Goal! Natalie Dew & Lauren Samuels Will Star in West End's Bend It Like Beckham Musical

She shoots, she scores! Casting is now set for the previously announced world premiere of the Bend It Like Beckham musical. The West End production will star Natalie Dew as Jess, Lauren Samuels as Jules and Jamie Campbell Bower as their coach, Joe. Performances will begin on May 15 at the Phoenix Theatre, where it will open officially on June 24. Gurinder Chadha will direct the tuner, which features music by Howard Goodall, lyrics by Phantom's Charles Hart and a book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Chadha.

Dew has appeared on stage in The Internet is a Serious Business and Rough Cut for the Royal Court, as well as Romeo and Juliet for the National Theatre and Twelfth Night at Regents Park. Samuels, a finalist on BBC’s Over the Rainbow, starred in Grease and We Will Rock You in the West End. Bower, who will make his West End debut in Beckham, played Anthony Hope in the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd; his additional screen credits include the Harry Potter and Twilight series.

In addition to Dew, Samuels and Bower, the cast includes Ronni Ancona as Paula, Preeya Kalidas (who played Monica in the original movie) as Pinky, Jamal Andréas as Tony and Tony Jayawardena and Natasha Jayetileke as Mr. and Mrs. Bhamra.

The musical comedy is based on Chadha’s 2002 film, starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The movie follows Jess as she faces the most important decision of her life; live up to family expectations of university, career and marriage, or follow in the footsteps of her hero David Beckham. When the talented teenage footballer is spotted playing football in Southall, a world of opportunities opens up before her. But as the day of her sister's traditional Indian wedding approaches, she needs to pick sides.