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Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cinderella’ set to open in London in spring 2021

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ivano Turco.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ivano Turco.

Polydor Records has announced the release of the second piece of music from the forthcoming album of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella. “Only You, Lonely You” is sung by the latest cast member to be revealed, Ivano Turco, and was released on December 11, across all DSPs.

It follows the release of “Bad Cinderella” sung by Carrie Hope Fletcher, which came out to much acclaim in October. The album features cast from the highly anticipated new theatre production, which will open in spring 2021 at The Gillian Lynne Theatre in London, along with appearances from some surprise guest vocalists.

Turco, who will play Sebastian, the younger brother of Prince Charming, auditioned initially to be in the dance ensemble for the show, but Lloyd Webber and director Laurence Connor saw the potential for him to take one of the lead roles, invited him to audition for the role of Sebastian, and a week later, Turco found himself recording his part on the Cinderella album at the legendary Metropolis studios in London. Turco has just graduated from the renowned Urdang Academy. Cinderella will mark his West End debut and follows performances in Sleeping Beauty (Imagine Theatre), Runner Up in the All England National Dance Competition (Hackney Empire), Teen Spirit (feature film) and The Wiz (Milton Keynes Theatre). Before the closure of theatres in 2020, Turco was due to appear in West Side Story at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.

Lloyd Webber said, “I’m overjoyed to introduce Ivano Turco as our Prince Sebastian in Cinderella.  I’m convinced audiences will fall in love with him, as we did, on hearing this version of ‘Only You, Lonely You’. Straight out of college, Ivano initially came in to audition as a dancer but has a natural acting talent, a wonderful voice and an innate charm and warmth, and from the day we met, I just knew I’d found our Prince!”

Carrie Hope Fletcher and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Photo by The Really Useful Group.
Carrie Hope Fletcher and
Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Photo by The Really Useful Group.

Cinderella will open at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on Wednesday 19 May 2021, with previews from Friday 30 April 2021. Carrie Hope Fletcher will play Cinderella in the highly anticipated new production. She has starred in Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Addams Family (UK Tour), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour), Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre) and most recently played Fantine in Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre. She is also a bestselling author and social media personality.

The production, a complete reinvention of the classic fairytale, is based on an original idea by Emerald Fennell, the Emmy Award-nominated lead scriptwriter of the second season of international smash hit Killing Eve, with a brand new score from the legendary composer and lyrics by David Zippel.

Cinderella will reunite Lloyd Webber with director Laurence Connor and choreographer JoAnn M Hunter, who previously worked on the Olivier Award-winning international hit, School of Rock, and the recent, sold out production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium, which returns to the venue in summer 2021.

The show’s lyrics are by David Zippel, a multi-award winner for Broadway productions including City of AngelsThe Goodbye GirlThe Woman in White and Liza at the Palace, as well as for work on film including Disney’s Hercules and Mulan, both of which received Oscar nominations.

Cinderella will also star Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as the Stepmother. All further creative team and cast announcements regarding Cinderella will be made at a later date.

Ahead of Cinderella’s arrival at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, LW Theatres are carrying out internal upgrade work to the building including the addition of more toilets and refurbishment to areas of the auditorium and Front of House, as well as adopting measures to welcome back audiences safely as soon as restrictions allow. These measures are currently being trialled at The London Palladium and will be rolled out across LW Theatres.

For more information on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, visit www.andrewlloydwebberscinderella.com.

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