The North American tour of The Last Ship, composed by and starring Sting, set sail January 14, making its first port of call at the Center Theatre Group’s Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Engagements will follow in in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., St. Paul, and Detroit.
The musical is centered on Gideon Fletcher, who returns to the English seafaring town of Wallsend after 15 years. Inspired by the town where Sting grew up, The Last Ship follows Gideon’s efforts to come to terms with his past while grappling with the man he has become.
The North American tour stars Oliver Savile as Gideon, Sting as Jackie White, Frances McNamee as Meg Dawson, Jackie Morrison as Peggy White, Marc Akinfolarin as Adrian Sanderson, Joe Caffrey as Billy Thompson, Matt Corner as Davey Harrison, Susay Fay as Maureen Summerson, Orla Gormley as Mrs. Dees, Annie Grace as Baroness Tynedale, Oliver Kearney as Kev Dickinson, Sean Kearns as Freddy Newlands/Old Joe Fletcher/Ferryman, David Muscat as Thomas Ashburner, Tom Parsons as Eric Ford, Joseph Peacock as Young Gideon, Sophie Reid as Ellen Dawson, Hannah Richardson as Cathleen Fleming, and Jade Sophia Vertannes as Young Meg. Several of the cast, including Savile, reprise their performances from the Toronto premiere.
The Last Ship opened on Broadway in fall 2014 and ran for 105 performances. Directed by Joe Mantello, the production was nominated for two Tony Awards, including a nod to Sting for Best Original Score. Sting, who later stepped into the staging, wrote the music and lyrics, with a book written by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning writers John Logan and Brian Yorkey.
The tour is directed by Lorne Campbell, artistic director of Northern Stage in Newcastle, who directed the U.K. tour of the musical in 2018, as well as the Canadian premiere in 2019 (which also starred Sting). The production features costumes and sets by Designer59 Productions, sound design by Sebastian Frost, lighting design by Matt Daw, and movement direction by Lucy Hind. Rob Mathes serves as music supervisor and orchestrator with musical director Richard John.
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