Tony winner Marianne Elliott’s new company is giving the Sondheim musical “Company” a twist by gender swapping the main character.
According to The New York Times, Elliott’s new company, Elliott Harper Productions, is putting on a new re-imagining of the 1970 musical with a protagonist who is a 35-year-old woman, to be played by Rosalie Craig.
The musical focuses on a character named Bobby, a single guy celebrating his birthday, and his group of married friends. It touches on relationships, married life, and singledom. Since the main character is a reluctant bachelor, it will be interesting to see how the text, songs, and subtext work out with with a woman taking on the role.
No word if Elliott will direct the London production herself, but she is set to direct “Angels in America” at the Royal National Theater, which will open in May.
Elliott spent a decade as associate director of the Royal National Theater in London. She directed the critically acclaimed hits “War Horse” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” She won Tonys for both when they traveled across the pond to Broadway. Hopefully this gender-swapped version of “Company” will head to NYC as well.
