Drew McOnie’s new production will feature Tchaikovsky’s world-famous score reimagined for an on stage jazz band by multi-award winning jazz artist Cassie Kinoshi.
It has been announced that the McOni Company’s production of Nutcracker, directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie will have its world premiere at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club at the Southbank Centre from the 28th October.
Officially opening on the Saturday 4th November 2023 and playing until 6 January 2024, this new production will feature Tchaikovsky’s world-famous score reimagined by jazz artist Cassie Kinoshi and co-composed by Rio Kai and Cassie Kinoshi .
This wild spirited adventure follows young Clive on his quest for self-acceptance. Packed with hope, heart and humour, this Nutcracker is for anyone who wants to live life in full technicolour. It’s playful, mischievous and a lot of fun.
With tickets on sale now, performances will take place at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club a newly transformed music and performance space at the Southbank Centre, putting audiences at the centre of one of the coolest jazz clubs in town. Following performances of Nutcracker on Thursday to Sunday, audiences are invited to continue their evening at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club which will host live sessions from leading music artists into the night. Further details to be announced.
The cast for the production is set to include: Amonik Melaco (Action Man), Sam Salter (Clive) and Patricia Zhou (Sugarplum)with Chanelle Anthony, Christie Crosson, Tim Hodges, Lukas Hunt and Rachel Muldoon.
Talking about the news, Drew McOnie, Artistic Director of The McOnie Company, said: “Creating a Jazz adaptation of the Nutcracker for my own company is exactly the sort of wild impossible thing I would daydream about constantly as a young boy. I spent hours devising colourful worlds in my head where great theatre dancers and great musicians would tell stories that made me feel like I belonged somewhere. It’s my desire to fill this Nutcracker with heaps of that childlike wonder but with the added free spirited mischief we all crave at Christmas time. To be creating this production with such an exceptional group of artists is truly thrilling and I cannot wait to introduce this Nutcracker to you… an old friend you are about to meet for the first time”.
Produced by Underbelly, Francesca Moody Productions and Southbank Centre with Rachel Edwards and Winkler Smalberg, the creative team behind Nutcracker includes: venue and set design by Soutra Gilmour, costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight, music supervision by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, lighting design by Joshie Hariette, sound design by Simon Baker, and casting by Will Burton CDG.
To book tickets visit: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/performance-dance/nutcracker