On Monday April 22, audiences at London’s Phoenix Arts Club, beneath the iconic Phoenix Theatre, will be the first to see a sneak peek of the new folk-pop musical, written and created by Callum Shannon. The folklore, fables, poetry, and mythology of Arthurian Legend come to life in this vibrant retelling of King Arthur’s journey to Avalon.
The West End and Broadway aimed musical is inspired by the most transformative and innovative storytelling in theatre, bringing a new electricity and unique voice to the legend of King Arthur and what it means to find your destiny.
Newcomer Joshua Edge, will lead this 90 minute concert presentation, alongside Danielle Hope (BBC’s Over The Rainbow, Les Misérables, Grease, The Last Five Years, Kinky Boots), Courtney Stapleton (Beauty and the Beast, Six, Dear Evan Hansen, Love Never Dies in Concert), and Paige Peddie (Oklahoma, The Book of Mormon, Dreamgirls, The Lion King).
Adapted from Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th-century prose Le Morte D’Arthur, Avalon gained global attention at the 2023 Write Out Loud songwriting contest in New York, when composer and lyricist Callum Shannon was announced as a winner with Avalon’s ‘It’ll Find Me’, performed by Tony Award Nominee A.J Shively (Paradise Square, A Man of No Importance), and subsequently recorded by Casey Cott (Riverdale, Moulin Rouge Broadway). Avalon follows the classic tale and tragic destiny of soon-to-be King Arthur and his half-sister Morgan, through the lens of our wizardly charismatic narrator, Merlin.
Rounding out the cast for the first-look presentation include, Jake Stephen (Quick Fantastic’s Sunday in the Park with George), Will Silver (Choir of Man USA & Australia Tour), Kurran Dhand (Brighton Open Air Theatre’s The Jungle Book, The Radlett Centre’s Beauty and The Beast), Ayesha Patel (Lizzie UK Tour, Broken Wings), and Conor Mellor (Giovanni Pernice Let Me Entertain You, Carole: The Music of Carole King, Barricade Boys).
Avalon is not merely a tale of knights and wizards, but is a moving story of love, betrayal, and redemption. Arthur’s legacy lives on centuries after its original conception, and his story of leadership and compassion continues to inspire new generations today.
Tickets go on sale on Friday March 8, via the Phoenix Arts Club website.
The first-look concert is produced by Dean Gild, with music supervision by Alex Turney, and casting by Ben Armstrong. Be sure to follow @avalonmusical across all social platforms for the latest news and announcements.