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Jake Shears, Lorna Courtney & Kevin McHale To Join Broadway’s ‘The Rocky Horror Show’
Jake Shears, Lorna Courtney and Kevin McHale are joining the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show, replacing Luke Evans, Stephanie Hsu and Andrew Durand as the current leads leave the production. The changes bring a pop musician, a Tony-nominated stage performer and a television actor to prominent roles in a commercially successful revival that has received nine Tony nominations.
Courtney will begin as Janet and McHale will make his Broadway debut as Brad on 25 August, after Evans, Hsu and Durand give their final performances on 23 August. Shears takes over as Frank-N-Furter on 11 September, with Paul Soileau covering some performances beforehand; the Studio 54 production opened in April and set a weekly box-office record of $1.215m for the week ending 28 June.
In short
- Three new performers join Broadway’s Rocky Horror revival.
- Courtney and McHale start on 25 August.
- Shears begins as Frank-N-Furter in September.
Explained simply
The Rocky Horror Show is a cult musical that has entertained audiences since the 1970s through its distinctive blend of horror, comedy and rock music. It is renowned for its interactive tradition, whereby audiences participate and engage with the production during performances in established and creative ways.
The current Broadway production, playing at Studio 54, has achieved considerable commercial success since its April opening. The revival has set box-office records and earned nine Tony nominations, making it one of the most successful theatrical productions currently running.
Jake Shears is a musician and performer known for his work in pop music, Lorna Courtney is a stage performer with significant theatrical experience and a Tony nomination, and Kevin McHale is an actor recognised for his television roles. The production features performers from across the entertainment industry in its various roles.