Exclusive First Listen to "Finale" From JOHN CASSAVETES' OPENING NIGHT

Center Stage Records announced the release of the live West End cast recording of John Casssavetes’ Opening Night on CD and digital outlets on Sept. 12. The show features music and lyrics by three-time Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright.

John Cassavetes’ Opening Night is the first stage musical with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Rufus Wainwright. It premiered in London at the Gielgud Theatre in the spring of 2024. The book and direction were by Ivo van Hove and is based on the 1977 movie Opening Night by American avant-garde director John Cassavetes. 

The live album features Wainwright’s songs written for the original London West End production performed by the cast including Sheridan Smith, Nicola Hughes, and Benjamin Walker, recorded over the last four performances of the play at London’s Gielgud Theatre. 

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to the show’s finale performed by Sheridan Smith and company. 

John Cassavetes’ Opening Night tells the story of an actress, Myrtle Gordon, who is premiering a play written for her that is about a woman coming to terms with aging. Myrtle does not come to terms with her own aging and rebels against the play and throws the entire production into jeopardy. A young female fan asking her for an autograph at the stage door gets killed by a car as she runs off onto the street. Myrtle is being haunted by the ghost of the young girl. On opening night, she arrives completely drunk but ultimately does what she does best: act and improvise. 

To pre-save the album, click here.