Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

~ 15th November 2001 - Casting News ~

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG” THE FIRST STAGE MUSICAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL HIT FILM TO RECEIVE ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM ON TUESDAY 16 APRIL 2002

MICHAEL BALL
TO STAR AS ‘CARACTACUS POTTS'

EMMA WILLIAMS
TO MAKE HER WEST END STAGE DEBUT AS ‘TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS'

“CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG”, the stage musical, will receive its world premiere at the London Palladium on Tuesday 16 April 2002, following previews from 19 March.  This will be the first stage adaptation of the internationally known hit film made from Ian Fleming's classic story.  The London Palladium production will have sensational sets and stunning special effects and, of course, the memorable score by the Sherman Brothers, which includes such standards as “Truly Scrumptious”, “Toot Sweets”, “Hushabye Mountain” and the Oscar-nominated title song “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”.

West End musical and recording star Michael Ball will play ‘Caractacus Potts'.  His many West End musicals include “Les Misérables”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Aspects of Love” and “Passion”, and he has recorded 10 gold albums.  18 year-old newcomer Emma Williams will be making her West End stage debut as ‘Truly Scrumptious'.  Anton Rodgers will star as ‘Grandpa Potts', Brian Blessed as ‘The Baron', Nichola McAuliffe as ‘The Baroness' and Richard O'Brien as ‘The Child Catcher'.

“CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG” has music & lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman, who were also responsible for “Mary Poppins”, “The Slipper and the Rose”, “The Aristocats” and “The Jungle Book”.  The Sherman Brothers have won two Academy Awards with a further nine nominations, two Grammy Awards and they have received 21 gold and platinum albums.

The film has been adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams, whose recent theatre work includes “Spend Spend Spend” and “Noises Off”.  The show will be designed by Anthony Ward, currently represented in the West End by “My Fair Lady”.  “CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG” will have musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, whose London credits include “Cats” and “The Phantom of the Opera”, and the show will be directed by the Royal Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director Adrian Noble.  The production will have lighting by Mark Henderson and sound design by Andrew Bruce, with orchestrations and dance arrangements by Chris Walker and musical direction and supervision by Robert Scott.

“CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG” will be produced by Barbara Broccoli, Michael G Wilson and Dana Broccoli for Eon Productions, Frederick Zollo, Nicholas Paleologos, Jeff Sine and Michael Rose Ltd for Chitty (UK) Ltd.

Performance times will be Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.  Ticket prices range from £15.00-£40.00, with preview and Wednesday matinee tickets priced from £10.00 to £37.50.  Tickets are available from the London Palladium Box Office on 020 7494 5572.