Producers Kris Lythgoe and Darren Bell are delighted to announce that Jess Folley, George Maguire, Chelsea Halfpenny, Kara Lane, Michael Vinsen and Elijah Millar complete the cast of the concert performances of TO SIR, WITH LOVE – A New Musical at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on Monday, 24 November 2025 for two performances only with a sold out matinee and very few tickets remaining for the evening performance.
They join previously announced British music icon, actress and Grammy nominee Lulu (Dale Evans), returning to the story that launched her global career, and five-time Emmy Award winner and multiple Grammy nominee, Wayne Brady (Rick Braithwaite).
The young adult cast includes Jamie Molloy (Denham),Ben Salter (Buckley), Vivien Farkas-Haholt (Barbara Pegg), Sophia Oram (Tara Joseph), Thomas Stocks (Graham Potter), Toby Foetu-Foster (Titch Jackson), Matthew Navas (Sapiano), Isobelle Tolson (Pupil 1), Katie Mitton (Pupil 2) and Rosie Hernandez-Lawrence (Reserve Pupil) all provided by Italia Conti.
This newly reimagined stage adaptation of E.R. Braithwaite’s powerful memoir features a book by Kris Lythgoe, music and lyrics by John Farrar and Kara DioGuardi, with direction by acclaimed director Sheldon Epps.
To Sir With Love is an autobiographical story that is every bit as relevant then, as it is today. Rick Braithwaite is more than just a Cambridge-educated engineer and a former RAF fighter pilot; he’s a man battling societal prejudices at every turn. Refusing to bow to adversity, he engages his students not as troublesome youths but as emerging adults who must soon navigate a world where they’ll stand or fall on their own merits. Through a balance of grit and grace, he aims to prepare them for more than just exams; he prepares them for life.
The story explores race, class, resilience, and the power of respect. The concert will feature an original score by Farrar and DioGuardi, alongside the legendary title song “To Sir, with Love” by Mark London and Don Black.
To Sir, With Love has musical arrangements by Eve Nelson, musical supervision and orchestration by Joseph Joubert, musical direction by Sean Green, dramaturgy by Shereen Jasmin Phillips and choreography by Edgar Godineaux, sound design by Paul Smith, lighting design by Jack Weir, production management by Phil McCandlish and casting by Debbie O’Brien.
Lythgoe Productions and Darren Bell produce with Alex Day, Willette and Manny Klausner, Jonathan & Jennifer Yaek, Charles Duggan, Tracey Besant, Chris & Vivienne Day and Rebecca Bahling-Lythgoe.
