Barr And Eio Join Cast Of BASED ON A TRUE STORY AT Jermyn Street

Final casting has been announced for the one night only staging of the new musical Based On A True Story at the Jermyn Street Theatre on Sunday January 31 (at 8 pm). The lead roles of Will and Tom will be played by Jonathan Eio and John Barr, who will join previously announced principAl Claire-Marie Hall (Les Miserables, High School Musical) in the black comedy show with music & lyrics by Christopher J. Orton and book & lyrics by RoBert Gould.

Jonathan Eio's roles on the London stage include Man 1 in Jason Robert Brown's Songs For A New World (New Players) and Jack in the highly acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim's Into The Woods at the Landor Theatre in 2009. He appeared in ITV's Stars In Their Eyes as rock singer Limahl and has recorded a solo CD of original songs, The Space In Between (which is available at Dress Circle).

John Barr made his stage debut at the age of 11 in the West End production of Oliver! His highly prestigious list of stage credits since then includes Enjolras in Les Miserables (Palace), Che in Evita (Manchester Opera House), Harry Toukarian in the European premiere of Kander & Ebb's Flora The Red Menace (Cambridge Arts) and Dr. Parker in Bat Boy (Shaftesbury). John has performed all over the world and has made many recordings, including the concept album of the Christopher J. Orton/Gareth Evans musical, Dracula, and five solo CDs. His new album, All I Am, was released on the Dress Circle label on December 23, 2009.

The full cast/creative team of Based On A True Story is: 

John Barr (Tom), SOPHIE BLOOM (Jane), IAN BYRNE (DC Stanley/Brain), STEPHANIE CALLOW (Molly/Brain), JONATHAN EIO (Will), Claire-Marie Hall (Rebecca), LEANNE HOWELL (Brain), JODIE BETH MEYER (Tanya), CATHRYN SHORT (Waitress), JONATHAN STERLING (Brad), JOHN STIVEY (Fred/Brain), ADAM WALKER (DC Oliver/Brain).

Choreographer: KATIE FARRIER RAY

Stage Manager: MICHAEL CARTHY

Assistant Musical Director/Pianist: MARK STANFORD

Director/Musical Director: CHRISTOPHER J. ORTON

Will is a young writer, emotionally scarred by a traumatic childhood, who is struggling to find inspiration. The opening scene finds him staring at the blank opening page of his first play, while his "Brain" (a group of singers who act as a kind of Greek Chorus throughout) rants about his lack of inspiration. When he receives a visit from Jane, a neurotic neighbour who secretly holds a torch for him, Will realises that his inspiration is staring him in the face. He decides to write his play based on Jane's "true story" and accompanies Jane to her group therapy session, where he finds further inspiration from the disparate group of "loonies" in the Group - including Tanya, a nymphomaniac; Brad, a shy, withdrawn young gay guy; and Tom, the group therapist, who is as neurotic as his patients. In order to fully experience everything he needs to experience to write his play, Will has sexual encounters with Tanya and Brad - and begins to display a deeply disturbed and homicidal streak to his personality! When Will meets the attractive but emotionally fragile Rebecca, for the first time he discovers love. However, circumstances lead his play and this musical towards a bloody and dramatic climax.