Will and Grace star Megan Mullally has had to pull out of her West End debut in Anything Goes due to a "short-term injury" which means she cannot perform in the show's strictly limited run. It has now been confirmed that Younger's Sutton Foster will be taking over the role in the new production.
Foster will be reprising nightclub singer Reno Sweeney, for which she previously won a Tony Award for her Broadway performance in 2011.
Tickets are on sale now for the show, which will open at London's Barbican Theatre in summer 2021. The first performance will be July 23, 2021, with the show running to October 17, 2021.
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In a statement, Mullally opened up on her disappointment at having to pull out of the show: "I am heartbroken to miss the opportunity to work on this amazing classic musical with Kathleen Marshall and the whole gang, but my body has informed me (mainly while at tap class) that I need to have a few rods replaced before I can get back onstage. Hopefully that will be as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, Foster acknowledged her happiness at reprising her award-winning role: "I have been looking forward to performing on the West End for a long time and I am thrilled to be making my debut by revisiting the iconic role of Reno Sweeney.
"I am so excited to get back on stage and feel grateful to be a part of welcoming London audiences back to the theatres this summer. I am looking forward to working again with Kathleen Marshall, Robert Lindsay, Felicity Kendal, Gary Wilmot and the whole London company on this new production of this beloved musical."
My Family and Atlantis star Robert Lindsay will also star in the show as gangster Moonface Martin, with Felicity Kendal and Gary Wilmot being new additions to the cast.
The production will be directed by Kathleen Marshall, who previously directed Anything Goes on Broadway and won a Tony Award for her choreography.
Anything Goes tells the story of Billy Crocker, a stowaway on board an ocean liner heading from New York to London who is hopelessly in love with heiress Hope Harcourt. Hope is engaged to the stuffy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh but Reno and Martin make it their mission to help Billy win over Hope.
The classic musical, by Cole Porter and PG Wodehouse, features famous musical numbers including 'Anything Goes', 'You're The Top' and 'I Get A Kick Out Of You'.
"It's Bon Voyage on the SS America but it's not all smooth sailing as they head to sea; etiquette is cast-off through the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to find true love," the synopsis reads. "Their journey proves that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing and dancing sailors, a comical disguise, farcical blackmail, and some timeless good fun!"
Tickets for the production are on sale now, with eight productions per week to choose from and both matinee and evening shows available. Ticket prices range from £25 to £150, depending on the performance and seats chosen.
The Barbican's website confirms that the show is currently planned to go ahead without social distancing next summer, and that in the event of a performance not being able to go ahead as planned, the theatre will endeavour to reschedule and exchange tickets to a new performance date or alternatively provide a refund.
It also details essential safety information for venue reopening, and customers are advised to refer back to this near the time of booked performances for all of the latest guidance. Ticketing agencies will also provide information regarding policies and safety information on their individual sites as venues reopen.
Tickets for Anything Goes are available to buy now from LOVEtheatre, TodayTix, From the Box Office, London Theatre Direct and the Barbican's website.
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