Rocky Horror Broadway cast adds Jake Shears, Lorna Courtney and Kevin McHale
Jake Shears, Lorna Courtney and Kevin McHale will replace Luke Evans, Stephanie Hsu and Andrew Durand in the Studio 54 revival.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
The Rocky Horror Broadway cast is getting a fresh trio at Studio 54: Jake Shears, Lorna Courtney and Kevin McHale are joining the revival, producers announced Friday.
Shears, best known as the frontman of Scissor Sisters, will take over as Frank-N-Furter. Courtney, a Tony nominee for & Juliet, will step into the role of Janet. McHale, who played Artie Abrams on Glee, will make his Broadway debut as Brad.
Who is joining the Rocky Horror Broadway cast?
Producers said Courtney and McHale will begin performances on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Shears will follow on Friday, Sept. 11.
The incoming performers replace Luke Evans, Stephanie Hsu and Andrew Durand, who are scheduled to give their final performances on Sunday, Aug. 23. Evans and Hsu both received Tony nominations for their work in the revival.
Durand is leaving the production ahead of an Off Broadway turn in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, according to the announcement. Before Shears arrives, Paul Soileau, who plays Phantom in the musical, will appear as Frank-N-Furter on Sundays and select Tuesdays.
What is The Rocky Horror Show?
The Rocky Horror Show is Richard O’Brien’s cult musical about buttoned-up lovers Brad and Janet, who stumble into the orbit of the outrageous Frank-N-Furter. The Broadway revival is directed by Sam Pinkleton.
The current production began previews at Studio 54 on March 26 and opened April 23. Producers said the revival earned nine Tony Award nominations and set a Studio 54 house record for the week ending June 28, with a weekly gross of $1,215,225.
What have the new cast members done before?
Shears previously appeared on Broadway in Kinky Boots. He also co-wrote the songs for Tammy Faye with Elton John and James Graham, and played the Emcee in London’s Cabaret. Before his stage work, he rose to fame in the 2000s with Scissor Sisters and later released solo music.
Courtney earned her Tony nomination for & Juliet and more recently led the U.K. world premiere of Disney’s The Greatest Showman musical. Her Broadway credits also include Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story, while her TV work includes The Equalizer and 9-1-1 Nashville.
McHale is best known to TV audiences for Glee. His other screen credits include The Office, When We Rise, American Horror Stories and The Hunting Party. His stage credits include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Stephen Sondheim’s The Frogs.
The revival’s company also includes Rachel Dratch, Amber Gray, Harvey Guillén, Josh Rivera and Sherie Rene Scott, along with Evans, Hsu and Durand until their final scheduled performances.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.