Julian Ovenden to star in new musical Death Takes a Holiday

The cast of the new musical Death Takes a Holiday will include British actor Julian Ovenden as the grim reaper plus Broadway's Jill Paice as his object of desire, with Max von Essen, Matt Cavenaugh, Simon Jones, Rebecca Luker and Michael Siberry.

Roundabout Theatre Company's world-premiere production of the musical with libretto by Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston (Nine, Titanic) will open at Off-Broadway's Laura Pels Theatre on June 10th  (opening on July 21st). 

Ovendens' theatre credits include Merrily We Roll Along, Grand Hotel (Donmar); Annie Get Your Gun (Young Vic); Marguerite, A Woman of No Importance (Haymarket); King Lear (RSC); Butley on Broadway, plus TV's "Foyle's War," "The Forsyte Saga," "Any Human Heart," "Cashmere Mafia," "Related," "Charmed" and "A Christmas Carol."

Death Takes a Holiday is a romantic musical based on the Alberto Casella play of the same name.  It is set just after the First World War when a lonely soul arrives at an Italian villa disguised as a handsome young Prince (played by Ovenden). He unexpectedly falls in love with a newly engaged young woman (played by Jill Paice) and for the first time in his life experiences the joys and heartbreaks of life. But the mysterious stranger discovers that love may in fact be stronger than death."