Following successful runs in Sheffield’s Crucible and London’s National Theatre, Standing at the Sky’s Edge has revealed its casting for its next run in the West End at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. The double Olivier award-winning production will be opening next month following a year-long transfer period for the critically acclaimed ‘love letter to Sheffield’.
The musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge tells the story of three generations living at the Park Hill Estate, which overlooks the city from the east. Spanning a sixty year period, the musical featured new and existing songs written by Richard Hawley when it was first performed in The Crucible in 2019. Last year, a revival in The Crucible was performed after being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, before transferring to the Olivier Theatre in the National Theatre in London. It was nominated for eight Olivier awards in the 2023 season, winning both ‘Best New Musical’ and ‘Best Original Score and New Orchestrations’.
The London cast is set to feature talent from across the theatrical community, including several performers reprising their roles, including Rachael Wooding (Pretty Woman) as Rose and Alastair Natkiel (Line of Duty), playing Marcus. Joining them is Jonathan Andre (The Lion King), Rachel Louise Miller (Les Misérables) and Lillie-Pearl Wildman (Sunset Boulevard). The 30-strong cast including young performers is joined by an illustrious creative team, led by Director Robert Hastie (Operation Mincemeat and Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director).
Sheffield’s prominence in Britain’s theatrical makeup is second only to the West End itself, with our city’s significance often overlooked in the creative world. But Standing at the Sky’s Edge shines a light onto our city and an iconic, colourful section of our skyline. When it opens next month, it will mark two musicals set in Sheffield open concurrently, with the U.K. tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie currently touring, coming to Sheffield in April.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is ready to begin its six month run at the Gillian Lynne theatre, which was recently home to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, The Lehman Trilogy and is following the hugely successful Crazy For You. This ode to Sheffield will be bringing stories of our city to the capital in 2024, and hopefully for a long time after.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge opens on February 8th at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London’s West End. See the full cast list here
