Casting announced for Godspell's West End return

Godspell, the heart-lifting feel-good Broadway musical from Stephen Schwartz, is to be staged in the West End at the Lyric Theatre on Monday 19th May for the first time since it premiered 42 years ago. The one-off charity gala concert performance, in aid of Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, will be introduced on stage by David Essex, whose casting as Jesus in the original production turned him into an overnight sensation.

A timeless tale of friendship, loyalty and love, featuring such popular songs as Day By Day, Light of the World and Turn Back, O Man,Godspell has touched the hearts of theatregoers all over the world since. For the first time in the UK, fans will hear the stunning new orchestrations from the recent acclaimed Broadway revival production.

Godspell will star Zoe Tyler and Andy Abraham, with a West End cast, a live band and a 32-strong choir led by members of Maida Vale Singers and American Musical Theatre Academy.

Zoe Tyler (pictured right) was until recently a regular presenter on ITV1’s award-winning daytime show Loose Women. She first appeared in the West End aged 20, as Fantine in Les Misérables. Her other shows include Jesus Christ Superstar on tour, the award winning City of Angels in the West End, the Narrator in Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat and as singing legend Eva Cassidy in a national tour of Over The Rainbow. 

Since coming second on The X Factor in 2005, Andy Abraham has sold out the Royal Albert Hall and released four albums, selling in excess of half a million records. 

The rest of the cast: Stewart Clarke (currently starring as Sam Wheat in the UK tour of Ghost), Rob Houchen (currently playing Marius in Les Mis), Sarah Galbraith (has appeared in all three US productions of The Phantom of The Opera), Katie Paine (currently understudying Killer Queen in We Will Rock You), Turlough Convery from E4’s Fresh Meat (Stephen Sondheim Student Performer of the Year), Jason Broderick (Sweeney Todd at West Yorkshire Playhouse) and Laura Darton (a finalist in the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year 2013).

Read our interviews with Stewart Clarke, Sarah Galbraith and Katie Paine.

Follow @West_End_Frame