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RIDE THE CYCLONE is getting a major revival | The cult hit musical announces 2025 London production
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Mickey Jo
Previously on Mickey Joe Theatre. Ride the Cyclone, one of the musical theatre Internet's favorite shows of the last few years, entirely managed to pass me by. I now need to actively pursue the opportunity to see Ride the Cyclone performed somewhere on stage. I mean, this would be a fantastic time for the show to get some kind of a UK or European premiere. Sorry, did I say I hope Ride the Cyclone is getting a production in the uk? Sorry, what I really meant was I know Ride the Cyclone is getting a production in the uk. Don't be mad at me though, because now so do you. Oh my God. Hey. Welcome back to my theatre themed YouTube channel. My name is Mickey Jo and I am obsessed with all things theatre. I am a professional theatre critic and content creator here on the Internet and I am here to bring you the very exciting news that Ride the Cyclone, the Canadian written off Broadway cult musical that went super viral on TikTok a few years ago, is finally set to receive its UK and European professional premiere at Southwark Playhouse in London later this year. This is hugely exciting theatre news, especially for the very dedicated fan base which the show has attained. It hasn't yet been produced either in the West End or on Broadway, but this is another important stepping stone in its path to success and I'm very excited because it means hopefully I will finally get the chance to see a production. And this news is so exciting to me personally that I thought I would dip my toe into the world of Ride the Cyclone and tee up this news with a reaction video to the show's official cast recording that I shared here on my channel last week and people were excited to watch it. No one really seemed to suspect in the comments that I was doing that with any kind of an ulterior motive. I'm sorry if you feel betrayed by me. Listen, I was just very excited that I was soon going to have the chance to share this news with you and I also wanted to take the opportunity to learn a little bit more about the show. So everyone's a winner. Now, if you know nothing about the musical Ride the Cyclone, I will tell you a little bit more about the show today. And if you are very excited about this news, I will tell you everything that has just been announced and that we know so far. We don't have casting yet, but we do have a lot of exciting information from which we can extrapolate a little bit of a sense of what this production might look like. But as always, I am particularly excited to hear your thoughts. Let me know in the comments section down below how thrilled you are to have the chance to see Ride the Cyclone finally in the uk. Let me know how we feel about this. Is anyone planning on flying from elsewhere around the world? Let me know. In the meantime, if you enjoyed today's Theatre news recap, make sure you're subscribed right here on YouTube. Turn on those notifications so you don't miss any of my upcoming videos or feel free to follow me on podcast platforms. And bear in mind tiny people in my camera as we move forwards with our relationship together. Just know that nothing I ever share here is a coincidence. Now, let's talk about Ride the Cyclone, shall we? So before I talk about all of the details for the official London production which has just been announced, I do want to give you a little bit of a backstory generally on the show. Like I said, this is a Canadian written musical that ultimately got produced off Broadway. That was not its premiere production. There was also a cast recording made and it gained huge social media notoriety. There was also a little bit of controversy over the show's development. I haven't yet completely immersed myself in the world of Ride the Cyclone, but what I do know is that if you want to find out more about the show's history, then my good friends here on YouTube over at wait in the Wings have put together a brilliant documentary that if you haven't already watched, I suggest you do. But although the show has only recently found this global success in terms of its online audience, it was actually first developed back in 2008 when the world premiere production was staged in Victoria, British Columbia. Subsequently, it was produced in Toronto and around Canada and the US eventually arriving off Broadway in 2016. And the premise is that the young members of the C Cassian High School Chamber Choir have all ridden the Cyclone roller coaster ride together and died. That is not a spoiler alert. Don't worry, that is literally part of the exposition and they, in some kind of purgatory, sing about the lives that they led and their aspirations in some kind of a twisted competition in which they are vying to have the opportunity to return back to life for another chance. I think I've listened to the cast recording, I've read a little bit about it, but I'll be honest, it's an out there show and so trying to infer exact plot from either the description or the songs has proven challenging. Someone described it to me as Cats in Reverse and by complete coincidence I happen to be wearing a cat's T shirt here today. I don't just always have this on, although I would understand if you don't believe me when I tell you that the show's book, music and lyrics have been co written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. Let's find a little bit more information here about the Off Broadway run. Like I told you, 2016 this followed the American premiere which took place at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. This was staged at the Lucille Lortel. Like many of the productions beforehand, this was directed by Rachel Rockwell who sadly subsequently passed away. I don't believe that the Off Broadway run was particularly extensive. Yeah, official opening night was 30th of November 2016 and the limited run ended on the 18th of December. So a very small limited run all of this years before the show would blow up on social media. Particularly because of one clip which was around the song the Ballad of Jane Doe. That would happen in 2022. Around the same time I believe the show would find itself embroiled in a certain amount of controversy. I dare say that the Wait and the Wings documentary goes into all of this in much more scrupulous detail, but I understand that there has been a bit of backlash involving the show' depiction of a disabled character and ableist language used within the show and also the nature of how that role has been cast. What it's worth pointing out as we look towards the upcoming London production is that I do believe this is a revised version of the material. So that's going to be very interesting when it arrives. Which brings us, I think very nicely to this morning's news and the official announcement that Ride the Cyclone is going to be coming to London later this year. So here it is. I am reading from the press release. Ride the Cyclone, the celebrated cult musical phenomenon to have UK premiere at Southwark Playhouse Elephant this is an off West End space. This is not a big commercial West End theater. This is a more intimate venue. Just a little bit further afield. Your closest London Underground stations are either Elephant and Castle, which is on the Northern Line and the Bakerloo Line or Kennington. I believe that's another option. Wait, is Elephant Castle actually on the Northern Line? That doesn't feel important to highlight right now. You all have maps in your phones. In any case, this is the newer of the two Southwark Playhouse spaces that are currently in operation around that area. And this has previously been the home to shows such as Ride the Musical, more recently Scissorhands With a Z and notably the final pre West End production of the Olivier Award winning musical the Curious Case of Benjamin Button which is now playing in the West End at the Ambassador's Theatre. Now, Ride the Cyclone is currently scheduled at the venue for a limited run from Friday 14 November, just under a decade after it opened Off Broadway. Wow. When you think about the time that it takes for these shows, you know, Be More Chill is another one that springs to mind. That was produced regionally in the us, I believe at Two River Theater in New Jersey, with no plans for it to be subsequently produced in New York. But I believe it was the cast recording and the popularity of the cast recording that gave it this resurgence and enabled it to have a further life and then go on to gain a much bigger profile. And social media seems to have done that as well for Ride the Cyclone. Had it not gone viral on Tick Tock, who's to say if this production would be happening? Let's carry on. So this is being Produced by Kevin McCollum, Morris Burchard and Jack Maple. One of those is a Canadian producer, one of those is a huge American producer and the other is a brilliant British producer. They are delighted to announce together that the UK premiere of Ride the Cyclone, written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. Oh, I read that sentence wrong. That's literally, that's. That's what. They're announcing the musical previews at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from Friday 14th November, running for a limited engagement until Saturday 10th January 2026. But I dare say if it goes on to be like a huge sellout success, there's no guarantee that this wouldn't necessarily extend a little further into the new year. There's every possibility that there's already something booked in afterwards at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, they have a decent turnover. You know, there's a lot of shows vying for those kind of more intimate off West End spaces. It's a very crowded time in the UK at the moment and you have big producers like ATG producing shows at the Charing Cross Theatre, at the other Palace Theatre. So, you know, they've become very in. But I think this has the capacity to sell very well, actually. Now, here is what this press release tells us about the show. Here is the synopsis. Buckle up for the ride of a lifetime. Darkly funny, wildly imaginative and surprisingly heartfelt, Ride the Cyclone is the international musical phenomenon crashing into London. When a freak roller coaster accident claims the lives of six teens. They find themselves trapped in limbo and offered one last shot at life. One by one, they step into the spotlight to prove why they deserve a second chance at life. Ride the Cyclone is a genre defying journey through big dreams, dark secrets, and the search for what makes a life well lived. It's not a game, it's just a ride. Then we have a little recap of some of the history of the show that I was sharing with you, which also notes that the show has had runs in Seattle, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Sydney and Buenos Aires, which means it's already been produced professionally on three different continents. And this will make that four. What else can I tell you here? They're going to do Thursday matinees at 2:30pm It's 90 minutes, no interval. We love to hear that the age guidance is 12 + and the show contains mature content and adult themes. I have listened to the cast recording and if you haven't then let me tell you the show does in fact contain adult content and mature themes. I was a little scandalized, but just a little bit. I was largely intrigued. And because this is a delicious off West End show, we also have delicious off West End pricing, which means we have something called Pioneers previews with tickets at £12 and standard previews with tickets at £18. Standard tickets from £20 with concession tickets at £16, which applies to full time students, patrons over 65, patrons under 16, disabled patrons and patrons claiming universal credit. And if at this point you're wondering exactly how to get tickets, then you can find those@southwarkplayhouse.co.uk productions Ride the Cyclone C Y C L O N E Now while the majority of the creative team as well as all of the casting is still to be announced, it has been revealed that Lizzie G will be directing and choreographing. Let's tell you a little bit more about the credits that may in form what this production is going to look and or feel like. Because Lizzie G's most recent work, interestingly enough, was another off West End show with a not dissimilar vibe. Tonally, I'm talking about Lightning Thief, the Percy Jackson musical at the Other Palace. But Lizzie has also worked much more extensively as a choreographer on Clueless, currently running at the Trafalgar Theatre, but also on Groundhog Day at the Old Vic. And I think in a weird sort of a way there might be some kind of of eerie, slightly dark and oddly comic kinship between something like Groundhog Day and something like Ride the Cyclone. So I do find that encouraging. And what little I know about this show does include the fact that it is particularly wacky, that it is tonally and musically very wide ranging, and also that one of the most eye catching and impressive and subsequently TikTok Viral moments of the show involves a performer singing very high notes while flying through the air. So I suppose the question of the morning, to what extent are they going to be able to recreate that in an intimate off West End space? Now, the show has been produced presumably in theatres of various sizes. The Lucille Lortel is absolutely not massive, but Southwark Playhouse Elephant, which only actually opened a few years ago, doesn't necessarily have an extraordinary amount of infrastructure or apparatus for that kind of staging. They have flown performers before. However, when unfortunate, the untold parody of Ursula the sea witch was staged at that particular Southwark Playhouse, they did have Ariel, I believe, gliding through the sky. They can do that. I don't know if they can really obscure the wires. I don't know to what extent that matters in Ride the Cyclone. I haven't seen the show yet. We also know that this is not going to be a replica production of the previous one. So if you are a die hard fan hoping just to see that version, I need you to slowly begin about the emotional divorce process so that by the time you do get to see this one, you're not still clinging to some hope that it's going to be exactly what you'd always pictured the entire time. Listen, this is the world of theatre, this how it works. And you've listened to me review enough shows on here where I really liked the material, but I didn't necessarily like the production. Hopefully when Ride the Cyclone arrives later this year, I will be able to enjoy both. And before we get to the part of this where I remind you to subscribe or follow me wherever you are, seeing my face or hearing my voice, so you don't miss the inevitable Ride the Cyclone review that is going to come out later this year when I hopefully get the chance to go and see the show in November. Let's talk about the possibility of this going on to something even bigger than a limited run at Southwark Playhouse, for now, I think that is going to be a sold out success. I think it's hugely exciting. Exciting that UK audiences are even having the chance to see the show. And you know, I don't want to diminish the fact that that is happening, but do we think that this is a precursor to a bigger West End run? Well, we do have some heavyweight producers involved here, including Kevin McCullum, who is the biggest producing name on this press release. Kevin is best known in the industry as being a Tony Award winning producer of Rent. He was also producer of such Broadway hits as Avenue Q and in the Height. More recently on his roster, shows like Six the Musical, Omar on Broadway, the Notebook not too long ago. He has a bunch of upcoming projects in the US and the uk, including the UK production of Something Rotten, including hopefully a UK production of the Notebook. Just to remind you that that's meant to be happening at some point. Also the yet to premiere musical adaptations of Black Swan and A Night at the Museum, as well as two brilliant British written shows that started their lives in the UK and are now being produced regionally in the US. I am talking about 42 balloons and two strangers carry a Cake across New York. Kevin evidently is a very deal. He is joined on this by the wonderful Jack Maple who is having a very busy year because he is also producing the Hunchback of Notre Dame in concert at the Prince Edward Theatre. These already sold out events being the latest in a line of brilliant concert stagings that he's put together, including the anniversary concert of Spring Awakening at the Victoria Palace Theatre and the Witches of Eastwick at the Sondheim, which was just fantastic. And Jack is a producer whose work I have been gleefully able to follow over the last few years because there is a really consistent quality to the thing. He cares deeply about what he does and it's exciting to see see him making these big moves and working with big heavyweight producers. This is someone who already has an incredibly strong footing in the industry and who we will see go on to become a huge name. Finally, we also have Morris Burchard, a Tony winning producer who heads up Hot Feet Productions Incorporated, a Canadian theatre producing company that nurtures, supports and produces theatrical work in Canada, the US and worldwide. Morris has been involved in the Tony Award winning Broadway revival of the Color Purple as well as its US tour, Something Rotten on Broadway alongside Kevin McCollum. Oh, the Western production masterclass which I' very much enjoyed, as well as Ragtime and Moulin Rouge on Broadway and in the West End. All of which goes some of the way towards indicating that, you know, if the opportunity was there, there is the the power here from these three producers to bring this show into the West End. If they thought that the audience was there, if the theater was there. That's a big if at the moment because like I've said many times, the West End is incredibly congested and there just aren't that many viable theatrical houses currently from but if the stars were to align, if a production were to unexpectedly close early and a theatre was to become available and you know, this initial production had gone well and had sold well, I see no reason why Ride the Cyclone couldn't transfer into the West End. And from then, if it becomes a really big success, who's to say that that production couldn't then go to Broadway? There is a tangible path of possibility here that fans of this show ought to be getting palpably excited about. But first you have to buy tickets to go and see it at Southwark Playhouse because A it needs to sell well to prove to the power that B that there is an audience for this cult musical and that they aren't just on TikTok, that they're actually going to show up at the box office because no one really knows about these things until they happen. And B A was too long and I forgot what B was. No, it's come back to me. B We don't yet know whether any of this is guaranteed. Don't assume that it's definitely going to transfer to the West End just because I said that it might. You have to buy tickets and go and see it at Southwark Playhouse. And maybe you will see me there because I am not about to miss this. This one. I am deeply, deeply intrigued. Thrilled in fact, that I get the chance to see Ride for Cyclone on stage and I will finally feel like I know what this show is about and I can figure out why everyone fell so madly in love with it. And as previously promised, I will be doing my best to bring a review of the production here to YouTube to podcast platforms. If you want to make sure you don't miss that when it comes out, make sure you are following me Subscribed Turn on those notifications. Do whatever you need to do to make sure that your little mobile phone tells you when I talking about Ride the Cyclone or indeed any of your other favorite West End or Broadway musicals. Thank you for listening to this theatrical news recap. I hope that you have enjoyed as always, I would love to hear all of your thoughts and feelings about this in the comments section down below. If you've got tickets, let us know. If you're seeing the show. I think that's very exciting and in the meantime, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey day. For 10 more seconds, I'm Minky Jo Theatre. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day. Subscribe.