Full Cast, Creative Team Set for London Carmen Jones

Full casting and creative team have been announced for the new London production of Carmen Jones, with book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music by Georges Bizet, which will play the Royal Festival Hall, July 25-September 2.

The production, which will open officially on July 31, will be directed by Jude Kelly, with design by Michael Vale, choreography by Rafael Bonachela, lighting by Malcolm Rippeth, and musical direction by Simon Lee. The London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonia will share the performances equally.

Tsakane Valentine Maswangany will star in the title role, with Andrew Clarke as Joe, Sherry Boone as Cindy Lou, and Rodney Clarke as Husky Miller. The cast will also include Andee-Louise Hypolite, Phillip Browne, Akiya Henry, John Moabi, Brenda Edwards, Rolan Bell, Joe Speare, Joanna Francis, and George Daniel Long.

The ensemble will feature Josie Benson, Stuart Bowden, Peter Brathwaite, Jina Burrows, Angela Caesar, Ian Carlyle, Darren Charles, Laurence De Maeyer, Leroy Dias Dos Santos, Ramon Diaz Crosdale, Hervé Goffings, Celia Grannum, Yolanda Grant-Thompson, Divine Harrison, Welly Locoh Donou, Tania Mathurin, Terel Nugent, Kelechi Sarah Nwanokwu, Ngo Omene-Ngofa, Joanna Riseboro, Tarisha Rommick, AleSandra Seutin, Nadine Smith, Antontio Tengroth, Jordene Thomas, and Kenny Thompson.

The show is an African-American musical version of the famed opera, re-set in Chicago. It opened on Broadway in December 1943 and ran for over 500 performances. In 1954, it was filmed by Otto Preminger, starring Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Olga James, Pearl Bailey, Brock Peters, and Diahann Carroll; the film received two Academy Award nominations.