Mitchell to direct BECOMING NANCY musical in the UK

New Musical BECOMING NANCY, Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, Will Make its UK Premiere in October (broadwayworld.com)

Becoming Nancy is a coming of age story that has a huge-heart. A new musical that weaves a story of family bonds, first loves, and the courage it takes to find your own spotlight.

It is based on the extraordinarily moving coming of age novel by Terry Ronald and directed and choreographed by the Tony Award-winning Jerry Mitchell. The book is by Elliot Davis, music is by George Stiles and lyrics are by Anthony Drewe with additional music and lyrics by Terry Ronald, Elliot Davis and George Stiles. (Stiles and Drew's production of Honk! won the Olivier Award for Best Musical in 2000.)

Jerry Mitchell has been working in London since he first served as Associate Choreographer to Sir Cameron Mackintosh on Follies starring Diana Rigg and Julia McKenzie. Since then Jerry has directed and choreographed 3 Olivier Award-winning musicals in the West End. He directed and choreographed Kinky Boots and Legally Blonde and choreographed Hairspray. The Tony Award-winning director and choreographer was returning to New York from the UK in 2013 and came across the book Becoming Nancy at Heathrow Airport. By the time he reached the US he knew he had to make the story into a musical.

I find it interesting the press release makes no mention of the previous Atlanta production…

Im seeing this next week.

I've got a recording of the Atlanta production, which had a surprisingly large number of West End people in it - Sally Ann-Triplett, Stephen Ashfield, Lizzie Bea... but this is not the same production as quite a few songs have been cut and new ones added and on a podcast the writers said that they have given the show much more of a 70s disco sound, rather than the usual Stiles and Drew sound - though that is still very evident in the score. On The night bus sounds very similar to Wishing For The Normal from Soho Cinders

Mostly positive reviews. A pan from The Guardian.

Review Roundup: BECOMING NANCY at Birmingham Rep (broadwayworld.com)

Becoming Nancy review – coming out musical fails to hit the high notes | Theatre | The Guardian

"It looked a sure-fire hit on paper. But this production, directed by Jerry Mitchell, fails to light. Some of that is down to generic characterization in an unsubtle and flat-footed book by Elliot Davis...

Characters seem like automatons for the plot and do not channel any real degree of feeling. The songs are bland, too."

Mickey Jo Theatre gives a detailed review of Becoming Nancy. This is the type of show I want to succeed. It frustrates me to hear about all the shortcomings in the libretto.

has BECOMING NANCY become a hit show? | my ★★★ review of the new lgbtq+ musical (youtube.com)