Paul Kerryson, former artistic director of Leicester’s Curve, will return to the theatre to direct a new production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! for Christmas 2015.
Kerryson was artistic director of Leicester Theatre Trust from 1991, first at the Haymarket Theatre and from 2008 at Curve. He received an award for outstanding contribution to British theatre at the 2014 UK Theatre Awards.
Curve chief executive Fiona Allan said, “we’ve been in discussions with Cameron Mackintosh for a number of years about staging Oliver! with Paul as director. The production continues our tradition for major revivals of classic musicals for all the family over Christmas.”
Kerryson commented, “it's a real privilege to return to Curve to direct this great musical. This spectacular new production will offer great opportunities for Leicester's young talent to become the shady characters of Fagin’s infamous gang and of course, Oliver himself.”
Current artistic director Nikolai Foster added, “I’m thrilled Paul is returning to Curve this Christmas to create a new production of Oliver!. It’s a great example of the British musical at its very best and I’m looking forward to Paul and his first-class creative team introducing this wonderful show to a new generation of theatregoers and their families.”
Based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, the musical opened in the West End in 1960. It had its Broadway première in 1963 and won the Tony Award for best original score. It has enjoyed major revivals in both the UK and the US, with the last London revival breaking box-office records for the largest advance sales in history.
Joining Kerryson on the creative team will be Ben Atkinson as musical director, choreographer Andrew Wright, set designer Matthew Kinley and lighting designer Bruno Poet.
Oliver! will run at Curve from 27 November until 16 January. Press night will be on 2 December.