A Chorus Line to High Kick Around the U.K. After Its West End Run

The first West End revival of A Chorus Line will tour the U.K. after its West End run, according to The Stage. The production, starring Scarlett Strallen as Cassie and John Partridge as Zach, begins performances at the London Palladium February 5, in anticipation of a February 19 opening. The show is scheduled to play the West End through January 2014, after which the production will head out on tour. No word yet on which cities A Chorus Line will play or when the tour will officially launch.

The production’s director Bob Avian (who notably co-choreographed A Chorus Line’s original Broadway production and directed the 2006 Tony-nominated Broadway revival) explained, “What’s built in already is a tour following [the West End run]. No matter how long it runs here we will get a tour out of it. The producers are known for touring and that was part of the deal.”

A Chorus Line features a score by Marvin Hamlisch, a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante and lyrics by Edward Kleban. A Chorus Line originally debuted on the West End at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1976 and picked up the Olivier Award for Best Musical, the first year the awards were presented.

In addition to Strallen and Patridge, A Chorus Line stars Leigh Zimmerman as Sheila, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Diana, Gary Wood as Paul, Rebecca Herszenhon as Val, Vicki Lee Taylor as Maggie, Ed Currie as Bobby, James T. Lane as Richie, Daisy Maywood as Bebe, Simon Hardwick as Al, Frances Dee as Kristine, Adam Salter as Mike, Gary Watson as Don, Lucy Adcock as Judy, Harry Francis as Mark, Andy Rees as Greg and Alexzandra Sarmiento as Connie. No word yet on if the cast will also perform on the tour.