New musical The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, an adaptation from the romantic-fantasy novel, will have a second workshop in May 2025 before a full stage production in 2026.
Adapted from the 1945 novel, The Ghost and Mrs Muir is the impossible love story between a young widowed mother, Lucy Muir, and the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg, whose seaside cottage she moves into in an attempt to take charge of her life. Daniel’s restless spirit, dead before his time, continues to cause as much haunting havoc as he can but comes up against Lucy’s dogged determination to create a settled home for herself and her children.
“A joyously romantic musical about making the most of your life, even when it is over.”
Captain Gregg will be brought to life by Obioma Ugoala who originated Kristoff in Theatre Royal Drury Lane’s Frozen as well as originating George Washington in Hamilton. Alongside him as Mrs. Muir will be Olivier nominated Laura Pitt-Pulford known for her performances in Standing at the Sky’s Edge and The Light Princess at the National Theatre as well in shows on the West End and around the country. Olivier-award nominated Preeya Kalidas (Bombay Dreams, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West End) plays Martha and Olivier award nominated Sharif Afifi (The Band’s Visit, Hadestown) plays Miles.
The cast also includes Julie Armstrong (Follies, National Theatre; Network, National Theatre) who will play Eva, alongside Patrick Clancy (Dick Turpin, Lyric Theatre; Young Frankenstein, Garrick Theatre; Florence Darrington, Charing Cross Theatre) as Mr. Coombe. Connor Ewing (The Phantom Of The Opera, UK Tour; Nativity! The Musical, UK Tour/Hammersmith Apollo; Oklahoma!, Gordon Craig Theatre/Grange Park Opera) will take on the role of Cyril Muir with Rowan Macpherson (Babies, The Other Palace; The Last Five Years, Carrie, Spring Awakening,
Leeds University) as Anna Muir.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Carmel Dean (musical supervision and arrangements for Clueless; composer of Renascence and Well-Behaved Women; music supervisor/director and/or arranger for Broadway’s The Notebook, Funny Girl (revival), If/Then, American Idiot, Spelling Bee) has written music and lyrics. Direction is from Kenneth Hoyt (The Blue Hour of Natalie Barney, Arcola; The Sea Plays, Old Vic Tunnels; Founder and Artistic Director Provincetown REP) who first enquired after the stage rights to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir in 1996 and then every six months thereafter for 27 years!
The show’s book comes from novelist and playwright Penelope Faith (Novels: Hello, Mr Magpie/ From A Past Life. Plays: Nothing To See Here, Arcola / Not Now, But Now, Canal Cafe Theatre; Audio: Dark Shadows, Dr.Who, Big Finish). Richard Roland (Broadway’s Follies, Scarlet Pimpernel and Thoroughly Modern Millie, Prof. of Musical Theatre at Indiana University) serves as Associate Director with Musical Director Candida Caldicot (Elektra, West End; The Lehman Trilogy, West End; Dr Strangelove, West End). Raymond Sage (Broadway Camelot; Beauty and the Beast, Artistic Director-Penn State NU Musical Theatre Festival, Prof of Musical Theatre – Indiana Univ) is the Creative Consultant and the show is produced by Scott Ihrig (Producer, Drama Club Productions, Drama Club Camp, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular).
www.theghostandmrsmuirmusical.com
The Ghost and Mrs Muir showcase in London May 2025.
The showcase/workshop of The Ghost and Mrs Muir new musical at a studio in Sadler’s Wells really worked in establishing the characters – no props, no costumes just the script, the stage directions and the magnificent singing and close-up acting.
The first half drags but after the interval gallops away with the utterly charming story and soaring music.
Family members of the author Josephine Leslie, the creatives including lyricist and composer Carmel Dean, and Producer Scott Ihrig were in the audience.
You can listen to a few songs from the show on the website theghostandmrsmuirmusical.com
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