, Manchester and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Joshua’s other stage credits include An Idle World at Trafalgar Studios, The Rat Pack Live at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Oliver! at Southport Theatre, Hansel and Gretel on UK Tour, Beauty and the Beast at Brindley Theatre & Grimsby Auditorium, Rastamouse and The Gruffalo at Unit 10, An Apple A Day on UK Tour, Boeing, Boeing on International Cruise, Girls With Balls on UK Tour, Jack and the Beanstalk at Southport Theatre and Brindley Theatre, Snow White at Grimsby Auditorium and Treasure Island on UK Tour. Joshua’s screen credits include Nowhere Boy (Ecosse Films/Film 4), Cronicles of Caiden (Rice Pictures), The Games (Nuffield Films), Perfect Trip (Metal Ferret Productions) and Just A Cuppa (Simons Films). 

Joshua’s directing and creative credits include The Blues Brothers: Xmas Special, Director at the Arts Theatre, The Rat Pack Live, Director at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Blues Brothers - Live, Director at the Lowry Theatre & Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Beauty and the Beast, Assistant Director at Brindley Theatre, Snow White, Peter Pan and Dick Whittington, Creative Director for Showtime Productions, Friend Like Me, Swing Into Christmas and The Hollywood Experience, Creative Director for J.A.M. Entertainments and Let’s Face The Music, Creator (Cabaret).

David Kristopher-Brown (Jake Blues) trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He will be returning to The Blues Brothers after starring in the West End Xmas Special in 2015, as well as the Lowry Theatre, Manchester and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. David’s other stage credits include West End Live 2017, Chess in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, Tron Gala Event 2012 at Tron Theatre, Glasgow, The Phantom Of The Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sister Act - The Musical at Kilworth House Theatre, Little Shop of Horrors at Webster's Theatre, Glasgow, the European premiere of Miracle on 34th Street -the Musical on UK Tour, Sweeney Todd at the Union Theatre, London, Nunsense - Amen at the Landor Theatre, London, Angels, Punks and Raging Queens at Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Small Love Story directed by BAFTA winner Noreen Kershaw at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  David’s screen credits include Rod Stewart's Christmas (ITV), Chess in Concert (BBC/PBS) and Glasgow Dreams, part of the Afternoon plays series - directed by Christopher Timothy (BBC). His recording credits include The Clockmaker's Daughter, Virtual Heroes -A New Rock Musical, Josh Groban -A Collection and Chess in Concert Soundtrack. 

Helen Hart (Stax Sister) trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and has since gone on to perform all over the UK and Europe, Australia, Asia and the USA. She has recently returned from performing as Lead Production Vocalist for P&0 and will be returning to The Blues Brothers after starring in the original West End cast. Helen’s previous stage credits include Spring Awakening at the Pleasance Theatre, You Were Wonderful Onstage in New York, Rent at the Greenwich Theatre, and the Monsters Rock and Roll Musical at the Pantages Theatre, Japan. Helen also works as a backing vocalist for TV and film, which has included being featured on ITV’s All Star Mr & Mrs, and BBC’s John Barrowman’s – Tonight’s the Night. She also session sings for various popular recording artists and DJs. 

Hannah Kee (Stax Sister) will be returning to The Blues Brothers after starring in the West End Xmas Special in 2015. Hannah’s recent stage credits include Starlight Express on tour In New Zealand and Broadway Christmas Wonderland at the Alberta Bair Theatre, Montana.  

Arnold Mabhena (Ray) trained at Masters Performing Arts College. Arnold’s stage credits include Thriller Live at the Lyric Theatre, The Only Way is Masters and Team Masters at the Bloomsbury Theatre, Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights at Manchester Arena, Peter Pan at the Prince’s Theatre, Clacton and Jack and the Beanstalk at The Little Theatre, Middlesbrough. Arnold’s screen credits include XFactor (ITV), NTA awards (ITV), Waterloo Road (BBC), Britain’s Got Talent (ITV), Humans (Channel 4), Will (Ninth Floor Productions) and The Death and Life of John F Donavan (Warp Films).