Based on the 1982 Academy Award-winning film starring Richard Gere, An Officer and a Gentleman - The Musical tells the story of Zack Mayo who is in training to become a US Navy Pilot.
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 Gentleman.
The musical includes the hit song from the movie Up Where We Belong along, with 80s classics such as Alone, Don’t Cry Out Loud, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Toy Soldiers and Material Girl and features one of the most iconic romantic scenes ever portrayed on screen.
The film An Officer and a Gentleman is one of the highest grossing films of all time. With a screenplay by writer and director Douglas Day Stewart, which was based on his personal experience as a Naval Officer candidate, the book was co-written by Douglas and Sharleen Cooper Cohen.
Producer Jamie Wilson said: "I am thrilled to be presenting An Officer and a Gentleman - The Musical and working once again with Chris Stafford, Nikolai Foster and the team at Curve.
"For the last three years we 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."
Jamie Wilson is the lead producer on the current productions of Crazy For You starring Tom Chambers, the forthcoming world premiere of Nativity! The Musical and Curve's production of Sister Act.
Director Nikolai Foster said: "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 and an incredible creative team to present this beautiful and inspiring story. This brand-new adaptation includes iconic 80s songs which create an entertaining, uplifting and original piece of musical theatre, we are excited to share this world premiere with our audiences here at Curve, in Leicester, and across the country."
Nikolai Foster is artistic director at Curve and his work at the theatre includes Joe Orton's What the Butler Saw, Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's Grease, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Legally Blonde and Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. He directed the hugely successful recent 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.
Music to look forward to
Kate Prince is the founder and director of UK dance companyZooNation. She was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2009 for Into the Hoods and most recently choreographed the hotly anticipated West End transfer of Everybody's Talking 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. Lighting design will be by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Tom Marshall.
The show will open at Curve, in Leicester on Friday, April 6 and will perform until Saturday, April 21. Tickets are available at www.curveonline.co.uk
Other dates include:
TUESDAY 24 APRIL – SATURDAY 28 APRIL, LEEDS GRAND THEATRE www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
TUESDAY 1 MAY – SATURDAY 5 MAY, MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON www.mayflower.org.uk
MONDAY 7 MAY – SATURDAY 12 MAY, WYCOMBE SWAN www.wycombeswan.co.uk
TUESDAY 15 MAY – SATURDAY 19 MAY, BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME www.birminghamhippodrome.com
MONDAY 21 MAY – SATURDAY 26 MAY, LIVERPOOL EMPIRE www.atgtickets.com/liverpool
MONDAY 28 MAY – SATURDAY 2 JUNE, BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
MONDAY 4 JUNE – SATURDAY 9 JUNE, LYCEUM THEATRE, SHEFFIELD www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
MONDAY 18 JUNE – SATURDAY 23 JUNE, THEATRE ROYAL NEWCASTLE www.theatreroyal.co.uk
MONDAY 25 JUNE – SATURDAY 30 JUNE, WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE www.wmc.org.uk
MONDAY 2 JULY – SATURDAY 7 JULY, EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE www.atgtickets.com/Edinburgh
MONDAY 9 JULY – SATURDAY 14 JULY, MILTON KEYNES THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/Miltonkeynes
MONDAY 23 – SATURDAY 28 JULY, THEATRE ROYAL, NOTTINGHAM www.trch.co.uk
MONDAY 30 JULY – SATURDAY 4 AUGUST, BRISTOL HIPPODROME www.atgtickets.com/bristol
MONDAY 6 AUGUST – SATURDAY 11 AUGUST, THE MARLOW THEATRE, CANTERBURY www.marlowetheatre.com
MONDAY 13 AUGUST – SATURDAY 18 AUGUST, MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE www.atgtickets.com/manchester
MONDAY 20 AUGUST – SATURDAY 25 AUGUST, THEATRE ROYAL, PLYMOUTH www.theatreroyal.com
MONDAY 27 AUGUST – SATURDAY 1 SEPTEMBER, REGENT THEATRE, IPSWICH https://apps.ipswich.gov.uk
MONDAY 3 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 8 SEPTEMBER, THE ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
MONDAY 10 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER, GLASGOW KING’S THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/glasgow
