Wednesday 26 March 2014

Latest News: Jade to play Clara in The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre






Jade Ewen will play Clara, Cedric Neal will play Sportin’ Life, Golda Rosheuvel will play Serena and Leon Lopez will play Jake in the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, alongside the previously announced cast which includes Rufus Bonds Jr and Nicola Hughes who will play the title roles.

Celebrated as a landmark piece of American theatre, the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess will run from 17th July to 23rd August, directed by Timothy Sheader, with a book adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and a musical score adapted by Diedre L. Murray.


 
Jade Ewen will play Clara, Cedric Neal will play Sportin’ Life, Golda Rosheuvel will play 
Serena and Leon Lopez will play Jake in the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, alongside the 
previously announced cast Rufus Bonds Jr and Nicola Hughes who will play the title 
roles. 
 
Jade Ewen has previously appeared in Tonight’s The Night (UK Tour), Whistle Down The 
Wind (Aldwych Theatre) and Disney’s The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre). Jade is also a 
former member of Sugababes and in 2009 represented the UK in the Eurovision Song 
Contest performing It’s My Time written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. 
 
Cedric Neal is an American actor whose stage credits include After Midnight (Brooks 
Atkinson Theatre, Broadway), the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Broadway) and Dreamgirls 
(Signature Theatre) for which he was awarded the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding 
Supporting Actor. Cedric played the role of Kennard Royce in the television series Friday 
Night Lights. 
 
Leon Lopez is a British actor whose stage credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK 
tour), Rent (Duke of York’s), Tick, Tick… BOOM! (Duchess Theatre) and Piaf (Donmar 
Warehouse). Leon also played the long-running role of Jerome Johnson in Brookside. 


By George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward, and Ira Gershwin 
Book Adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks /Musical Score Adapted by Diedre L. Murray 
Directed by Timothy Sheader 
Set and Costume by Katrina Lindsay 
Choreographer Liam Steel 
Musical Director and Orchestrator David Shrubsole 
Lighting Designer Rick Fisher 
Sound Designer Nick Lidster for Autograph 
Casting Director Pippa Ailion CDG 
US Casting Director Justin Huff CSA for Telsey + Company 
 
17 July – 23 August 2014 
First preview: 17 July 
Press night: 28 July (7.45pm)