Matt Rawle
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Matt Rawle, Adam Cooper and Aimie Atkinson are set to star in a new swashbuckling
Zorro musical
. The tuner, which is based on Isabel Allende’s 2005 bestseller
Zorro: A Novel, will be directed by Christopher Renshaw and feature original music by the Gipsy Kings. It will have its world premiere at the New Victoria Theatre Woking on 13 March before touring the U.K. and heading to London’s West End. The first preview will be on 4 March at the Eastbourne Congress Theatre.
Created in 1919 by pulp writer Johnston McCulley, the iconic character Zorro has been featured in film, live action and animated television series, books, comics and even in a soon to be released Nintendo Wii game. Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega, a fictional wealthy caballero and master swordsman living in Spanish California, who defends the people of the land against injustice. This legendary story of good versus evil is the subject of a bestselling novel by producer Allende and several major motion pictures. This new musical retells the dramatic tale of a romantic hero with aerial acrobatics, sword-fighting and magic—all set to the music of the Gipsy Kings.
Rawle will take the title role of Zorro. He made his West End debut in Miss Saigon and has since gone on to appear in the title role of Martin Guerre and as Che in the recent production of Evita in the West End. Cooper will star opposite him as Ramon. Previously a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, he famously took the lead role in Matthew Bourne’s male Swan Lake before branching into musical theatre starring in On Your Toes, Singin’ in the Rain and more recently as Sky Masterson in the West End hit Guys and Dolls. Atkinson, the winner of the BBC Voice of Musical Theatre 2006, will make her major musical debut as Luisa. The cast of 30 will include some of the world’s leading Flamenco dancers.
Renshaw (We Will Rock You) leads a multi award-winning creative team, which includes Spanish choreographer and flamenco dancer Rafael Amargo, RSC associate stage designer Tom Piper, co-composer and musical arranger John Cameron (Les Miserables) and Olivier award-winning author Stephen Clark (Martin Guerre, The Far Pavilions).