Jason Manford Leads The Cast For Uk Premiere Of New Episodic Murder Mystery Musical A KILLER PARTY On STREAM.THEATRE
SUSPECTS ANNOUNCED! JASON MANFORD LEADS THE CAST FOR UK PREMIERE OF NEW EPISODIC MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL A KILLER PARTY ALONGSIDE OSCAR CONLON-MORREY, DEBBIE KURUP, CEDRIC NEAL, AMARA OKAREKE, LUCAS RUSH, EMMA SALVO, ASHLEY SAMUELS, HARRIET THORPE AND RACHEL TUCKER.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR A KILLER PARTY WHICH WILL BE STREAMED IN 9 EPISODES DIGITALLY ON-DEMAND FROM 26 APRIL – 23 MAY 2021 ON STREAM.THEATRE
WITH BOOK BY FOUR-TIME EMMY AWARD-WINNER RACHEL AXLER AND KAIT KERRIGAN, LYRICS BY NATHAN TYSEN AND MUSIC BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER JASON HOWLAND, EACH EPISODE IS FILMED INSIDE THE PERFORMERS’ HOME AND CAN BE PURCHASED AS ONE PACKAGE FOR £25 OR INDIVIDUALLY AT £2.99 PER EPISODE.
THIS RIOTOUS MUSICAL WHODUNIT IS PRODUCED BY KATY LIPSON FOR ARIA ENTERTAINMENT, TANISHA SPRING FOR BLUE MAHOE PRODUCTIONS, AND ILAI SZPIEZAK FOR UPSTAGE CREATIVE.
Casting has been announced for the UK premiere of A Killer Party which will be released as a series of 9 episodes to watch on-demand, at home or on the go, bringing the very best of British stage and screen directly into your living room. Please note, the dates have now changed from the previous announcement to 26 April – 23 May.
The cast includes Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Only Fools and Horses, Nativity The Musical) as Shea Crescendo, Debbie Kurup (The Prince of Egypt, Sweet Charity) as Vivika Orsonwelles, renowned comedian, actor and presenter Jason Manford (Curtains, Sweeney Todd, The Producers) as Varthur McArthur, Cedric Neal (The Voice, Motown The Musical) as George Murderer, Amara Okareke (Les Misérables, The Boyfriend) as Lily Wright, Lucas Rush (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Les Misérables) as Clarke Staples, Emma Salvo (Come From Away, The Toxic Avenger) as Justine Case, Ashley Samuels (Motown The Musical, The Book of Mormon) as Cameron Mitchelljohn, Harriet Thorpe (Wicked, Les Misérables) as Detective Case and Rachel Tucker (Come From Away, Songs From a New World) as Joan McArthur.
This side-splitting new musical, fueled by a contemporary pop score, will be available to watch on stream.theatre from 26 April – 23 May. A Killer Party was a hit in the US last year, where it was written and developed in response to the closure of theatres. Filmed entirely in each artist’s home, viewers are invited to experience the joy of theatre in an entirely new way.
The show has been adapted for UK audiences and will be directed by Benji Sperring (The Toxic Avenger, Night of the Living Dead – Live!, An Act of God and Shock Treatment) with a Book by Rachel Axler (four-time Emmy award-winner as a writer on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” and supervising producer on “Veep”) and Kait Kerrigan, Music by Jason Howland (Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Theatre album of “BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical”, Broadway musical “Little Women”) and lyrics by Nathan Tysen. The show is produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment, Tanisha Spring for Blue Mahoe Productions and Ilai Szpiezak for Upstage Creative.
When Varthur McArthur, failed West End actor and current artistic director of Blackpool’s smallest regional theatre, calls a read-through for his latest murder mystery play, the cast of local actors arrive at the party with anything but theatre on their minds. But when Varthur ends up face down in his soup (a gluten-free cheese bisque), it’s up to Traffic-Police-Officer-turned-
LISTINGS
A KILLER PARTY
26 April – 23 May 2021
Produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment, Tanisha Spring for Blue Mahoe Productions and Ilai Szpiezak for Upstage Creative.
Director – Benji Sperring
Musical Supervisor – Nick Barstow
Designer – Zahra Mansouri
Cinematography – Click Boom Studios
Book - Rachel Axler and Kait Kerrigan
Music - Jason Howland
Lyrics - Nathan Tysen
Casting Director - Jane Deitch
Associate Producer and General Manager – Chris Matanlé for Aria Entertainment
Available to book and watch online here.
Ticket Prices: £25.00 for the Season or £2.99 per episode (including Booking Fees).
For more information on A KILLER PARTY, please visit Facebook, Twitter: @AKillerPartyUK and Instagram: @AKillerPartyUK
BIOGRAPHIES
CAST:
Oscar Conlon-Morrey
Training: Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Valedictorian and winner of the Gyearbour Asante Prize.
Oscar Conlon-Morrey is an award-winning Actor, Singer, Compère, Comedian and Cabaret Artist. Throughout lockdown he has been entertaining people with his particular brand of musical comedy as well as appearing in various online and live performances including ‘First Date the Musical’ for Lambert Jackson Productions and ‘Cinderella: A Socially Distanced Ball’ at the Turbine Theatre.
His prior performance credits include: Only Fools and Horses the Musical (Theatre Royal, Haymarket), for which he was nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, Nativity the Musical (Hammersmith Apollo and UK Tour), The Toxic Avenger (Arts Theatre). Oscar was the winner of the Julia McKenzie prize at the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Award 2017, and the Donald Wolfit Prize for Excellence in Theatre. Splitting his time between England and France, Oscar is currently writing his one man show which hopes to tour internationally in English and French in 2022.
Debbie Kurup
Theatre includes: The Prince of Egypt (Dominion) Blues in the Night (Kiln); Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse); Girl From The North Country (Old Vic/ Noël Coward); The Threepenny Opera (NT); Anything Goes (Sheffield/UK Tour); The Bodyguard - Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Adelphi); Chicago (Cambridge/Adelphi); Sister Act (London Palladium); Oliver! (Cyprus); I Love You Because (Landor); East (Leicester Curve); West Side Story (Prince of Wales); Tonight’s The Night (Victoria Palace); Rent (Prince of Wales/UK Tour); Fame (UK Tour); Guys And Dolls (Sheffield); Pal Joey (Chichester); Poison (Tricycle); Boogie Nights (Savoy). Television includes: The Two Wolves; Making of a Musical- West Side Story Film includes: Hollow Recordings include: The Prince of Egypt; Dear Evan Hansen- Virtual Community; Girl From the North Country; Sister Act; Chess in Concert; You Are Home, (Anderson and Petty); Tonight’s the Night. Other work includes: Best of the Rock Musicals (Eventim Apollo); King (Hackney Empire); The World Goes Round (The Other Palace); Rhythm of Life (St. James Theatre); Chess in Concert (Royal Albert Hall) Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar in concert (Jersey)
Twitter: @thedebbiekurup
Jason Manford is a stand-up comedian, writer, actor, radio and television presenter. His theatre credits include Curtains (UK Tour/ West End), Sweeney Todd (West End), Guys and Dolls (Royal Albert Hall), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour) and The Producers (UK Tour). Jason has become a regular host of the Olivier Awards. His first album A Different Stage, inspired by his love of musical theatre, reached Top 10 in the UK charts in 2017. Jason is an internationally renowned stand-up comedian and his new show Like Me will tours the UK & Ireland extensively from September. He is widely known for his regular appearances in popular TV shows such as Live at the Apollo (BBC 1), Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow (BBC 1), QI (BBC Two), Big Fat Quiz of the Year (Channel 4) and 8 Out of 10 Cats (Channel 4). Most recently he hosted primetime gameshow First & Last (BBC1), claimed second place as ‘Hedgehog’ in The Masked Singer (ITV1), filmed his stand-up show Muddle Class for BBC 1 and guest starred in BBC drama Death In Paradise. Later this year he will host new quiz show Unbeatable (BBC 1). Throughout lockdown Jason has also hosted a number of events from home including weekly gameshow Jason Manford’s Games Arcade’, a kids quiz and a ‘Lockdown Comedy Club for Kids on his YouTube channel. Jason was nominated for Best Actor at the Royal Television Society Awards for his role in BBC drama Ordinary Lives. He has also been nominated for two ARIAS for his weekly show on Absolute Radio which airs every Sunday morning.
Cedric Neal
Cedric Neal most recently was a Semi-finalist on "The Voice UK" 2019 Series. He made his West End
debut as Berry Gordy in the original London cast of "Motown- The Musical." Neal was featured as The Arbiter in the first revival of "Chess" at London's Coliseum.
Other London credits include: “Songs For A New World” at The London Palladium, “Jesus Christ Superstar” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, the European premiere of “21 Chump Street” at the Courtyard Theatre,‘Willie’ in the Soho Theatre premiere of “The View Upstairs”, the critically acclaimed concert staging of Martin Smith's musical "King," portraying the legendary civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cy Coleman's revue- "Rhythm Of Life" (St. James Theatre), and a turn as Sporting Life in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's Olivier Nominated production of "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess." Broadway credits include the Tony Nominated "After Midnight" (Director/Choreographer- Warren Carlyle) and the 2012 Tony Winning revival of "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess" (Director- Diane Paulus.) Mr. Neal was an original member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company at the Dallas Theater Center, where he starred in productions of "The Who's Tommy" (Tommy), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Puck), "A Christmas Carol" (Christmas Past), "Death Of A Salesman" (Happy Loman), and as Billy Lyons in the World Premier of the musical "Stagger Lee.” His American Regional Theatre credits include- Pollard Theatre (Oklahoma), Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA), Zach Theatre (Austin, TX), American Repertory Theatre (Cambridge, MA), Uptown Players, WaterTower Theatre, Theatre Three, Jubilee Theatre, Dallas Children's Theatre (Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas).
Television Credits: The Good Guys (Fox) and Seasons 4 & 5 of the Emmy Winning Drama "Friday NightLights" (NBC-Universal). 2012 & 2014 Tony Awards Telecast. NBC Today Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and the 2015 Olivier Awards Telecast.
Film Credits: Lost In London (Written, Produced and Starring- Woody Harrelson)
Cedric studied Classical Vocal Performance at the prestigious Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY.) His training also includes the Interlochen Arts Academy, and he's a proud graduate of Booker T. Washington HSPVA (Dallas, Texas.)
Awards include Helen Hayes Award (Outstanding Supporting Actor- "Dreamgirls"), Texas Legacy Of Success; Leon Rabin Award (Outstanding Supporting Actor- "Tick, tick...BOOM") Cedric is featured on the Original Cast Recording of "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess" as The Crabman.
Amara Okareke
Arts Educational Schools, BA Musical Theatre, 3 years, 2015-2018 Winner of 'Best Actress in a Musical' at the Stage Debut Awards 2018 for the role of Cosette in Les Miserables at The Queens Theatre.
Theatre credits include: The Boy Friend (Menier Chocolate Factory). Oklahoma (Chichester Festival Theatre), Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Arts Educational), Bullets Over Broadway (Arts Educational), Sweeney Todd (Arts Educational), Winehouse (Arts Educational), Private Lives (Arts Educational), The Hired Man (National Youth Music Theatre), West Side Story (National Youth Music Theatre), 13 The Musical (Apollo Theatre), Out There (British Youth Music Theatre). Short film: Sucka Punch (Slick Productions)
Lucas Rush
Theatre Credits include: Che in Evita (China Tour), Lonny in Rock Of Ages (UK Tour), Mrs Meers/Resident Director in Thoroughly Modern Millie (UK Tour), Santa in Christmas Wonderland (USA Tour), St Jimmy/Resident Director in American Idiot (West End & UK Tour, for which he received A WhatsOnStage Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical), Emcee in Cabaret (Arts Theatre Aberdeen), 1st Understudy Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (World Arena Tour & Universal Pictures), Tony in Saturday night Fever (RCCL and USA), Roger in Grease (Piccadilly Theatre West End), Understudy Pop and Rebel Leader in We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre West End), Joe Vegas in Fame (UK Tour), Benadick in Much Ado About Nothing (Italian Theatre Tour); Mickey in Blood Brothers (The Manoel Theatre Malta), Robin in The Merry Wives Of Windsor (RSC Barbican Theatre) and Gavrouche in Les Miserables (Palace Theatre).
TV credits include: Rowan Neville in Walking on the Moon (ITV Film, Directed by Peter Kosminsky). Lucas also appeared in The Definition Of Lonely, An award winning LGBT short film by Leon Lopez, now on YouTube.
Emma Salvo
Emma is currently in the West End cast of Come From Away as ‘Janice’
Theatre includes: The Toxic Avenger (Arts Theatre); From Page to Stage (Southwark Playhouse); Holy Crap (King’s Head Theatre); Grease (Royal Caribbean); Newsrevue (Canal Cafe Theatre) and Sleeping Beauty (Mercury Theatre).
Ashley Samuels
Training: Guildford School of Acting.
Theatre includes: Cruel Intensions (Bill Kenwright Ltd); Night Of The Living Dead - Live (Pleasance Theatre); Fun Home (Young Vic Theatre); Motown The Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre); The Book of Mormon (Prince Of Wales Theatre); The Toxic Avenger (Southwark Playhouse); The World Goes Round (Stephen Joseph Theatre); The Olivier Awards (Royal Opera House)
Film & Television: Five To Six (Short Film); ‘Sing On!’ (Netflix); ‘This Morning’ (ITV); 'Sing it Kitty' commercial
Workshops: The Monster Bride; The Osmonds; Zombies; Pattie Shop Diaries (The Other Palace); Back To The Future: The Musical (American Church); Cult (Southwark Playhouse)
Twitter: @Ashnsamuels
Harriet Thorpe
Harriet is best known for her roles as Carole in the BBC’s The Brittas Empire and Fleur in Absolutely Fabulous. She has just finished playing the role of Eleanor in Sleepless at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, has just wrapped a guest lead on Midsomer Murders and is currently shooting a guest lead on Endeavour, both for ITV.
Most recently Harriet has appeared on television as guest lead Sharon in Mister Winner (BBC One); Nanny Ribble in father Brown, Ms. McClean in Bun Head (BBC Scotland); Miranda Hill in Doctors (BBC One); Betty in Hollyoaks (Channel 4); Casualty, Our Friend Victoria, The Three Musketeers, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip alongside Gok Wan, The Secrets – The Conversation, Doctors, Material Girl and Midsomer Murders. In theatre, The Wicked Queen in Snow White (Theatre Royal, Bath)
Ruthless as Myra Thorne at The Arts Theatre.
Work with French and Saunders includes: Girls on Top, the French and Saunders Series Mirrorball and The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle. Work with Victoria Wood includes: Victoria Wood’s Mid-Life Christmas, Victoria Wood’s Short Term Memories and Victoria Wood MoonWalking.
Her West End credits include: Her Ladyship in The Dresser (Duke of York’s); Great Britain (Theatre Royal Haymarket); The Vagina Monologues; Madam Morrible in Wicked (Apollo Theatre); Fraulein Kost in Rufus Norris’ production of Cabaret (Lyric Theatre, UK tour and Savoy Theatre); Crazy for You (Regent’s Park and Novello Theatre); Taya in Mamma Mia! and Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables.
Other theatre credits include: Vera Charles in Mame (Hope Mill Theatre); Nurse in Romeo & Juliet (Guildford Festival); Mr Lovett in John Doyle’s actor-musician production of Sweeny Todd at the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park; Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Maria in Twelfth Night, Queen Elizabeth in Richard III, the Queen in Cymberline, Timothy Sheader’s Streetcar to Tennessee (Young Vic) and Ida Arnold in Michael Attenborough’s Brighton Rock (Almeida Theatre).
Harriet has played several seasons at the National Theatre, most recently in Sir Nicholas Hytner’s production of Richard Bean’s Great Britain. Previous seasons include: Howard Davies’ All My Sons and Mick Gordon’s A Prayer for Owen Meany. In the Richard Eyre and David Hare company: Pravda, The Government Inspector and Futurists.
Films include: The Appointment 2019
The Writers Group – Cannes 2018, The Lady in the Van, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the head of the WI in Calendar Girls, Suzie Gold, An Arm’s Length, The Calling, Wise Girl, Zeffirelli’s Young Toscanini, the Mother in The Nutcracker IMAX Sands Films SNUB!, Greystoke: the Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes and Merchant Ivory’s Maurice.
Twitter: @harriet_thorpe and Instagram: @hatdorable
Rachel Tucker
Rachel Tucker is an Olivier Nominated Actress who, most recently, was starring in Come From Away at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway playing the role of Annette/Beverley Bass, the role she originated here in London and for which she received a nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical at the 2019 Olivier Awards and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical at the 2020 WhatsOnStage Awards.
Theatre credits: Songs For a New World (London Palladium & Streaming), Elphaba in Wicked (West End, Broadway and the London 10th Anniversary Cast); Two by Jim Cartwright at the Bridge House Theatre; Meg Dawson in Sting’s musical The Last Ship directed by Joe Mantello (Neil Simon Theatre, New York and Bank of America Theatre, Chicago); Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory); Farragut North (Southwark Playhouse) and Meat in We Will Rock You (Dominion).
Television credits: Sharon Collins in Informer (BBC1/Neal Street productions); I’d Do Anything (BBC), where she reached the semi-final stages for the role of Nancy.
Workshops credits: The Baroness in Lempicka (Williamstown Theatre Festival, New York); Elly in Lazarus; Grace in T’Aint; Dusty Springfield in Dusty and Meg Giry in Love Never Dies.
Rachel’s debut solo album The Reason was launched in 2013 at her first sell-out concert at the St. James Theatre and she returned to the St. James with her one-woman show Rachel Tucker: Back from Broadway for which she won a West End Wilma Award in 2015. In 2017 Rachel launched her first solo tour, Rachel Tucker: Live in Concert, in London, UK and Ireland alongside releasing a new album On the Road for which she also won the West End Wilma Award for Best Cabaret/Solo show.
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