Photo: Michael Wharley
Following his esteemed performance on the West End, Olivier-winning actor David Bedella will join the cast of Broadway’s hit musical & Juliet as ‘Lance’ on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the producers announced today. Bedella returns to the role after originating it in Manchester in 2019, and winning a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance in the original West End production.
Bedella joins the Broadway company March 5 while Tony Award-winner Paulo Szot takes a leave from the production. Szot, who originated the role on Broadway, will return as ‘Lance’ on July 16.
& JULIET flips the script on the greatest love story ever told, imagining what would happen next if Juliet hadn’t ended it all over Romeo, and got a second chance at life and love – on her terms. Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name. Nominated for 9 Tony Awards including Best Musical, & Juliet is created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek” and features an iconic playlist of Pop hits, including “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “I Want It That Way,” “Confident,” and more.
In addition to Bedella, the current cast includes Tony Award nominee Lorna Courtney as ‘Juliet,’ Tony Award nominee Betsy Wolfe as ‘Anne Hathaway,’ Austin Scott as ‘Shakespeare,’ Justin David Sullivan as ‘May,’ Charity Angél Dawson as ‘Angélique,’ Ben Jackson Walker as ‘Romeo,’ and Philippe Arroyo as ‘Francois,’ with Daniel Assetta, Andrew Chappelle, Michael Iván Carrier, Phil Colgan, Virgil Gadson, Makai Hernandez, Najah Hetsberger, Bobby “Pocket” Horner, Joomin Hwang, Megan Kane, Alaina Vi Maderal, Daniel J. Maldonado, Brittany Nicholas, Ava Noble, Jasmine Rafael, Matt Raffy, Tiernan Tunnicliffe, and Rachel Webb.
In addition to his Olivier Award-winning performance in & Juliet, Bedella also won Olivier Awards for his performances in Jerry Springer The Opera and In The Heights. Other theater credits include: Roger Debris in The Producers (UK National Tour); Sweeney in Sweeney Todd (Twickenham Theatre); Putting It Together (St James Theatre); Arnold in Torch Song Trilogy and Wilson Misner in Road Show (Menier Chocolate Factory); Billy Flynn in Chicago (West End); Molokov in Chess In Concert (Royal Albert Hall); Hedwig in Hedwig And The Angry Inch, London; Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show (50th Anniversary Production is Australian, UK National tour, West End and 2015 Live Broadcast from the Playhouse Theatre). Television: Clyde in “Big Mood,” (Channel 4), Tony Diamond in “Sexy Beast” (Paramount+), President Bachler in “Jack Ryan” (Amazon); Senator Moreno in “Treasure of the Black Swan” (Movistar); and for the BBC, Steve Tilson in “Deep State,” Luis in “By Any Means,” Frankie in “Inside No. 9,” Quentin in Ben Elton’s “Blessed,” and series regular Dr. Carlos Fashola in “Holby City.” Film: Leonard in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle (Apple), Drew Favreau in All The Old Knives (Amazon), Cadmus in Alexander (Warner Bros); Batman Begins (Warner Bros), and Jerry Springer The Opera (BBC Film).