The 2019 hit film Yesterday is being adapted into a stage musical directed by Danny Boyle, with an open casting call launched for a lead role. This marks Boyle’s return to theatre after 15 years and signals a fresh creative take on the beloved Beatles-inspired story.

The musical adaptation of Yesterday, the film imagining a world where only one man remembers The Beatles’ songs, is underway with Danny Boyle at the helm as director. The production team includes the film’s original writers Richard Curtis and Emma Freud, with producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner involved.

An open casting call has been issued seeking a male performer aged 25 to 35 to play the 28-year-old lead character. The role demands strong singing ability alongside guitar and piano skills, with additional instrumental talents such as harmonica, bass, spoons, saxophone, and stylophone also welcomed.

The casting notice, released by Nick Hockaday from the team behind Paddington The Musical for Jessica Ronane Casting, encourages performers of all ethnicities to apply. Those interested are instructed to send their details, including a music and vocal clip, to Jessica Ronane Casting by email.

Reports indicate that workshop sessions for the musical, directed by Boyle, are planned for 2025. This will be Boyle’s first stage directing project since his acclaimed 2008 National Theatre production of Frankenstein, marking a notable return to theatre.

Yesterday was released in 2019 and starred Himesh Patel. The film’s premise involves a struggling musician who wakes up in a world where The Beatles’ music has never existed except in his memory, a concept that the stage musical will explore.

No further information has been provided about the production’s venues or dates, which remain to be confirmed. Working Title, the producers of the project, have been approached for comment but have yet to respond.

This development joins a growing trend of adapting popular films into stage musicals, with creative teams seeking to reimagine cinematic stories for live audiences. The involvement of Boyle and the original filmmakers suggests a carefully crafted reinvention of Yesterday for the stage.