The 21-strong cast for the war-time love story Yank! has been announced.
The new version of the Off-Broadway production will run for four weeks from Thursday 9 March until Saturday 8 April at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats.
Based on the real history and events of WW2, it focuses on the life of Stu, a scared Mid-Western youngster who is called up to serve in the forces in 1943. He becomes a photographer for Yank Magazine, the journal ‘for and by the servicemen’. The musical explores what it means to be a man, and what it is to fall in love and struggle.
Leading the cast are Scott Hunter (A Chorus Line, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as Stu and Barnaby Hughes (Grand Central, Damn Yankees) as Mitch. They are joined by Chris Kiely as Artie (Sunset Boulevard, Chess); Spencer Cartwright as Sarge/Scarlett (Billy Elliot The Musical, Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk); Benjamin Cupit as Professor (Beauty And The Beast, Eugeneus); Tom Pepper as Cohen/Speedy (Drifters, Crazy For You); and Lee Dillon Stuart as Tennessee (Rent, Les Miserables).
Completing the line-up are Tom Lloyd as Rotelli (Parade, Dirty Dancing); Kris Marc-Joseph as Czechowski (Sister Act, Children Of Eden); Mark Paterson as Lieutenant/NCO (The Wedding Singer, Jerry Springer – The Opera); Luke Bayer as India (Twelfth Night, The 12 Tenors); and Sarah Louise Young as Louise (Casualty, Doctors).
The book and lyrics were penned by American writer David Zellnik, with his brother Joseph Zellnik’s musical score paying homage to the timeless music of the 1940s.
The moving gay love story set in World War Two is the latest collaboration between the award winning theatre and arts venue and London-based theatre production company Aria Entertainment.
Aria Entertainment’s Producer and Company Director Katy Lipson commented: “We’re so excited that the international premiere of new musical Yank! is now just a month away. We’re delighted that we’ve now found our extremely talented 12-strong cast, who will do absolute justice to this moving and special piece of writing from David and Joseph Zellnik. I discovered Yank! almost three years ago, but it took a while to find the perfect venue to host its premiere.
David spent countless hours researching and interviewing World War 2 veterans to give Yank! so much authenticity, and it’s such a privilege to be working so closely with Joseph and David to bring this new version of the story to the Hope Mill Theatre stage in Manchester, along with new orchestrations and with more musicians than the show had off-Broadway.”
Yank! is performed at Hope Mill Theatre from 9 March – 8 April 2017.
