A new musical directed by Rupert Hands (Evita, London Palladium) will stage a concert production at the Shaftesbury Theatre in November.
The cast of Roam. Photo provided by production.
Featuring a high-voltage rock-pop-Romani fusion score, Roam is both an intimate and epic universal tale of survival, identity, and the courage to dream of a better tomorrow.
Roam features music and lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen with a book by Michael Dovid and is based on his original concept.
When a nomadic clan’s caravan breaks down in hostile territory on the way to a sacred festival, they are forced to stop and confront the ghosts of their past. At the centre stands Yoska, a father tormented by loss and regret, whose unexpected return throws his sons Stefo and Pesha into a storm of loyalty, rivalry, and long-buried grief.
As tensions ignite, romances spark, and old wounds resurface, the family must decide: will they succumb to old fear and hate or pursue a future worth fighting for?
The staged concert in November will star Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ramin Karimloo (A Face in the Crowd, Young Vic) as Yoska, Diego Rodriguez (Evita, London Palladium) as Pesha, Jordan Luke Gage (&Juliet; Shaftesbury Theatre) as Stefo, Frances Mayli McCann (The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum) as Aishe, Melanie La Barrie (Hadestown; Lyric Theatre) as Vodoma and Hope Lavelle (The Phantom of the Opera, international tour) as Nanoka with Olivier Award winner David Thaxton (Sunset Blvd., West End & Broadway) as Philippe.
Roam was previously workshopped with Romani theatre company Giuvlipen and the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest and had a private industry presentation in New York City earlier this year. Additional book material is by Romana Isabella and Cultural Consultation is by Hope Lavelle.
The creative team includes Choreography by James Cousins, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations are by Lloyd Kikoler, Nick Barstow will act as Musical Director, Vocal Arrangements by Cynthia Meng, Arrangements by Oyen and Kikoler, Set & Costume Design by Soutra Gilmour, Lighting Design by Peter Small, and Sound Design by Sound Quiet Time.
Roam will play at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 23 November 2025.
