Cast and creative team announced for Starter For Ten
We are delighted to announce full casting for Antic Productions, Bristol Old Vic, Longshot Films & Playtone’s new musical Starter for Ten which comes to Birmingham Rep later this year, from Wed 22 Oct – Sat 1 Nov.
Alongside the previously announced actress, presenter, comedian and writer Mel Giedroyc (The Crown Jewels, Garrick Theatre) who will reprise the role of Brian’s mum, Irene Jackson, and Bamber Gascoigne’s irresistible sidekick Julia Bland, Adam Bregman (Chariots of Fire, Sheffield Crucible) returns as Brian, Miracle Chance (Heathers, The Other Palace) reprises the role of Lucy, and Will Jennings (Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre) returns as Patrick.
Fans of Rep Original Musical Becoming Nancy will be pleased to see Stephen Ashfield return back to our main stage, this time as Bamber Gascoigne and Brian’s dad, Dave Jackson, Asha Parker-Wallace (Burlesque, Savoy Theatre) as Rebecca, Rachel John (Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre) as Dr Bowman and Christian Maynard (Midnight Cowboy, Southwark Playhouse) as Spencer. Imogen Craig will make her professional debut as Alice. The cast is completed by Michelle Bishop, Luke Johnson, Kwamé Kandekore and Laura Dawn Pyatt.
Photography by Oliver Rosser
Stephen Ashfield
Scottish actor and musician Stephen Ashfield trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Last year Stephen completed filming the feature MARIA; a new biopic of Maria Callas, alongside Angelina Jolie which will premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival in the autumn. In recent years, Stephen’s stand-out performance as Elder McKinley in The Book of Mormon in the West End and on Broadway has won him an Olivier Award, and both WhatsOnStage and BroadwayWorld Awards.
In 2019, Stephen created the role of Hamish McLarnon in Becoming Nancy at CocaCola Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, which he returned to in October 2024, at the Birmingham Rep for its UK debut.
For ten (long and somewhat uncomfortable!) years his posterior adorned many London buses and tube posters as Bob Gaudio in the original London cast of Jersey Boys.
Other theatre credits include: Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde (Savoy), Casey O’Brien in Boy Meets Boy (Jermyn Street Theatre) Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered (Jermyn Street Theatre), creating the leading role of Adam in Imagine This (Theatre Royal Plymouth), John in Tomorrow Morning (New End Theatre, London), Nick Piazza in Fame (Aldwych), George in new musical Ha’penny Bridge (The Point, Dublin), Basilio in The
Marriage of Figaro (Drill Hall, London), Boy George in Taboo (West End and UK Tour).
TV credits include: Lawrence in The Devil’s Hour, Philip Worth in Call The Midwife. Appearances with Jersey Boys include This Morning, GMTV, Loose Women, Paul O!Grady, Strictly Come Dancing, Alan Titchmarsh, The 80th Royal Variety Performance, and Tonight’s the Night.
Film credits include: Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd.
Radio credits include: Incredible Women with Rebecca Front and Joanna Lumley (BBCRadio4), Elaine
Paige on Sunday.
Cast Recordings: Ha’penny Bridge, Tomorrow Morning and Jersey Boys
Michelle Bishop
Michelle trained at Laine Theatre Arts.
West End/London Theatre credits include: Cabaret (Kit Kat Club / Playhouse Theatre), Cinderella (Gillian Lynne Theatre), City Of Angels (Garrick Theatre), Strictly Ballroom The Musical (Piccadilly Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse & Toronto), Sunset Boulevard (Coliseum/ENO), The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Waterloo East Theatre), Bend it Like Beckham (Phoenix Theatre), White Christmas (Dominion Theatre), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Kiss Me Kate (Old Vic), Lend Me a Tenor (Gielgud Theatre), Company (Southwark Playhouse), Jersey Boys (Prince Edward Theatre), Fame (Shaftesbury Theatre) and Snow White & The 7 Dwarfs (Victoria Palace).
Regional & Overseas Theatre credits include: 42nd Street (Kilworth House Theatre), Peter Pan (Kingston), Grandpa’s Great Escape (UK Tour), Little Shop of Hours (Storyhouse, Chester), Kiss Me Quickstep (Hornchurch, Ipswich & Clwyd), Top Hat, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Guys and Dolls (Kilworth House Theatre), A Midsummer Nights Dream (New Wolsey, Ipswich), Monkee Business (UK Tour), Footloose (UK Tour),The Wedding Singer (UK Tour), Grease (UK Tour), Jus Like That (UK Tour), Seasonal Sauce (Watermill Theatre), Singin’ In The Rain (Paris), Saturday Night Fever (South
Korea/ Taipei) and Ultimate Broadway (China).
TV/film credits include: Mrs Henderson Presents (BBC Films), Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV), Galavant (ABC), The Royal Variety Performance (BBC)
Adam Bregman
Adam trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has starred in leading stage roles across the UK and US. Most recently, he played Harold Abrahams in Rob Hastie’s Chariots of Fire at the Sheffield Crucible. He also originated the lead in Starter for Ten (Bristol Old Vic) and starred in Sing Street at Boston’s Huntington Theatre, directed by Tony Award winner Rebecca Taichman and produced by Barbara Broccoli.
Screen credits include: ITVX’s The Effects of Lying, Tolkien (Fox Searchlight), and Genius: Picasso (National Geographic).
Miracle Chance
Training: Guildford School of Acting
Theatre Credits Include: Brianna in Fangirls (Lyric Hammersmith) Lucy in Starter for Ten (Bristol Old Vic), Denise in The Witches (National Theatre), Veronica Sawyer in Heathers (The Other Palace), Ariel in Unfortunate – The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch (UK Tour), Grace in The Witchfinder’s Sister (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Christine Canigula in Be More Chill (Shaftesbury Theatre), Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour), Cynthia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Snozzletrump in The Christmasaurus Live (Hammersmith Apollo), Urleen in Footloose (UK Tour), U/S Julia in The Wedding Singer (UK Tour) Susie Alpine in Loserville (Union Theatre) and Viki in Angelina Ballerina the Mousical (UK and Australian Tour).
Workshops Include: The Witches, Why Am I So Single, Another Girl, Starter for Ten, Babies, Tinkerbell the Musical, Bloody Nora, The Lost Ones (Bush Theatre), Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), Knights of the Rose and The Cave (A Folk Opera).
Miracle is also a Singer/Songwriter and has had her music featured across BBC Radio. She can be found singing with vocal trio The Wild Tonics, often performing with the Fratellis on their UK arena tours
Imogen Craig
Training: The Arts Educational School, from where she is due to graduate in 2025.
Theatre whilst training includes: The Witch in Into the Woods; Ensemble in Sister Act.
Starter for Ten marks Imogen’s professional debut
Irene Jackson & Julia Bland
Mel Giedroyc
Mel Giedroyc
Will Jennings
Will Trained at the Guildford School of Acting and also has a first-class Msci (hons) in Geology from University College London.
Theatre: Les Miserables (Sondheim Theatre, West End), The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre, West End), Grease (European tour) Starter For Ten (Bristol Old Vic), Shantify! (Edinburgh Fringe), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Hart House Theatre, Toronto), Shrek The Musical (UK Tour), Benidorm Live (UK Tour), Avenue Q (Gatehouse Theatre, London), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Broadway Theatre, Catford), The Night Pirates (Rose Theatre, Kingston), Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale (Royal College of Music), Cinderella (New Wimbledon Theatre), Dick Whittington (Salisbury Playhouse) Sleeping Beauty (Milton Keynes Theatre).
Television: Quacks (BBC); Galbani Cheese (commercial); Taylors of Harrogate (commercial); Uswitch (commercial).
Animation: Will voices Yellow, Purple and Magenta in Colourblocks (BBC), as well as multiple characters in Tim Rex in Space (Nickelodeon).
Rachel John
Theatre Credits Include: West End Does: The Magic of Animation – Hero’s and Villains (Cadogan Hall), Doubt: A Parable (Theatre Royal Bath),The Big Life (Theatre Royal Stratford East), West End Does: Christmas (Cadogan Hall), Disney 100 shows (People Entertainment Group), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Royal Albert Hall), The Secret Life of Bees (Almeida), A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic), Songs For A New World (London Palladium), Girl From The North Country (Toronto/West End), West End Musical Celebration (Palace Theatre), Hamilton (Victoria Palace), The Bodyguard (West End/UK Tour), Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre), Rent (UK Tour), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Godspell (Sir George Monoux College), Sister Act (London Palladium), The Legend of The Lion King (Disneyland Paris), The Lion King (The Lyceum Theatre/ Asian Tour), We Will Rock You (UK Tour).
Rachel was in The Marvels directed by Nia DaCosta.
Rachel released her debut album in April 2022 with Westway Music. The gospel album was recorded at the New Testament Assembly Church in Tooting, entitled From My Lips To God’s Ear.
Following from her album release in 2022 Rachel mesmerised audiences performing as the opening act for the legendary artist Dionne Warwick throughout her UK tour and West End run.
Luke Johnson
Luke trained at Laine Theatre Arts
West End & London credits include: Multi-Role & u/s Norman & Michael in Close up (Menier Chocolate Factory); Doctor/Show Climber/Philippe le Grand – Musketeer/Ensemble in Peter Pan (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Swing (Ensemble/Puppeteer/Acro) in The Light Princess (National Theatre); Swing in Wizard of Oz (London Palladium); Ferney/Ensemble & u/s Haldir in The Lord of The Rings (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); Fred Casely & u/s Billy Flynn in Chicago (Cambridge Theatre); Actor in Semiramide (Royal Opera House); Manager/Jazz Singer/Ensemble in Victor/Victoria (Southwark Playhouse).
Further stage credits include: Fred Casely & u/s Billy Flynn in Chicago (International Tour); Des & Ensemble in Starter For Ten (Bristol Old Vic); Victor & u/s Cliff/Ernst in Cabaret (Lido2Paris); Hard Man & Associate Director in Choir of Man Australian tour (Sydney Opera House); Show Climber/Pirate Dukes & Movement Captain, Peter Pan – Reimagined (Birmingham Rep); Daddy Mugglewump in The Twits (The Curve Theatre); Ensemble in Playground Victories (UK Tour); Ensemble in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour); Rob & u/s Mikey in Boogie Nights (UK Tour).
Television credits include: Voice of Simon in Magic Hands – Series 1&2 (Remark UK/ CBBC); Continuity Voice Over, VIVA 2009-15 (MTV); Patrick Barnes in Doctors (BBC Television); Greasemania (London Weekend Television); Royal Variety Performance (Festival Theatre Edinburgh/ ITV).
Workshops include: Stoker; Starter For Ten; Pavarotti; Angels in America & The Light Princess both for The National Theatre; Billy Elliot (pre-Broadway); The Lord of The Rings (pre-West End).
Music Video Credits include: ‘Wasting My Young Years’ – London Grammar 2013
Kwamé Kandekore
Training: Emil Dale Academy, Guildford School of Arts.
Theatre Includes: MJ the Musical Original West End Cast (Prince Edward Theatre), RSC’s Queen Anne (Royal Haymarket Theatre), Motown the Musical Original West End Cast (Shaftsbury Avenue Theatre), Thriller Live Japan (Tokyo), The Bodyguard The Musical Original West End Cast (Adelphi Theatre).
Television Includes: BBC’s Doctors, BBC’s Line of Duty, BBC’s Citizen Khan, BBC’s Survivors.
Kwamé is a recent recipient of the ‘Best Graduate’ award at the 2024 Black British Theatre Awards.
Christian Maynard
Christian starred as Chris in the first original revival of Miss Saigon at Sheffield Crucible.
Further credits include: Tombaby in Midnight Cowboy (Southwark Elephant); If/Then in Concert (Savoy Theatre); Kid Pop in Rehab: The Musical (Neon 194); Babies in Concert (Lyric Theatre); Kempe / 1st cover Francois in & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre); Taboo in Concert (London Palladium); Five Guys Named Moe (Upstairs at the Gatehouse).
Training: Urdang Academy.
Asha Parker Wallace
Training: The Arts Educational School, from where she is due to graduate in 2025.
Theatre whilst training includes: Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act; Ensemble in Spring Awakening.
Forthcoming: Asha is due to make her professional and West End debut as Nikki in Burlesque the Musical (Savoy Theatre)
Laura Dawn Pyatt
Laura trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (she/her).
Theatre credits include: Boleyn in SIX (UK/International Tour), Radio/ Dance Captain in 42 Balloons (West-End Staged Concert & World Premiere at The Lowry), Claire in Ordinary Days (Cockpit Theatre), Eliza in Brass (Bernie Grant Arts Centre), Ensemble in Bat Out Of Hell (OA Arena/ BBC), Ensemble/1st Cover Genie/Dance Captain in Aladdin (Lyric Hammersmith), Ensemble/Dance Captain in Dick Whittington and Jack & The Beanstalk (Royal & Derngate).
TV credits include: The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals (BBC), What’s the Word (Disney Channel), Blue Peter (BBC).
Other Credits: Not For Broadcast (Video Game).
Concerts include: Magic At The Musicals (Royal Albert Hall), What’s on Stage Awards (Palladium), West End Live, The Great British Pantomime Awards (New Wimbledon Theatre).
Choreography/Movement Direction credits include: Mario: Sophie & The Giants – “Bad Friends” (Music Video), Mario! It’s a Super Musical! (The Union Theatre), The Brontës (The Space Theatre), Hope Network (Short Film/ NHS England).
This bright and big-hearted new musical has a book and lyrics co-written by Emma Hall and Charlie Parham, Artistic Directors of Antic Productions, with an 80s-inspired original score and lyrics by queer, pop-punk composers Hatty Carman and Tom Rasmussen. The production is directed by Charlie Parham. The rest of the creative and production team is made up of Alexzandra Sarmiento as Choreographer, Lee Newby as Set & Costume Designer, Zoe Spurr as Lighting Designer, Rob Bettle and Sam Clarkson for Sound Quiet Time as Sound Designer, Will Burton for GBC as Casting Director, Kate Waters as Fight Director, Nick Barstow as Music Supervisor, Vocal Arranger & Additional Music and Tom Kelly as Orchestrator. The show is co-produced by Antic Productions, Bristol Old Vic, Longshot Films & Playtone with thanks to Richard Reid, College Bowl and ITV.
Fingers on buzzers! Here’s your Starter for Ten…
What is eighteen-year-old Brian Jackson’s proudest achievement to date? His A-level results. His idol? Kate Bush. His lifelong dream? To compete on legendary TV quiz show University Challenge. It’s 1985 and, leaving Southend to start his first year at Bristol University, Brian soon discovers that falling in love and growing up take a lot more than general knowledge…
Adapted from the hilarious novel by bestselling author David Nicholls and the popular 2006 film, Starter for Ten is a coming-of-age comedy musical about love, belonging and the all-important difference between knowledge and wisdom. Featuring an irresistible original soundtrack inspired by the riotous student scene of the ’80s, it was nominated for Best Musical Production at the UK Theatre Awards 2024.