Tyrone Huntley is set to star in the European premiere of new LGBTQ+ musical, The View Upstairs. Staged at Soho Theatre from 18 July until 24 August, the run includes a gala night in aid of the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT) on 24 July.
The moving musical has gained traction for paying homage to LGBTQ+ culture, past and present. The gala night in aid of the Albert Kennedy Trust will see all proceeds from ticket sales donated to the UK LGBTQ+ charity, which tackles national youth homelessness by providing safe homes and the possibility of a better future for people aged 16-25. The charity has bases in Manchester, London and Newcastle, and provides services across the UK via online media.
Fellow cast members are Andy Mientus, Declan Bennett, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Cedric Neal and John Partridge. Huntley was recently shortlisted for an Ian Charleson Award for his portrayal of Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Watermill, along with an Olivier Award nomination for the role of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.
The View Upstairs musical opens in the present day when Wes (Huntley), a young fashion designer buys an abandoned space with a dark history – the former 70s gay bar had been burned down in an arson attack, killing 32 people, making it the worst attack on LGBTQ+ community until the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.
Written by Max Vernon and directed in London by Jonathan O’Boyle, who also directed Aspects of Love, Pippin and Hair, choreography is by Fabian Aloise (Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). Set and costume design is provided by Lee Newby, lighting design by Nic Farman and sound design by Adam Fisher.