Four world premieres, six plays and one classic musical make up Chichester Festival Theatre’s Festival 09 announced this week. The extended season from Artistic Director Jonathan Church and Executive Director Alan Finch begins a month earlier than last year and includes Chichester debuts from Howard Davies, Richard Eyre and Trevor Nunn.

Seaward Properties are proud to sponsor:

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s OKLAHOMA!

5 June – 29 August, Festival Theatre (Press Night: Wednesday 24 June 7pm)

Chichester’s tradition of a large scale summer musical continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s landmark musical, Oklahoma! Directed by John Doyle, this joyous musical tells the captivating story of Oklahoman farm girl Laurey, forced to choose between Curly, the happy-go-lucky cowboy she loves and Judd, the mysterious loner she fears.

John Doyle’s recent productions include Sweeney Todd, which transferred from the Watermill Theatre, Newbury to the West End and on to Broadway, Company at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, A Catered Affair on Broadway and Road Show at the Public Theatre, New York. The cast includes Leila Ben-Harris as Laurey, Natalie Casey as Ado Annie, Craig Els as Jud, Michael Matus as Ali Hakim, Louise Plowright as Aunt Eller and Michael Xavier as Curly.

The production is designed by David Farley with choreography by Nikki Woolaston, lighting by CFT associate Tim Mitchell, musical direction comes from Catherine Jayes and sound by Matt McKenzie.

Festival 09 also includes:

THE LAST CIGARETTE by Simon Gray and Hugh Whitemore - WORLD PREMIERE 11 March – 11 April, Minerva Theatre (Press Night: Tuesday 17 March 7pm)

Noël Coward’s HAY FEVER 9 April – 2 May, Festival Theatre (Press Night: Thursday 16 April 7pm)

TAKING SIDES and COLLABORATION by Ronald Harwood
28 April – 16 May, Minerva Theatre

CYRANO DE BERGERAC by Edmond Rostand. Adapted by Anthony Burgess
8-30 May, Festival Theatre (Press Night: Thursday 14 May 7pm)

WALLENSTEIN by Friedrich Schiller. Adapted by Mike Poulton.WORLD PREMIERE 22 May – 13 June, Minerva Theatre (Press Night: Friday 29 May 7pm)

THE HOUSE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE by Heidi Thomas.WORLD PREMIERE 20 June – 22 August, Minerva Theatre (Press Night: Tuesday 30 June 7pm)

THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck, Adapted by Frank Galati
10 July – 28 August, Festival Theatre (Press Night: Thursday 16 July 7pm)

ENRON by Lucy Prebble WORLD PREMIERE
11 July – 29 August, Minerva Theatre (Press Night: Wednesday 22 July 7pm)

SEPARATE TABLES by Terence Rattigan
10 September - 3 October, Festival Theatre (Press Night: Thursday 17 September 7pm)

Priority Booking for Friends of Chichester Festival Theatre opens on Thursday 19 February. To become a Friend of the Theatre and benefit from priority booking and discounted tickets, call 01243 781312 or join online at www.cft.org.uk/friends

Public booking opens for all online only on Thursday 5 March with counter and telephone bookings from Monday 9 March. Tickets £11 - £36 available from the Box Office on 01243 781312 or online at www.cft.org.uk