Full cast announced for world premiere of THE PIANIST

Shehrazade Zafar-Arif 31 July, 2026, 11:33

Full casting has been revealed for the world premiere of new musical The Pianist, a stage adaptation of Wladyslaw Szpilman's landmark memoir, featuring his original music, opening at the Park Theatre this autumn.

The Pianist cast Image provided by production

Wladyslaw Szpilman was a Holocaust survivor and a celebrated Polish Jewish composer and concert pianist living in Warsaw in the 1930s, during the Nazi invasion of Poland. His memoir served as the inspiration for Roman Polanski’s Academy Award-winning 2002 film starring Adrien Brody. This new musical adaptation is written and directed by Thom Southerland (Titanic the Musical), this musical adaptation features Szpilman’s own music with new lyrics and freshly orchestrated by Simon Lee, Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s long time Musical Director. It will mark the first time Szpilman's music and story have been brought together onstage.

Joining Daniel Krikler as 'Wladyslaw Szpilman' are Rosalind Ford (Coven, Kiln Theatre) as ‘Mother’; Oliver Grant (Cyrano De Bergerac, RSC) as ‘Hosenfeld’; TJ Holmes (Wuthering Heights, Wise Children, National Theatre) as ‘Father’; Mischa Jardine (101 Dalmatians, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) as ‘Janina’; Elżbieta Kalicka (The Bear Who Went To War, Albany Theatre) as ‘Regina’; Nitai Levi (The Holy Rosenbergs, Menier Chocolate Factory and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Donmar Warehouse) as ‘Henryk’; Melania Maggiore (Sister Act, Stage Entertainment, National Theatre, Milan) as ‘Halina’; Max Roll (Good Night, Oscar, Broadway and Barbian London) as ‘Gimpel/Majorek’. They are joined by ensemble Oliver Magor (The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Leeds Playhouse and tour) and Erin Rowlatt, making her professional stage debut.

The creative team includes choreography & movement direction by Karen Bruce, set and video design by Andrzej Goulding, costume design by Jonathan Lipman, lighting design by Robbie Butler, sound design by Gareth Tucker for Autograph Sound, and musical direction by Malcolm Forbes-Peckham.

The production will feature new lyrics by an international group of writers and musicians, bringing fresh voice to Szpilman’s original compositions. The lyricists and songwriters include two-time Grammy nominee Carol Connors, acclaimed songwriter David Batteau, jazz singer Wendy Lands and collaborator Jim Gillard, Grammy-nominated Michael Ruff, Szpilman’s son Andreas Szpilman, and award-winning lyricist Marcy Heisler.

The Pianist will run at the Park Theatre from 15 October to 28 November 2026, with a national press night on Thursday 22 October.

The Pianist Tickets