UK premiere of Grey Gardens at the Southwark

It has been announced that Danielle Tarento will produce the UK premiere of Doug Wright, Scott Frankel and Michael Korie's musical Grey Gardens at the Southwark Playhouse in south London, which will run from 2 January to 6 February 2016, with an official opening on 7 January 2016.

The 2006 Broadway musical is based on the iconic documentary film of the same name by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Mayer and Susan Froemke. The original production ran at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway for 307 performance and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Olivier Award-winning West End stars Sheila Hancock and Jenna Russell will star in the London production, in the roles of "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" respectively. The production will be directed by Thom Southerland.

"Starting in 1941 at an engagement party at Grey Gardens, the Bouvier's mansion in East Hampton, Long Island, the musical tracks the progression of the two women's lives from American aristocrats to reclusive social outcasts living in such squalid conditions, in a home overrun by cats, that the Health Department deemed the mansion 'unfit for human habitation'."

The musical, which features a book by Doug Wright, music by Scott Frankel and lyrics by Michael Korie, was developed off Broadway at Playwright's Horizons directed by Michael Greif. It starred Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson who both transferred to Broadway with the show and won Tony Awards for their performances.

Tickets for the production are now on sale.