Becoming Nancy at the Birmingham REP

L-R: Genevieve Nicole as Aunt Val, Joseph Peacock as David Starr, Rebecca Trehearn as Kath Starr and Mathew Craig as Eddie Starr - Photo Alexis Chabala.

Becoming Nancy at The Birmingham REP from Wednesday 2 October – Saturday 2 November 2024.  Adapted from Terry Ronald’s best-selling novel, Becoming Nancy. A coming-of-age musical directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell.

Preview

Ahead of the forthcoming UK premiere of Becoming Nancy this October, Birmingham Rep have released selected tracks from the exclusive cast recording of Becoming Nancy. Alongside the release of these tracks, a video of the primary cast singing Just For Today has been released online along with further details of the full cast and creative team. 

Becoming Nancy is a coming-of-age new musical musical directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, legendary director of blockbuster musicals including Legally Blonde, Kinky Boots, The Devil Wears Prada, Hairspray, Pretty Woman: The Musical and many more.

Paige Peddie as Frances Bailey. Photo by Alexis Chabala.

Jerry Mitchell was returning to New York from the UK in 2013 when he came across the book Becoming Nancy at Heathrow Airport.  By the time he reached the US he knew he had to make the story into a musical!

Jerry Mitchell said, “Becoming Nancy requires a lot of young fresh talent, and I'm so excited to introduce these incredible young performers to British audiences alongside some spectacular West End stars. This beautiful story about finding your true self and the spotlight each of us deserves is going to be a joy to share with audiences of all ages.”

In Becoming Nancy, it’s 1979 and David Starr is unquestionably one of the smartest, most talented sixth formers in East Dulwich – he’s got a wild imagination, a vocal range to die for, and a bedroom plastered with posters of his beloved pop idols: Blondie, Sting, and Kate Bush.

Joseph Vella as Maxie Boswell Photo by Alexis Chabala.

But being clever, with a great taste in music may not be enough to get him through secondary school, where, to his great surprise, he’s just been given the lead role of Nancy, in the school play, Oliver!  The unconventional casting sends shockwaves to everyone around him – including his parents, his aunt, and his classmates. Before long, it seems like everybody has an opinion on whether David should go on with the show, inspiring him to turn to his no-nonsense best friend Frances and his unlikely co-star Maxie, the enigmatic captain of the football team.

This exciting new musical, which originally premiered at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, will be built and rehearsed at The Rep.

For more information on cast and crew, to hear the newly released soundtrack and to book tickets, go to the REP website. https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/becoming-nancy