Jenna Russell Joins West End Sinatra Biomusical

Full casting has been found for the upcoming West End bow of Frank Sinatra biomusical Sinatra, due to begin at the Aldwych Theatre June 3 ahead of a June 24 opening night. The production is currently set to continue through April 10, 2027. Three-time Tony winner Kathleen Marshall is directing and choreographing.

As previously announced, the musical will be led by West End favorite Joel Harper-Jackson in the title role, alongside Broadway's Ana Villafañe as Ava Gardner and Phoebe Panaretos as Nancy Sinatra.

Newly revealed to be joining them: Olivier winner Jenna Russell (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), who will star as Sinatra's mother, Dolly; Sylvie Regan, Mia Savident, and Felicity Walton sharing the role of Little Nancy; and Oliver Adam-Reynolds as Nat King Cole, Becky Anderson as Lana Turner, Carl Au as Lee Mortimer, Sam Brown as Tommy Dorsey, Helen Colby as Hedda Hopper, Adam Davidson as Gene Kelly, Jenna Innes as Judy Garland, Marty Maguire as Marty Sinatra, Melissa Nettleford as Billie Holiday, John Stacey as Mitch Miller and Harry Cohn, Allana Taylor as Marlene Dietrich, and Lee Zarrett as George Evans. 

The company will also include ensemblists Mia Musakembeva and Samuel Nicholas, with swings Emma Crossley, Alexander Day, Christopher GoPaul, Stuart Hickey, Nardia Ruth, and Christina Shand rounding out the company. Casting is by Grindrod Burton Casting's David Grindrod, with U.S. casting by Jim Carnahan and Jason Thinger.

The musical, featuring a book by two-time Tony winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis), is being directed and choreographed by three-time Tony winner Marshall, who has been attached since the 2023 world premiere. Villafañe and Panaretos are both reprising their performances from the musical's 2023 world premiere at Birmingham Rep, and a 2024 invitation-only reading in NYC.

"I've been a huge fan of Jenna Russell's ever since I had the great pleasure of seeing her astonishing performance in Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway," said Marshall in a statement. "I'm so excited to be collaborating with Jenna and with our entire brilliant cast on Sinatra the Musical. We can't wait to welcome audiences into Sinatra's world at the Aldwych Theatre this summer!”

READ: Tina Sinatra: 'Broadway Is Where I Believe He Should Be'; Go Inside Sinatra the Musical Reading

The musical focuses on Sinatra's true life story, tracking his meteoric rise to fame amidst personal struggles, including a marriage to Nancy Sinatra and an infamous affair with actor Ava Gardner. For songs, the musical has tapped some of the songs Sinatra was best known for singing, including "One for My Baby," "The Best is Yet to Come," and "Come Fly With Me."

"I was a baby when the events of this show happened. For years, I lived with the effects but never fully understood the cause until I saw these magical actors embody the roles of my dad, my mom, and Ava," said Tina Sinatra, who serves on the project's producing team, in a previous statement. "Amazingly, Joel, Phoebe, and Ana illuminate these three people who were very dear to me, and I can't wait for West End audiences to embrace these remarkable performers as strongly as I have."

The London production will feature scenic design by Peter McKintosh, music supervision by Gareth Valentine, costume design by Jon Morrell, lighting design by Bruno Poet, sound design by Jonathan Deans, video design by Akhila Krishnan, and wigs, hair, and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates. Orchestrations are by Larry Blank, with arrangements by Valentine and Ian Eisendrath and dance arrangements by David Chase. Carol Lee Meadows will serve as associate director-choreographer.

The project is being produced by Michele Anthony and Bruce Resnikoff for Universal Music Group Theatrical, and Tina Sinatra and Charles Pignone for Frank Sinatra Enterprises. Scott Landis and Chris Harper are executive producers, with co-producers including Julie Boardman, Victoria Lang, Tom Perakos, Tina Sinatra, Stephen Byrd, Wendy Federman, Lisa Wolofsky & Robert Soldera, Willette & Manny Klausner, Simon Hunt, No Guarantees, Richard Batchelder, Ken & Janet Shur, Larry Magid, Kate Cannova, Mario Carbone, Carl Moellenberg, Wendy Gillespie, Tom Kleinman, Michael Saperstein, Morwin Schmookler, and Mark Rubinstein. Rodeo Productions is general managing.

Visit SinatraMusical.com.