Tony Hale, Jessie Mueller, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer & More Will Lead PADDINGTON on Broadway

Paddington is officially Broadway-bound! BroadwayWorld has just learned that the Broadway cast of PADDINGTON The Musical will be led by Kelvin Dukes (“America’s Got Talent”) as Tony, Drew Gehling (Waitress) as Mr. Brown, Allison Guinn (Operation Mincemeat) as Lady Sloane, three-time Emmy Award winner Tony Hale (“Veep”) as Mr. Curry, Olivier Award winner James Hameed (Paddington The Musical Original West End Cast) as Young Man/Paddington (Voice & Remote Puppetry), J. Quinton Johnson (Hamilton) as Grant, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (The Fantasticks) as Millicent Clyde, Zonya Love (The Color Purple) as Tanya, Tony Award winner Jessie Mueller (Waitress) as Mrs. Brown, Serena Parrish (Don’t Say Good Luck) as Judy Brown, Olivier Award winner Arti Shah (Paddington The Musical Original West End Cast) as Paddington (Onstage Performer), Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba (Contact) as Mrs. Bird, and Drama Desk Award nominee Chip Zien (Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast) as Mr. Gruber. The full cast will be announced shortly.  

Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said, “We’ve been completely blown away by the extraordinary artists we’ve met throughout the casting process, and by the warmth and enthusiasm with which everyone has welcomed Paddington to Broadway. We really do have a dream company. These are some of the most talented performers working today, all choosing to spend their time and considerable gifts on this funny, joyful and deeply life-affirming new musical. We couldn’t feel luckier.” 

“And what’s been so exciting is seeing how each of them has responded to these wonderful characters, already finding their own humour, humanity and individuality in them. We can see how much they’re all going to bring to the show.” 

“We’re also enormously proud to be introducing Arti Shah and James Hameed to Broadway audiences. Our exceptional, award-winning duo have spent years, alongside an extraordinary team of artists and technicians, developing and bringing Paddington himself to life. What they have achieved together is quite remarkable.” 

“Alongside STUDIOCANAL and our brilliant creative team and associates, led by Tom Fletcher, Jessica Swale and Luke Sheppard, we cannot wait for Broadway audiences to meet this company and, of course, one very special Bear.” 

The smash hit, seven-time Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical will begin performances Tuesday, March 30, 2027, and officially open Sunday, April 18, 2027 at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street). 

PADDINGTON The Musical is the most awarded new musical in the history of London’s West End. The record-breaking West End production celebrated its first anniversary at the Savoy Theatre this month, where it has played to sold-out audiences since the first performance. The West End production recently announced an extension through June 25, 2028 due to unprecedented ticket demand, with the best availability beginning summer 2027. 

PADDINGTON The Musical won seven 2026 Olivier Awards, tying the record for the most wins by any musical in Olivier Award history – including winning Best New Musical, Best Director for Luke Sheppard, Best Actor in a Musical for James Hameed and Arti Shah, Best Set Design for Tom Pye and Ash J Woodward, and Best Costume Design for Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar – the latter, who designed the bear. The production also received a record nine WhatsOnStage Awards – 

the most for any new musical – including winning Best New Musical, Best Direction for Luke Sheppard, Best Set Design for Tom Pye, Best Costume Design for Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar, Best Sound Design for Gareth Owen, Best Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Design for Campbell Young Associates; Best Musical Supervision/Direction for Matt Brind and Best Casting Direction for Natalie Gallacher, for Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher Casting, Nick Hockaday and Annabelle Davis. The production also recently won the Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical. 

Based on the beloved “A Bear Called Paddington” written by Michael Bond and the award-winning film ‘PADDINGTON,’ by special arrangement with STUDIOCANAL, PADDINGTON The Musical features music and lyrics by Olivier Award winner Tom Fletcher, a book by Olivier Award winner Jessica Swale and direction by Olivier Award winner Luke Sheppard. 

PADDINGTON The Musical features musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Olivier Award nominee Matt Brind; choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ellen Kane; scenic design by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tom Pye; costume design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Gabriella Slade; Paddington and puppet design by Olivier Award winner Tahra Zafar; lighting design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Neil Austin; sound design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Gareth Owen; video design and animation by Olivier Award winner Ash J Woodward; hair, wig and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates; casting by Jim Carnahan Casting, Jim Carnahan, CSA, and Jason Thinger, CSA; Paddington Casting Consultant Annabelle Davis; Bear Physicality and Additional Puppetry by Audrey Brisson; and Aubrey Smalls is Access Coordinator. 

The most award-winning new musical in West End history is playing to sold-out audiences and capturing the hearts of all ages. Now, Paddington is packing his suitcase and preparing for his next adventure: Broadway. 

In PADDINGTON The Musical, a small, lost bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a place to call home. A chance encounter with the Browns leads him into an unexpected world of adventure, where kindness has the power to change lives and strangers can become family. 

But London isn’t all afternoon tea and friendly faces—and even the seemingly happiest of families can have cracks beneath the surface. So, when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realizing they need this special bear as much as he needs them. 

Filled with laughter, wonder, spectacular songs, dazzling choreography, and a generous helping of marmalade, PADDINGTON The Musical is based on Michael Bond’s beloved characters, with a story inspired by the award-winning films developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with Heyday films and distributed by STUDIOCANAL worldwide. It features original music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, a book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard. 

‘PADDINGTON The Musical – Original Cast Recording’, written by Tom Fletcher and produced by Matt Brind, is out now on Decca Records and available to stream here. The album is the fastest-selling physical West End Original Cast Recording of the 21st century in the UK. Less than 6 months after PADDINGTON The Musical opened in the West End, the Paddington album, recently released on vinyl, CD, cassette and Yoto, topped the Official UK Compilation Chart. Not since the 1990s has a recording of original music for a brand-new stage production reached this level of popularity so quickly. Passers-by stopped in their tracks when Paddington was spotted on the famous Abbey Road Studios crossing. This led to him gracing the cover of Rolling Stone UK Magazine, in another first for the unassuming bear. 

Michael Bond’s “A Bear Called Paddington” was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins – the first of 29 Paddington books he wrote, with the final one “Paddington at St. Paul’s,” published posthumously in 2018. The books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide.  

Paddington has been adapted for television several times – first by the BBC in 1976, voiced by Michael Hordern; and most recently by STUDIOCANAL who developed and produced three series of Emmy & Annie award-winning “The Adventures of Paddington” with Heyday Films, Simon Quinn and Karen Davidson. Paddington has enjoyed three successful big-screen outings released in cinemas to critical and commercial acclaim, developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with Heyday films and distributed by STUDIOCANAL worldwide. A fourth feature film is in development with Armando Iannucci attached to write the script with his co-writer Simon Blackwell. Also in development is a new animated Paddington feature film which will introduce Paddington to a new younger generation across all geographies and with an exciting new look for Paddington. As proud owners of the Paddington IP, STUDIOCANAL has grown Paddington into a globally recognized brand over the past 12 years. The Paddington films are the highest-grossing independent family franchise of all time, with over $800 million in box office worldwide, including Paddington in Peru.