Tori Amos, Simon Russell Beale, Mike Leigh, Ian McDiarmid, Conor McPherson et al. Newly Announced for National Theatre Productions

The National Theatre has announced that it will premiere a new musical with songs by Tori Amos in April 2012. The show, suggested by a story by George MacDonald, will have a book and additional lyrics by Samuel Adamson, and be directed by Marianne Elliott.

In addition, the company has announced further details regarding its plans for the remainder of 2011, which will include, as previously announced, a new production of The Cherry Orchard, to be directed by Howard Davies. In addition to the previously reported Zoë Eanamaker, the company will feature Conleth Hill, Claudie Blakley, Mark Bonnar, Pip Carter, Gerald Kyd, James Laurenson, Tim McMullan, Emily Taaffe, Charity Wakefield, and Sarah Woodward.

The National has also announced casting for Ben Power’s new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Emperor and Galilean. Directed by Jonathan Kent, the production will feature Andrew Scott, James McArdle, Jamie Ballard, John Heffernan, Ian McDiarmid, Genevieve O’Reilly, and Prasanna Puwanarajah.

These productions — along with a revival of Arnold Wesker’s The Kitchen, directed by Bijan Sheibani, a limited engagement of Jonathan Miller’s staging of Bach’s St Matthew passion, and The Comedy of Errors, directed by Dominic Cooke — will all play the National’s Olivier Theatre.

Rufus Norris will direct the documentary musical, London Road, with book and lyrics by Alecky Blythe, and music and lyrics by Adam Cork (beginning April 14). The cast will include Rosalie Craig, Kate Fleetwood, Nick Holder, Claire Moore, Michael Shaeffer, and Paul Thornley.

Additionally, the company has announced it will produce a new untitled play set in 19th century Ireland, written and directed by Conor McPherson in October; Davies will direct a revival of Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock, to star Sinead Cusack and Ciaran Hinds, which will be a co-production with the Abbey Theatre; Mike Leigh will bring a new play to the stage, featuring Ruby Bentall and Lesley Manville, in September; and Nicholas Hytner will direct a piece that imagines an encounter between Joseph Stalin and Mikhail Bulgakov. Written by John Hodge, the untitled piece will star Alex Jennings as Bulgakov and Simon Russell Beale as Stalin.

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