London stage favorite Rob Houchen and operatic soprano Marie McLaughlin are among the performers recently announced to join Ren茅e Fleming and Dove Cameron in the upcoming London production of The Light in the Piazza.
As , the musical from Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas will play Southbank Centre鈥檚 Royal Festival Hall for a limited run from June 14 through July 5. Daniel Evans helms the staging from the new company Scenario Two, featuring the 40-piece Orchestra of Opera North.
Houchen (Les Mis茅rables, Titanic) will play the lovelorn Fabrizio Naccarelli, with McLaughlin (Royal Opera House鈥檚 recent Falstaff, ENO鈥檚 Jack the Ripper: The Women of Whitechapel) as Signora Naccarelli. Rounding out the Naccarelli family are Liam Tamne (Spamilton) as Guiseppe and Celinde Schoenmaker (On the Town, The Phantom of the Opera) as Franca.
The company will also include Matthew Woodyatt as the Priest and ensemble members Simbi Akande, Danny Becker, Nicholas Duncan, Chl枚e Hart, Molly Lynch, Rhona McGregor, Tom Partridge, and Monica Swayne.
Based on Elizabeth Spencer's 1960 novel (which was adapted for the screen in 1962), the show tells the story of Margaret and Clara Johnson, a mother and daughter who, while vacationing in Florence, encounter a young Italian man鈥擣abrizio. As he and Clara quickly fall in love, Margaret must reconcile her daughter's pursuit of happiness with a family secret that could threaten their romance.
Fleming is to sing the role of Margaret with L.A. Opera in October; no word yet on further casting for that staging.
