Thursday, March 31

Latest News on Spider Man Musical

Cast members of Spider Man: Turn off the Dark have now seen the new script and been given a chance to air their thoughts. Rehearsals began on Tuesday of this week with all the principals working on Act 1 of the new script with the first read throughs and staging taking place with Philip William McKinley and Chase Brock working on his new choreography with the ensemble.


A large number of cast members have said that they were “very excited by the script changes” with the new material greatly improving the flow of the show, including the arc and characters and addressing all of the major critical complaints.

The script will continue to evolve during rehearsals, with cast members  being asked to “swing” out of certain performances over the next few weeks for additional rehearsal time.

While deals have not yet been completed for Julie Taymor and Daniel Ezralow, both sides are hopeful that they will be able to avoid litigation.

To allow rehearsal time for the new changes to be implemented into the show performances from April 19th-May 11th have been cancelled with preview performances resuming on Thursday, May 12th. Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark has rescheduled its opening night for Tuesday June 14, 2011.

Godspell musical revival at Union Theatre

The Union Theatre in Southwark is staging a revival of the musical Godspell to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary.

Godspell will run at the Union from 15th-7th May (previews from 13th April) and will be directed by Michael Strassen with Michael Bradley as the musical director.

Godspell is based on the gospel according to St Matthew and opens with John the Baptist rounding up followers and ends with Jesus being crucified in a junkyard. It was first performed in the West End in 1971 with David Essex playing Jesus.

Conceived by John-Michael Tebelak, the show has music and lyric by Stephen Schwartz whose later work includes Pippin and most recently Wicked! The score includes Day by Day and Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.

The cast of the Union production will include Madalena Alberto (Sonia), Jill Armour (Gilmer), Daryl Armstrong (Herb), Jeremy Batt (Jeffrey), Davis Brooks (Judas), Billy Cullum (Jesus), Natalie Green (Robin), Sophie Isaacs (Joanne), Caroline Hubbard (Peggy) and Iwan Lewis (Lamar).

Tickets at www.ticketsource.co.uk/uniontheatre

Keith Lemon replaces Vernon Kay on Sing If You Can starring Ray Quinn, Jonathan Ansell & Jodie Prenger

As previously mentioned Sing If You Can is a new ITV1 six part series where stars try to perform songs while undertaking challenges designed to distract them.

The teams of celebrities competing come from all fields of entertainment with West End musical theatre stars including Ben Richards, Camilla Kerslake, Brenda Edwards, Jodie Prenger, Ray Quinn (who is currently appearing in Dirty Dancing) making his debut as a rapper and ex G4 tenor Jonathan Ansell who is about to appear in Beauty and the Beast and then embark on a concert tour.

The show was to be hosted by Vernon Kay and X Factor singer Stacey Solomon, but Kay has now been replaced by off the wall comedian Keith Lemon. Apparently this was because the producers felt that a comedian would be best suited to host the show.

Kay explained of the situation: "Following the pilot, the producers and I sat down and talked about the tone of the show. We all agreed that because of the mix of comedy and slapstick challenges that it would benefit from having a comedian host it. I'm really happy with the decision."

The shows starts recording on 1st April with first show being broadcast on 16th April.

Cast Announced for Moby Dick at Landor

I last saw the musical Moby Dick: A Whale of a Tale! when it was produced by Cameron Mackintosh at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1992 and have to say I loved it.

The cult musical with book by Robert Longden, and music and lyrics by Longden and Hereward Kaye is now about to play a five-week season at the Landor Theatre,  which is located on the first floor of The Landor Pub in Clapham, from Wednesday 27th April - Saturday 28th May.

Moby Dick is a mixture of high camp, music hall-style smut and outrageous double entendres. It is about the girls of St. Godley's Academy for Young Ladies and their headmistress who try to save their school from bankruptcy by staging Herman Melville's classic novel in the school's swimming pool.

Casting is now complete and includes "Dancing on Ice" contestant and "Loose Women" panelist Denise Welch as the first of five celebrities voicing the Whale.

The strong cast features Tony Timberlake in the twin roles of Headmistress and Captain Ahab. His  West End roles include Wilbur in "Hairspray", Sir Belvedere in "Spamalot", Harold in "The Full Monty" and Thenadier in "Les Miserables".

He is joined by Sarah Lark, who understudied Nancy and played the role many times in "Oliver!" after being a finalist on BBC1's "I'd Do Anything",  Her other West?End roles include Lucy in the 21st anniversary production of "Snoopy!", "The Witches of Eastwick", "Beautiful & Damned" and "Mamma Mia".  Debbie Kurup (Sister Act, Chicago, Tonight’s the Night and Rent), Michelle Bishop (Company at Southwark Playhouse, Jersey Boys,  Fame The Musical, Footloose, The Wedding Singer, Saturday Night Fever and Grease). 

Tickets at: www.landortheatre.co.uk

Roald Dahl’s Matilda to open in West End

The Royal Shakespeare Company have finally confirmed the strong rumour circulating in the West End that Roald Dahl’s Matilda, A Musical which received rave reviews when it opened at Stratford  is to transfer to London in the Autumn.

Matilda is directed by Matthew Warchus with design by Rob Howell, choreography by Peter Darling, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, musical supervision and orchestration by Christopher Nightingale, sound by Simon Baker and special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.

Tickets will go on sale in May when details of the venue, performance dates and casting will also be announced.

The unconfirmed rumour is that it will open at the Cambridge Theatre with Chicago moving to the Aldwych.  This is because Matilda needs the central aisle and the understage space which the Aldwych is lacking.

Wednesday, March 30

Andrew Lloyd Webber on Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show on Friday

This Friday 1st April is Chris Evans 45th birthday. To mark the occasion he will be presenting a special Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 with Andrew Lloyd Webber joining him as co-presenter.

The show is broadcast from 06.30 – 09.30am with Andrew joining the show from around 08.15am.

Andrew Lloyd Webber on Piers Morgan Life Stories Tonight

A new series “When Piers met …” starts tonight and his first interview is with Andrew Lloyd Webber.  You can see it tonight at 9.10 pm on ITV1.

Apart from musical theatre, the Lord also discusses the effect prostate cancer has had on his life.  The documentary gets beneath the skin of Lord Lloyd Webber and reveals a side to him that’s never been seen before.

The programme takes Piers to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Mediterranean hideaway in Spain and then back to London’s West End and the opening of The Wizard of Oz.

Piers asks Lord Webber about his affair with singer Sarah Brightman with the show includes interviews with his wife Madeleine, daughter, brother Julian and friends Graham Norton, Arlene Phillips and Michael Ball

Tuesday, March 29

Barnum Musical to be revived with Douglas Hodge?

Douglas Hodge left the UK to transfer to Broadway playing Albin in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of La Cage aux Folles for which he won a 2010 Tony Award. 

He is still in the States performing his cabaret show at the Cafe Carlyle in Manhattan where he has just revealed he is currently in talks to star in a possible revival of the award winning musical Barnum.

The original Broadway production of Barnum premiered in 1980 and ran for 854 performances.  It was nominated for a variety of Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score and earned a Best Actor award for Jim Dale who starred as P T Barnum. In the original West End production, Michael Crawford played the role for four years winning an Olivier Award for the part.

A couple of years ago reports suggested that Cameron Mackintosh is involved in producing a West End revival of the show. Watch this space ….

Nigel Harman and Amanda Holden from Shrek on Michael Ball’s Sunday Brunch this weekend

Nigel Harman (Lord Farquaad), Nigel Lindsay (Shrek), Amanda Holden (Princess Fiona) and Richard Blackwood (Donkey) are the principal members of the cast in the new musical Shrek which is due to open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 7th June (previews from 1st May).

They are in rehearsal at the moment, but you can get some up to the minute news when they all guest on Michael Ball’s Sunday Brunch which is live on 3rd April on BBC Radio2 between 11:00 and 1:00.

Lee Mead Concerts

West End star Lee Mead is due to join the cast of Legally Blonde the Musical on 20th June after just finishing a series of concerts, but there are still two new ones on the horizon.

He is appearing at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Thursday 31st March with the RTE Concert Orchestra singing songs from his favourite modern musicals including Wicked!, Chess, Les Misérables and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Tickets at http://www.nch.ie

Then on Saturday 16th July he is performing at Kilworth House Theatre in Leicestershire at a special one off outdoor concert. Tickets go on sale on April 11th at 10:00 at www.kilworthhousetheatre.co.uk

Alfie Boe, Jersey Boys, Brian Conley, Craig Revel Horwood and Wayne Sleep on Alan Titchmarsh Show this week

The Alan Titchmarsh show is broadcast every weekday between 3:00-4:00 pm on ITV1.  This week his musical theatre guests are:

TuesdayAlfie Boe (just flown back from USA and soon to join the cast of Les Miserables)
Wednesday – performance by new cast of Jersey Boys musical
Thursday – Brian Conley and Craig Revel Horwood talking about the tour Neil Diamond Musical Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show which opens on 8th April
Friday – Wayne Sleep who is touring in Precious Little Sleep

Monday, March 28

Landi Oshinowo playing the Dragon in Shrek the Musical

Although they are deep into rehearsal and due to open next month, the full cast list for Shrek the Musical has been released but there is no casting breakdown as yet.

However I have been very reliably informed that the excellent Landi Oshinowo is playing the part of the Dragon. She was last seen in the West End in Sister Act often going on for the lead role of Deloris

Landi’s other musical theatre credits include the Blues Brothers, Dancing in the Street, Sweet Soul Music and the Rock Opera Tommy playing the Acid Queen.

Sierra Boggess Masterclass opening delayed

Love Never Dies star and West End diva Sierra Boggess recently departed out shores and headed back to New York to take part in a reading for Rebecca the Musical (which is due to open there later this year) and to appear in Manhattan Theatre Club's  Broadway revival of Terrence McNally's Master Class with Tyne Daly.

Master Class was originally scheduled to start previews at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on 24th May, and play a limited engagement to 24th July. But it has now has put back its opening by three weeks and will run from 14th June – 14th August.

The three week delay is due to the second extension of David Lindsay-Abaire's new play Good People which was originally scheduled to close on 24th April, but is now playing to 29th May.

Terrence McNally’s award-winning play about Maria Callas is about one of her famous Master Class where she challenges the next generation to make the same sacrifices and dare to rise to the same heights she did, making her the most celebrated, reviled and controversial singer of her times.

Directed by Stephen Wadsworth, the play will star Tony and Emmy Award winner Tyne Daly as Maria Callas and Olivier Award-nominee Sierra Boggess as Sharon, a singer in one of Maria Callas' Master Class.

Sunday, March 27

Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen launch Top Hat Musical

Strictly Come Dancing winner and Holby City star Tom Chambers and Olivier Award-nominated musical theatre actress Summer Strallen launched the tour of Top Hat the Musical at Norwich Theatre Royal a few days ago.

The show opens at Milton Keynes Theatre on 15th August and currently ends the tour on 10th December with a West End transfer hopefully on the cards.

The 1935 film Top Hat was nominated for four Oscars and is regarded as one of the greatest dance musicals of all time. Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen play Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont which were played in the film by one of the greatest double acts of all time: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

The musical is set in the truly glamorous Hollywood era with Strallen staying true to the period by performing some fancy footwork at the launch in a pair of skyscraper feather-clad stilettos!

This is the first time Top Hat has been seen on stage and the lavish new production will have a cast of 30 and live band of 15 members playing classic numbers by Irving Berlin.

King’s Speech director for Les Miserables Film?

Tom Hooper who directed the Oscar winning film The King’s Speech starring Colin Firth is currently in talks with Cameron Mackintosh about directing the much awaited film version of Les Miserables.

Hooper has not started any new films since The King's Speech  wrapped about a year ago.  Les Miserables  would be his third European film, which started with The Damned United.  He has expressed interest in sticking with historical or period pieces, saying he was on the lookout for something along those line.

Celebrating it's 25th anniversary last year, Les Mis  is one of musical theatre's most difficult and beloved musicals and would certainly provide a challenge for Hooper. Sir Cameron Mackintosh is co-producing the film with Working Title, and the aim is to begin production in Europe before the end of 2011.

The film of Les Miserables is expected to attract a real A-list cast, with Universal Pictures overseeing the film in hope that it will become another hit for them like the box office smash Mamma Mia!

Alfie Boe performing at Hampton Court Palace Festival

Operatic tenor Alfie Boe is joining the cast of Les Miserables on 23rd June playing the lead role of Jean Valjean, but before he opens in the West End Boe will be performing the Finale of the Hampton Court Palace Festival on Saturday 18th June at 7:30 pm.

He will be leading the festivities and will be joined by soprano Natasha Marsh and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe.

This evening will have a 75 minute interval so you can arrive early, enjoy a drink prior to the show and picnic in the grounds during the extended interval or look around the beautiful Palace
The evening will conclude with stunning fireworks over the long water.

Tickets at : https://hcpf.pwrtickets.com/

EastEnder Samantha Womack confirms South Pacific role

According to the Mirror newspaper, Samantha Womack told them at the Nintendo 3DS party a ew days ago that she wants to leave EastEnders quietly saying “I think I just want to creep out at the EastEnders’ leaving party, I don’t want a big deal. I will be saying goodbye to a lot of very close friends. I’ll be telling them that I love them all dearly. I’ll definitely miss Rita Simons the most. Then I’ll be going into South Pacific playing Nellie Forbush and rehearsals start soon. I need to stop eating and get my a** into shape. My trick at the minute is to wear padded pointy shoulders as it cancels the rest of your body out.  I can’t wait to get my dancing shoes on as it’s five years since I was last on stage in Guys and Dolls

Womack is currently playing Ronnie Branning in an emotional and controversial baby swap storyline. She is certainly moving on to lighter and happier times by joining  the tour of South Pacific which has some classic numbers including Some Enchanted Evening, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair and There is Nothin' Like a Dame.

South Pacific opens at the Barbican Theatre in London in August and is currently touring until 3rd December. 

Friday, March 25

Norm Lewis from Les Miserables in Lerner & Loewe Concert

Broadway musical theatre star Norm Lewis came over from the NY production of Les Miserables to join the special cast and play Javert in the show's 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena.

He stayed on with the London cast at the Queen’s Theatre but is now leaving the show on 18th June when Hadley Fraser takes over the role. You can then hear him in Magic of the Musicals: Lerner and Loewe Favourites at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on Thursday 14th July. He will be joined by Kim Criswell and Annalene Beechey with the orchestra conducted by John Wilson

The concert will be a musical celebration of the work of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe from the musicals My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, Gigi, Paint your Wagon and  Camelot featuring numbers including I Could Have Danced All Night, On The Street Where You Live, How To Handle A Woman, I Remember It Well, Almost Like Being In Love and many more!

Tickets at: www.liverpoolphil.com

Latest on Spider Man Musical

The cast of the ill fated musical Spider Man: Turn off the Dark were informed last night that the first reading of the new script would take place this afternoon. Apparently no cast members have yet seen the new script.

They were also told amongst the many changes that would be made to the show in the weeks ahead the much criticised “Geek Chorus” who narrate much of the show would be cut.

Arachne’s part will also be cut as the focus is tightened on to the story of Spider Man's origin, with the role of the Green Goblin being expanded. It is also likely that the show will be trimmed to 90 minutes with no interval, but the final decision on this will not be made until run-throughs of the new version begin.

Robert Aguirre-Sacasa and  Glen Berger are working on the show's new book and cast members began working on new songs by Bono and The Edge before they left New York to star the next leg of U2's world tour.

Also choreographer Chase Brock is joining the production. He is the artistic director of dance troupe The Chase Brock Experience, with Broadway credits including the 2000 revival of The Music Man, as a performer, assistant to choreographer Kathleen Marshall on Wonderful Town and assistant choreographer to Ann Reinking on The Look of Lov e.

New dates added to Alfie Boe Bring Him Home Concert Tour

Due to overwhelming demand for tickets for Alfie Boe’s Bring Him Home UK concert tour, 14 extra dates have been added in January and February 2012.

The tour starts at Bristol’s Colston Hall on 6th December and now finishes in Gateshead on 4th February 2012.


The new 2012 dates are:

Tuesday 17th January - Llandudno Venue Cymru Theatre
Wednesday 18th January - Swindon Oasis
Friday 20th January - Plymouth Pavilions
Saturday 21st January - Bournemouth Intl Centre
Monday 23rd January - Northampton Derngate
Tuesday 24th January - Ipswich Regent
Wednesday 25th January - Leicester De Montfort Hall
Friday 27th January - Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Saturday 28th January - Harrogate Intl Centre
Sunday 29th  January - Glasgow Clyde Auditorium
Tuesday 31st  January - Birmingham Symphony Hall
Wednesday 1st  February - Sheffield City Hall
Friday 3rd  February - Preston Guildhall
Saturday 4th February - Gateshead Sage

You can book tickets for all the tour dates at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Thursday, March 24

Kerry Ellis on judging panel of Sondheim Competition

The annual Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year/Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize 2011 will take place at 3:00 pm on 22nd May at the Queen’s Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.

West End star Haydn Gwynne will host this prestigious ceremony which is now in its fifth year. Prizes will be presented by Julia McKenzie, George Stiles and Anthony Drewe (the composer/lyricist team behind the Olivier Award winning Honk!, Mary Poppins and Betty Blue Eyes).

The judging panel includes West End stars Kerry Ellis and Anna Francolini, Edward Seckerson (music journalist for The Independent), Tony Award winning musical director and arranger Sarah Travis  and director Timothy Scheader (Into The Woods).

The awards showcase the most exciting new talent and best new musical theatre writing by selecting 12 of the best students from musical theatre training schools throughout the United Kingdom. Participants from colleges including RADA will be judged on their performances of a Stephen Sondheim song and one new song written by a team from Mercury Musical Developments.

The award incorporates the Stiles and Drewe Prize for the best song from a new musical, in association with Mercury Musical Developments. The prize will be judged and awarded by Stiles and Drewe who are  currently enjoying success in the West End with their new musical Betty Blue Eyes.

Tickets at: www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/

Dancing on Ice’s Robin Cousins to guest in tour of Grease the Musical

Dancing on Ice judge Robin Cousins was a guest star in the musical Grease in London’s West End last year playing the role of Teen Angel.  He is to play the part again when the tour of Grease the Musical visits Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Bradford, Southampton, Oxford and Cardiff

Cousins has been head judge on the show Dancing on Ice in each series from 2006 to 2011. His theatre credits include playing the Prince in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Munkustrap in the UK tour of  Cats, and Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show

Kylie is the voice of Betty Blue Eyes

The new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes is currently previewing and due to open at the Novello Theatre on 13th April.
 
Much secrecy surrounded the animatronic pig Betty Blue Eyes and now she has finally been unveiled it has emerged that Kylie Minogue was the inspiration behind the animal’s voice

Cameron Mackintosh said "I was thinking of someone that crossed generations and would have the little girly sound that would be fitting for Betty and thought of Kylie”.

She loved the idea and agreed to make a recording for his use.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert Divas appearing in Soho tonight

The I Dolls Emma Lindars, Charlotte Riby and Portia Emare are the former Divas from Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical. 

They are appearing tonight at the Freedom Bar at 66 Wardour Street in Soho from midnight.  Tickets are £5 at the door.

Alexia Khadime joining Les Miserables as Eponine

I have already mentioned most of the cast changes at Les Miserables which come into effect from 23rd June, but it has now been confirmed that Alexia Khadime will be taking over the role of Eponine from Samantha Barks.

I recently saw Alexia in Ordinary Days at the Trafalgar Studios where she was performing with Daniel Boys and Julie Atherton and found her very impressive.

She took over the role of Elphaba from Kerry Ellis in Wicked! at the Apollo Victoria in 2009 being succeeded by Rachel Tucker in March 2010. Other musical theatre credits include Nala in The Lion King, tour of Whistle Down the Wind, the Leader of the Pack and Welcome to Thebes at the Royal National Theatre which was directed by Richard Eyre.

 TV credits include The Queen's Nose  for BBC, The Bill  for ITV and two years in Grange Hill.

Wednesday, March 23

Jonathan Ansell in Beauty and the Beast

Jonathan Ansell is to embark on a concert tour Jonathan Ansell and Friends in June featuring the music of the group G4. But over the Easter holidays he is appearing in a short tour of Beauty and the Beast with Melissa Suffield (Lucy Beale in EastEnders), Danielle McCormack (Mel Barker in My Parents Are Aliens) and Jonny Freeman (Frank London in M.I High).

The dates for the production are: **Harlow Playhouse 10th-18th April: Ipswich Regent 20th-21st April: Bolton Albert Halls 25th-26th April: Wolverhampton Grand Theatre 22nd April: Swansea Grand 23rd April and Newcastle upon Tyne  Journal Tyne Theatre 27th April-2nd May.

**Jonathan not doing shows on 14th, 15th and 17th April.

Claire Sweeney & Jodie Prenger in Candy Cabs

Claire Sweeney is currently touring in  Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tell Me On A Sunday and Jodie Prenger is appearing as Lady of the Lake in the tour of Monty Python’s Spamalot, but you can see them both in Candy Cabs which a new comedy drama about the lives and loves of a group of northern women launching an all-female cab company. 

There are three episodes being broadcast on BBC1 at 9:00 pm on Tuesdays 5th, 12th and 19th April.

Cast Change in Million Dollar Quartet

Oliver Seymour-Marsh will take over the role of  Carl Perkins in the West End musical Million Dollar Quartet at the Noel Coward Theatre from 28th March 2011. He replaces Robert Britton Lyons who leaves the show on 26th March to return to the show on  Broadway.

Oliver Seymour-Marsh has already been playing Carl Perkins at certain performances. His musical theatre credits include starring as Buddy in  Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story and Richard in Dreamboats and Petticoats – both on UK tours.

Seymour-Marsh joins the West End cast of Bill Ward (Sam Phillips), Ben Goddard (Jerry Lee Lewis), Derek Hagen (Johnny Cash), Francesca Jackson (Dyanne) and Michael Malarkey (Elvis Presley).

Another Arachne injury in Spider Man Musical

Another cast member has been hurt in the new musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. T.V. Carpio (pictured), who plays Spidey’s nemesis Arachne has been hurt during an onstage battle scene with a fellow actor. She is off for the next two weeks on doctor’s orders with America Olivo taking her place.

Her predecessor, Natalie Mendoza, suffered a concussion during the production’s first preview last November when she was hit by a rope backstage. Carpio and Olivo subsequently shared Arachne until early January, when Mendoza quit and Carpio was given the part.

Budgeted at $65 million  the ill-fated show is the most expensive production in Broadway history and is currently being heavily tweaked by a new director with a short closure planned as it aims for an official opening in June following what will have been more than six months of previews.

Monday, March 21

Les Miserables Cast changes

With the cast change and new orchestrations taking place in Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre from Thursday 23rd June as well as Alfie Boe taking over as Jean Valjean from Simon Bowman and Matt Lucas playing Thenardier, Liam Tamne (pictured) will play the role of Enjolras, Craig Mather will be the new Marius taking over from Gareth Gates, Lisa Anne-Wood is Cosette, Alexia Khadime is Eponine  and Adam Linstead is coming in as Grantaire.

Saturday, March 19

Sheridan Smith on Michael Ball's Sunday Brunch tomorrow

Olivier Award winning musical theatre star and actress Sheridan Smith will be on Michael Ball’s Sunday Brunch on BBC Radio 2 tomorrow. 

The show airs from 11:00-1:00 and Sheridan will be talking about her role in Flare Path which she is starring in with Sienna Miller at the Haymarket Theatre.

Two Pints of Lager's Natalie Casey to take over from Denise Van Outen in Legally Blonde

After Denise Van Outen leaves Legally Blonde the Musical on 23rd April, Natalie Casey will take on the role of Paulette.

Natalie is probably best known starring opposite Sheridan Smith in the series Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, but she has also appeared in Hollyoaks and her musical theatre credits include Fame at the Shaftesbury Theatre the tour of The Wedding Singer and most recently playing Ado Annie in Oklahoma! at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Friday, March 18

Jonathan Ansell and Jodie Prenger on Sing If You Can this Saturday

Sing If You Can is a new ITV1 six part series where stars try to perform songs while undertaking challenges designed to distract them.

They will face tasks ranging from keeping their nerve while delivering a song from a specially-designed erupting volcano, singing on a wire suspended above the stage that randomly drops throughout their performance or sing in tune while having their chest waxed.

Celebrities will be well and truly out of their comfort zone with West End Star Ray Quinn (who is currently appearing in Dirty Dancing) making his debut as a rapper.

The final song is performed on a giant turntable that spins faster and faster with money for charity being clocked up as long as the team keep their balance.

The show will be hosted by Celebrity Juice's Keith Lemon  and X Factor singer Stacey Solomon. The performances will be judged by a different celebrity panel each week with  the studio audience ultimately deciding  which team  goes forward  to try and secure money for the Teenage Cancer Trust  which is the show’s nominated charity. A member of the losing team will be dropped in a giant tank of water.

The very diverse teams of celebrities competing come from all fields of entertainment with West End musical theatre stars including Ben Richards, Camilla Kerslake, Brenda Edwards, Jodie Prenger, Ray Quinn and ex G4 tenor Jonathan Ansell who is about to embark on a concert tour.

Plus Darren Gough, Craig Doyle, Jedward, Chesney Hawkes,  Boyzone’s Mikey Graham, Brendan Cole, Lisa Maxwell, Toyah Willcox , Brigitte Neilsen, Roxanne Pallett, Sinitta, Ricky Groves, Rodney Marsh, Shaun Williamson, Tricia Penrose, Faye Tozer and Michelle Gayle.

The shows starts recording on 1st April with first show being broadcast on ITV1 16th April from 7:20 to 8:20 pm with Jonathan Ansell, Jodie Prenger, Brigitte Nielsen, Brendan Cole,  Andrew Stone and Zoe Birkett as the first celebrity teams.

Ramin Karimloo to lead Phantom's 25th Birthday celebrations

Ramin Karimloo is currently playing the Phantom in Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre.

He has just announced on Twitter that he will also be playing the role for The Phantom of the Opera’s planned 25th Birthday Celebration this October.

Marcus Brigstocke in the Railway Children at Waterloo

Comedian, satirist and musical theatre star  Marcus Brigstocke was recently playing King Arthur in the tour of Monty Python's tour of Spamalot.

He obviously enjoyed the experience and he is set  to make his next stage appearance as stationmaster Perks in the Olivier award winning The Railway Children which is returning to Waterloo Station from June 18th and currently running until September.

Thursday, March 17

Lee Mead to join Legally Blonde the Musical on 20th June

Denise Van Outen took over the role of Paulette Buonufonte from Jill Halfpenny in the West End production of Legally Blonde the Musical on a six month contract which  is due to come to an end over the Easter weekend as her last performance in the show is Saturday 23rd April. 

Alex Gaumond who has been playing the part of Emmett since the show opened was due to leave at the same time but he is now staying on until 18th June, after which Miss Van Outen's other half  Lee Mead  joins with his first performance in Legally Blonde just being confirmed for 20th June.

Wednesday, March 16

Betty Blue Eyes soon to be revealed

With Cameron Mackintosh’s new musical Betty Blue Eyes due to start previews at the Novello Theatre this Saturday 19th March photographers have yet to “bring home the bacon” (sic) and get an exclusive snap of the pig the musical is named after.

Betty Blue Eyes was created by the Melbourne-based animatronics studio Creature Technology Company who created the stars of Walking With Dinosaurs and are currently building an ape for a Broadway production of King Kong.

There is no doubt that she exists as Cameron Mackintosh says: “She steals every scene. Someone said she’s like a real pig, but with fairy dust sprinkled all over her. Part of you knows she’s not real, yet she’s so lifelike. She’s the most expensive leading lady I’ve ever had and she's worth every penny.”

But it's got to be easier than working with a real pig like they did in the film ...?

Latest on Legally Blonde West End and Tour


Fresh from its victory winning the 2011 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, Legally Blonde the Musical has now extended its booking period at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End to 31st March 2012

The cast and full dates for the tour of Legally Blonde the Musical have still not been released, but it is starting at the Liverpool Empire on 8th July with tickets on sale from 10:00 tomorrow.

Tuesday, March 15

Jonathan Ansell & Friends Full List of Tour Dates

Ex G4 member and West End star Jonathan Ansell has released the list of his June/July concert tour dates for Jonathan Ansell and Friends

The tour starts at the Orchard Theatre Dartford on 3rd June and currently ends at the Milton Keynes Theatre on 5th July.

Booking is not yet open at a number of the theatres but tickets will go on sale shortly.

Alfie Boe and cast of Les Miserables to Perform at 2011 Classic Brit Awards

The Classic BRIT Awards is now in its twelfth year being established in 2000 to honour and recognise all forms of classical music from contemporary to crossover, opera to soundtracks and  traditional to theatre.

The 2011 Classic BRIT Awards will he hosted by Myleene Klass and this year for the first time a full theatrical cast will perform with Les Misérables led by Alfie Boe playing  Jean Valjean.

Russell Watson makes a welcome return to the event along with Katherine Jenkins and the group Il Divo.

The 2011 Class Brit Awards are being held at the Royal Albert Hall on Thursday 12th May at 19:00.  

They are being televised  on ITV1 on Sunday 29th May at 10:00 pm

Tickets at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

John Barrowman UK Tour later this year

West End and Torchwood star John Barrowman has been working in States for much of this year, but he is returning to the UK in the autumn to go on a An Evening with John Barrowman concert tour starting in Northampton on 19th October and closing in his home town of Glasgow on 24th November.

Tickets are now on sale for John Barrowman's Concert Tour

Monday, March 14

Jersey Boys new cast opens tonight

The musical Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre features hits from Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons including  “Beggin’”, “Can’t Take my Eyes Off You”, “Oh What a Night”, “Walk Lie a Man”, “Bye, Bye Baby – Baby Goodbye”, "Sherry" and “Big Girl’s Don’t Cry”.

The new cast from tonight includes Ryan Molloy (Frankie) with former S Club 7 member Jon Lee sharing the role, Jon Boydon (Tommy DeVito) and Eugene McCoy (Nick Massi) with Matthew Wycliffe as Bob Gaudio, Wayne Smith playing Bob Crewe, Rachael Wooding as Mary Delgado, Carl Au (Joe Pesci), Jo Servi (Barry Belson), Chris Gardner (Hank Majewski), Jake Samuels (Norm Waxman)and Lauren Hall as Francine. of Frankie Valli with Ryan Molloy.

Other casting includes Stuart Milligan (Gyp DeCarlo), Mark Carroll (Knuckles/Donnie), Charlie Bull (Lorraine) with swings Michael Conway, Mark Isherwood, Paul Iveson, Ben Wheeler, Lucinda Gill , Trina Hill and Tom Oakley.

Darius Campbell marries in secret ceremony

Former Pop Idol contestant and West End star Darius Campbell has secretly tied the knot in Hollywood with Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge. The couple became engaged in 2007, split briefly  last year but went on to rekindle their relationship.

The couple were only accompanied by only Henstridge's sons 12 year old Tristan and 9 year old Asher as they married at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California.

They will have further celebrations for their families with another ceremony in Canada and also one in Scotland.

Campbell was known as Darius Danesh when he made his bid for TV fame in ITV show Popstar and then went on to take part in the first Pop Idol, which was won by Will Young.

Darius established himself as a West End leading man  by becoming the youngest actor to play the role of Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago and then starring as Sky Masterson in the Olivier Award winning Guys and Dolls.  He originated the role of Rhett Butler in Sir Trevor Nunn’s adaptation of Gone with the Wind.

In 2010 he trained with tenor Rolando Villazon to win the hit ITV1 competition Popstar to Operastar, went on a Big Bands and Swing Era concert tour of UK and also starred in panto in Scotland.

Cast and dates for Tour of Grease the Musical

The West End production of Grease the Musical ends at the Piccadilly Theatre ends on 30th April. It then goes on tour starting on 6th May at the Edinburgh Playhouse and currently finishing at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham on 31st December.

The cast for the tour of Grease the Musical has just been announced:  Danny Bayne (pictured) is playing Danny Zuko. He won ITV's Grease is the Word in 2007 and went on to make his West End debut as Danny. His other theatre credits include: Top Cat the Musical, Snow White, On Show at the Royal Albert Hall, Popcorn, Cinderella at Crawley and Corny Collins in the tour of Hairspray.

Carina Gillespie is already playing Sandy in the West End production of Grease. She made her professional stage debut as Maria Elena in the musical Buddy and other credits include Bloodbath - The Musical and Princess Tamara in Jack in the Beanstalk in Ipswich.

The cast will also include: Ricky Rojas (Kenickie), Kate Somerset How (Rizzo), Derek Andrews (Roger), Laura Wilson (Jan), Richard Vincent (Doody), Lauren Stroud (Frenchy), Josh Dever (Sonny), Lois Urwin (Marty), Darren John (Eugene), Sammy Kelly (Patty), Jason Capewell (Teen Angel / Vince Fontaine), Nancy Hill (Miss Lynch) and Sophie Zucchini as Cha Cha with other parts played by the ensemble

So You Think You Can Dance back on TV later this month

Series 2 of the hit dance show So You Think You Can Dance is back on BBC1 on 26th March, with live shows beginning on 16th April.

Cat Deeley returns to host the show which goes in search of the nation’s hottest dance talent, with a panel comprising Nigel Lythgoe as head judge along with West End choreographer Arlene Phillips, dancer/choreographer Sisco Gomez and Louise Redknapp. The winner receives prize money of £50,000 as well as an invitation to dance in Hollywood on the US version of the show. Last year’s winner Charlie Bruce is currently appearing in Dirty Dancing which stars Ray Quinn in London’s West End.

The final 20 (10 guys and 10 girls) who make it through the auditions and choreography camp get to dance live on BBC1 every Saturday night. Each week they perform a new routine by world-renowned choreographers, with ballet dancers doing hip-hop routines and tap dancers tackling contemporary dance.

Sunday, March 13

Special Olivier Award for Stephen Sondheim presented by Cameron Mackintosh and Angela Lansbury

This special award is made by the Society of London Theatres.  It was preceded by an outstanding performance from Adrian Lester singing Being Alive from Company.

The award was presented by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Angela Lansbury  to Stephen Sondheim in the year of his 80th birthday for his outstanding contribution to British musical theatre. Cameron described it as a special award for a very special man.

Olivier Award for Best New Musical won by Legally Blonde

Nominees were Fela! Legally Blonde – The Musical, Love Never Dies and Love Story

The award was presented by Barry Manilow

The Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival won by Into the Woods

Nominees: Into The Woods at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Passion at the Donmar Warehouse and the Menier Chocolate Factory's revival of Sweet Charity at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Award presented by Dave Stewart and Caissie Levy from Ghost the Musical

The Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical won by David Thaxton

Nominees were: Alex Gaumond for Legally Blonde – The Musical, Ramin Karimloo for Love Never Dies,  David Thaxton for Passion, Sahr Ngaujah for Fela! and Michael Xavier for Love Story

Award presented by Amanda Holden who is soon to appear in Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane