Tony Nominee and Future Phantom Norm Lewis To Lead Reading of Mandela: A New Musical

He’s soon to make Broadway history in The Phantom of the Opera, but first, Tony nominee Norm Lewis will take on another iconic figure: Nelson Mandela. The leading man will play the title role in an industry reading of Mandela: A New Musical on March 31.

With music, lyrics and a book by Steven M. Fisher, the new show will use original South African folk songs to tell the story of the love and loss between parent and child as audiences are transported through different stages of the late South African President’s life.

Additional cast members include Tony nominee Forrest McClendon, Rosena M. Hill, Darlesia Cearcy, John Henry Cox, Alan H. Green, Aisha de Haas, Isaiah Johnson, Nahal Joshi, Jacob Ming-Trent, Paul O’Brien, Ben Schrager, Michael Sharon and Nick Wyman. Mandela: A New Musical will also feature 60 members of the Keystone State Boychoir and Pennsylvania Girlchoir. David Glenn Armstrong will direct.

Soon to appear as the title role of The Phantom of the Opera, Lewis received a Tony nomination for Porgy and Bess, and has also starred on Broadway in Miss Saigon, The Who’s Tommy, Chicago, Side Show, The Wild Party, Amour, Les Miserables, Sondheim on Sondheim and The Little Mermaid. His film and TV credits include Scandal, All My Children and Les Miserables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary.