CURVE TO SWEEP AUDIENCES OFF THEIR FEET WITH BRAND NEW MUSICAL IN SPRING 2018

Curve and Jamie Wilson Productions are delighted to announce the world premiere of An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical will open at Curve on 6 April 2018 before embarking on a UK and Ireland tour.

This brand-new musical is based on the 1982 Oscar-winning film starring Richard Gere which tells the story of Zack Mayo, a US Navy Pilot trainee. When Zack rolls into boot camp with a bit too much of a swagger, Drill Sergeant Foley doesn’t make life easy for him. When he falls for local girl Paula Pokrifki and tragedy befalls his friend and fellow candidate, Zack realises the importance of love and friendship and finds the courage to be himself and win the heart of the woman he loves. It’s only then he can truly become both an Officer and a Gentlemen.

The musical includes the hit song from the movie Up Where We Belong along, with 80’s classics such as Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Toy Soldiers and Material Girl.  The musical will also feature one of the most iconic romantic scenes ever portrayed on screen.

An Officer and a Gentleman is one of the highest grossing films of all time. The screenplay is by writer and director Douglas Day Stewart and was based on his personal experience as a Naval Officer Candidate. The book was co-written by Douglas and Sharleen Cooper Cohen.

Curve chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said, ‘Filled with love and quiet profundity, An Officer and a Gentleman delicately charts the lives of working class, military folk in America in the early 1980s; important lives, often pushed to the margins of society. We are proud to be working alongside the film’s creator Douglas Day Stewart, producer Jamie Wilson, Sharleen Cooper Cohen and an incredible creative team to present this beautiful and inspiring story. Fusing the film script with a load of super-cool 80s pop songs, creating an entertaining, uplifting and original piece of music theatre, we are excited to share this world premiere with our audiences here in Leicester and on tour in the UK’

Co-Producer Jamie Wilson said, ‘I am thrilled to be presenting An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical and working once again with Curve.  For the last three years I have been working on bringing this memorable and iconic story to the stage, and hope that this new adaptation becomes as loved as the film.’

Directed by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw, Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s Grease, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest,  Legally Blonde, Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s), Nikolai has also recently directed the hugely successful productions of Annie starring Miranda Hart which is now showing in the West End, and Calamity Jane which starred Jodie Prenger.

Joining director Nikolai Foster on the creative team are Choreographer Kate Prince, Musical Supervisor Sarah Travis and Designer Michael Taylor.

Kate Prince is the founder and director of ZooNation. She was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2009 for Into the Hoods and most recently choreographed the hotly anticipated West End transfer of There’s Something About Jamie.

Sarah Travis’ previous credits include Sweeney Todd for which she won a Tony Award, Sister Act, and currently A Little Night Music playing at The Watermill Theatre.

Michael Taylor is an Olivier Award nominated designer with his most recent work including What the Butler Saw, Silver Lining, A Christmas Carol and The Dresser in the West End.