Crazy For You Tickets

By: Ken Ludwig
Music: George and Ira Gershwin
Director: Susan Stroman
Cast list: Charlie Stemp, Carly Anderson, Tom Edden, Natalie Kassanga, Mathew Craig, Duncan Smith, Marilyn Cutts, Sam Harrison, Rina Fatania, Jack Wilcox, Kayleigh Thadani, Kate Parr, Lila Anderson, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Imogen Bowtell, Laura Hills, Ella Valentine, Tara Yasmin, Marc Akinfolarin, Lucas Koch, Philip Bertioli, Jason Battersby, Ashley-Jordon Packer, Nicholas Duncan, Nathan Elwick, Liam Wrate, Joshua Nkemdilim, Nell Martin, Bradley Trevethan, Bethan Downing, Ryan Jupp, Jinny Gould, George Bray
Choreography: Susan Stroman
Set: Beowulf Boritt
Costume: William Ivey Long
Lighting: Ken Billington
Sound: Kai Harada

The original Broadway production of Crazy For You premiered in 1992 and went on to win several Tony Awards, including the award for Best Musical. The production ran for over 1,600 performances and has since been staged around the world and become a popular choice for local productions and school shows.

Director and choreographer Susan Stroman worked closely with book writer Ken Ludwig and the creative team to create a show that paid homage to classic musicals with the Gershwins’ music, while also having a new and fresh tone. Stroman returns to the show with this production, marking her third time directing a musical in London. She also has directed The Producers in 2004 and Young Frankenstein in 2017. She also has directed plays in London such as The Scottsboro Boys in 2014.

Crazy For You isn’t the only musical that features songs by the Gershwins. My One and Only is also an original show that incorporates existing music by the songwriters, including “'S Wonderful," "Funny Face," and "Strike Up the Band."

The original Broadway production of My One and Only premiered in 1983 and starred Tommy Tune and Twiggy. The show won several Tony Awards, including Best Actor in a Musical for Tune and Best Choreography for Tune and Thommie Walsh.

What to Watch For

• Crazy For You is inspired by the 1930s musical Girl Crazy that Ken Ludwig saw in Washington, D.C. He was in awe at the show's energy and humour, but felt that the story was outdated and in need of modernization.
• Charlie Stemp, who stars as Bobby in this production, made his West End debut as an ensemble member in Wicked. He has also starred in Half a Sixpence, Mary Poppins, and Hello, Dolly!
• The original Broadway Production of Crazy For You featured a cast of over 40 performers, including a live horse on stage for the number “Stiff Upper Lip.” The original horse's name was Polly.
• Crazy For You won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1992, and beat out some tough competition including The Secret Garden, Falsettos, and Jelly’s Last Jam. The show also won three other Tony Awards that year, including Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, and Best Features Actor in a Musical for Scott Wise.
• They All Laughed was the original title for Crazy For You and was intended to be a tribute to the Gershwins’ music, but deemed too dark and complicated. After many workshops and rewrites, the show was renamed Crazy For You and streamlined to focus on the love story.