Sally Ann Triplett is to star in new musical Take Flight at the Menier Chocolate Factory, which reunites the team behind the award-winning production of Sunday In The Park With George.
Take Flight, a new musical by Richard Maltby Jr and David Shire, with a book by John Weidman, has its world premiere at the Menier on 25 July, after previews from 13 July. The story weaves together fact and fiction to tell the funny, moving and inspirational stories of the pioneers of flight – the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, played by Triplett.
The musical is directed by Sam Buntrock and designed by David Farley, both of whom were nominated forLaurence Olivier Awards at the 2007 ceremony for their work on last year’s Menier production of Sunday In The Park With George, which transferred into the West End. Farley won the award, one of five wins from six nominations for the show, which is transferring to Broadway early next year. The Menier is currently enjoying more success with Little Shop Of Horrors, which transferred to the Duke of York’s after a sold-out Christmas season at the Southwark venue, and also features the designs of Farley.
Musical theatre actress Triplett is a regular on the West End stage, having played Roxie Hart in Chicago, Miss Adelaide in Michael Grandage’s Guys And Dolls, and Reno Sweeney in Trevor Nunn’s production of Anything Goes, plus appearances in Acorn Antiques – The Musical at the Haymarket and Golden Boy at the Greenwich.
American composing duo Maltby and Shire have written musicals including Closer Than Ever, Starting Here, Starting Now and Baby. Shire has also written the scores for films All The President’s Men, Norma Rae and Zodiac, while Maltby wrote the lyrics for the successful stage musical Miss Saigon and devised Ain’t Misbehavin’. Weidman’s book-writing credits include the Sondheim musicals Assassins, Pacific Overtures and Bounce.
Take Flight is booking until 22 September. Further casting is to be announced.
CB