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Joel Harper-Jackson as Frank Sinatra in Sinatra: The Musical.

That’s life! Musical about Frank Sinatra’s explosive rise opens in London – in pictures

A new West End blockbuster puts Ol’ Blue Eyes in the spotlight and features the superstar’s hits including One for My Baby and Come Fly With Me. Take a first look

Photographs by Tristram Kenton/The Guardian

Joel Harper-Jackson as Frank Sinatra in Sinatra: The Musical.
Mon 8 Jun 2026 15.00 EDTLast modified on Tue 9 Jun 2026 05.52 EDT
Joel Harper-Jackson plays the title role in Sinatra: The Musical
The show has opened at the Aldwych theatre in London
Phoebe Panaretos plays Nancy Barbato, who married Sinatra in 1939
The show follows his stratospheric success after a New Year’s Eve show at New York’s Paramount theatre in 1942
There are some megastar supporting characters including Gene Kelly, played by Adam Davidson
Becky Anderson is Lana Turner
Melissa Nettleford stars as Billie Holiday
Allana Taylor plays Marlene Dietrich
Ana Villafañe portrays Ava Gardner
Sam Brown, right, is Tommy Dorsey
The show is directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall
It’s written by Joe DiPietro
Lee Zarrett as publicist George Evans and Jenna Russell as Dolly Sinatra, Frank’s mother
Sinatra: The Musical was originally produced at Birmingham Rep in 2023
Mia Musakambeva, Adam Davidson and Becky Anderson
The production has a set design by Peter McKintosh, costumes by Jon Morrell and lighting by Bruno Poet
Sinatra: The Musical is at the Aldwych theatre, London, until 10 April 2027
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