Jennifer Ellison will join the cast of hit musical Singin’ In The Rain next month, when it splashes into its second year in the West End.
The Brookside star, who will take over from Katherine Kingsley to play the squeaky-voiced silent movie star Lina Lamont, has previously appeared on the West End stage in Boeing Boeing at the Comedy theatre and Chicago at the Adelphi theatre, as well as Legally Blonde The Musical and Calendar Girls on tour.
The stage and screen actress will be joined in Jonathan Church’s production by two stars of the Regent Park Open Air theatre’s 2012 season Louise Bowden and Stephane Annelli.
Bowden, who will follow Scarlett Strallen’s Olivier Award-nominated performance as aspiring actress Kathy Selden, has previously appeared in West End musicals We Will Rock You and Guys And Dolls, while Annelli will take over from Daniel Crossley as comic sidekick Cosmo Brown, following performances in Legally Blonde The Musical, Saturday Night Fever and Sinatra in the West End.
The trio will be joined in the production by a downpour of new cast members including Mark Hadfield, David Lucas, Frankie Jenna, Karen Aspinall, Emma Caffrey, Matthew Croke, Brendan Cull, Adam Denman, Kelly Ewins-Prouse, Charlene Ford, Olivia Fines, Tim Hodges, Nia Jermin, Peter Le Brun, Matthew Malthouse, Adam Margilewski, Oliver Metzler, Gillian Parkhouse, Joseph Prouse, Charlotte Scott, Zara Warren and Nancy Wei George.
Based on the classic MGM film of the same name, Singin’ In The Rain charts the story of silent movie star Dan Lockwood (Adam Cooper), whose life – complete with fame, adulation and a romance with his co-star – could not be more perfect. But with the impending breakthrough of a new kind of film, his life is set to change forever.
Talking about her upcoming role, Ellison said: “Singin’ In The Rain is one of my absolute favourite movie musicals, I watched it a lot growing up. When I saw the show I left with the biggest grin on my face and a huge spring in my step. Playing any West End role is a thrill and a privilege but to be playing Lina Lamont at the Palace theatre in this show is pretty much as good as it gets.”
Featuring the well-known songs Good Morning, Make ‘Em Laugh, Moses Supposes and, of course, Singin’ In The Rain, the musical, which opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre before transferring to the West End, is currently booking at the Palace theatre until September.