Further casting announced for the Dominion Theatre premiere of Big The Musical starring Jay McGuiness

Posted on | By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels (Updated on Jun 28, 2019)

Further casting has been announced for the upcoming West End premiere of Big, the musical based on the hit Tom Hanks film of the same name. Set to join the previously announced Jay McGuiness of The Wanted in the role of Josh Baskin are Matthew Kelly, Kimberley Walsh, and Wendi Peters. The strictly limited nine-week run at London's Dominion Theatre opens on 6 September and is booking until 2 November 2019. Tickets are on sale now.



Big The Musical West End cast

Matthew Kelly is set to take on the role of George MacMillan in Big The Musical. Kelly is perhaps best known for presenting both Stars in their Eyes and You Bet!. Other TV credits of his include BenidormBleak HouseCold Blood, and Moving On. The English actor is highly prolific in theatre and his most notable stage credits include his Olivier Award-winning performance as Lennie in Of Mice and Men at the Savoy Theatre, the original Stanley in Funny PeculiarLend Me A Tenor! the musical, Tim Firth’s Sign of the Times play, and starring alongside Ian McKellan and Roger Rees in Waiting For Godot. Other notable theatre credits of his include The Habit of ArtPride & Prejudice, The Jew Of MaltaVolpone, Love’s Sacrifice, TOAST, SpamalotLegally Blonde, Troilus and Cressida, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Trafalgar Studios).

Kimberley Walsh will take on the role of Susan Lawrence. Walsh became a household name as a member of the all-girl band, Girls Aloud. During the group's 10-year career, they enjoyed twenty consecutive Top 10 singles on the UK charts, including four #1 hits. At the time the girl group disbanded, they had sold 4.3 million singles and 4 million albums in the UK. The popstar returned to the public eye later when she became a runner up in the 2012 season of Strictly Come Dancing. Before crossing over into singing, Walsh was already an established actress. Her TV credits include the roles of Claire Butterworth in the second series of Ackley Bridge on Channel 4 and Rebecca in Disney’s The Lodge while notable film credits of hers include All Stars and Horrid Henry. No stranger to the West End either, Walsh's most notable stage credits include Jovie in Elf the Musical, Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical, and a role alongside Denise Van Outen in Sweet Charity.

Wendi Peters is set to take on the role of Mrs Baskin. Peters is perhaps best known for appearing in Coronation Street as Cilla Battersby Brown, a character she portrayed for more than four years, including for a brief reappearance in 2014. She now currently portrays Cook Jenkins in BBC's Hetty Feather. Other TV credits of hers include 'Podger' Pam Jolly in Bad Girls (ITV), Kelly in Sadie J (BBC), Marion in Crime Stories (ITV), and Queen Shania in Hacker Time (BBC). Peters' most notable stage credits include Grumpy Old Women Live 2 - Chin up Britain (National Tour and Novello Theatre), Martha Watson in White Christmas (Dominion Theatre), Princess Puffer in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Arts Theatre), and Vagina Monologues (National Tour).

Big The Musical plot summary

Big is a feel-good musical about a 12-year-old boy named Josh Baskin who is fed up with being a kid. When he makes a wish to be big at a Zoltar machine, he is taken aback that the machine was unplugged the whole time. After scurrying home and going straight to bed, he wakes up as a full-grown adult. Now forced to get a job and a girlfriend and faced with all the unexpected responsibilities that come with adulthood, Josh learns the importance of being careful what you wish for.

Big The Musical creative team

Big The Musical features a book by John Weidman, associate choreography by Helen Rymer, casting direction by Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion Casting and Sarah Bird CDG, direction and choreography by Morgan Young, general management by David Pearson for Encore Theatre Productions Ltd, illusions by Chris Fisher, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, lyrics by Richard Maltby, music by David Shire, musical direction by Jeremy Wootton, orchestrations and musical supervision by Stuart Morley, set and costume design by Simon Higlett, sound design by Terry Jardine and Avgoustos Psillas, video design by Ian William Galloway, and wig and hair design by Richard Mawbey.

Big The Musical Dominion Theatre tickets on sale now from just £36!

You don't want to miss this all-star production featuring an all-star cast. Tickets for Big The Musical are now available beginning at an affordable £36 and up. Book your tickets for this sure-fire West End hit today to secure the best seats and best prices when you use our safe and secure booking.

🎫 Purchase your Big The Musical London theatre tickets from £36.


By Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels

Ephram is a jack of all trades and enjoys attending theatre, classical music concerts and the opera.