Cast announced for concept album of new bilingual musical For Tonight
Casting has been confirmed for a concept album of new bilingual musical For Tonight.
The musical has a book, music and lyrics by Shenelle Salcido & Spencer Williams, with additional book by Whitney Rhodes.
The concept album – to be released in summer 2021 – will feature West End stars and a full Welsh ensemble.
Those set to feature in the recording are Simon Gordon (Girl From the North Country, Bat Out Of Hell) as Haydon Parry, Amy Di Bartolomeo (We Will Rock You, Bat Out Of Hell) as Mirela Kascht, Dale Evans (Kinky Boots, Showboat) as Thomas Parry, Erin Caldwell (Unravelling, Twist and Turn) as Henrietta (Nettie) Parry, Jade Davies (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera) as Molly Llewellyn, Luke McCall (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera) as Winn Lewis, Jake Halsey-Jones (Hamilton, Spring Awakening) as Durriken Kascht, Soophia Foroughi (The Prince of Egypt, Broken Wings) as Syeira Kascht, Glain Rhys (graduated from The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2019) as Anne Parry and John Ieuwan Jones (Welsh National Opera, Grange Park Opera) as Joseph Parry.
Further casting includes Owen Jac as Young Thomas, Isaac Kreisky as Young Haydon and Alexis Wilson as Young Henrietta. Completing the cast are Jordan Allan, Eva Chelsea, Joey Cornish, Sam Ebenezer, Sion Emlyn, Michelle Beth Herman, Hannah Qureshi, Samantha Thomas and Mared Williams.
A synopsis of the musical shares:
For Tonight is a new, original, musical inspired by the writer’s third great grandfather’s handwritten journal. The story begins in 1832, in a small town in Northern Wales where a Romani family travels through town, finding shelter on the farm of the Parry family. Soon after their arrival, the Parry parents die from an unknown disease and the Romani travelers are forced to go into hiding after being blamed for bringing “filth and death” to Trelawnyd.
For Tonight follows the three Parry children, Thomas, Haydon and Nettie, in the aftermath of their parents’ death. While the eldest brother, Thomas, struggles with the guilt of events surrounding the Romani’s departure, Haydon, runs off to Liverpool in search of a new life, leaving Nettie behind to deal with the overbearing Thomas. In Liverpool, Haydon falls in love with Mirela, a Romani woman, who poses a threat to his already strained family relationships. Haydon quickly learns however, that bias runs on both sides and that Mirela’s family will not accept a gadje (an outsider). This requires Haydon and Mirela to keep their love a secret. When events back home call Haydon to return, he and Thomas must finally face their past, and all three siblings face their biggest fears.
Through a riveting score, the atmospheric soundscape blends traditional Welsh choral, indie-pop, folk, and Romani inspired melodies and rhythms. At its core, For Tonight is an exploration of the power and meaning of home.
The album is being produced with Blair Russell (Slave Play, the immersive Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd).
Alongside Shenelle Salcido and Spencer Williams, the creative team includes additional arrangements by Joseph Purdue and Drew Wutke, audio production and mixing by Joseph Purdue, music ensemble direction by Iestyn Griffiths and Romani script consultancy by Raine Geoghegan.
For more information, visit fortonightmusical.com.
