Two things are going to happen this month and on both counts you’re going to have to book quickly before there’s a massive sell out. First of all, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN – THE MUSICAL, the stage version of the award winning 80s classic movie, will drop in to the Wales Millennium Centre from next week – 15th to 20th April.
Secondly, as we all prepare for this epic show, fancy dress shops across South Wales will notice a huge rise in demand for ‘that’ outfit.
The show is based on the award-winning 80s movie which starred Richard Gere, but what you may not realise, An Officer and A Gentleman is actually based on a true story. We’re taken into a world where dreams and destinies intertwine. This is a timeless story of love, courage and redemption which will make your heart soar and leave you breathless, longing for more.
Joining the previously announced LUKE BAKER as Zack Mayo, GEORGIA LENNON as Paula Pokrifiki, JAMAL CRAWFORD as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, PAUL FRENCH as Sid Worley and SINEAD LONG as Lynette Pomeroy in An Officer and a Gentleman The Musical are MELANIE MASSON (The X-Factor) as Esther Pokrifki, TIM ROGERS (West Side Story, UK Tour) as Byron Mayo, OLIVIA FOSTER-BROWNE (Grease, West End) as Casey Seegar and LUCAS PIQUERO (Sister Act, Frankfurt) as Eduardo Cortez with CHRIS BREISTEIN (School of Rock, UK Tour) as Finman, WENDI HARRIOTT (The Voice UK) as Aunt Bunny, JAMES WILKINSON-JONES (South Pacific Sadler’s Wells/UK Tour) as Troy and DANNY WHELAN (Miss Saigon, Sheffield Crucible) as Craig. The cast is completed by JULIA JONES (MAMMA MIA! The Party, The O2), ETISYAI PHILIP (Cluedo, UK Tour), MIA HARRISON (Million Dollar Quartet, Norwegian Cruise Line), LUKIN SIMMONDS (Annie, UK Tour), WILL MAY (The Twelve Tenors, European Tour) and ELLIE GRACE COUSINS (MAMMA MIA!, Novello Theatre).
Which gives us the perfect opportunity to share our Five Facts you may not know about An Officer and a Gentleman……
- The film’s title comes from an old Royal Navy expression – It comes from the UK Royal Navy, recorded in an 1813 court martial against Colonel Sir J Eamer, “for behaving in a scandalous, infamous manner, such as is unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman…”
- The film was such a smash it made a return on investment of 2166% – To put that into perspective, the second-highest grossing film of all time – Avengers: Endgame – made $2.798 billion from a budget of $356 million. That’s a return of around 785%. What makes it even more impressive in the case of An Officer and a Gentleman is that the film was released with little hype and didn’t do great business in its first few weeks, but gradually word of mouth saved it.
- Richard Gere said he did the movie strictly for the money. It wound up being his biggest box office hit until Pretty Woman (1990)
- Producer Don Simpson unsuccessfully demanded that the ballad “Up Where We Belong” be cut from the film, saying, “The song is no good. It isn’t a hit.” It later became the number one song, and won the Academy Award for Best Song. He wanted a similar song called “On The Wings Of Love” by Jeffrey Osborne (great song though). The song was released a few months later. It peaked at number twenty-nine on the charts.
- Richard Gere hated the film’s ending – We all remember the ending: Mayo arrives at Paula’s factory, radiant in his naval uniform, and carries her away to the sound of Up Where We Belong. And Richard Gere hated that ending. Well, it’s more accurate to say that he hated the ending as it was written in the script, which said nothing of the music. While shooting his opinion changed. Richard Said…….
After we shot it I still didn’t think it would work. But then I got chills on the back of my neck seeing it because everything was right all of a sudden.”
Be part of the emotional journey of Zack Mayo, a fearless young officer candidate, and the captivating Paula Pokrifki, whose fiery spirit matches his own. Their encounters ignite a spark that transcends boundaries, awakening a passionate love that defies all odds.
The soundtrack to the show is incredible featuring the songs of Madonna, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, Blondie and many more, the power of music will carry you through the highs and lows of this extraordinary love story, including the award-winning (Love Lift Us) Up Where We Belong. With every note, every step and every heartfelt ballad, immerse yourself in this romantic masterpiece.
An Officer and a Gentleman has a book by Douglas Day Stewart & Sharleen Cooper Cohen and will be directed by Artistic Director of Curve, Nikolai Foster, with choreography by Joanna Goodwin. The musical supervision and orchestration will be by George Dyer, set & costume design by Michael Taylor, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall, wig, hair and make-up design by Sam Cox and casting by Debbie O’Brien. This Made at Curve production is produced by Jamie Wilson, Jack Maple, Gavin Kalin and Jason Haigh-Ellery in association with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros Theatre Ventures. Casting to be announced.
Director, Nikolai Foster said…….
“Filled with love and quiet profundity, An Officer and a Gentleman sensitively charts the lives of working class, military folk in America in the early 1980s. We are proud to be working alongside the film’s creator Douglas Day Stewart, producer Jamie Wilson, Sharleen Cooper Cohen and an incredible creative team to present this beautiful and inspiring story. We are excited to share some iconic 80s songs and this moving story with audiences across the UK.”
Graeme Farrow, Wales Millennium Centre’s Artistic Director told us…..
“This is a classic 80s love story that will lift you up where you belong. Book tickets to see An Officer and a Gentleman at Wales Millennium Centre and get swept off your feet.”
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN – THE MUSICAL gets to the Wales Millennium Centre next week from Monday 15th to Saturday 20th April. Tickets are on sale from HERE.
