New musical Ride to play in London’s West End with Gemma Sutton and Bronté Barbé

Gemma Sutton and Bronté Barbé are to star in two West End performances of new musical Ride.

The piece tells the story of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to cycle around the world.

Music and lyrics come from Jack Williams and Freya Catrin Smith, who also pens the book and co-directs with Adam Lenson.

After premiering at Vault Festival in 2020, the show will run at the Garrick Theatre on 21 June with two semi-staged performances at 3PM and 8PM. Tickets are available online here.

The cast will feature Gemma Sutton (Girl from the North Country, Follies) as Annie and Bronté Barbé (Oklahoma, Chichester, Beautiful, UK tour) as Martha Smith, Annie’s secretary.

The creative team inlcudes choreographer Alfred Taylor-Gaunt, designer Libby Todd, lighting designer Sam Waddington and orchestrations by Macy Schmidt.

A full synopsis of the musical shares:

It’s 1895 and Annie Londonderry has returned victorious to America, hailed as the first woman to ever cycle around the world.

She’s pioneering, she’s plucky, and she’s pitching her story to the New York World. But she can’t do it alone. Joined at the eleventh hour by unwitting secretary Martha Smith, the two begin to share Annie’s unbelievable adventures. But before long, the cracks begin to show, and Annie is forced to confront a past she’d rather leave unexplored.

The incredible true story of a young woman with big plans, and an even bigger imagination bursts into life in this new musical.