The full cast has been announced for a new production of Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof which will open at Leicester’s Curve theatre before touring England and Wales.
Siena Kelly will play Maggie, with Oliver Johnstone as her troubled husband Brick. Teresa Banham will appear as Big Mama and Peter Forbes will play Big Daddy, the Pollitt family's patriarch.
Sam Alexander joins the cast as Gooper and Shanaya Rafaat will take the role of his wife Mae. Suzette Llewellyn will play Doctor Baugh, with Minal Patel as Reverend Tooker.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will be directed by Anthony Almeida, winner of the 2019 Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) Sir Peter Hall Director Award.
He said, “in his typical swagger, Tennessee Williams tore up the rules: he wrote not just one but four colossal, enigmatic roles. It's going to be dynamite to witness these talented actors go head to head onstage. This entire cast is electric. I'm excited for us to begin rehearsals."
Rosanna Vize will design the set, with associate designs and costume designs from Sarah Mercadé. Joshua Gadsby will provide lighting designs, Giles Thomas will compose new music and create the sound design, and movement direction will come from Gemma Payne.
Curve's Birkbeck trainee director Jennifer Lane Baker is assistant director and production manager is Sam Paterson. Helen Gaynor is company stage manager, deputy stage manager is Robyn Clogg and assistant stage manager is Zoe Leonard.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a co-production between Curve, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, and English Touring Theatre. It will open at Curve from Friday 3 September until Saturday 18 September before touring to Liverpool Playhouse from 22 September until 2 October, Marlowe Theatre from 6 until 9 October, the New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich from 12 until 16 October, Theatr Clwyd from 19 until 23 October and Mast Mayflower Studios Southampton from 26 until 30 October.