Ghost the Musical to open on Broadway April 2012

As already mentioned Ghost the Musical which is currently playing at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End is due to open on Broadway next year.  It has now been announced that it is to play the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre where it will open on April 23rd 2012  (previewing from March). The London production is currently booking until October 13th next year.

No news on the casting yet,  but I wouldn’t be surprised if the London leads Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy make the journey across the pond to open the show. 

Ghost The Musical will be produced on Broadway by Colin Ingram Productions Limited and Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Adam Silberman, Land Line Productions, Donovan Mannato, Michael Edwards & Carole Winter in association with Paramount Pictures Corporation and ATG/Robert G. Bartner.

Trevor Nunn to Direct Kiss Me Kate

According to Baz Bamigboye in today’s Mail,  Trevor Nunn will direct a new production of Kiss Me Kate at the Chichester Festival Theatre next year.

Depending on the reviews, it  is then planned to transfer into the West End.

Sweeney Todd still waiting for Sondheim

Now set in London during the 1940’s Blitz the Chichester revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd offers award winning performances by Imelda Staunton as pie shop owner Mrs Lovett and Michael Ball as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 

In my opinion Ball gives the performance of his career being virtually unrecognisable with his trademark curls   severely slicked back and a newly grown goatee beard. 

This Sweeney Todd is still in previews with Stephen Sondheim suffering from a bad back and not able to get to the show for another 10 days or so.  His view (and the critics) will decide whether it transfers to the West End next spring.  In my view it will be a great travesty if West End theatregoers are not given the chance to see it.

Million Dollar Quartet Live London Cast Recording

The London cast of  Million Dollar Quartet have released their live album today which also happens to be Jerry Lee Lewis' 76th birthday.

The official cast album was recorded live at the Noël Coward Theatre and has tracks including Blue Suede Shoes, Folsom Prison Blues, Fever, Down By The Riverside, Sixteen Tons, I Walk The Line, Let's Have a Party, I Hear You Knocking, Great Balls Of Fire, Hound Dog and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.

Buy Million Dollar Quartet from Amazon for £8.99

Ramin Karimloo to star in Houdini Musical

UPDATE:  Tuesday 1st November 2011

Ramin Karimloo is currently on a concert tour entitled A Night With the Phantom and then takes over from Alfie Boe in Les Miserables at the end of the month playing Jean Valjean for a limited  three month runat the Queen's Theatre.

In an interview with the Winnipeg Free Press he told the Canadian newspaper that there's a possibility he'll be producing and starring in Houdini the Musical in London at the end of next year.

It is a new musical which has a book is by Hadley Fraser who is in a band called the Sheytoons with Karimloo and who is currently performing as Javert in Les Mis. The show is being produced by Tristan Baker, is created and conceived by Jamie Allan with music by Simon Wheeler. It is currently looking for a West End theatre for next autumn.

We Will Rock You Cast Changes

Lauren Samuels, Alasdair Harvey and Wayne Robinson will join the cast of Queen's We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre from 10th October playing the roles of Scaramouche, Khashoggi & Britney.


Remaining with the show will be former Coronation Street actor Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts) as Pop. Former X Factor contestant Brenda Edwards as Killer Queen with Alex Gaumond as Galileo and Rachel John as Meat.

First five previews of RSC's Matilda cancelled

The first five previews of Roald Dahl's  Matilda the Musical have been cancelled. The first preview will now be on 25th October and the press night has been put back from 22nd November to 24th November.

According to a press release from the RSC:  “The structural work and extensive installation required for the show has taken longer than planned and it is with regret that the Company has had to take the decision to delay the cast’s move from the rehearsal rooms to the stage.”

André Ptaszynski who is the executive producer of Matilda, said: “Every musical theatre production of this scale goes through similar challenges during this pre-opening period, but Matilda has a cast made up of three different teams of young actors and four young actresses in the title role. This means that, unlike other shows, we cannot extend everyone’s working hours, take shortcuts and reduce the number of dress rehearsals to meet the date of the first preview. We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to people who had booked for these early performances and we are working hard to ensure that the re-booking or refunding process is as quick and as easy as possible.”

Theatregoers who have booked for the cancelled preview performances will be contacted directly by the RSC and its ticketing partners and alternative performance dates offered.

Matt Lucas & Jason Manford to duet with Alfie Boe on Bring Him Home Tour

Alfie Boe leaves Les Miserables on  26th November to go on his Bring Him Home Concert Tour which extends into February next year.

Two of the guests who will be duetting with  him are Matt Lucas (who appeared with him in Les Miserables playing Thenardier) when he is at Swindon on 18th January and comedian Jason Manford will appear at Blackpool Opera House on 17th December.

Alfie and Jason met each other earlier in the year on the ITV1 series Comedy Rocks when  Jason stepped in for Matt Lucas who was scheduled to duet with Alfie but fell ill at the last minute. Jason  also sang on Born To Shine which he subsequently won.

Chambers & Strallen'sTop Hat Heading for Aldwych

The Irving Berlin musical Top Hat which is currently on tour with Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen starring in the roles made famous by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers looks set to move into The Aldwych Theatre in April 2012 for a 12 week season.

I loved the show which has received excellent reviews and is due to end at the Leeds Grand on 10th December.  Watch this space for more news ...

Alfie Boe Autobiography

Alfie Boe is appearing as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London’s West End until 26th November. He also has a new album out entitled “Alfie” on 31st October.

His Bring Him Home Concert Tour starts on 6th December and continues until the start of February, and just in case that wasn’t enough to keep him busy he is also writing his autobiography “Alfie” which is scheduled for publication in Autumn 2012.

Simon and Schuster have acquired world rights to his story which will offer an intimate account of Alfie’s childhood as the youngest of nine children in the north of England, being talent-spotted while working as a car mechanic, playing Broadway and launching a career in musical theatre playing Jean Valjean.

Alfie Boe said “My book will give an insight into how it all began from childhood days in Lancashire to my time in London, trying to make my way as a singer. It will talk of the people who inspired me and maybe touch a little bit on the harder times of my life. There’ll be a lot of laughter and also some gritty tales of which all have added to the wrinkles or laughter lines around my eyes”.

Adam Garcia, Kerry Ellis & Ashleigh Grey at Wicked! 5th Birthday Performance

Last night (27th September) was the 5th birthday of Wicked! the musical at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London.

Wicked! has become one of the West End's most popular and successful musicals of all time breaking box office records and winning a number of awards since its West End premiere in 2006.  It is now one of the 10 longest running musicals currently playing in the West End and one of the 20 longest running West End musicals of all time.

At the curtain call light night the current principals introduced some of their predecessors which included Nessarose represented by Cassie Compton, Caroline Keiff and Katie Rowley Jones: Dr Dillamond/David Stoller: Madame Morrible/Harriet Thorpe: Boq/ Jeremy Legat/George Ure & James Gillan: the Wizard/Nigel Planer/Sam Kelly and Desmond Barrit: Glinda/Dianne Pilkington & Sarah Earnshaw: Elphaba/Cassidy Janson, Ashleigh Grey and Kerry Ellis and Adam Garcia for Fiyero

Cast for Spamalot Tour at Brighton

The tour of Monty Python's Spamalot starts again at the end of this year kicking off at the Theatre Royal Brighton from 5th December-14th January 2012.  When it opens here Marcus Brigstocke, Jodie Prenger and Todd Carty will all reprise their roles of King Arthur, Lady of the Lake and Patsy.

The tour then goes on to Liverpool, Oxford, Grimsby, Woking, Torquay, York, Stoke, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Richmond, Aylesbury, Sunderland, Bristol, Bromley, Manchester and Cornwall where it currently is due to end on 19th May.  Casting for the remainder of the tour is still to be confirmed.

Des O'Connor on Dreamboats & Petticoats

He was joking on This Morning that he might be nominated as "Most Promising Newcomer" when he makes his debut West End appearance in a musical next Monday 3rd October in Dreamboats & Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre.

Veteran performer Des O'Connor is in amazing shape and is doing all 8 shows a week until 7th January next year. The writers of the musical are Maurice Gran & Laurence Marks (Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds of a Feather, The New Statesmen and Shine On Harvey Moon) and the part Des is playing has been slightly changed to bring in more humour between him and his son (played by Scott Bruton).

Always up for a challenge, Des said he has already tried out the Everly Brothers and Cliff Richard songs he will be singing at one of his concerts and they were very well received.  Remembered as being the singer that Morecambe & Wise always crticised, Des can really sing having recorded thirty-six albums with four top-ten singles, including a number one hit with I Pretend.

Rhinestone Mondays Cancels 2012 Tour Dates

 The Country & Western compilation musical comedy Rhinestone Mondays is currently on a national tour to Southampton, Cardiff, Belfast, Newcastle, Dartford, Coventry, Dundee, Dublin and Wimbledon where it now ends instead of extending into 2012.  The February date at the Manchester Opera House has been pulled.

It stars former Steps members Faye Tozer and Ian 'H' Watkins alongside Shaun Williamson (Barry from EastEnders and Extras) and Lyn Paul (New Seekers and Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers).

Latest on Spice Girls’ Musical Viva Forever

Producer Judy Craymer has revealed that the storyline for the Spice Girls’ musical focuses on wanting to be famous, adoption and the perils of reality shows like X Factor.

Viva Forever is due to open in the West End next year and has been written by Jennifer Saunders. It will feature two generations of women and a set of reality show judges.  The story isn’t biographical but it will make reference to Geri Halliwell leaving the band.

Craymer says: “The Spice Girls managed to make it before the world was obsessed with reality TV so it’s set in the modern day, which is dominated by people wanting to be famous. It centres on whether they would have made it in the generation of reality TV as they were all individuals and each had their own strong personality. The answer is that you should just be yourself. It will be about the themes that made them famous, like having a sense of self and friendship. It will show one of them leaving and what happens to that dynamic.”

The show features 18 Spice Girls songs with Judy adding: “There will be cynics but it’s exciting to target a whole new generation. Everyone’s got a bit of Spice in them and can identify with one of them.”

Elaine Paige's Follies extends on Broadway

 Performances first began on Sunday, August 7th for James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's Follies directed by Eric Schaeffer, and it is now set to extend for another three weeks until 22nd January 2012.

With a 28-piece orchestra, Follies has a cast of 41 and stars  Bernadette Peters as Sally Durant Plummer, Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone,Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer,  Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion.

Latest Casting on Phantom 25th Anniversary Concerts

 Further casting has just been announced for the 25th Anniversary Concerts of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera which can be seen at the Royal Albert Hall on 1st and 2nd October.

As previously report Hadley Fraser (Javert in the West End production of Les Miserables) will play Raoul:  American operatic soprano Kiera Duffy plays Carlotta: Royal Ballet Principal Sergei Polunin plays the Slave Master and Daisy Maywood (most recently seen covering Eponine in Les Miserables) plays Meg Giry.

The cast above joins already announced principals including Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine, Barry James as Monsieur Firmin, Gareth Snook as Monsieur André, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry and Wynne Evans as Piangi.

Plus Don Atillo - Stephen John Davis/Soldier/fireman - Simon Bailey/ girl in sitzprobe/Katy Treharne - role in Hannibal/Celia Graham plus Sofia Escobar, Richard Tyler, Tabitha Webb and Robyn North.

Million Dollar Quartet on Friday Night is Music Night tonight

Updated 25th October:  This concert is being broadcast again on BBC Radio 2 on Friday 26th October at 8:00 pm

Million Dollar Quartet is currently playing at the Noel Coward Theatre in London’s West End. It tells the story of the night in 1956 when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis came together at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions in music history.

You can hear them on BBC Radio 2 tonight at 20:00 on Friday Night is Music Night when they perform live on stage at London's Mermaid Theatre with Keith Lockhart conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Sierra Boggess interview on Radio 2 tonight

Star of the Phantom of the Opera’s25th Anniversary Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall next month, Sierra Boggess is being interviewed tonight at 11:00 pm on the BBC Radio 2 Arts Show.

Sierra most recently played Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre and has just returned from New York starring on Broadway in the play Master Class with Tyne Daly.

Lip-synching on LesMis Movie?

Hugh Jackman is about to launch his one man show on Broadway and also wants to do two or three Sunday night shows while he’s in London in March filming Les Miserables playing Jean Valjean. Details to follow soon.

Rehearsals start for the film in January and February and the director Tom Hooper is keeping his options open about whether the cast will  pre-record the songs. According to Hugh Jackman “There’s the option of recording live or lip-synching and I’ve been down the lip-synching route with the video of Oklahoma! I think singing live might work better with this, but Tom won’t make a decision just yet.”

Other casting to date includes Russell Crowe as Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine and Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thenardier if she decides to do it. Seems the rumours about Emma Watson playing Cosette are incorrect. Hooper is currently looking for 17 and 18-year-olds to play the student revolutionaries rather than actors in their 20’s.

Jackman is planning to spend four or five days in London next month to start work with Hooper on the Valjean character.

Avoid the Showers Singin’ In The Rain

The water used during the scene when Adam Cooper (who plays the lead Don Lockwood) gets soaked splashing around and jumping in and out of  puddles while performing the classic number Singin’ in the Rain will be cleaned, filtered and re-used at the Palace Theatre when the show opens there in February.

A 12,000-litre tank is being installed in the West End Theatre with 500 litres of water a minute pouring over Cooper when he performs the number which Gene Kelly famously created in the movie.

And think again if you want to sit in the first couple of rows as when the show ran at Chichester earlier this year quite a few members of the audience got wet. Cooper wore a special suit made of material that dries quickly, but enjoyed getting wet saying: "It’s quite a relief, because there are two strenuous dance set pieces immediately before the Singin’ In The Rain number, so the water washes away the sweat.”

Cooper is ballet trained, becoming a principal dancer with Matthew Bourne before going on to musicals. Later this year he will co-star with Aled Jones in a touring production of White Christmas.

Booking opens for Singin' In the Rain on 26th September

Francesca Annis joins Daniel Evans in Sondheim’s Company

Actress Francesca Annis is performing the number Ladies Who Lunch playing the acid tongued, much-married Joanne in the Stephen Sondheim musical Company at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield from November 29th to 7th January 2012.

Stephen Sondheim’s musical is about Bobby who is a lonely, single man in New York in the early 70’s. A commitment-phobic bachelor he is about to hit 35 and his friends think it's time he settled down.

He will be played by the sublime Daniel Evans, artistic director of Sheffield Theatres, who will be joined by a company that includes Samantha Spiro, Lucy Montgomery, Ian Gelder, Anna-Jane Casey and Kelly Price. Other ensemble members include David Birrell, Rosalie Craig, Steven Cree, Claire Price, Alistair Robins and Samantha Seager.

It is the show’s first major revival since it was directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse in 1996 starring Adrian Lester and Sheila Gish. The Sheffield production will be directed by Jonathan Munby and designed by Christopher Oram.

Ms Annis has not performed a singing role for more than thirty years and has been having singing lessons to get her voice in shape. She trained as a dancer which will come in handy because Company will feature a couple of set pieces choreographed by Lynne Page.

Alfie Boe’s new album due for release on 31st October

He is appearing as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the moment and then embarks on a Bring Him Home Concert Tour which starts on 6th December, but Alfie Boe is also releasing a new album called Alfie on 31st October 2011.  It is named after his unborn son who is due to come into the world in January .  You can pre-order Alfie from Amazon at a cost of £7.99

On this CD Alfie presents a collection of some classic and timeless songs including When I Fall In Love, Maria and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face plus duets with Robert Plant and Michael Ball.

The full track listing for Alfie is:

1. Being Alive
2. Maria
3. When I Fall In Love
4. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
5. When You Wish Upon a Star
6. Music of the Night
7. Someone to Watch Over Me
8. Song to the Siren (with Robert Plant)
9. In My Daughter’s Eyes
10. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (with Michael Ball)
11. Wheels of a Dream
12. It Was a Very Good Year
13. Who Am I
14. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Pippin at Menier Chocolate Factory over Christmas

The Menier Chocolate Factory is presenting the Stephen Schwartz and Roger O Hirson musical Pippin over the Christmas period from 22nd November to 25th February 2012. Press night is on 7th December.

Schwartz's credits include Wicked! which is currently running at the Apollo Victoria, Godspell (which is about to be revived on Broadway), The Baker's Wife, Rags, Working and Children of Eden.

Bob Fosse directed the original 1972 Broadway production and also contributed to the libretto. Pippin will be directed and choregraphed at the Menier by Mitch Sebastian.

Pippin uses the premise of a mysterious acting troupe (via its leading player) to tell the story of Pippin who is a young prince and heir to the throne of Charlemagne as he searches for beauty, glory and fame.  On his journey he has to come to grips with lust, sex, war, politics and religion.

Numbers include Corner of the Sky, Welcome Home, No Time at All,With You, Spread a Little Sunshine and Morning Glow. 

Book tickets for Pippin

Gary Barlow & Lee Mead in Children in Need Show at Savoy Theatre

Artists including Gary Barlow,  Joss Stone, Lee Mead, Katie Melua and Engelbert Humperdinck are all appearing on a Children in Need Special on Sir Terry Wogan’s Radio 2 Show at the Savoy Theatre on Sunday 30th October. 

Tickets are priced at £25, £50 with a special VIP £250 ticket which includes a champagne reception and banquet lunch in the refurbished Ballroom of the Savoy Hotel. Attended by Sir Terry and many other celebrity guests, the lunch will also include a charity auction hosted by Christopher Biggins.

Doors open 10.00, show 11.00 – 13.00.  Buy tickets for Weekend Wogan’s Children in Need Show

Simon Cowell X Factor Musical

Apparently Simon Cowell  has been in contact with award-winning TV comedian Harry Hill and top music producer Steve Brown to put together a humorous script for a musical version of the X Factor.

A source close to the meetings said: “Simon is excited by the idea of taking The X Factor brand on to the London stage. He is looking at great new songs and some laughter. It would be a perfect night out for X Factor fans and former stars of the show could be involved in it. Steve Brown is already coming up with ideas for music."

Brown is helping last year’s X Factor runner-up Rebecca Ferguson on her debut album. He produced Rumer's platinum-selling album Seasons of My Soul and composed  many of the songs for 1980s satire Spitting Image as well as comedy numbers for TV duo Ant and Dec. His 1999 musical Spend, Spend, Spend was staged at the West End's Piccadilly Theatre starring Barbara Dickson.

Harry Hill has been approached to sharpen up the script and guarantee laughs

Louise Dearman in Up Close Concerts

She is appearing as the good witch Glinda in Wicked! the Musical until 10th December, but you can also see Louise Dearman in concert at the Alley Cat Bar in Denmark Street on October 30th, November 13th & 27th.

Louise is recording her second album in October so her Up Close Concerts are the perfect platform to showcase some of her new material.

Doors 7:00 pm  Tickets £15 Tickets for Louise Dearman

Simon Thomas & Siobhan Dillon in Ex at Soho Theatre

Legally Blonde stars Simon Thomas and Siobhan Dillon are appearing opposite Amy Booth-Steel and Gerard Carey in a new musical  Ex - A Play With Songs at the Soho Theatre from 10th November until 3rd December.

It tells the story of the twisted love lives of the gawkily attractive Ruby (Booth-Steel) and cocky Jack (Carey). When they were together he walked all over her but now she has a new lover with whom she is about to emigrate (Thomas) and is full of confidence. Will her feelings for Jack return when she decides to meet him one last time and will Jack abandon his new lover Claire (Dillon)?

Booth-Steel’s credits include Sister Act and the Bristol Old Vic production of Swallows And Amazons, while Dillon (currently Vivienne in Legally Blonde at the Savoy) has appeared in Grease and the UK tour of Cabaret.

Before joining Legally Blonde The Musical  as Warner Huntingdon III Simon Thomas appeared in Into The Woods at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Marguerite at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Careys’s West End credits include The Invisible Man at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Mary Poppins and Spamalot.

Buy tickets for Ex at the Soho Theatre

Helena Blackman & Ben Stock in Noel & Gertie

The Cockpit Theatre in Marylebone are presenting Noel & Gertie starring Helena Blackman and Ben Stock  from 27th September-22nd October.

Noël & Gertie is Sheridan Morley’s play that originally ran in the West End for nine years about the professional and personal relationship between Noël Coward and Gertrude Lawrence,

This witty and moving show is crafted from diaries and letters between Coward and his stage partner Lawrence.  Although they only appeared in two productions together: Private Lives and Tonight at 8.30, Noël Coward and Gertrude Lawrence epitomised an era of style and elegance. The songs, sketches and snippets of scenes accurately portray this remarkable duo and the era they helped to define.

Helena Blackman played Nellie Forbush in a tour of South Pacific, starred as Helen Fogel in the West End premiere of Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night at the Jermyn Street Theatre and was a runner up in the TV contest How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

Ben Stock’s West End roles include Eugene in Grease, Over My Shoulder - The Jessie Matthews Story and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! On tour he played Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty & The Beast.

Thom Southerland  recently directed the acclaimed revival of Parade at Southwark Playhouse,  Juliet at the Finborough,  the European premiere of I Sing!, Divorce Me, Darling!, Annie Get Your Gun, The Pajama Game and sold-out all-male adaptations of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore and The Mikado (all at the Union Theatre).

Danielle Tarento recently produced Parade and Company at Southwark Playhouse. She is co-founder of the Menier Chocolate Factory and co-produced all in-house shows 2004- 2006, including Sunday In The Park With George, which received a West End transfer and 5 Olivier awards.

Buy tickets for Noel & Gertie

Latest on The Bodyguard musical

For the stage version The Bodyguard Alex Dinelarius has written a new book that isn’t a word-for-word copy of the film which starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Also new numbers including I Wanna Dance With Somebody will be used in the show.

Thea Sharrock is directing The Bodyguard and Heather Headley (pictured) is playing the lead.  She is a Broadway actress with an amazing voice who was cast as Nala in the Broadway production of The Lion King and was so impressive that Disney asked her to play the Nubian princess in the Elton John/Tim Rice musical Aida. It earned her a Tony Award in 1998. She will have to belt our more than 10 numbers in the Bodyguard.

Ms Sharrock staged a reading a few weeks ago in New York and a further workshop will be held in London in late January with the plan for The Bodyguard to open in London next autumn with the Adelphi Theatre currently the likely venue.

Singin' in the Rain to transfer to Palace Theatre

The fabulous Chichester Festival Theatre production of Singin' in the Rain is to transfer into the Palace Theatre in London's West End after Priscilla Queen of the Desert closes.

Booking opens for Singin' in the Rain on 26th September. The show previews from 4th February and opens on 15th February 2012.

The full West End cast is Michael Brandon, Adam Cooper, Daniel Crossley, Brendan Cull, Flora Dawson, Sandra Dickinson, Jaye Juliette Elster, Peter Forbes, Gemma Fuller, Francis Haugen, Katherine Kingsley, David Lucas, Scott Mobley, Ebony Molina, Gillian Parkhouse, Sherrie Pennington, Lisa Ritchie, Scarlett Strallen, and Nancy Wei George.

Gina Beck and Matt Willis to replace Louise Dearman & Mark Evans in Wicked!

Wicked! the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre is having some cast changes at the end of the year with Louise Dearman (Glinda), Mark Evans (Fiyero), Clive Carter (The Wizard), Julian Forsyth (Dr Dillamond), Zoe Rainey (Nessarose) and Ben Stott (Boq) all playing  their final performances on Saturday 10th December 2011.

It has just been announced that with effect from 12th December Gina Beck will be taking on the role of Glinda, ex-Busted member Matt Willis will play Fiyero, Lillie Flynn is Nessarose, Christopher Howell is Doctor Dillamond and Adam Pettigrew is Boq. Desmond Barrit returns to the role of The Wizard which he played in 2008.

Rachel Tucker will continue in her role as Elphaba into 2012. Julie Legrand (Madame Morrible), Nikki Davis-Jones (Standby Elphaba) and Chloe Taylor (Standby Glinda) are also all staying with the show.

Beck can currently be seen in The Belle’s Stratagem at Southwark Playhouse which runs until 1st October 2011.

Matt Willis was a member of the BRIT Award-winning band Busted and subsequently appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! He made his West End debut in Flashdance and recently appeared in the UK tour of Footloose.

Nick Jonas taking over from Daniel Radcliffe in How To Succeed in Business …

Nick Jonas is to take over the role of J Pierrepont Finch from Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe from 24th January in the 50th Anniversary production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. The score includes “I Believe in You,” “Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm,” “The Company Way,” “Been a Long Day,” “Rosemary,” and “Brotherhood of Man.”

Nick Jonas is a member of the Jonas Brothers who first gained popularity through the Disney channel movies "Camp Rock" and its sequel, "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam."

Jonas first appeared on Broadway at the age of eight in A Christmas Carol, followed by roles in the Broadway productions of Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast and Annie Get Your Gun.  In 2010 he played Marius in London's West End production of Les Miserables and at the 25th Anniversary Concert at The O2 Arena. Most recently he has played Link Larkin in the Hollywood Bowl's production of the musical Hairspray.

Daniel Radcliffe will play his final performance in the musical on 1st January when Darren Criss (Glee) will then make his Broadway debut in the role from 3rd – 22nd January.

Spider Man Musical Extends Booking Period

The ill fated Broadway musical Spider Man, Turn Off the Dark has extended its booking period to 29th April 2012. The musical opened at the Foxwoods Theatre on 14th Jun 2011 following previews from 28th November 2010. The show previewed for an unprecedented seven months as the original creative team struggled to pull the production together,

It features music and lyrics by 22-time Grammy Award-winners Bono and The Edge of U2, and a book by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger. It stars Reeve Carney as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Jennifer Damiano as Mary Jane Watson and Patrick Page as Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin.

The principal cast also includes T.V. Carpio (Arachne), Michael Mulheren (J. Jonah Jameson), Ken Marks (Uncle Ben), Isabel Keating (Aunt May), Laura Beth Wells (Emily Osborn), Matt Caplan (Flash), Dwayne Clark (Boyle/Busker) and Luther Creek (Kong).

Hadley Fraser to play Raoul in Phantom 25th Anniversary Concert

He is currently playing Javert in Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre, and now according to the Amazon track listing for the DVD,  Hadley Fraser is due to play Raoul in the Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Concerts at the beginning of next month.

Fraser  made his West End debut as Marius and played Grantaire in the 25th Anniversary concert of Les Misérables at the 02 Arena last October. He is currently writing music in a band called "Sheytoons" which he has formed with Ramin Karimloo.

Other casting for the POTO concerts incudes:  Phantom - Ramin Karimoo/Christine - Sierra Boggess/Raoul - Hadley Fraser/Madame Giry - Liz Robertson/Monsieur Firmin - Barry James/Monsieur André - Gareth Snook/Piangi - Wynne Evans and  Kiera Duffy as Carlotta.

Don Atillo - Stephen John Davis/Soldier/fireman - Simon Bailey/ girl in sitzprobe/Katy Treharne - role in Hannibal/Celia Graham plus Sofia Escobar, Richard Tyler, Tabitha Webb and Robyn North.

Full cast list to follow shortly.

New After Show with David Bedella

David Bedella is currently starring in the new Sondheim musical Roadshow at the Menier Chocolate Factory which closes on Saturday.

After Show with David Bedella is a new monthly party that brings celebrity guests and showbiz chat to the Alley Cat Bar in Soho’s Denmark Street.  It happens every second Thursday of the month starting on October 13th and then on 10th November and 8th December 2011.

After Show doors open at 10:00 pm with late night out brought to life by an informal live chat show with TV, film and stage performers talking and performing with David and his jazz trio.  This is rounded off with an open mic session which hopefully will create some impromptu musical magic.

Ramon Tikaram & Josefina Gabrielle star in tour of The King And I

Paul Kerryson’s spectacular revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King And I musical which played at the Leicester Curve Theatre last Christmas is about to go on tour.

It tells the heart-warming story of the British governess brought to the court of Siam to teach the King’s many children. It has one of the most beautiful scores with classics including The March of the Siamese Children, Shall We Dance, I Whistle A Happy Tune, Hello Young Lovers and Getting To Know You.

The King and I stars Ramon Tikaram as The King of Siam. His West End credits include Bombay Dreams, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar and TV's This Life and Josefina Gabrielle as Anna (The Witches of Eastwick, Sweet Charity and the lead in Oklahoma! at the National Theatre.)

Ragtime the Musical at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

The Open Air Theatre at Regent's Park has announced its 2012 Season which includes the musical Ragtime which is being played in repertoire with A Midsummer Night's Dream from 18th May-8th September 2012.

The 1996 Broadway production of Ragtime the Musical won four Tony Awards including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. It had its West-End premiere in 2003 when Maria Friedman was named Best Actress in the Olivier Awards.

Ragtime takes place at the turn of the twentieth century in New York. An era is exploding. A century is spinning. And the people are moving in rhythm and rhyme to the music of Ragtime.

It tells the story of three groups in America: Coalhouse Walker Jr (a Harlem musician): a mother and her family in New Rochelle and Tateh, a Jewish immigrant who has come to America with his daughter seeking a new life. It features many historical figures, including Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, J P Morgan and Henry Ford.

Both shows are directed by Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel, designed by Jon Bausor, costumes by Laura Hopkins.

Ragtime Book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Based on the novel by E L Doctorow.

Priority Booking for Members opens 10:00 am 25th October 2011
Public Bookings open at 10:00 am 29th November 2011

Dexter star Michael C Hall to star in new Big Fish Musical?

Dexter star Michael C Hall is in the running to play the lead in a Broadway adaptation of the Tim Burton movie Big Fish.

Hugh Jackman was the original choice but his filming commitments (including Les Miserables) prevented a deal being struck.

In 1999 director Sam Mendes cast Hall as the flamboyant Emcee in the revival of Cabaret which was his first Broadway role. In 2003 he toured as Billy Flynn in the musical Chicago and in 2005 played off Broadway in the premiere of Noah Haidle's Mr Marmalade (an emotionally disturbed little girl's imaginary friend.)

If a deal can be reached Hall will play Edward Bloom, the man who filled his son's head with so many unbelievable adventures that occurred during the course of his life. In the movie Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney played the role.

John August wrote the film's screenplay based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and has also written a book for the musical. Andrew Lippa wrote the music, Susan Stroman will direct and Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks are producing.

Casting wide open for Spice Girls Musical

Viva Forever is the new Spice Girls Musical  which is being produced by Judy Craymer (of Mamma Mia! fame) and directed by the illustrious Marianne Elliott with the book by Jennifer Saunders (of French & Saunders fame).

It is due to open in the West End at the end of 2012 and when asked about casting the various Spices Craymer said: For all that you have heard about which famous faces are up for the show, we are keen to cast unknown actors because the production will be strong enough in its own right. I have created a story around the music, so no one is playing the individual Spices. It's a modern-day fable that looks at fame, celebrity and friendship.

With such a strong creative team in place I suspect they are going to be inundated with wannabees when auditions start next year,

Andrew Lloyd Webber flying to Melbourne for filming of Love Never Dies

Andrew Lloyd Webber is due to fly to Melbourne tomorrow for the filming of Love Never Dies later this week. This  will be be his second visit to Australia this year after flying from London in May for the premiere of The Phantom of the Opera sequel.

This is the first time an Australian production has been filmed for international DVD release with six cameras and 30 crew from Universal Pictures International Entertainment recording the show at the Regent Theatre on Wednesday with Lloyd Webber also in attendance.


The DVD  of Never Dies is expected to be released before Christmas - date still to be announced.

More tickets released for Phantom 25th Anniversary Concert at Royal Albert Hall

At 10:00 am on Monday 12th September a  limited number of Phantom 25th Anniversary tickets will be released on a first come first served basis. Click on the link to book online.

A limited number of tickets will be available in the Grand Tier and Loggia boxes for Saturday 1st October at 7.30pm and Sunday 2nd  October at 7pm at £250 each.

There will also be a limited number of stalls seats available at £180 each for both the Saturday evening and Sunday matinee performances.

In addition there will be a limited number of gallery tickets released but they are standing room only and will be available at £25 each.

A small amount of single tickets will also be released in second tier boxes at £120 each for all performances but they can only be purchased in person at the Box Office or by calling 0845 401 5031

Eddie Redmayne cast as Marius in Les Mis Movie

UPDATE 2nd November 2011: It has just been announced that Red star Eddie Redmayne is playing  Marius in the Les Miserables movie.  He joins Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert and Anne Hathaway as Fantine.

Redmayne won the 2010 Tony Award as best featured actor in a play for his performance in Red which he originated in 2009 at the Donmar Warehouse and won the Olivier Award for the performance that season. He made his professional stage debut for Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and won the award for Outstanding Newcomer at the 2004 Evening Standard Theatre Awards  for his performance in Edward Albee's The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? Additional stage credits include Now or Later by Christopher Shinn at the Royal Court Theatre.

His television credits include the BBC miniseries Tess Of The D'Urbervilles and the miniseries The Pillars of the Earth. Film credits include The Good Shepherd, Powder Blue, Savage Grace, The Other Boleyn Girl and Glorious 39. He also starred as Osmund in Christopher Smith's supernatural gothic chiller film Black Death, the 2008 Sundance hit The Yellow Handkerchief, and the upcoming My Week with Marilyn.
 
The Les Miserables movie is currently down for a US release date of December 7th 2012  (pending Jackman's Wolverine shooting schedule) and will begin filming early next March in the UK.

Michael Xavier & Earl Carpenter in RSC Musical 50 Years

On Sunday 25th September the Royal Shakespeare Company celebrates 50 years of making musicals from Les Miserables to Roald Dahl's  Matilda which which starts  previews  at the Cambridge Theatre on  Tuesday  18th October.

In the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford upon Avon you can hear songs from Les Misérables, Matilda The Musical and some of the most loved, cherished and derided songs that have ever graced the RSC stage sung by guests including Michael Xavier, Earl Carpenter, Rosalie Craig, Ian Hughes, Annette McLaughlin and Des Barritt.

To book tickets which start at just £14 call the RSC Ticket Hotline on 0844 800 1110 or visit www.rsc.org.uk/buy-tickets

Helena Blackman: Sound of Rodgers & Hammerstein at Royal Albert Hall

Best known for her appearance on the BBC's How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria? Helena Blackman makes her Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall debut on Sunday 9th October at 7:00 pm when she will be performing songs from her debut album The Sound of Rodgers & Hammerstein alongside a wide selection of her personal musical theatre favourites.

Helena’s theatre credits include the UK tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific, the West End première of Stephen Sondheim’s Saturday Night plus Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and the title role in Gypsy.

She most recently completed a UK tour with classical singer Jonathan Ansell, and performed at West End Live in Trafalgar Square.

Book tickets for Helena Blackman here

Hairspray’s Leanne Jones in Concert at Chelsea Pheasantry

Following sold out performances at London's Delfont Room, and the Brockley Jack Theatre, the Oliver Award winning star of Hairspray Leanne Jones makes her Pheasantry debut with her acclaimed solo show Have You Met Miss Jones? This is an evening of songs that have shaped her career with some of her favourite material for one night only on Sunday 11th September at 8:00pm.

Leanne made her West End debut in the lead role of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, for which she won an Olivier Award.

Her other theatre credits include tick, tick... BOOM! at the Union Theatre, Hairspray in Dubai and the UK tour of the pole dancing play, The Naked Truth. Leanne can next be seen in the UK première of You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, opening at the Tabard Theatre in October and she is also appearing in panto in Beauty & The Beast at the Stevenage Gordon Craig theatre over Christmas.

Her West End concert credits include A Spoonful of Stiles & Drewe (Her Majesty's Theatre), Sing for Your Supper (Ronnie Scott’s), West End Exposed (The Pigalle Club), Notes Unleashed! The Music of Lance Horne (Vaudeville Theatre), Michael Bruce (Apollo) and Christmas in New York (Prince of Wales).

The Pheasantry is on the Kings Road in Chelsea and is fast becoming established as the new London home of contemporary cabaret and intimate concert performances.

Have You Met Miss Jones? is produced by Neil Eckersley & Paul Spicer for Speckulation Entertainment in association with Samuel Joseph.

Box Office: 0845 602 7017 or buy tickets online for Have You Met Miss Jones