Amazing Grace announces complete casting

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

Producers of the upcoming Broadway musical Amazing Grace, which recently enjoyed its world premiere engagement in Chicago, have now announced complete casting.

Joining previously announced cast members Tony nominee Josh Young (John Newton), Erin Mackey (Mary Catlett), Tony winner Chuck Cooper (Thomas), Chris Hoch (Major Archibald Gray), Stanley Bahorek (Robert Haweis), Harriett D. Foy (Princess Peyai), Laiona Michelle (Nanna), Rachael Ferrera (Yema), and Elizabeth Ward Land (Mrs. Catlett), will be Tony nominee Tom Hewitt as Captain Newton.

Mr. Hewitt has just finished performing in the short-lived Broadway premiere of 'Doctor Zhivago' as Viktor Komarovsky. His other Broadway credits include his Tony nominated role of Frank 'N' Furter in 'The Rocky Horror Show,' as well as 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' 'Dracula - The Musical,' 'Chicago,' 'The Boys from Syracuse,' Disney's 'The Lion King,' 'The School for Scandal,' and 'The Sisters Rosensweig.'

The ensemble members for Amazing Grace are Leslie Becker, Sara Brophy, Rheaume Crenshaw, Miquel Edson, Mike Evariste, Sean Ewing, Savannah Frazier, Christopher Gurr, Allen Kendall, Michael Dean Morgan, Vince Oddo, Oneika Phillips, Clifton Samuels, Gavriel Savit, Dan Sharkey, Bret Shuford, Evan Alexander Smith, Uyoata Udi, Charles E. Wallace, Toni Elizabeth White, and Hollie E. Wright.

Amazing Grace will begin previews at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre on 25 June 2015, before an official opening on 16 July, and is currently booking through to 20 December 2015.

Directed by Gabriel Barre, Amazing Grace features music and lyrics by Christopher Smith and a book by Christopher Smith and Arthur Giron, with choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli.

Synopsis: "Amazing Grace is based on the true story behind the world's most beloved song. A tale of romance, rebellion and redemption, this radiant production follows one man whose incredible journey ignited a historic wave of change that gave birth to the abolitionist movement. John Newton (Josh Young), a willful and musically talented young Englishman, faces a future as uncertain as the turning tide. Coming of age as Britain sits atop an international empire of slavery, he finds himself torn between following in the footsteps of his father - a slave trader - and embracing the more compassionate views of his childhood sweetheart (Erin Mackey). Amazing Grace captures the spirit of history's sweetest and most powerful sound: freedom."

The creative team for Amazing Grace features scenic design by Eugene Lee and Edward Pierce, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Ken Billington and Paul Miller, sound design by Jon Weston, hair design by Robert-Charles Vallance, fight and military movement by David Leong, dialect coaching by Gillian Lane-Plescia, orchestrations by Kenny Seymour, music coordination by Michael Keller, and music direction by Joseph Church.

Amazing Grace is produced on Broadway by Carolyn Rossi Copeland and Alexander Rankin.

- by Tom Millward

Tom Hewitt

Originally published on

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