Ian Bartholomew and Michael Jibson join Sally Ann Triplett in the cast of new musical Take Flight at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 13 July.
Written by Richard Maltby Jr and David Shire, Take Flight weaves together the stories of the pioneers of flight – the Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart (Triplett).
Bartholomew plays George Putnam. His previous London stage work includes the musical Tommy, Terry Johnson’s Dead Funny and the original West End production of Sondheim’s Into The Woods, in which he played the Baker. On film he has appeared in Beyond The Sea, Prayer For The Dying and Little Dorrit, and he guest-appeared in the spy series Spooks.
Jibson, who plays Lindbergh, was nominated for a Best Actor in a Musical Laurence Olivier Award in 2003 for his role in Madness musical Our House. He has worked frequently with the RSC and appeared in Brighton Rock at the Almeida. On television he had a role in Stephen Spielberg’s serial Band Of Brothers.
Bartholomew and Jibson are joined by Sam Kenyon and Elliot Levey as the Wright brothers. Levey’s London stage credits include His Dark Materials and Henry IV at the National, How Much Is Your Iron at the Young Vic and On Religion at the Soho. He is soon to appear in the new Madonna-directed film Filth And Wisdom. Kenyon’s London theatre credits include The Soldiers’ Fortune at the Young Vic, Amadeus at Wilton’s Music Hall and As You Like It at the Wyndham’s. He also appeared in Sweeney Todd at Trafalgar Studios and the New Ambassadors in 2004 and is recreating his performance for the new film of the musical, which stars Johnny Depp.
Take Flight opens on 25 July after previews from 13 July and is booking until 22 September.
CB