Christopher Wheeldon’s reinvention of the Oscar-winning film An American in Paris opened at the Dominion Theatre on 21 March 2017. Since then the smash hit production has received rave reviews and huge audience support, and has now extended booking until 27 January 2018.
London's new musical is about following your heart and living your dreams. Jerry Mulligan is an American GI pursuing his dream to succeed as a painter in a European city. Following a chance encounter with a young dancer named Lise, the streets of Paris become the backdrop to a modern romance of art, friendship and love in the aftermath of war. An American in Paris premiered in 2014 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris before transferring to the Palace Theatre on Broadway, where it became the most awarded musical of the 2015/16 season. A North American tour is also playing.
The musical is written by Craig Lucas and includes the timeless music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. With a new book by Craig Lucas, An American in Paris is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, with set and costumes designs by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Jon Weston and projection designs by 59 Productions. The musical score is adapted, arranged and supervised by Rob Fisher with orchestrations by Christopher Austin and Bill Elliott, and dance arrangements by Sam Davis.
The cast is headed by the original, award-winning Broadway stars Robert Fairchild (as Jerry Mulligan) and Leanne Cope (as Lise Dassin), together with Haydn Oakley as Henri Baurel, Zoë Rainey as Milo Davenport, David Seadon-Young as Adam Hochberg and Jane Asher as Madame Baurel. Ashley Day is the alternate Jerry Mulligan (and he will assume the role from 19 June 2017).