The producers of the award-winning Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre have announced that this week Rebecca McKinnis (Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You) is stepping into the role of Margaret New and Lee Ross (EastEnders) is joining the cast to play Hugo.
Continuing with the show are current cast members: John McCrea (Jamie), Shobna Gulati (Ray), Tamsin Carroll (Miss Hedge), Lucie Shorthouse (Pritti Pasha), Alex Anstey (Laika Virgin), Luke Baker (Dean Paxton), Luke Bayer, Courtney Bowman (Fatimah), Marvyn Charles, Ken Christiansen (Jamie’s Dad), Jordan Cunningham (Sayid), Daniel Davids (Levi), James Gillan (Tray Sophisticay), Ryan Hughes (Mickey), Daniel Jacob (Sandra Bollock), Cherelle Jay, Harriet Payne (Bex), Chloe Pole, Shiv Rabheru (Cy), Lauran Rae (Becca) and Kirstie Skivington (Vicki).
Nica Burns, producer of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, said:
“It’s a big milestone saying goodbye to two of our terrific leading actors, Josie Walker and Phil Nichol. Josie has played Margaret New superbly from the very first workshop four years ago and Phil has brought his wonderful comic touch to the role of Hugo/Loco at the Apollo. I am delighted to reveal that Rebecca McKinnis – who has deputised brilliantly for Josie on a number of occasions – now makes Margaret New all her own. A big welcome to the talented Lee Ross who is putting on his heels to play the role of Hugo/Loco.”
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which originally opened at the Sheffield Crucible in 2017, has new songs by lead
singer-songwriter of The Feeling Dan Gillespie Sells and writer Tom MacRae. It’s directed and conceived by Jonathan Butterell, who saw the Firecracker documentary film Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, which is the story of Jamie Campbell and his mother Margaret, and was inspired him to create this fictionalised musical.
Bios
Rebecca McKinnis currently plays understudy Margaret in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Her theatre credits include Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre), A Small Family Business (National Theatre Olivier), Viva Forever! (Piccadilly Theatre), Les Misérables (25th Anniversary Tour), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Fat Pig (Trafalgar Studios), Three Hours After Marriage (Union Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Changeling Theatre Company), Beggars’ Opera (Changeling Theatre Company), Taboo (UK Tour) and Starting Here Starting Now (Upstairs at the Gatehouse) Half a Sixpence and Kitty in Charley’s Aunt (CMC).
Lee Ross’ work on stage has mainly been for the Royal Court where he originated leading roles for Joe Penhall, David Eldridge, Kevin Hood and Simon Stephens. He earned an Olivier Award nomination for his performance of Jack Firebrace in Birdsong (West End) and his most recent stage performance was the solo show 36 Phone Calls (Hampstead Theatre). Other recent theatre credits include Our Country’s Good (National Theatre), In Basildon (Royal Court) and Whipping It Up (Bush Theatre and West End).
