The musical based on the hit Tom Hanks film will play at the Dominion Theatre from the 6th September.
It has been confirmed that Wendi Peters, Kimberley Walsh and Matthew Kelly will star as Mrs Baskin, Susan Lawrence and George MacMillan respectively in the upcoming West End run of Big The Musical, joining the previously announced Jay McGuiness as Josh Baskin.
Based on the film starring Tom Hanks, Big the Musical is about 12 year-old Josh Baskin who longs to be big. When a mysterious Zoltar machine grants his wish, he finds himself trapped inside an adult’s body and he is forced to live and work in a grown-up world, but his childlike innocence has a transforming effect on the adults he encounters.
Featuring music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Big also includes a book by John Weidman and direction and choreography by Morgan Young. The creative team also includes set and costume design by Simon Higlett, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, video design by Ian William Galloway, sound design by Terry Jardine and Avgoustos Psillas, wig and hair design by Richard Mawbey, musical direction by Jeremy Wootton and illusions by Chris Fisher.
Wendi Peters is best known for her role as Cilla Battersby Brown in Coronation Street – a role that she played for over four years, returning briefly in 2014. Wendi plays the recurring character Cook Jenkins in Hetty Feather (BBC) and her other television credits include Queen Shania in Hacker Time (BBC), Kelly in Sadie J (BBC), Marion in Crime Stories (ITV) and ‘Podger’ Pam Jolly in Bad Girls (ITV).
Matthew Kelly’s many television credits include the award-winning thriller Cold Blood, Benidorm, Bleak House and Moving On. His West End appearances include the original Stanley in Funny Peculiar (a role he had created at the Liverpool Everyman), Waiting For Godot with Ian McKellan and Roger Rees, Tim Firth’s play Sign of the Times, the musical Lend Me A Tenor! and as Lennie in the Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s production of Of Mice and Men at the Savoy Theatre, for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor.
Kimberley Walsh came to the public’s attention from being in the girl band Girls Aloud. As an actress she has appeared as Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical, Jovie in Elf the Musical, and joined Denise Van Outen for a week-long run at Cadogan Hall in Sweet Charity.
Jay McGuiness originated the role of Josh Baskin at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in 2016. Jay came to fame as part of the successful boy band The Wanted. He then went on to win Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 with professional dancer Aliona Vilani. He and fellow bandmate Siva won last year’s celebrity version of Channel 4’s Hunted, raising money for Stand Up To Cancer.
Big the Musical will play at the Dominion Theatre from the 6th September until the 2nd November. To book tickets click here or visit: Encore Tickets .