Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose to Lead World Premiere of One Day Musical at Royal Lyceum

The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh and Melting Pot have announced their lead casting for the hotly anticipated world premiere of One Day – a new musical adaptation of David Nicholls’ internationally bestselling novel. Olivier nominee Jamie Muscato will star as Dexter opposite West End favourite Sharon Rose as Emma, with the show set to open in February 2026 as part of the Lyceum’s landmark 60th anniversary season.

Adapted for the stage by former Lyceum chief, playwright David Greig, the production marks the first ever musical version of Nicholls’ decade-spanning romance, which follows Emma and Dexter on the same date – 15 July – across twenty years of missed chances, heartbreak, and fleeting joy. The novel’s structure, built on intimacy and long-term yearning, looks like fertile ground for musical theatre.

Greig’s adaptation is joined by an original score from Abner and Amanda Ramirez, the duo behind the acclaimed US band Johnnyswim, with additional material from Freya Catrin Smith (Ride). Max Webster (Macbeth, Life of Pi) directs, with choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille (Six) and set and costume design by Tony and Olivier winner Rae Smith.

One cannot accuse this production of lacking ambition – let’s hope this will finally be a production made in Scotland and exported, rather than appropriated by West End producers.

The casting of Muscato and Rose is likely to excite musical theatre devotees. Muscato, currently starring as Gatsby at the London Coliseum, was recently Olivier-nominated for his role in Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. His credits span leading roles in Moulin Rouge!, Heathers, and West Side Story, suggesting a suitably romantic sensibility.

Rose brings serious star wattage and vocal power to the role of Emma. Known for her standout turn as Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre, Rose has also appeared in Sylvia at the Old Vic and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at Chichester. Her screen appearances include Silent Witness and Netflix’s Jingle Jangle, but it’s her stage work, known for rich soul and specificity, that makes her casting especially resonant. Emma’s wit, idealism and slow-burning heartbreak require a performer of breadth and subtlety; Rose promises both.

One Day forms the centrepiece of the Lyceum’s new season – the first curated by incoming Artistic Director James Brining. Looking over the longer term, this production continues the Lyceum’s tradition of bold literary adaptations while, hopefully, marking an evolution in ambition and scope, helped by the involvement of Melting Pot – the theatre and film company behind Life of Pi and The Father.

Production credits also include lighting design by Bruno Poet (Frankenstein, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical), sound design by Simon Baker, orchestrations by Simon Hale (Girl from the North Country), and casting by Stuart Burt CDG. Music supervision is by Nigel Lilley (Company, Follies).

One Day will run at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh from 27 February to 5 April 2026, with the gala night scheduled for 11 March. Further casting is expected to be announced later this year. So far, so good!

Featured Image: Jamie Muscato and Sharon Rose by Ellie Kurttz