It’s A Sin star Callum Scott Howells and The Handmaid’s Tale actress Madeline Brewer to take over lead roles in West End musical Cabaret this autumn.
Howells, who won multiple awards for his role as Colin Morris-Jones in Russell T Davies’ hit drama, will portray Emcee, while Emmy Award nominee Brewer will play Sally Bowles.
They will star in the revival of the hit show, which has transformed the West End’s Playhouse Theatre into the Kit Kat Club, from October 3 to January 28 2023.
Howells, who is taking over the role from Fra Fee, said: “I can’t wait to work with the incredible team and company, and follow on from two actors who I hugely respect and admire.
“I feel very lucky and excited to be taking on such an iconic role within this widely celebrated and unique production. It’s going to be a ride.”
His It’s A Sin role won him the Royal Television Society Award for best male actor and the Bafta Cymru Award for leading actor as well as two Bafta TV nominations.
The actor’s theatre credits also include She Loves Me at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London and Matthew Bourne’s production of Lord of the Flies.
Brewer, who was Emmy nominated for her role as Janine Lindo in the Hulu adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale, will be taking on Sally Bowles from Amy Lennox.
She said that director Rebecca Frecknall’s vision is “the most magical and emotional and exciting Cabaret I’ve ever seen”.
“It’s a Sally and a Kit Kat Club so thrillingly fun and humbly prescient. I’m beyond honored to be invited to the party”, she added.
At certain performances, the role of Sally Bowles will be played by Emily Benjamin, who has been a swing and understudy to the role since the show opened last year.
Also joining the cast on October 3 will be Sid Sagar as Cliff Bradshaw, Danny Mahoney as Ernst Ludwig and Michelle Bishop as Fraulein Kost.
Vivien Parry and Richard Katz will continue to play Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz respectively.
The cast is completed by Gabriela Benedetti, Charles Croysdill, Laura Delany, Sally Frith, Matthew Gent, Ying Ue Li, Ela Lisondra, Chris O’Mara, Grant Neal, Hicaro Nicolai, Adam Taylor, Toby Turpin, Patrick Wilden and Sophie Maria Wojna.
The revival of the hit show opened in December last year and went on to dominate the Olivier Awards in April, landing seven of the 11 prizes for which it was nominated.
Oscar-winning star Eddie Redmayne was named best actor in a musical for his take on the flamboyant master of ceremonies, Emcee, while Jessie Buckley won best actress in a musical for her turn as Sally Bowles.
The musical, directed by Rebecca Frecknall, also took home the best musical revival award.
