London Production of The Last Session, Starring Darren Day, Will Get JAY Records Cast Album

By Adam Hetrick
and Mark Shenton
19 Oct 2012

Darren Day
Darren Day
Photo by Robert Workman

The London production of Steve Schalchlin and Jim Brochu's musical The Last Session, starring Darren Day as a songwriter battling AIDS, will be recorded by JAY Records in late October.

Producer John Yap told Playbill.com that the London cast album will be recorded Oct. 29 and 30. A spring 2013 release is expected.

The 1997 Off-Broadway musical began performances at London's Tristan Bates Theatre Sept. 25, prior to an official opening Sept. 26, for a run through Oct. 27.

An original 1997 Off-Broadway cast album is also available.

Partly based on its composer's own experiences, it is set in a recording studio in 1996 where singer/songwriter Gideon is tired of being ill and ready to give up. He's holding one last session to record the most important album of his life. To show his undying love to his partner, he plans to record a musical letter of farewell. For this last session, he reunites with some old friends and is joined by an unexpected visitor, who shares his Christian faith and for whom Gideon's sexuality changes everything.

Day, who plays Gideon, has also appeared in the West End in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and on tour in Grease, Summer Holiday, The Rocky Horror Show and We Will Rock You.

Also in the cast are Simone Craddock, A J Dean, Ron Emslie and Lucy Vandi.

Schalchlin and Brochu also created The Big Voice: God or Merman? The London production is directed by Guy Retallack, whose previous credits include Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story, also seen at the Tristan Bates.

It is directed by Guy Retallack, produced by Climar Productions (who also produced Thrill Me), with designs by Ruth Hall, casting by Anne Vosser, musical direction by Tom Turner and lighting by Richard Williamson.

Tom Turner is musical director. 

Visit thelastsession.com.