Live cast recordings of two West End musicals will drop this fall, having been captured prior to the theatre shutdown. Mary Poppins will be released November 6 with Les Misérables–The Staged Concert out November 20. Both albums are being released by First Night Records and Warner Music with producer Cameron Mackintosh.
Disney’s Mary Poppins features Zizi Strallen in the title role opposite Charlie Stemp as Bert. Also on the recording are Joseph Millson, Petula Clark, Amy Griffiths, Claire Moore, Claire Machin, Jack North, and Paul F. Monaghan. The musical returned to its original home in the Prince Edward Theatre last October, earning six Olivier Award nominations, including Best Musical Revival. The Sherman Brothers composed the original score with new songs and additional music by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
Recorded live at the Gielgud Theatre last year, Les Misérables features Michael Ball as Javert, Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Carrie Hope Fletcher as Fantine, Matt Lucas as Thénardier, Shan Ako as Éponine, and Lily Kerhoas as Cosette, with Rob Houchen, Bradley Jaden, and Katy Secombe.
Les Misérables is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, and original French text by Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel with additional material by James Fenton and adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.