It has been announced that Amanda Holden, Angela Griffin and Nicola Stephenson will star in Maria Friedman’s production of Richard Harris’ Stepping Out.
The new production will play at the Theatre Royal Bath (12th-22nd October), Richmond Theatre and Cambridge Arts Theatre – with one additional pre-West End date to be announced.
Stepping Out charts the lives of seven women and one man attempting to tap their troubles away at a weekly dancing class. Initially all thumbs and left feet, the group is just getting to grips with the basics when they are asked to take part in a charity gala.
Over the course of several months we meet the group, and all of them have a story to tell. There’s haughty Vera, mouthy Maxine and uptight Andy; bubbly Sylvia and shy Dorothy; eager Lynne and cheerful Rose, and, of course, Geoffrey. At the piano is the dour Mrs Fraser and spurring them all on, the ever-patient Mavis.
Amanda Holden is best known as a presenter, actress and singer. Her previous stage credits include the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award and more recently played Princess Fiona in the original West End production of Shrek the Musical.
Angela Griffin’s credits include roles in ‘Coronation Street’, ‘Holby City’ and ‘Waterloo Road’. Her stage credits include Dolly in One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2013 and Caroline in Breeders at the St James Theatre in 2014.
Nicola Stephenson has most recently appeared in ‘Emmerdale’ and other onscreen appearances include roles in ‘Brookside’, ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Homefront’. On stage she has appeared in productions of A Patriot for Me for the Royal Shakespeare Company, His Girl Friday and Edmund at the National Theatre, and War Horse at the New London Theatre.
Further casting has yet to be announced.
Maria Friedman has won four Olivier awards, whose stage credits include: Dot in Sunday in the Park with George at the National Theatre, Fosca in Passion at the Queen’s Theatre, Mrs Lovett in Sweeny Todd at the Royal Festival Hall with Bryn Terfel, and Mary in Merrily We Roll Along at the Leicester Haymarket. She made her directorial debut with Merrily We Roll Along which opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory and subsequently transferred to the West End, winning Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards 2013, the Oliver Awards 2014, and the Critics’ Circle Award 2013. She went on to direct High Society at the Old Vic in 2015.
Stepping Out opens at the Theatre Royal Bath from the 12th-22nd October. The production will then visit Richmond Theatre (w/c 24th October) and Cambridge Arts Theatre (w/c 31st October).