Martin Ball, Tom Chambers, Vivian Parry, Summer Strallen, et al. Set for UK Top Hat

Additional casting has been announced for the stage version of the 1935 Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire film Top Hat, which will begin its world premiere engagement at the Milton Keynes Theatre on August 16, where it opens for the start of a UK tour. Matthew White will direct the production, with choreography by Bill Deamer.

White has adapted the show with Howard Jacques from the screenplay by Dwight Taylor and Allan Scott. Performed by a cast of 31 and accompanied by a live band of 15, this new musical comedy will include Irving Berlin classics from the movie such as “Cheek to Cheek,” “Isn’t It a Lovely Day to be Caught in the Rain” and “Top Hat White Tie and Tails.” In addition, a further ten numbers have been interpolated from Berlin’s catalogue including “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” “I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket,” and “Gentleman Prefer Blondes.”

As previously reported, the production will star Summer Strallen and Tom Chambers, who will play the lead roles of Dale Tremont and Jerry Travers. They are joined by Martin Ball and Vivien Parry playing husband and wife Horace and Madge Hardwick, Ricardo Afonso as Alberto Beddini and Stephen Boswell as Horace’s valet Bates. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

The production will feature set designs by Hildegard Bechtler, with costume designs by Jon Morrell, lighting design by Peter Mumford, musical direction by Daniel Jackson, musical supervision by Richard Balcombe, new orchestrations provided by Chris Walker and sound by Gareth Owen.

Following the Milton Keynes engagement, the production will tour to Birmingham, Southampton, Salford Quays, Plymouth, Norwich, Canterbury, Edinburgh and Leeds prior to an anticipated West End transfer in the Spring of 2012.

For tickets and more information, click here.