West End stars perform in groundbreaking audiobook musical Following Jimmy Valentine by Jeff Flaster
Hello again, dear audiobooks friends! Today’s spotlight article is dedicated to Following Jimmy Valentine by Jeff Flaster. This is the first audiobook musical created exclusively for listeners that reimagines “A Retrieved Reformation” by O. Henry and blends jazz music, noir comedy, and a timeless tale of redemption.
Following Jimmy Valentine is starring West End icons such as Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Hadley Fraser (Phantom, Les Mis), Celinde Schoenmaker (The Light in the Piazza), and more.
Both Alina and I are huge fans of musicals, and we are regularly traveling to London’s West End to enjoy them. We can’t wait to listen to this unique audiobook! Now, let’s find out more about the audio production, and after that, I will introduce you to our writer and a few of the stellar actors.
A cast of West End stars brings Broadway-style music and immersive storytelling to life in Following Jimmy Valentine (Feb. 2, 2026), an original audiobook musical told entirely through story and song.
Performed by stage icons Hadley Fraser, Kerry Ellis, David Hunter, Celinde Schoenmaker, and George Blagden, and jazz legend Jacqui Dankworth, author Jeff Flaster’s bold reimagining of O. Henry’s classic short story “A Retrieved Reformation” combines world-class performances with a score that blends classical, jazz, and classic rock influences into melodic storytelling that stays with listeners after the final note.
Blending melodic music, noir comedy, and a timeless tale of reinvention, Following Jimmy Valentine reinvents the musical experience for the 21st century. Never before staged or filmed, it’s an audio-first creation where dialogue and song are fully integrated — a book that sings.
At its heart is the notorious jewel thief Jimmy Valentine (Fraser: “The Phantom of the Opera,” “City of Angels”)— fresh out of prison and swearing he’ll go straight. But his past refuses to let him go. Pursued by disillusioned New Orleans detective Jen Price (Ellis: “Wicked,” “We Will Rock You”), Valentine hides in a small town where he falls in love with Annabel Adams (Schoenmaker: “Les Misérables,” “The Light in the Piazza,” “Guys and Dolls”). For the first time, Valentine dares to believe in a new life. But as the walls close in, the question remains: Can a man truly change, or will fate pull him back into the shadows? Following Jimmy Valentine brings the powerhouse voices of the West End to a format that can be heard anywhere.
Jeff Flaster is a New Yorker by birth whose parents were both mathematicians. They had saved since Flaster was born so that they could send him to MIT, and were not pleased when college-aged Flaster asked if he could major in music instead of math. So Flaster made music a minor, but it remained a major in his life. The fact that he is a tenor gave him easy entrée into choirs and ensembles, and he performed regularly in a group at MIT, The Chorallaries.
He has also performed at The Kennedy Center with the Choral Arts Society of Washington, and at Tanglewood with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Flaster produced three recordings of his original compositions, available on Apple Music. Recently, inspired by O. Henry’s sunnier version of “Les Misérables,” Flaster wrote a full-length musical now called “Following Jimmy Valentine.” The 2021 version of this musical, called “Shell Shock,” was directed by Lennie Watts and can be seen on Melodic Music’s YouTube channel. Flaster’s interest in cabaret was sparked by his father, and by a course he took at 92Y with the late Collette Black. Find out more about him at https://www.melodic.com.
And now here are some insights on a few of the stellar actors:
- Hadley Fraser is a British actor and singer trained at Birmingham University and the Royal Academy of Music, where he is now an associate. His theatre credits include leading roles in Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Assassins, The Last Five Years, and originating Tiernan in Broadway’s The Pirate Queen. He has appeared in Doctor Who, The Fresh Beat Band, several films including Les Misérables, and performs on multiple Scott Alan recordings. Fraser also writes and performs with Ramin Karimloo in their band, Sheytoons.
- Kerry Ellis is a celebrated West End and Broadway performer, best known as the first British Elphaba in Wicked, winning the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Award and the Broadway.com Audience Award for her Broadway debut. Her leading roles include Nancy in Oliver!, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Ellen in Miss Saigon, and Fantine in Les Misérables. As a recording artist, she collaborated with Brian May on Wicked in Rock and released her debut solo album Anthems (2010), which led to an international tour and high-profile performances at venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Variety Performance, and Buckingham Palace.
- David Hunter is a British actor and singer best known for his work in musical theatre. He is originally from Warrington. Hunter played Doctor Pomatter in the Tony Award-winning musical Waitress at The Adelphi Theatre, West End from 2019 to 2020. He trained at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
- Celinde Schoenmaker is a Dutch actress and singer. She is known for appearing as Renate Blauel in Rocketman, Fantine in the West End production of the musical Les Misérables, and Christine Daaé in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera during its 30th anniversary.
- George Paul Blagden is an English stage and film actor. He is best known for his role as Louis XIV in the French-produced television series drama Versailles. He also played Grantaire in the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables and Athelstan in the television series Vikings.
- Jacqui Dankworth MBE is one of the UK’s leading vocalists, known for jazz and a versatile repertoire spanning folk, soul, classical, and blues. Recent projects include the album Rocking Horse Road with The Brodsky Quartet and the award-winning performance piece Feeling Her Way with Sonia Boyce. She has appeared on BBC TV, Radio 2, and at major venues including Cadogan Hall, Liverpool Philharmonic, and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Jacqui made her Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2023 with Siren Songs. An accomplished actor, she has performed with the RSC, National Theatre, and West End, and appeared on screen in The Borgias and Les Misérables. She tours extensively and has collaborated with artists including Chick Corea, Gregory Porter, and Paloma Faith.
I will return soon with a full review for Following Jimmy Valentine, but until then, take care, stay safe, and don’t forget, always listen with your heart!
Victor Dima
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