Francois Girard's Boychoir has several new voices this morning. The indie drama signed Dustin Hoffman to star as its inspiational choir master back in the autumn, along with Alfred Molina and Kathy Bates. They'll now be joined by Eddie Izzard, Debra Winger, Josh Lucas and Kevin McHale.
Boychoir is the story of a troubled 11 year-old given the opportunity to turn his life around through music. He has a fractious relationship with Hoffman's character at their New York school, but Hoffman refuses to let him squander his talent.
Bates plays the headmistress, with Molina as another teacher. Today's new names don't come with characters, apart from Winger, who'll be a department head. We'd assume that Izzard, Lucas and McHale might make up further staff.
After a worldwide search, the production has also found largely new faces for its juvenile leads. Garrett Wareing (who's been in some commercials and the indie drama A Better Place) is the boy who captures Hoffman's attention. Other choristers will be played by Joe West (fresh from the recent Sound Of Music stage revival) and River Alexander (who had a small role in The Way Way Back). The numbers will be made up by singers from the real-life American Boychoir School at Princeton.
Ben Ripley (Source Code) wrote the screenplay, and shooting is taking place in Connecticut and New York as of now.