The Bill cast fight back tears as Ben Richards dons his high heels

The cast of The Bill fought back tears last week as they filmed the last scenes of the ITV soap which has been running for 26 years. Luckily Ben Richards who played PC Nate Roberts (pictured) for over two years decided to leave the series before ITV made the decision to wield the axe.

He is putting on a very different uniform of a mini skirt and high heels tomorrow as he takes over from Jason Donovan in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre.

Danielle Hope Over the Rainbow Charity Single out Today

The winner of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s BBC live casting competition Over the Rainbow has recorded a cover of Judy Garland’s classic song of the same name. 

It was available to download on 23rd May and is released for purchase today. All proceeds will benefit Prostate UK and The BBC Performing Arts Fund.

The Danielle Hope single also includes The Wizard of Oz Medley performed by all three finalists which is included as a bonus. It is a mix of several songs they performed on the show including: Follow The Yellow Brick Road, We’re Off To See The Wizard, It Really Was No Miracle, Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, The Merry Old Land Of Oz and If I Only Had A Heart.

The Wizard of Oz starring Danielle Hope as Dorothy opens at the London Palladium on 11th March next year.

More tour dates added for Whistle Down the Wind

Bill Kenwright’s tour of Whistle Down the Wind starring Jonathan Ansell (ex pop/opera groupG4 member), has added a couple more tour dates to Malvern and Norwich so that it is now playing until 17th July.

Peters and Stritch to replace Zeta-Jones and Lansbury in Sondheim’s Little Night Music?

The Tony-nominated Menier Chocolate Factory revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's A Little Night Music which transferred to Broadway and had announced a closing date of June 20th may now continue with two new stars.

Broadway legends Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch have been approached to take over the roles of Desirée Armfeldt and her worldly-wise mother Madame Armfeldt (which are currently played by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury).

The two divas have never shared a Broadway stage before, and if the pairing comes off tickets sales are expected to go through the roof.

Peters has created leading roles in Sondheim and Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods and also played stage mother Rose in Gypsy; while Stritch created the role of Joanne in Sondheim's Company, belted out "Broadway Baby" in Follies in Concert and recently completed two engagements at the Cafe Carlyle in Singin' Sondheim…One Song at a Time.

More Tour Dates & New Narrator for Rocky Horror

When the tour of the Rocky Horror Show arrives in Scotland playing venues in Edinburgh and Aberdeen in June and July, Scottish actor and comedian Gerard Kelly (pictured) will be appearing at the guest narrator. Kelly has appeared in a number of comedies including City Lights (as the hapless would-be author Willie Melvin), Rab C Nesbitt and Extras.

In the dates leading up to Scotland, Christopher Biggins will be the guest narrator at Oxford, Norwich and Sunderland.

New Nessarose in Wicked!

Cassandra Compton (pictured) has joined the cast of Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre to play Nessarose who is Wicked Witch of the East.  Her theatre credits include Elizabeth in Dirty Dancing (Aldwych); Eponine in Les Misérables (Queens); Lena in Diamond (King’s Head); Jo March in Little Women (UK tour); Mary Lennox in the RSC’s The Secret Garden (Aldwych) and Ramona in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind (Aldwych).

She took over the role from Natalie Anderson who is heading for the Yorkshire Dales next month after getting a part in ITV’s Emmerdale playing Alicia Harding who is the brassy and trashy sister of Leyla Harding.  Her first episodes will be televised in August.

Lend Me A Tenor Musical Heading for the West End?

A new musical adaptation of Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor is hoping for the West End run later this year.

The new production premieres at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 24th  September and features a cast of 27 led by Matthew Kelly, Sally Ann Triplett, Damian Humbley and Michael Matus.

Ludwig’s original play premiered in the West End at the Globe Theatre (now the Gielgud) in 1986 and opened on Broadway in 1989 when it won two Tony Awards. It was revived on Broadway in March of this year when it was directed by Stanley Tucci.

Lend Me a Tenor takes place in 1934 and tells the tale of famous tenor Tito Merelli ("Il Stupendo") as he prepares to perform Otello. Things go wrong at the final dress rehearsal with mistaken identity, double entendres and innuendoes threatening to ruin the show. When Tito can’t go on the director’s assistant Max is given the impossible task of finding a last-minute replacement.

Latest tour dates for Claire Sweeney’s Tell Me On Sunday

As previously reported, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s Tell Me on a Sunday is to tour the UK later this year with Claire Sweeney.

The show has been re-worked for her with a new song "I Still Believe in Love". Other numbers include "Take That Look Off Your Face", "Unexpected Song" and the title track "Tell Me on a Sunday".

You can book tickets at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Below are the latest tour dates:

Northampton Royal & Derngate Theatre - 30th August- 4th September
Llandudno Venue Cymru -  7th September
Bishop’s Stortford Rhodes Centre -15th September
Oxford  New Theatre - 16th September
Buxton  Opera House - 4th October
York  Grand Opera House -12th October
Whitley Bay  Playhouse -16th October
Newcastle upon Tyne Journal Tyne & Wear -17th October
Southsea  King’s Theatre -19th-23rd October
Bournemouth  Pavilion Theatre - 2nd November
Southend on Sea  Palace Theatre - 6th November
Grimsby Grimsby Auditorium - 8th November
Southport  Southport Theatre - 15th November
Birmingham  Alexandra Theatre - 16th November

Daniel Boys in Wolfboy

Avenue Q star Daniel Boys is joining the cast of Wolfboy which premieres at Trafalgar Studios 2 from 8th-31st July 2010 (previews from 6th July). 

He joins Hollyoaks' Emma Rigby, Paul Holowaty (Hollyoaks) and Gregg Lowe (New Boy).

Wolfboy is interestingly described as a “psycho-sexual musical thriller” where two teenagers share an intimate adventure in a boy's home. Bernie has attempted suicide and David is a street hustler who may or may not have the powers of a wolf.

To book tickets visit: www.trafalgarstudios.com

Hair to Close on 4th September

 Despite the great opening fanfare for Hair, most of the award winning Broadway cast transferring to the West End and great reviews for the production at the Gielgud Theatre, Cameron Mackintosh’s recent revival has posted its closing notices for 4th September.

It was originally booking to 8th January 2011.

Nick Jonas playing Marius in Les Miserables

It is now confirmed the youngest Jonas Brothers Nick is to take on the role of Marius in the West End production of Les Miserables.

Nick Jonas will soon be arriving at the Queen’s Theatre to prepare for his West End debut playing the role of Marius for a three week run from June 21st.

As previously blogged the 17 year old singer has appeared in the musical before at the ripe old age of 10 playing the part of Gavroche in the last nine months of Les Miserable's run on Broadway in 2003.

In October Nick will be part of star- studded company currently being put together  to perform a 25th anniversary concert at the 02 Arena  in Greenwich -  details of which  will be announced on Wednesday morning.

Cameron Mackintosh has said there will Les Miserables  productions next year and the year after in Madrid, Mexico, Korea, Italy, Japan and the USA, and a screenwriter is soon to start work on a firm version which Mackintosh is producing with Working Title Films.

Latest News on Aspects of Love at Chocolate Factory

As well as Katherine Kingsley and Michael Arden playing the leads of Rose and Alex in Trevor Nunn’s revival of Aspects of Love at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Dominic Tighe (pictured) has now been cast to play Hugo (one of Rose’s young lovers).

Tighe is a talented young singer and actor who sang at Her Majesty the Queen's private 80th birthday celebrations as well as performing  for Prince Edward and Nelson Mandela.

He had been acting for two years with established directors including Alan Ayckbourn, Edward Hall and Kevin Spacey before he joined the classical vocal quartet Blake. They released their debut album "Blake" in November 2007 which won the Album of the Year Award at the Classical BRIT Awards in 2008. In 2009 Tighe announced that he was leaving the band to return to his acting career

Ray Quinn doing some Dirty Dancing

Ray Quinn is about to join the cast of Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre on 26th July to play the part of Billy (the one who helps Baby and Johnny rehearse one of their famous dance steps).

He is contracted until  27th Nov 2010 when he leaves to start rehearsals for panto.  This year he is playing Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton.

Quinn appeared in the London production of Grease last year, but is probably best known for being the runner-up in The X Factor and the winner of Dancing On Ice.

Maria Friedman directing Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along at Menier

Maria Friedman is going to direct Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory later this year.

  

The musical is also due for an airing at the Donmar Warehouse: as part of their Sondheim 80th Birthday Celebrations they are presenting a concert performance on  Sunday 7th November 2010 at 19:30.  The cast is yet to be announced.

  

As well as appearing in the Merrily We Roll Along in 1992 at the Leicester Haymarket, Maria Friedman is on the soundtrack from that production with Gareth Snook, Louise Gold and  Jacqueline Dankworth. More recently she directed the piece with students from the Central School.

Cameron Mackintosh to revive A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum?

Comedian Omid Djalili has said he has been in talks with Cameron Mackintosh about appearing in A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, which has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Last year he played Fagin in Mackintosh’s production of Oliver! which is still running at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Djalili said he was being considered for the role of Pseudolus, which was played by Zero Mostel in the original 1962 Broadway production and film. He added “the musical would have to be a very tight version to do well. It can be very Mel Brooks-like, very fast-paced and very funny if it’s done properly, but it can be done horribly too.”

He is currently waiting to see when Mackintosh wants to revive it, but said it would not be before next year at the earliest.

Les Miserables "star casting"?

Backstage rumours at the Queen's Theatre are rife about various events being planned to coincide with Les Miserables 25th Anniversary.

It seems that some “star casting” will be introduced later this year with various artistes going into the show for periods of around three weeks.  Current names being bandied around are Camilla Kerslake playing Cosette, Matt Lucas as Thénardier and the youngest Jonas Brother Nick (pictured) playing Marius.  Young Nick has also made strong hints about this on his Twitter - but at least he knows the show as he played the part of Gavroche in 2003 when he was 10 years old).

A formal announcement is expected soon from the Mackintosh office.

Has The Wizard of Oz cast a spell on Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice?

It seems as though Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much publicised production of The Wizard of Oz which opens at the London Palladium next year may well see a renewed collaboration with his old sparring partner composer and lyricist Tim Rice.

The famous pair had huge musical theatre hits in the 60s and 70s with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and in a recent BBC Radio2 interview Tim Rice said that they are likely to work together again on The Wizard of Oz  as Lloyd Webber is writing four new songs.

Sweet Charity celebrates with a new designer bag

Tamzin Outhwaite is currently playing the lead in Sweet Charity at the Haymarket Theatre. Every time she lands a new acting role she marks the occasion by buying a designer handbag. The last one she purchased was a pink Mulberry tote bag to celebrate the show’s run at the Menier Chocolate Factory prior to its West End Transfer.

Tamzin has received rave reviews as the all-singing, all-dancing star of Sweet Charity, but she built her foundations in musical theatre by spending eight years in the chorus of shows including Carousel, Oliver!, Grease and Summer Holiday . She was spotted by Sir Alan Ayckbourn who cast her in a revival of his play Absent Friends which was followed by a stint in EastEnders

Andrew Lloyd Webber raved about Tamzin’s star quality on his TV talent show Over the Rainbow after he saw her at the Menier Chocolate Factory and she was completely taken aback that he praised her so lavishly on air.

So her next problem is which bag to purchase for her run at the Haymarket Theatre  - with the success she’s enjoying there I think she should splurge on a Chloé!

Maxwell Caulfield does the Timewarp

You might well remember Maxwell Caulfield as geek-turned-hunk Michael Carrington in the musical film Grease 2 opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, as Miles Colby in Dynasty or most recently the bigamist Mark Wylde who was murdered by his wife in Emmerdale and currently lies undiscovered and buried in the Yorkshire woods. 

But he is very much alive and strutting his stuff (literally) as the narrator (pictured) on the tour of the Rocky Horror Show.  He does a very thrusting Timewarp as well as showing he is more than able to deal with both audience and cast heckling.

Connie Fisher is Maria at Liverpool Empire

Casting for Maria and the Mother Abbess was marked as “to be announced” for the tour of the Sound of Music when it opens at the Liverpool Empire on 12th October, but we can now confirm that Connie Fisher will join Michael Praed as Captain Von Trapp as his Maria at this venue.

Michael and Connie will be joined by Marilyn Hill Smith as Mother Abbess. The Sound Of Music runs at the Liverpool Empire from 12th – 30th October.

Latest Dates for Show Off!

The next four dates for Show Off! are on this Friday 28th May, 11th June, 25th June and 9 July at the Cafe Koha in Covent Garden, which is located at 11 St Martin's Court, London WC2 4AJ (Off Charing Cross Road. Look for the alley between Leicester Square tube station and Wyndham's Theatre).

Nathan Martin is Musical Director with Marissa Dunlop (pictured) hosting each evening except on June 11th when Nicole Faraday will be there instead.

Show Off! made its debut on 6th March 2010 at Cafe Koha, and features a very wide range of musical theatre songs with audience members encouraged to join in by signing up to sing a song or two.
The doors open at 20:00 with live music starting at 21:00.  Food and drink are available from 20:00 to 01:00
.
entry to Show Off! costs £10 per person at the door but reservations can be made via e-mail to reservations@showoffpianobar.com or by completing the form at www.showoffpianobar.com/reservations

Catch Spamalot from Saturday

The new tour of Spamalot starring Marcus Brigstocke, Jodie Prenger / Hayley Tamaddon  and Todd Carty (pictured in rehearsals) is due to open on Saturday at the New Wimbledon Theatre.

The theatre staff was invited to attend rehearsals last week and saw the show's stars running through some very funny scenes, practising their Python impersonations and sending up Musical Theatre in spectacular fashion.

But more exciting than that was the fact that the original Python star and Spamalot co-creator Eric Idle was there to ensure the cast were all working to his very high and very funny standards.

To quote Eric: "I flew in from LA to see the cast in rehearsals this week - they're a very funny (and inexpensive) bunch of people and it's been great fun seeing them prepare for a whole new production of Spamalot. It's great to see new actors in a new production of the show - for an old fart like me, it's really a joy."

All reports I get are good ones so suspect this is going to be a “must see”.

Elaine Paige in Cabaret at Feinstein’s

Elaine Paige normally performs in large theatres and concert houses, but she is shortly heading to New York to make her cabaret debut at Michael Feinstein’s venue at the Loews Regency on Park Avenue in the autumn.

EP’s comments about why she is doing the cabaret: "Recently, I just did a jazz set . . . at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and that was in a very small, kind of intimate venue similar to Feinstein's. And initially, I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm not going to enjoy this. The audience will be too close to me. And, actually, you know, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the intimacy of it and the fact that I could feel them almost. It's incredible . . . so I'm hoping that, having dipped my toe into it here, that it'll work as well in New York for me."

While in the Big Apple she will record her new CD which will include a couple of new songs, some covers and duets with a few pals. It is being produced by the legendary Phil Ramone who has worked with some of the greats including Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Ray Charles, Chicago, Madonna, George Michael, Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. He is also credited with recording Marilyn Monroe's rendition of "Happy Birthday to You" to President John F. Kennedy

Russ Abbot back as Fagin in Oliver!

Griff Rhys-Jones is currently playing Fagin in the production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane but is leaving on 12th June.

His replacement will be Russ Abbott (pictured) who played the part at the London Palladium 10 years ago, has toured with his gang and also stood in for Rowan Atkinson in the current production last year when he had to be absent for a couple of weeks  following a hernia operation.

Joining Russ Abbot in the cast change of Oliver! will be Stephen Moore, who replaces Julian Glover as Mr Brownlow.

Kerry Ellis will be staying with the production playing the part of Nancy and Steven Hartley will remain as Bill Sikes.

New Football Musical Coincides with World Cup

Playing along with the World Cup which kicks off in South Africa in June, is a new musical about football entitled Who Ate All the Pies is at the Tristan Bates Theatre at Tower Street, London WC2 from 9th-26th June.

It tells the tale of City FC and their desperate attempt to make it through the season without being relegated again. It involves Sharon who has fulfilled her dying father’s wish that she uses his season ticket and her struggle to understand the passion, tears, laughter and the love that binds together the fans on the terrace? Will she ever forgive her father for all those missed Saturday afternoons? Will City FC return to glory before the final whistle?

Who Ate all the Pies? has a cast of characters including a Northern football manager, saucy WAG, sly agent, new millionaire owner, ill-informed pundits, mouthy yobs, posh bloke in the corporate box and the £18 million footballer!

Who Ate All the Pies? is written by Jimmy Jewell & Nick Stimson, the team behind the celebrated NHS The Musical at the Theatre Royal Plymouth and The Venue Leicester Square: It is directed by Johnny Brant, with musical supervision by Tom Kelly, musical direction by Mark Dickman, and lighting design by Paul Green.

Wizard of Oz Charity Single available for download

Danielle Hope won Andrew Lloyd Webber’s reality show Over the Rainbow last night and will play the lead of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the Palladium next year.

She is pictured here with Dangerous Dave who won the competition to  play Toto in a special one off gala - date to be announced.

You can hear her sing Over the Rainbow which is the charity single which is available for download today and on general release from 31st May by clicking on the link above.

Right Toto but wrong Dorothy in Over the Rainbow

Having just watched part 1 of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Over The Rainbow castfest on BBC1, I am delighted that Jodie Prenger led Dangerous Dave (him with the eyebrows and jaunty scarf) on to announce that he is the winner of the part of Toto for a charity gala of the show, but how on earth did Lauren Samuels (pictured) get voted off as Dorothy?!

Her rendition of "I Could Have Danced All night" was flawless - maybe she's too good? I would be amazed if the Lord doesn't cast her in one of his West End shows in the pretty near future.

In any event, Andrew Lloyd Webber has plenty of time to knock the winner into shape with The Wizard of Oz not scheduled to open at the London Palladium until next March.

Peppa Pig’s Party Heading for London

Peppa Pig's Party has been touring the UK visiting almost 80 theatres and playing to packed houses.

It is heading  to London's West End just before Christmas for a limited run at the Criterion Theatre from 29th November to 19th December,  taking a daytime slot running in tandem with the The 39 Steps.

Peppa’s show features new Peppa Pig songs, train rides, cake baking and plenty of games for everyone to take part in. The story is all about the little pig Peppa who lives with her brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Everyday activities include playing games, making new friends and jumping up and down in muddy puddles.

 But Peppa Pig's Party is about a special day which is Peppa Pig's birthday which she spends with all her friends including Suzy Sheep, Danny Dog and Emily Elephant.

New Berger in Hair

With Will Swenson leaving the cast of Hair at the Gielgud Theatre on 29th May to play Tick in Priscilla Queen of the Desert when it opens in Toronto late this year prior to its Broadway transfer, Steel Burkhardt is to take over the role of Berger on 31st May.

Burkhardt (pictured) was in the original Broadway cast of Hair as one of the Tribe as well as in the current UK production.  He has understudied the role of Berger, playing the role a number of times.

And the winner of West End Eurovision is ...

The third West End Eurovision contest was held last night at the Piccadilly Theatre in aid of TheatreMAD (Theatre: Make a Difference), which supports those living with HIV, AIDS and other long-term conditions.

Casts from a number of  West End musicals took part including Avenue Q, Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Dreamboats & Petticoats, Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, Love Never Dies, The Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You, Wicked and last year’s winner Mamma Mia!

The winners were the cast from Dirty Dancing who were voted in by the audience via text messaging.

Over the Rainbow Charity Single

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s eight week search for his modern day Dorothy reaches its climax tomorrow on BBC1 with the public voting for their winner.

The first task the winner will have is to release a cover of Judy Garland's Over The Rainbow which is to benefit two charities: Prostate UK (for obvious reasons very close to ALW’s heart) and The BBC Performing Arts Fund. The artist and producers have waived their royalties and The Really Useful Group Ltd and Polydor Ltd will pay their profits from this single to the charities in equal shares.

The charity single will be available to download from midnight Sunday 23rd May and can be purchased from Monday May 31st when it will also have a bonus B side of The Wizard of Oz Medley performed by all three finalists. The medley will comprise some of the tracks sung throughout the competition including: ‘Follow The Yellow Brick Road’, ‘We’re Off To See The Wizard’, ‘It Really Was No Miracle’, ‘Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead’, ‘The Merry Old Land Of Oz’ and ‘If I Only Had A Heart’.

The lucky Dorothy also gets to appear in Lloyd Webber’s brand new production of The Wizard of Oz which is due to open at the London Palladium next March.

Les Miserables to open in Madrid later this year

Les Miserables will open in Teatro Lope de Vega in Madrid on November 18th 2010. It is being produced by Stage Entertainment Spain and will be the second time this classic musical has played in Spain’s capital city. It was last there is 1992 and produced by José Tamayo, Plácido Domingo and Cameron Mackintosh.

No cast or director are announced yet.

Meanwhile the tour of Les Miserables with Gareth Gates as Marius is about to open in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 26th May

Sunshine on Leith tour featuring music of Proclaimers

Billy Boyd (pictured)  is probably best known for playing Pippin in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  He is due to star in a new UK tour of Sunshine on Leith which is a musical based on the songs of the Scottish pop due the Proclaimers (identical twins Charlie and Craig Reid).

The tour starts at Dundee Rep on 31st August and visits Inverness, Belfast, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Southampton, Dartford, Northampton and Oxford taking it up until 27th November.  Further dates are still to be announced.

Described as a “love story about everyday life in Scotland”, Sunshine on Leith follows the highs and lows of soldiers Ally and Davy as they return from Afghanistan and find that being back home with their families and partners is by no means easy and that the ups and downs of life in civvy street present their own unique challenges.

Sunshine on Leith takes its title from the Proclaimers’ 1988 album and single of the same name. It features 21 of their songs performed by a nine-piece band.

Sunshine on Leith is designed by Neil Warmington, with musical direction by Hilary Brooks, choreography by Lizzie Gee and lighting by Oliver Fenwick.

Mel C to play Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers at Liverpool Empire

Spice Girl Mel C left the cast of the West End production of Blood Brothers which is currently playing at the Phoenix Theatre several weeks ago, but she will play Mrs Johnstone again on the tour of Blood Brothers when it arrives at the Liverpool Empire from 8th – 20th November.

Melanie said: “I had such an incredible time playing the role of Mrs Johnstone in the West End. I am so excited to have the opportunity to play her again in my home town at the Empire.”

Jessie Buckley in cabaret at Pheasantry

The initial line up of performers to appear at Pheasantry, a new cabaret venue at 152 King’s Road in Chelsea, has just been announced.

The Pheasantry will host Live At The Pheasantry, a cabaret season which will feature acts previously booked at Pizza on the Park. Organisers of the event hope that it will become a permanent fixture.The move comes in response to the impending closure of Pizza on the Park on June 18th.

It has been a jazz and cabaret venue for nearly 30 years and the owners of the building are planning to turn venue into a boutique hotel.

The Pheasantry’s season will commence on June 13 with performances by Jessie Buckley, who is best known for her appearance on BBC1’s I’d Do Anything and who previously performed at Pizza on the Park.

Jessie Buckley will open the venue on 13th June and other performers who are scheduled to appear over the summer include Michael Peavoy (June 27th), Cassidy Janson (July 11th), Kelly Price (July 18th), and Shona White (July 25th).

As well as one night cabaret performers, Pheasantry will also present Claire Martin and Richard Rodney Bennett from 1st-3rd July and the revue Simon Green: Travelling Light will be on from July 22nd-24th.

For more information telephone 08456 027 017.

Jessie Buckley is also appearing in cabaret at the Delfont Room, Prince of Wales Theatre on Saturday 31st July.

Kids' Week Fortnight!

The West End's longest running theatre promotion Kids' Week is returning for its 13th season running for two weeks from the 13th-27th August 2010.

The event is organised by The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and provides a free ticket for one child aged 5-16 when accompanied by a full paying adult. Up to two additional children’s tickets can be purchased at half price.

Shows including The Woman in Black, Oliver!, Wicked, Sister Act, Legally Blonde and Mamma Mia! have already announced they are taking part this year, with more productions still to come.

Kids Week also offers a range of activities and workshops aimed at younger theatregoers.  The programme for this year has not yet been released but previous events have included behind the scenes tours, face painting workshops and ballet classes with the English National Ballet.

For more information visit www.kidsweek.co.uk

Menier’s A Little Night Music to Close Early on Broadway

The Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angela Lansbury and Alexander Hanson (from the London production)  will close on Broadway on 20th June.  The musical had been booking  to 29th Aug 2010.

A Little Night Music is nominated for four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Angela Lansbury) and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Dan Moses Schreier & Gareth Owen).

Denise Van Outen at Wicked for Lee Mead’s press night

Denise Van Outen and husband Lee Mead are enjoying the arrival of their baby daughter Betsy born earlier this month, but last night the very trim Denise played the supporting role as Lee opened in the musical Wicked at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre. He plays the part of Fiyero who is a handsome prince initially attracted to the good witch Glinda (played by Louise Dearman) but ends up having a relationship with the Wicked Green Witch Elphaba (Rachel Tucker).

Lee revealed that appearing in Wicked would allow him to spend plenty of time with his new daughter with the days free until he has to work at the matinee or evening performances.  Although he does have a concert tour starting in Southend on Sunday 23rd May.

Other celebrity guests at the press night included Gavin and Stacey star Joanna Page, EastEnders actress Samantha Janus and  Gareth Gates (who is appearing as Marius on the tour of Les Miserables)

Ben Richards on British Soap Awards Tonight

Ben Richards from the TV series The Bill is taking over from Jason Donovan in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre on June 1st. 

But he can be seen on ITV1 tonight at 19:30 presenting an award for best newcomer to Marc Elliott (Syed Masood) from EastEnders

More casting for Trevor Nunn’s Aspects of Love

Two more names have been added to the cast list for Trevor Nunn’s new production of Aspects of Love which starts previews at the Menier Chocolate Factory on 7th July.

As well as Michael Arden and Katherine Kingsley, Martin Ellis and Louise Lydell will now be appearing in the show.

Paradise Found at Menier Selling Out

The world premiere of Paradise Found starts previews tonight at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

This new production is directed by Broadway legends Hal Prince and Susan Stroman and stars the fabulous musical theatre star Mandy Patinkin.

It’s therefore not surprising that many of the performances are sold out, but the good news it that two additional Sunday shows have been added on 23rd May and 20th June at 8:00 pm.

Will Swenson on Broadway Bound Priscillabus

Will Swenson has come to london's West End with the Broadway cast of Hair to play Tribe leader Berger  at the Gielgud Theatre.

But rumour has it he’s heading back to the USA sooner than expected to play drag queen Mitzi/Tick in the North American production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert which has just announced 12 weeks at Toronto’s Prince of Wales Theatre from 12th October 2010 ahead of a planned Broadway premiere in Spring 2011.

He will star opposite Australian Tony Sheldon, who is reprising his Olivier nominated performance as transsexual Bernadette.

Ruthie Henshall Sounds of Hollywood Tour

Ruthie Henshall has announced a ‘Sounds of Hollywood’ UK concert tour which is a step back in time to the glamorous era of the greatest musicals shown on the silver screen.

Songs made famous by Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Julie Andrews, Ethel Merman and Judy Garland are brought to life by the Olivier Award-winning West End diva, backed by a talented cast of singers and dancers and the London Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe.

Ruthie will be performing classics including ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’, ‘Wouldn't It Be Loverly’, ‘People’, ‘Don't Rain on My Parade’, ‘Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better’, ‘The Man That Got Away’ and ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ from Oscar-winning movies  ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Funny Girl’ and ‘A Star is Born’.

Sounds of Hollywood, starring Ruthie Henshall, will be appearing at as follows:

Tues 26th October The Sage Gateshead,  Sun 31st October (15:00) Royal Festival Hall London,  Tuesday  2nd November Birmingham  Symphony Hall,  Sunday  14th November 3.00pm Manchester Bridgewater Hall (15:00),  Wednesday 24th Liverpool Philharmonic Hall,  Sunday  28th November Cardiff  St David's Hall

Hannah Waddingham, Louise Dearman & Jon Boydon Live at the Delfont Room

On Saturday 29th May  Hair musical director Richard Beadle will present the  premiere for his original new musical Today Is My Day in concert Live at the Delfont Room at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Today Is My Day is about Daniel who is strong-willed and happy with his forthcoming marriage to the lovely Emily. But reservations and doubts creep with the surprise arrival of his mother. They lock horns and the ensuing tension makes Daniel and Emily rethink their once-solid relationship.


It will feature a company of West End favourites including Hannah Waddingham (A Little Night Music, Spamalot), Oliver Tompsett (Wicked), Rachael Wooding (Hairspray), Louise Dearman (Wicked) and Jon Boydon (We Will Rock You) as well as Stuart Matthew Price, Ashleigh Gray, Ashley Lilley, Charlie Green, Gemma Atkins, Ross Hunter, Kayleigh Stevenson, Richard Woodford, Jacob Chapman and Hannah Levanne.

Doors open at 22:30  with performances commencing at 23:00

Casting Announced for Nunn’s Aspects of Love at Menier

Michael Arden (pictured) and Katherine Kingsley will star in Trevor Nunn's revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love which opens at the Menier Chocolate Factory which starts previews on 7th July and runs from 15th July-26th September.  

Tickets go on sale at 12 noon tomorrow at www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Michael Arden is an American stage actor, singer, and composer. He made his Broadway debut as Tom Sawyer in the revival of Big River.  In 2007 he toured Europe with Barbra Streisand as one of her "Broadway Boys".

His regional theatre credits include Pippin, God of Vengeance, Falsettoland, Tom Jones' Harold and Maude, West Side Story, Songs for a New World, The Common Pursuit and The Winter's Tale.

Most recently Michael was in Canada in April shooting a new movie called Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal which is due out in early 2011.

Katherine Kingsley’s theatre credits include Tracy Lord in High Society (West End and national tour), Felicity Rumpers in Habeas Corpus (Northcott Theatre Exeter), The Prioress in The Canterbury Tales and Mary in The Memory of Water (Bristol Old Vic), Ruth Bechler in Suddenly at Home (Theatre Royal, Windsor), Carla/Caroline in Go Back for Murder, Veronica Craye in The Hollow, Helen Rollander in Verdict and Vera Claythorne in And Then There Were None (Palace Theatre Westcliff).

She has recently starred in The 39 Steps which toured the UK.

Television credits include Hollyoaks, Jane Hall’s Big Bad Bus Ride and Operation Good Guys on TV and the films One Hundred Second Marriage and Telephone Detectives.

Doctor Who Arena Tour

Doctor Who Live is an arena tour produced by BBC Worldwide.  It will start in London this October with shows at Wembley Arena (8th-10th October) before heading for Sheffield (12th & 13th October), Glasgow (14th-17th October), Birmingham 18th-20th October), Manchester (22nd-24th October), Nottingham (25th & 26th October), Cardiff (28th-31st October), Liverpool (2nd & 3rd November) and Belfast (6th & 7th November).

The live show will have “all the coolest Doctor Who monsters” and “a proper story” according to Doctor Who’s executive producer Steven Moffat. There will be live music a 16-piece orchestra.

The BBC1 TV actors will not appear on stage, but Moffat is writing new material for Matt Smith (the current Doctor Who) which will be projected on to a screen as part of the show.

Bombay Dreams the Movie

Beverley Hills film production company Marquee Pictures have today announced at the Cannes Film Festival that its first theatrical motion picture release will be Bombay Dreams adapted from the hit musical produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  It will be directed by Oscar nominated director Deepa Mehta.

The Bollywood  stage musical opened in London in 2002 and ran for two years.  It was also produced on Broadway in 2004 where it won three Tony Awards and four Drama Desk Awards.

Marquee Pictures was formed to bring hit Broadway and West End musicals to the Big Screen. The film adaptation of Bombay Dreams will be produced in association with The Really Useful Group and will feature an all-star international cast.  It is due to start principal photography in Mumbai in India in 2011.

Les Miserables Cast Changes

The production of Les Miserables which is playing at the Queen’s Theatre in London's West End is to undergo a cast change next month with some members leaving on 19th June and the new ones taking over on the 21st.

The principals remaining with the show are Simon Bowman (Jean Valjean), Martin Ball (Thenadier), Lorraine Bruce (Madame Thenadier), Alistair Brammer (Marius) and Rebecca Seale as Fantine.

David Thaxton is leaving the show to play the lead in Sondheim's Passion at the Donmar Warehouse and Killian Donnelly will take over the part of Enjolras,  Cosette will be played by X Factor runner up Lucie Jones and “I’d Do Anything” finalist Samantha Barks will be taking over the part of Eponine.

Hans-Peter Janssens is also leaving and the actor playing Javert is still to be confirmed.

Banderas to Star in Broadway Revival of Zorba

Antonio Banderas will play the title role in a revival of Zorba which is due to open on Broadway in September 2011.

David Leveaux will direct the production. He has previously worked with Banderas on the Broadway revival of Nine for which Banderas received a Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk Award.

Based on the 1946 novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba has a score by John Kander and Fred Ebb and follows the life-changing friendship of a staid American with the Greek.

News on Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Celebrations

There were rumours of a special concert at the O2 Arena, but now it looks as though Les Miserables’ 25th anniversary will be marked with a special concert on the last two nights of the touring production of Les Mis when it’s at the Barbican.

Tickets for the last two nights (October 1st and 2nd) of the production at the Barbican and the West End show at the Queen’s Theatre are not currently on sale.

A Cameron Mackintosh spokesman said: “Watch this space for forthcoming news on the official 25th anniversary celebrations for Les Miserables in London. Details to be announced shortly regarding potential performances for October 1st and 2nd.”

Plans will not be announced until the end of this month, but rumours are that Susan Boyle was involved in talks to sing at a gala performance and Matt Lucas from Little Brittain had been approached to play Thenadier in a concert performance.