The complete cast is set for the U.K. premiere of Sting's The Last Ship, which will premiere March 12 at Northern Stage in Newcastle.
The Last Ship, inspired by Sting’s 1991 album The Soul Cages and his own childhood experiences, will play a four-week engagement in Newcastle before embarking on a tour of the U.K. and Ireland.
The cast, under the direction of Lorne Campbell, will be headed by Joe McGann as Jackie White, Charlie Hardwick as Peggy White, Richard Fleeshman as Gideon Fletcher, and Frances McNamee as Meg Dawson.
The four will be joined by Joe Caffrey as Billy Thompson, Matt Corner as Young Gideon, Orla Gormley as Cathleen, Annie Grace as Mrs. Dees, Sean Kearns as Freddy Newland and Old Joe, Katie Moore as Ellen Dawson, Charlie Richmond as Adrian Sanderson, Parisa Shahmir as Young Meg, Kevin Wathen as Davey Harrison, and Penelope Woodman as Baroness Tynedale, as well as Marvin Ford and Michael Blair.
The Last Ship tells the story of Gideon Fletcher, who returns to the English seafaring town of Wallsend after 15 years. The musical, inspired by the town where Sting grew up, tells of Gideon’s efforts to come to terms with his past while grappling with the man he has become.
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The show opened on Broadway in fall 2014 and ran for 105 performances. Despite its short run, it was nominated for two Tony Awards, including a nod to Sting for Best Original Score. Sting wrote the music and lyrics, with a book written by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning writers John Logan and Brian Yorkey.
The touring production will also feature orchestrations by Rob Mathes, musical direction by Richard John, costume design by Molly Einchcomb, movement direction by Lucy Hind, lighting design by Matt Daw, and sound design by Seb Frost. Other members of the creative team include dramaturg Selma Dimitrijevic, associate director Jake Smith, and associate musical director Sam Sommerfeld.
In a statement, Campbell said, “We have brought together a remarkable cast and team of creatives from across the U.K. with a core of incredible performers from the North East, many of whom are only a generation away from the shipyard workers of the Tyne and the Wear. This personal connection to the project brings an enormous passion and resonance to the company.”
For more information and the touring itinerary, visit TheLastShipMusical.co.uk.
