Paradise Found at Menier Selling Out

The world premiere of Paradise Found starts previews tonight at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

This new production is directed by Broadway legends Hal Prince and Susan Stroman and stars the fabulous musical theatre star Mandy Patinkin.

It’s therefore not surprising that many of the performances are sold out, but the good news it that two additional Sunday shows have been added on 23rd May and 20th June at 8:00 pm.

Menier’s Paradise Found Cast Announced

The complete cast has now been announced for the world-premiere of Paradise Found, the new musical being co-directed by Harold Prince and Susan Stroman.  Following the rehearsal period which begins in Manhattan today, Paradise Found will play at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London from May 19th-June 26th.

Joining the already announced Kate Baldwin, Shuler Hensley,  Judy Kaye, Mandy Patinkin and John Cullum will be five-time Tony nominee John McMartin (Sweet Charity, Follies, Grey Gardens), Tony nominee Nancy Opel (Urinetown, Toxic Avenger) and George Lee Andrews (The Phantom of the Opera, A Little Night Music).

Also in the cast are Amanda Kloots-Larsen, Lacey Kohl, Herndon Lackey, Daniel Marcus, Jim Poulos, Martin Van Treuren and Pamela Winslow Kashani.

Hal Prince is 21-time Tony Award winner (the original productions of Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera, Company, Follies, Evita) and Susan Stroman is a five-time Tony Award winner (Crazy For You, Show Boat, The Producers, Contact). This is their first collaboration since their staging of the Tony Award-winning revival of Show Boat.

The production will feature scenic design by Beowulf Boritt (Love Musik, Spelling Bee, Rock of Ages), costume design by Tony Award winner Judith Dolan (Candide, Parade), lighting design by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Memphis) and sound design by Gareth Owen (A Little Night Music). Music director is Charles Prince (James Joyce's The Dead).

Trevor Nunn returning to Menier Chocolate Factory

Trevor  Nunn is due to return to  the Menier Chocolate Factory later this year to direct another production which could well be another Sondheim musical to mark the composer's 80th birthday in March.

This would follow his award-winning revival of A Little Night Music last year which is currently running on Broadway with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury.

His new production is  likely to open in July, following Hal Prince and Susan Stroman's new musical Paradise Found which begins previews on 19th May and stars Mandy Patinkin

Hal Prince to Premiere “Paradise Found” Musical

Strong rumour has it that the Broadway legend Hal Prince is returning to London’s West End in 2010 to direct the world premiere of “Paradise Found” at the tiny 150 seater Menier Chocolate Factory in Southwark where it will run for seven weeks before transferring across the pond to New York

The musical is based on the 1939 novel “The Tale of the 1002nd Night” by Joseph Roth.The story line is set during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, centring on the Shah of Iran.He already has 139 wives, but apparently that is not enough as he falls in love with the empress. The musical’s book is by Richard Nelson with lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, and is set to music by Strauss, adapted by Jonathan Tunick.

Other members of Prince’s creative team include Susan Stroman who is another Broadway legend, with John Cullum and Mandy Patinkin set to star as the Shah and his eunuch.