Now playing: Opening Night A New Musical starring Sheridan Smith | West End Theatre (2024)

New West End show Opening Night: A New Musical has started performances at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre in London, starring Sheridan Smith.

The show features music and lyrics by acclaimed singer songwriter Rufus Wainwright, and Opening Night is conceived and directed by award-winning director Ivo van Hove (A Little Life).

Sheridan Smith celebrated the opening of Opening Night by posing on the London Underground!

Opening Night stars Sheridan Smith (Shirley Valentine, Funny Girl, and Legally Blonde, The Castaways, Cilla, Mrs Biggs) as Myrtle, Hadley Fraser (The Lehman Trilogy, City of Angels) as Manny, Shira Haas (Unorthodox) as Nancy, Nicola Hughes (Fosse, Porgy & Bess) as Sarah, Amy Lennox (Cabaret, Kinky Boots) as Dorothy and John Marquez (Pygmalion, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) as David.

Completing the cast are Benjamin Walker (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, American Psycho) as Maurice, Rebecca Thornhill (Matilda, Hairspray, Singin’ in the Rain) as Kelly, Cilla Silvia (Pretty Woman The Musical) as Carla, Ian McLarnon (Passion) as Leo and Jos Slovick (Beautiful, Brief Encounter) as Gus; alongside Robert Finlayson, Daniel Forrester, Jennifer Hepburn, Issy Khogali and Chrissie Perkins.

Watch the Opening Night sitzprobe rehearsal

Alongside directing the show, Ivo Van Hove has also written the book for the musical, which is based on the cult movie by John Cassavetes, and follows a theatre company’s preparations to stage a major new play on Broadway. But drama ignites behind the scenes when their leading lady Myrtle (Sheridan Smith) is rocked by tragedy, and her personal turmoil forces everybody to deliver the performance of their lives. 

The creative team for Opening Night also includes Set, lighting and video design by Jan Versweyveld, Costume Design by An D’Huys, Sound Design by Tom Gibbons and Alex Twiselton, Orchestrations by Rufus Wainwright, Musical Supervision and Musical Direction by Nigel Lilley, Movement and Choreography by Polly Bennett, Casting by Julia Horan CDG and the Associate Director is Daniel Raggett.

Opening Night will premiere at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre in London from 6 March 2024 for a strictly limited season to 27 July 2024.

Book tickets to Opening Night at the Gielgud Theatre in London

📷Main photo: Opening Night - Sheridan Smith celebrating the opening of the show in London