ORDINARY PEOPLE: The Maidstone Musical By Composer Of The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

One Month To Go Until ORDINARY PEOPLE Returns to Maidstone This Summer!

New UK Musicals, The Hazlitt Theatre and Parkwood Theatres are pleased to announce the return of ORDINARY PEOPLE: The Maidstone Musical.

 

Supported by Arts Council England and Farnham Maltings, ORDINARY PEOPLE takes true stories from the lives of the people of Maidstone in Kent and turns them into a truly British musical. At its heart the show explores the idea that there is nothing ordinary about ordinary people.

 

The musical, written by multi-award winning UK Composer & Lyricist Darren Clark (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Wicker Husband) was one of the first shows to return to our stages following the coronavirus pandemic. Following a successful season at the Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone in the summer of 2021, the show returns for another four performances on the 27th, 28th and 29th July 2023 

 

Director Jenny Longley said, “This exciting performance will include a cast of extraordinary professional actor-musicians, community performers, the Hazlitt Institute (HI) Youth Theatre and Dance Company, and will celebrate Maidstone’s place as a hub of culture in the South East of England. While the show will be based on local stories, we hope that people from all over the UK will be able to relate to the everyday struggles and joys that we’ll be presenting.”

 

Writer Darren Clark said, “It continues to be a really difficult time for so many people throughout the UK and across the world. We hope that this musical will give the people the chance to see truly relatable stories up on the beautiful Hazlitt Theatre stage. We have had the good fortune to have heard so many incredible tales from the tragedy of Jade’s Crossing, The Ghost of Bluebell Hill to the heart-warming story of the Maidstone United football team amongst many others. There’s something for everyone. The UK’s regions have so much to offer in terms of musical theatre, and a show doesn't have to be expensive or on in the West End to show people a good time.”

 

With a month to go we are delighted to inform you of our exciting cast:

 ANNE-MARIE PIAZZA - ACTOR MUSICIAN

Next: Glass Menagerie (English Speaking Theatre of Vienna)

 

Previous: Brief Encounter (Stephen Joseph Theatre) longlisted for a UK Theatre Award; Queerway; Beauty Parade (Wales Millennium Centre); Day of the Living (RSC); Cinderella (Hall for Cornwall); Swallows and Amazons (York Theatre Royal); Read Not Dead (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse); These Trees are Made of Blood (Arcola/Southark Playhouse Theatres); Wicker Husband (The Other Palace); Much Ado About Nothing (Iris Theatre); 

A Christmas Carol (Rose Theatre); 

 

Audio: My Brilliant Friend (National Theatre), Henry IV Part I & II (RSC); Regular in The Archers; Audiobooks including Golden Earphone Award Winning “Death Below Stairs” series

 

DAMIEN JAMES - ACTOR MUSICIAN

Training: Rose Bruford College

 

Theatre Includes: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Southwark Playhouse), Red Riding Hood: The Rock ’n’ Roll Panto (Liverpool Everyman), Othello (The Watermill), The Play That Goes Wrong (UK Tour), The Play That Goes Wrong (The Duchess), Camelot (The Watermill) and Romeo and Juliet (Stockwell Playhouse)

 

Television Includes: Doctors (BBC)

 

ANNA SODEN - ACTOR MUSICIAN

Anna is an Actor/Musician/Writer. Her credits include CBeebies Presents Twelfth Night (Shakespeare’s Globe), Five Children and It (Sheffield Crucible), Mad For Our Daughters (the turbine), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (China Plate, UK Tour), Sleeping Beauty (Liverpool Everyman), Return to Elm House (Battersea Arts Centre), Measure for Measure (Donmar Warehouse), Rapunzel (The Theatre Chipping Norton) and The Travelling Pantomime (York Theatre Royal). Anna won the British Comedy Guide sketch competition in 2022.

 

TOM SELF - ACTOR MUSICIAN/MUSICAL DIRECTOR

 

Training: Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance (Leverhulme Musical Theatre Trust Scholar).  

 

Theatre credits include: Fred Jesson/Stephen Lynn & Musical Director in Brief Encounter (UK Tour); Bert/Musical Director & Arranger in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ (Queen’s Theatre; Hornchurch); Bearsted in Ordinary People (Parkwood Theatres);  Sir Dinadan/Show Musical Director in Camelot (Watermill); Barefoot in the Park (Pitlochry Festival Theatre); Robin Hood (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Musical Director/Ronnie in Noël Coward’s: Me and The Girls (UK Tour); Union Chairman/Onstage Musical Director in The Hired Man (Hull Truck, Oldham Coliseum & Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, 2019 Offie Award Nomination); Sweet Charity (Watermill); Associate Musical Director for Murder for Two (The Other Palace/Watermill/UK Tour/); Farrah Fawcett In/Onstage Musical Director in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, 2018 Offie Award Finalist) 

As a composer, Tom’s credits include: Brief Encounter (UK Tour); Aladdin & most recently Sleeping Beauty which won the 2023 Offie Award for Best Pantomime. Tom will again compose an original songs for the Queens Theatre Hornchurch’s 2023 production of Dick Whittington

 

Audience feedback from the 2021 production:

"Truly life affirming"

"Completely universal"

"A touching love letter to Maidstone"

 

This new musical is directed by Jenny Longley with choreography by Lorna Thomas.

 

All tickets are £12. All tickets are on sale now HERE.  

 

Links:

https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/hazlitt-theatre/whats-on/ordinary-people

 

BIOGRAPHIES:

DARREN CLARK - BOOKWRITER, COMPOSER & LYRICIST   

Darren is a composer & lyricist based in Maidstone, Kent. Amongst his many shows, his recently sold out and critically acclaimed musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (“The music makes you feel the thrumming nature of being” THE TELEGRAPH) was recently nominated for seven Off West End Awards including Best Musical. The Wicker Husband, produced by the Watermill Theatre enjoyed an acclaimed, sold out run in 2022. His political musical theatre work, Day of the Living (“Heart breaking laments... violent, pitch-black lyrics” THE TIMES) and These Trees Are Made of Blood (“A musically rousing evening” THE GUARDIAN) received praise from critics and audiences alike. His company Paper Balloon produces and writes original musical theatre for children, including The Grumpiest Boy in the World which continues to receive productions across Australia and throughout the USA. Darren’s musical theatre writing has received numerous awards including selection to the NAMT Festival of New Musicals in New York, and The MTI Stiles & Drewe Mentorship Award. He has been a finalist for The Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre, The Perfect Pitch Award, The Old Vic 12 and The KSF Artist of Choice. He has been a three time finalist for the Cameron Mackintosh Composer in Residence Award and a three time finalist for The Stiles & Drewe Best New Song, winning runner up in 2015. Darren is also the recipient of the Musical Theatre Executive Trust Award and is a passionate advocate for promoting the work of new British musical theatre writers.

Following a professional career as an actor, Jenny, who hails from Maidstone, has been resident director of The Hazlitt Youth Theatre for the past eight  years, during which she has directed many shows including; The Snow Queen, Footloose, Copacabana, The Wedding Singer, Christmas Comes Once a Year, The Grinch, High School Musical and A Christmas Carol. Other professional direction work includes Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Ordinary People and the upcoming adaptation of Treasure Island. Jenny is an experienced director and a freelance workshop leader having led theatrical workshops for many local Kent organisations. She will also be directing The Addams Family in October and our HI Youth Theatre Alternative Christmas Show in December.

 

LORNA THOMAS - CHOREOGRAPHER

Lorna, another inspiring Maidstone creative, is delighted to be the resident Choreographer and Production Coordinator for the Hazlitt Theatre.  Having trained for 3 years at MEPA Lorna went on to perform in many shows and tours around the country whilst continuing to build on her choreography.  She has now been the resident choreographer for Parkwood Theatres for 6 years and continues to work on all Hazlitt Productions musicals, including Footloose, Copacabana, The Wedding Singer, High School Musical, Bring It On and The Addams Family in October.  As well has various in house shows, like Ordinary People, throughout the year.  She has also co-ordinated and choreographed our Hazlitt pantos since 2015 including Sleeping Beauty last year and Peter Pan this year.