Alfie Boe in BBC2 Titanic Commemoration Concert

Alfie Boe will be joining a star studded line-up including Bryan Ferry and Joss Stone in Titanic: A Commemoration in Music and Film, which will broadcast live on BBC 2 at 8:00 pm on April 14th, 100 years after the ill-fated liner hit an iceberg.

The 90 minute event comes from the Belfast Waterfront which is just across the river from the Harland and Wolff shipyard  where the famous ship was built.

It  will include the Ulster Orchestra and massed choir performances and reflect the stories of people associated with the Titanic - its design and construction and those whose lives were changed or lost as a result of its ill-fated north Atlantic journey.Archive and specially commissioned documentary material, accompanied by visual effects, will tell the story of the ship, those who built her and those who perished or survived.

Other performers confirmed to appear include Charlie Siem, one of the UK’s brightest new classical stars, violinist Nicola Benedetti, Colin Morgan (star of BBC One’s Merlin) and Ian McElhinney (City of Ember, Closing the Ring and Game of Thrones). The final line up of performers will be announced nearer to the event.

You can register for complimentary tickets to the event up until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, March 28th at www.bbc.co.uk/tickets. A maximum of four tickets will be allocated per household address on the basis of a random draw.

Musical Theatre 2012 Olivier Award Nominations

The nominations for the 2012 Olivier Awards have just been announced at a ceremony at the  Mayfair Hotel hosted by 2011 Olivier Awards Best Actress winner Nancy Carroll and Best Actor Roger Allam.  The musical theatre shows which have been nominated are as follows:

Olivier Audience Award : Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables and Wicked! are the four long-running shows that have made it onto the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award shortlist.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical leads the Olivier Awards with MasterCard nominations, recognised in 10 categories which the maximum number of eligible awards for a musical. All four young actresses playing Matilda are nominated collectively for Best Actress in a Musical, while Bertie Carvel is recognised for Best Actor in a Musical and Paul Kaye is nominated for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

Best Director: Directors Sean Foley (The Ladykillers), Nicholas Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors), Rufus Norris (London Road) and Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical).

Best Actress in a Musical: Kate Fleetwood (London Road), Sarah Lancashire (Betty Blue Eyes) Scarlett Strallen (Singin’ In The Rain) and the four Matildas.

Best Actor in a Musical: Bertie Carvel (Matilda), Nigel Lindsay (Shrek The Musical), Reece Shearsmith (Betty Blue Eyes) and Paulo Szot (South Pacific).

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Sharon D Clarke (Ghost The Musical), Sophie-Louise Dann (Lend Me A Tenor), Nigel Harman (Shrek) , Paul Kaye (Matilda) and Katherine Kingsley (Singin’ In The Rain)

Best Musical Revival:  Crazy For You, Singin’ In The Rain, South Pacific and The Wizard Of Oz.

Best Theatre Choreographer: Peter Darling (Matilda),  Javier de Frutos (London Road), Stephen Mear (Crazy For You) and Andrew Wright (Singin’ In The Rain)

Best Lighting Design: Anna Christie/Howard Harrison,  Frankenstein/Bruno Poet,
Ghost The Musical/Hugh Vanstone and Matilda The Musical/Hugh Vanstone.

Best Set Design: Ghost/Rob Howell, The Ladykillers/Michael Taylor, Matilda/Rob Howell and One Man, Two Guvnors/Mark Thompson 

Best Costume Design: Crazy For You/Peter McKintosh,  Matilda/Rob Howell, Shrek/Tim Hatley and South Pacific/Catherine Zuber.

Best Sound Design; Ghost/Bobby Aitken, Frankenstein/Underworld and Ed Clarke, The Ladykillers/Ben and Max Ringham and Matilda/Simon Baker

The winners of the 2012 Olivier Awards will be announced in a ceremony at the Royal Opera House on Sunday 15th April  hosted by Sweeney Todd’s Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton.

Holly Dale Spencer to play Bianca in Chichester’s Kiss Me Kate

In the Chichester Festival Theatre Production of Kiss Me Kate the part of Bianca will be played by Holly Dale Spencer who is currently appearing in Crazy for You at the Novello Theatre.

Her musical theatre credits include: Betty Blue Eyes (Novello), Oliver! (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), The Grapes of Wrath (Chichester Festival Theatre and UK tour), Mary Poppins (UK tour), Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (Bristol Hippodrome), Santa Claus – The Musical (Alexandra, Birmingham), High Society (UK tour), Peter Pan (New Wimbledon), Anything Goes (UK tour), The Ha’penny Bridge (Point, Dublin), It’s a Wonderful Life (Riverside Studios), Quick Step with Caroline O’Connor (Lille Opera House), Aladdin (Sheffield Lyceum) and The Nutcracker (Birmingham Royal Ballet).

This is only musical Chichester Festival Theatre is presenting this season.  Cole Porter/Sam and Bella Spewack's Kiss Me Kate will open on 18th June and run until September 1st. It will be directed by Trevor Nunn, choreographed by Stephen Mear, designed by Robert Jones with Gareth Valentine as the musical director.

The only other casting announced so far is that Adam Garcia is playing the role of Bill Calhoun. Garcia has a number of West End theatre credits including playing Doody in Grease, Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, he created the role of Fiyero in Wicked! and starred in the musical dance show Tap Dogs.

Sweeney Todd Highlights CD Available from 20th March

Michael Ball, Imelda Staunton and the cast of the new production of Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi Theatre have recorded an album of the highlights which should be on sale at the theatre on the opening night of the show on 20th March or online from 2nd April. You can pre-order a copy from Dress Circle.

The track list is as follows:
Prelude / The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd
No Place Like London
Worst Pies In London
My Friends / The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd
Johanna
The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd
Wait
Kiss Me
Ladies In Their Sensitivities
Pretty Women
Epiphany
A Little Priest
God, That's Good!
Johanna (Reprise)
By The Sea
Not While I'm Around
Searching
The Judge's Return
Final Scene
The Ballad Of Sweeney Todd

This is a "highlights version" which was recorded in the presence of Stephen Sondheim and is similar to the 1979 Broadway highlights version. Numbers missing include Poor Thing, Green Finch, Pirelli's Miracle Elixir, The Contest, the Judge’s Johanna and ballads Ah Miss after Green Finch, Wigmakers Sequence/The Letter and Beadle's Parlor Songs.

Alfie Boe Touring again next March

Alfie Boe’s Bring Him Home Tour has been a great success and the singer has now confirmed an even bigger UK tour next March which will be playing at some of the country’s biggest arenas and the Royal Albert Hall in London. It follows his new studio album which is due to be released in early November 2012.

Below is a list of the Alfie Boe 2013 tour dates. Booking opens at 09:30 am on Friday 16th March:

22nd March Birmingham NIA: 23rd March Manchester MEN Arena: 25th March Edinburgh Playhouse: 27th March Glasgow Clyde Auditorium: 28th March Newcastle Metro Radio Arena: 30th March Brighton Centre: 31st March Plymouth Pavilions: 3rd April Bournemouth International Centre and 8th & 9th April London Royal Albert Hall.

Kander & Ebb Gala Starring Maria Friedman and Chita Rivera Cancelled

As previously reported, a tribute gala to song writing duo Kander and Ebb was due to take place at the Victoria Palace on April 29th.  The show was being produced by Barry Mishon to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Action.

This has now been cancelled and the charity which was supporting the show financially and announced last night that it was “unable to afford to proceed with this venture”.

The show was due to feature performers including Chita Rivera, Marvin Hamlisch, Maria Friedman, Janie Dee Tyne Daly and Frances Ruffelle.

Rebecca Musical back on track for Broadway Opening

The new musical Rebecca which starred newly engaged couple Sierra Boggess in the title role and Tam Mutu as Maxim de Winter was due to open on Broadway later this month but because of investment problems at the end of January the producers announced that it would be postponed until later this year. 

It has now been reported that the show might be making its Broadway debut sooner than expected at the Broadhurst Theatre when A Streetcar Named Desire closes there.

Producer Ben Sprecher writes "Rebecca is moving forward. We have identified the final missing piece of investment and the Shuberts (to whom I shall be forever indebted) have graciously allowed us to resume production to open at the Broadhurst in fall of 2012. Thank you all for you patience and most of all to the extraordinary creative team who have stuck by this fantastic production through thick and thin as Rebecca continues to play in productions throughout the world."

In answer to a question regarding potential casting for the show, or if the previously announced stars would still be with the production Spechrer wrote: "Rebecca the Musical we will be making casting announcement over the next several weeks." 

Tam Mutu is joining Les Miserables in London playing Inspector Javert in June so it is unlikely he will free. The rest of the original cast included  Karen Mason (Mrs. Danvers), James Barbour (Jack Favell), Howard McGillin (Frank Crawley), Donna English (Beatrice de Winter), Nick Wyman (Giles) and Henry Stram (Ben).

Jason Donovan and Mel C to assist Jesus Christ Superstar Auditions

Andrew Lloyd Webber is on the look out for a new Jesus Christ Superstar when he launches his new TV show later this year. He has just revealed that Jason Donovan and former Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm are to assist him in the selection process.

Mel C and Jason will work with West End casting supremo David Grindrod during the callbacks which are taking place over the next three days when the best contenders are whittled down to a final 40 who will then undergo intensive training sessions before a winner is eventually picked.

But while the two stars will be helping during the initial stages, Lord Lloyd Webber is yet to announce who will be on the judging panel on the live shows. Previous judges include Charlotte Church, John Barrowman, Bill Kenwright, Barry Humphries and Denise Van Outen.

Jason has previously worked with the Lord when he appeared in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Other stage highlights include The Rocky Horror Show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to name a few. 

Mel C has appeared in Blood Brothers in London's West End and offered advice to contestants who auditioned for the role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said:  “I’m pleased to appoint David, Jason and Melanie to assist me with the candidates during Callbacks as I select my final 40 to go further for intensive training.  They will be using their unique arena and stage experience to help me narrow down my choices for the live shows. What we’re looking for is a rock star who will go on to sing the role of Jesus in the UK’s first ever arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.”