Artistic Director Nikolai Foster will helm the Curve鈥檚 U.K. premiere of the musical Roman Holiday, based on the 1953 film of the same name starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.
The production, part of the Leicester theatre鈥檚 2020 season, will be presented July 15鈥揂ugust 1. The musical, with a book by Kirsten Guenther and Paul Blake (White Christmas), features songs from the Cole Porter songbook, including 鈥淓asy to Love,鈥� 鈥淛ust One of Those Things,鈥� and 鈥淣ight and Day.鈥� Casting will be announced at a later date.
The musical tells the story of a young European princess and the American reporter who inadvertently aids in her escape from a whirlwind European tour, resulting in an unforgettable 24 hours in Italy鈥檚 capital.
In 2017 Roman Holiday鈥擳he Cole Porter Musical, which featured a book by Blake and Emmy winners Kathy Speer and Terry Grossman, made its world premiere at San Francisco鈥檚 Golden Gate Theatre with a cast led by Stephanie Styles, Drew Gehling, Jarrod Spector, Sara Chase, and the late Georgia Engel.
In a statement librettist Blake said, 鈥淚, Paramount, and the Cole Porter Estate are so honored that the U.K. premiere of Roman Holiday will be at the Curve Theatre in Leicester and that it will be directed by Nikolai Foster. Years ago I co-wrote Irving Berlin鈥檚 White Christmas, and this Christmas I got to see first-hand the loving care and joy Nikolai鈥檚 direction brought to that show. I鈥檓 sure Roman Holiday is in the hands of one of England鈥檚 best directors and theatres鈥擨 couldn鈥檛 be happier.鈥�
The Curve season will also include Tennessee Williams鈥� Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Anthony Almeida (September 11鈥�26, followed by productions at Alexandra Palace and Rose Theatre Kingston ahead of a U.K. tour) and the international tour of Samsara, from Curve Associate Artist Aakash Odedra and Hu Shenyuan, which begins in Melbourne in March and comes to Curve October 20鈥�21. The Made at Curve production of Hairspray will also return August 20鈥�29 prior to a new U.K. tour.
