Missing your backstage pass? No problem, Playbill's cracked open the door to let you in on the behind-the scenes fun of Sing Street, now running in London.
Based on the 2016 movie of the same name by John Carney (Begin Again, Once), the new musical is set in 1990’s Dublin, where a group school kids start a band.
Sing Street made its U.K. premiere at London's Lyric Hammersmith Theatre July 8, with July 18 serving as its raucous opening night. Performances continue through August 23. The musical played a world premiere run Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2019 and was scheduled to transfer to Broadway's Lyceum Theatre, only for the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown to thwart those plans. The musical did return to the U.S. in 2022 at Boston's Huntington Theatre. No new Broadway plan has yet emerged.
Check out the backstage (and a few on-stage) photos in the gallery below.
Jack James Ryan
Company of Sing Street
Indiana Hawkes
Sheridan Townsley
Cameron Hogan and Sheridan Townsley
Grace Collender and Sheridan Townsley
Company of Sing Street
Company of Sing Street
Grace Collender
Grace Collender
Indiana Hawkes
Grace Collender
Sheridan Townsley
Adam Hunter, a featured vocalist on the original film's soundtrack, stars in London as Brendan, with Tateyana Arutura as Anne, Grace Collender as Raphina, Harry Curley as Kevin, Jenny Fitzpatrick as Sandra, Indiana Hawkes as Gary, Cameron Hogan as Darren, Lloyd Hutchinson as Brother Baxter, Jesse Nyakudya as Eamon, Lochlann Ó Mearáin as Robert, Matthew Philp as Declan, Seb Robinson as Larry, Jack James Ryan as Barry, Sheridan Townsley as Conor, and Lucianne McEvoy as Penny. Casting is by Stuart Burt.
Much of the project's creative team remains intact from the earlier stagings as it crosses the pond. Tony winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent) is still leading the team as director, with book writer Enda Walsh (Once), songwriter Gary Clark (Danny Wilson), choreographer Sonya Tayeh (with re-staging by Mia DeWeese and Camden Gonzales), set designer Bob Crowley, lighting designer Natasha Katz, costume designer Lisa Zinni, video designer Luke Halls, and music supervisor Peter Gordeno (Depeche Mode) all still attached. Hazel Holder is voice and dialect coach, and wig, hair, and makeup design is by Helen Keane. Nick J Barstow serves as music director, and Nicholai La Barrie is the associate director.
The coming-of-age story follows 18 year-old Conor Lawlor and his schoolmates as they try to escape their troubles through music and stumble headfirst into first love. Set in 1982 Dublin, the score (which includes Clark's songs from the film along with new songs) is steeped in the new wave sound of the '80s.
Visit Lyric.co.uk.
