The autumn season at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre starts with a new musical, The Prodigals: A Man Had Two Sons.
With its roots in the Biblical tale of the prodigal son, The Prodigals is set in a modern-day military environment in which Colonel Luke Gibson is a father trying to balance his love for his two sons.
One has been fighting for Queen and country in Afghanistan while the other has hit rock bottom after touring the country with his drug-fuelled band.
The Prodigals is a developed version of a workshop production that premièred at the Edinburgh Festival in 2011. It will feature original songs ranging from high-energy, electronic beats to rock ballads.
The Belgrade’s creative associate Joe Harmston will direct the show which he co-wrote with creative producer Ray Goudie.
Harmston said, “We’re so pleased to be opening The Prodigals at the Belgrade. It’s the perfect theatre and audience for the piece and its record as the starting place for so much exciting work is building season by season.”
West End actor Simon Bowman will play Col Gibson. Originally from Cardiff, he created the role of Chris in the original West End production of Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
He has also played the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and appeared in Les Misérables in the West End.
He explained why he took the role of Col Gibson: “With The Prodigals I had the same gut feeling as I've had accepting other roles in the past after reading the script and listening to the music. It excited me to want to be involved in an innovative show.”
The Prodigals: A Man Had Two Sons will be performed on the main stage at the Belgrade from Friday (30 August) until Saturday 14 September.