Giles Terera to star in Sammy Davis Jr. musical Sammy at Lyric Hammersmith
Dates and a venue have been confirmed for the much-anticipated Sammy Davis Jr. musical Sammy, which will star Olivier Award-winning actor Giles Terera as the legendary entertainer.
With a book, music and lyrics by Academy and Grammy Award winner Leslie Bricusse - who is known for writing the likes of "Feeling Good", "Goldfinger" and "Pure Imagination", Sammy will tell the story of the life and career of Davis Jr., the American entertainer known for his hits such as "What Kind of Fool Am I?" and "Candy Man" (both of which were written by Bricusse).
Sammy will be directed by Clarke Peters (Five Guys Named Moe) when it runs at the Lyric Hammersmith from 28th July to 19th September, with an official opening night on 5th August. Tickets for Sammy are on sale now.
Chronicling the life of Davis Jr., who was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002, made his name as a member of The Rat Pack in the 1960s. The musical celebrates his legacy in what would have been his 95th birthday year, and is set to feature some of his classics such as "Feeling Good" and "Who Can I Turn To?" as performed by a live band.
It will be Giles Terera's first musical performance since his Olivier Award-winning performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, though he has since starred in the West End production of Rosmersholm. His other theatre credits include Avenue Q, The Rat Pack and The Book of Mormon.
Speaking about the new production, Terera said he was "excited and very honoured to finally be bringing Sammy Davis Jr's incredible story to fresh new audiences", adding, "his triumphs and struggles speak to me and inspire me today more than ever."
Director Peters said: "Sammy was so important to me growing up, we all aspired to be him. But his influence on us as African American men was questionable.
"I'm delighted that we will be taking audiences on this journey with us, exploring the life and enduring legacy of this complicated but phenomenal entertainer through Leslie's great love letter to his friend and collaborator Sammy Davis Jr."
Sammy will run at the Lyric Hammersmith from 28th July to 19th September.
Sammy tickets are available now.
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