Earl Carpenter has just finished playing the Phantom at Her Majesty’s Theatre and is due to join the new tour of The Phantom of Opera playing the lead role from 1st October 2012 to 16th February 2013.
Monday, April 30
Earl Carpenter returns to LesMis as Javert
Ramin in Concert Special Guests
West End star Ramin
Karimloo starts his Ramin in Concert tour tomorrow night at the Royal Festival
Hall where will be joined by
Tom Fletcher from McFly and Il Divo’s Sebastien
Izambard,
In Ramin in concert as he performs dazzling new songs from his debut album Ramin including some much loved West End favourites including Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera,'Til I Hear You Sing from Love Never Dies, Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific and Bring Him Home from Les Misérables.
Friday, April 27
Kerry Ellis at Soho Theatre
On Sunday July 8th you can see These Are a Few of My Favourite Songs with leading lady Kerry Ellis who is a musical theatre star both in the West End and on Broadway as well as a chart-topping recording artist and headlining concert and festival performer.
At the end of this yeat Kerry is due to appear in the arena tour of Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The New Generation - Alive on Stage
The evenings are being staged to benefit the Theatrical Guild, the only charity that looks after backstage and front-of-house personnel in need, with all proceeds going towards their invaluable work
Book tickets for Kerry Ellis at Soho Theatre
More Casting for The Bodyguard Musical
This is the role Kevin Costner played in the film and as previously announced Owen will be playing opposite the divine Heather Headley as Rachel Marron at the Adelphi with previews starting on 6th November and an opening night of 5th December.
He is probably best known for his film roles portraying of Indiana Jones's father in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles between 1992 and 1993 and for playing Paul Bowman-MacDonald in the BBC Scotland television series Monarch of the Glen from 2002 to 2005. He also played the role of solicitor William Heelis in the film Miss Potter.
His first love is theatre with his first break as Nick in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1996. Other highlights of his stage career include playing Dan in Closer, George in The York Realist and Peter in Paul. I cannot find any musical theatre credits, but apparently he is an accomplished baritone and can dance.
The show will be directed by Thea Sharrock and begin rehearsals in September. The show follows the film but there are some differences in the book with more of Houston’s songs added.
Book tickets for The Bodyguard
Thursday, April 26
Tony Christie, Lauren Samuels, Mazz Murray and Lucie Jones in Plug in the Lead Charity Concert
It is being hosted by music journalist Paul Gambaccini and headlined by Tony Christie with West End stars including Lauren Samuels (Grease, The Last Five Years, We Will Rock You), Mazz Murray (We Will Rock You, Rent, Smokey Joe’s Café, Boogie Nights), Lucie Jones (Les Miserables, The Prodigals), Lorna Want (Footloose, Evita, The Fantasticks, Dreamboats & Petticoats, High School Musical), Liam Doyle (High School Musical, Hairspray, Rock n Roll Heaven, Mamma Mia), Steph Fearon (Smokey Joe’s Café, The Wiz) and Jimmy Johnston (Oklahoma, Pirates of Penzance, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Cats).
It will be held at the Leicester Square Theatre at 7:30 pm on Sunday 17th June. All profits from the evening will go towards St Christopher’s Hospice, including money raised from an auction that will take place on the night.
More information and buy tickets for Plug in the Lead
Simon Bowman joins Jonathan Ansell on Bohemian Rhapsody Tour
Produced by David King the cast includes Jonathan Ansell who is joined by an amazing line up of West End names including Simon Bowman (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon); Sabrina Aloueche (Eponine in Les Misérables, Scaramouche in We Will Rock You); Erin Cornell ( Wicked), Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Gypsy, Flashdance, Grease), Andrew Derbyshire (We Will Rock You, Joseph); Duncan Heather (Jersey Boys; The Spirit Of Broadway, Twist and Shout); Lucinda Shaw (Priscilla,; Gypsy, It’s A Wonderful Life, We Will Rock You) and Rachael Wooding (Jersey Boys, Hairspray, We Will Rock You and Fame.)
The show is going on a short UK tour starting in June to Newcastle Theatre Royal 20th-23rd June: Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney 26th June-1st July and the Congress Theatre Eastbourne from 10th-14th July before heading off to the Monte Carlo Sporting Club between 6th-14th August
Too much singing for the LesMis movie cast!
Every big musical number is being recorded live which is a real challenge to the cast. Some of the principals (including Hugh Jackman) are musical theatre stars and used to using their voices in this way but it’s taken its toll on some of the cast members who are losing their voices.
A source said: “It has to be note-perfect or Tom won’t use it - he’s a real perfectionist”. As well as throat sweets, production assistants at Pinewood Studios in are making up ginger and lemon drinks to help soothe the vocal cords, which the cast are being encouraged to drink despite their taste.
Wednesday, April 25
Open Auditions for Beatles Let It Be Musical
Open auditions will be held at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on Tuesday 1st May and at the Gielgud Theatre in London on Tuesday 8th May.
The Cavern Club was home to many of The Beatles’ early performances and applicants must be talented musicians capable of performing Beatles hits as part of a live band. A physical resemblance is also desirable.
For auditions in Liverpool go to the Cavern Club (Mathew St, Liverpool L2) on Tuesday 1st May between 12:00 pm-1:30pm or 6:00pm-7.30pm to register and wait to be seen.
For London auditions go to the Gielgud Theatre (Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1) on Tuesday 8th May between 10:00am-11:00 am, 2:00pm-3:00pm or between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm to register and wait to be seen.
To register visit www.letitbelondon.com/casting
Ray Quinn & Tim Flavin in Aladdin at Poole
The tour ends on 1st December leaving little time for Ray to take the lead role in Aladdin at the Poole Lighthouse Theatre from 7th December-6th January 2013.
He will be joined by Don Maclean who will be making his 40th appearance in panto this year and has been named one of the country’s top 10 Dames by the Stage. The evil Abanazar will be played by West End star and Olivier Award winner Tim Flavin.
Book tickets for Ray Quinn in Aladdin
Louise Dearman New Album Here Comes The Sun
Her musical theatre credits include good witch Glinda in Wicked! Eva Peron in Evita, Guys and Dolls, Jekyll and Hyde, Cats, Grease, Joseph and Debbie Does Dallas. She has also recently been appearing with Lee Mead on his Love Concert Tour and it is her voice as Cara on the confused.com adverts
Stand out tracks on Here Comes the Sun includes a duet with Steve Balsamo on Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time ; Annie Lennox's ‘Little Bird’; Alanis Morissette's ‘Uninvited’ and Randy Crawford's ‘One Day I'll Fly Away’.
The full track listing is:
Here Comes The Sun (duet with Steve Balsamo) - Nina Simone (The Beatles)
Gravity - Sarah Bareilles
Squander - Skin/Skunk Anansie
Little Bird - Annie Lennox
Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
Kissing You - Desiree
This House - Alison Moyet
Uninvited - Alanis Morissette
One Day I'll Fly Away - Randy Crawford
See The Day - Dee C Lee
There's an album launch party May 13th at Bush Hall and Louise is doing a signing at Dress Circle’s Covent Garden Store at 12 noon on May 5th
You can pre-order a copy of Louise Dearman’s new album Here Comes The Sun here
Dave Willetts New Album
The album is released on 28th May and features 21 tracks (16 of which are previously unreleased) including duets with Petula Clark and Carol Woods.
The fabulous lead track We Love Who We Love is written by Simon May and lyricist Don Black who said "You could have called this CD 'Unmistakably Dave' because he has that rare quality of instant identity. You can do the same with Sinatra, Nat King Cole and a handful of other singers but it's a skimpy list. Dave has grown into one of the best musical theatre stars in the world. I've worked with him on 'Aspects of Love' and 'Sunset Boulevard' and his performances have always been nothing short of thrilling".
Other tracks include Once In A Lifetime (Stop The World I Want To Get Off): A Boy From Nowhere (Matador): Not While I'm Around (Sweeney Todd): It Had To Be You: Losing My Mind (Follies): Almost Like Being In Love (Brigadoon): This Is The Moment (Jekyll & Hyde): Feels Like Home (Randy Newman): Someone Like You: Smile and At The Same Time.
Dave Willetts has played leading roles in most of the major musicals including Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Ragtime, Someone Like You, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Sweeney Todd, Follies, Sunday in the Park With George, Let Us Fly, South Pacific, Sunset Boulevard, Aspects of Love and Legally Blonde.
He is about to embark of a tour of 42nd Street with Marti Webb starting in Oxford on 5th June.
Pre-order Dave Willetts Once In A Lifetime here
Tuesday, April 24
Michael Ball at Criterion Theatre
At 1.15pm on Friday 11th May at the Criterion Theatre there will be a Lunchtime With Michael Ball where you're welcome to bring your lunch and listen to a conversation which will last for 45 minutes and then have an opportunity to ask Michael your own question.
The platform will revolve initially around his current production of Sweeney Todd, before expanding to touch on other aspects of his career and life.
Click here for tickets for Lunchtime With Michael Ball
Hannah Waddingham, Julian Ovenden & Clive Rowe performing The Golden Age of Broadway
On 4th July at 7:30 pm at the Royal Festival Hall it is The Golden Age of Broadway with music and songs from Bernstein’s West Side Story, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific and Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate.
The show will be directed by Daniel Evans and presented by Siân Phillips. It will feature Bryn Terfel with West End stars Hannah Waddingham, Julian Ovenden, Clive Rowe and Emma Williams singing numbers including Some Enchanted Evening, A Wonderful Guy, If I Loved you, On The Street Where You Live, Blow, Gabriel, Blow, You’re The Top, You’ll Never Walk Alone , I Could Have Danced All Night , Brush Up Your Shakespeare, The Impossible Dream, This Nearly Was Mine and Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat.
They will be accompanied by the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera conducted by Gareth Valentine.
Buy tickets for The Golden Age of Broadway
Saturday, April 21
Kerry Ellis Can Sing!
She is sailing effortlessly through show tunes from My Fair Lady and Babes in Arms, some tricky Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand classics as well as duetting with Ansell and Karimloo to perfection. All demonstrating what a great and versatile voice she has.
Which raises the point that everyone can have an off day. In the much talked about audition that she gave for the new BBC hit show The Voice singing “Son of a Preacher Man” her voice was very pitchy and tinny in parts and really let her down. Nerves obviously got the better of her and then to add insult to injury none of the judges pressed their I Want You” button to swing their chair round.
I have always believed Kerry is destined for great things and although she missed this chance to become a pop star with a recording contract she has Queen’s Brian May as a great mentor and is constantly doing new things. Her next venture in musical theatre is appearing with Kaiser Chief's Ricky Wilson in the arena tour of Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The New Generation - Alive on Stage opening in Dublin at the end of November.
John Owen-Jones taking break after Phantom Tour
But he is obviously happy to suffer for his art saying “It's very exciting. It's a new production and the first time the Phantom has been re-done. This has a brand new set, new design, staging and new make-up. We started at the bottom with the script and worked up. I think it will be one of those tours that goes around the world, but I'm only doing it for six months”.
John who has played the part more than 1,500 times in London released his second album Unmasked earlier this week which is already a hit in the charts.
After ending his run in the Phantom Tour on 29th September John said he does not plan to play the phantom again. “It’s probably the last time I'll do it but you should never say never. I’ve already got plans for next year but I’m hoping to take the rest of this year off and do what I want to do because eight shows a week is exhausting”.
Julian Ovenden Concert next Friday on BBC Radio2
Ken Bruce hosts the evening on Friday 27th April at 8:00 pm which covers the music of Leonard Bernstein, William Tell, Andrew Lloyd Webber and John Williams.
Ovenden and Wright are performing songs from their new albums including When I Loved You and The Rose accompanied by the 70 piece BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Richard Balcombe.
Julian Ovenden’s new album If You Stay is due for release on 23rd April and can pre pre-ordered from Amazon for £8.99 by clicking on the link.
Friday, April 20
All American Matilda on Broadway
The children playing the Matilda will be American, but the character will remain British with the RSC flying dialect coaches to New York.
Unfortunately the intention is for the entire cast to be American which is a shame as award winning Bertie Carvel, who is superb as horrible headmistress Miss Trunchbull in London, deserves to play the role in New York. Hopefully as an Olivier-award winning actor he might be given special status by Actors’ Equity Association to perform on Broadway.
Thursday, April 19
Gareth Gates to star in new musical Loserville
Set in 1971 Loserville sees computer geek Michael Dork about to invent something revolutionary, but he has also discovered girls ...
Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders) plays super-geek and computer wiz kid Michael with Gareth Gates (Les Miserables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as Michael’s nemesis rich kid Eddie. Lil' Chris (Rock School) plays sci-fi obsessed Francis.
They are joined in the cast by Charlotte Harwood (Legally Blonde tour) as Eddie’s girlfriend, Eliza Hope Bennett (Inkheart) the beautiful and smart Holly and Richard Lowe plays Michael’s best friend Lucas.
Loserville is by musician and songwriter James Bourne who has written four number one hits and played to sold-out arenas across the UK as a member of pop-rock bands Busted and Son of Dork, and Elliott Davis whose musical Best Frends and Butterflies won the TicketMaster Composer Award and Best Musical for Young People. He co-wrote the music for Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi which won the TMA Award for Outstanding Musical and has also written documentaries for the BBC on music stars from the Bee Gees to Freddie Mercury.
Director Steven Dexter's credits include West End productions of La Cava, Romance! Romance!, Peter Pan and The Pirates of Penzance.
Tuesday, April 17
The Thing About Men Musical Comedy at Landor
With book and lyrics by Tony winner Joe DiPietro (Memphis) and music by Jimmy Roberts (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) The Thing About Men is to be staged at London's Landor Theatre in Clapham from May 15th for a four-week run to June 9th.
The show tells a story of love, hate and infidelity and is based on Doris Dorrie's German film "Mãnner. The Thing About Men is that they are "enigmatic, especially to women. Their innermost thoughts and desires tend not to be revealed, except occasionally, and only in desperation. They lie, they cheat, then lie some more when they are found out. Men lie to each other, the fools, so much - until they find themselves in ridiculous situations they can't get out of."
The show will be produced by the same producers of the award-winning Landor production of The Hired Man including director Andrew Keates, choreographer Cressida Carré and lighting designer Howard Hudson. They will be joined by musical director Joanna Cichonska and designer Martin Thomas.
Casting to be announced but includes Steven Webb and Lucyelle Cliffe.
To book tickets, contact the box office on 020 7737 7276, or visit www.landortheatre.co.uk for more details.
Memphis Musical to follow Sunshine Boys at the Savoy?
Memphis was the winner of 2009/2010 Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical. It is still playing on Broadway as well as touring the USA
It is set in the places where rock and roll was born in the 1950s: the seedy nightclubs, radio stations and recording studios of Tennessee. It tells fictional story of DJ Huey Calhoun (a local boy with a passion for R&B music) and Felicia Farrell (an up-and-coming black singer). Despite the objections of their loved ones they embark on a dangerous affair with the relationship challenged by personal ambition and pressures of an outside world unable to accept their love.
Marti Pellow Blood Brothers Tour Dates
He is due to reprise the role when he joins the tour of Blood Brothers in June playing at selected venues in Southampton, Milton Keynes, Darlington, Birmingham, Norwich, Aberdeen, Manchester, Glasgow and Tunbridge Wells. If you click on the link you can find out the dates and booking details.
Gareth Gates & Faye Brookes in Sleeping Beauty this Christmas
At the end of this year he starring opposite Toyah Willcox in the pantomime the Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury from 30th November to 20th January 2013.
Faye Brookes who is currently starring as Elle Woods in the UK tour of Legally Blonde will play Sleeping Beauty.
For more details and to book tickets visit www.marlowetheatre.com or call the Box Office on 01227 787787.
Monday, April 16
David Bedella and Robin Cousins joining Chicago the Musical
But first he is returning to the musical Chicago taking over from Terence Maynard playing Lawyer Billy Flynn at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End from 10th April until 12th May.
Robin Cousins takes the role from 17th July to 8th September.His musical theatre credits include Munkustrap in Cats, Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and Teen Angel in Grease. He has been head judge on ITV's Dancing on Ice for the past six years. At the same time as starring in Chicago he be mentoring the British Synchronised Swimming Team at this year's Olympics.
LesMis Anne Hathaway postpones wedding due to “Fantine Look”
Hathaway plays dying prostitute Fantine in the film which stars Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, and apparently she wants to wait for her curves to return and hair to grow back before tying the knot with her fiance Adam Schulman.
A source told the Daily Mail: "Anne's worried there won't be time to get back in shape and grow her hair for a summer wedding. She also has to promote her movie Batman. They are thinking about postponing until later this year or maybe 2013."
Sunday, April 15
Musical Theatre 2012 Olivier Award Winners
The nominations for the 2012 Olivier Awards have just
taken place at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden
hosted by Sweeney Todd’s Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton
Matilda the Musical swept the board winning most of the 10 categories it was nominated for. Listed below are the winners in the musical theatre
categories:
Olivier Audience Award : Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables and Wicked! are the four long-running shows that have made it on to the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award shortlist.
Olivier Audience Award : Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables and Wicked! are the four long-running shows that have made it on to the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award shortlist.
Winner: Les Miserables
Best Director: Directors Sean Foley (The Ladykillers), Nicholas Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors), Rufus Norris (London Road) and Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical).
Best Director: Directors Sean Foley (The Ladykillers), Nicholas Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors), Rufus Norris (London Road) and Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical).
Winner: Matthew Warchus - Matilda
Best Actress in a Musical: Kate Fleetwood (London Road), Sarah Lancashire (Betty Blue Eyes) Scarlett Strallen (Singin’ In The Rain) and the four Matildas.
Best Actress in a Musical: Kate Fleetwood (London Road), Sarah Lancashire (Betty Blue Eyes) Scarlett Strallen (Singin’ In The Rain) and the four Matildas.
Winner: The Matildas - Matilda the Musical
Best Actor in a Musical: Bertie Carvel (Matilda), Nigel Lindsay (Shrek The Musical), Reece Shearsmith (Betty Blue Eyes) and Paulo Szot (South Pacific).
Best Actor in a Musical: Bertie Carvel (Matilda), Nigel Lindsay (Shrek The Musical), Reece Shearsmith (Betty Blue Eyes) and Paulo Szot (South Pacific).
Winner: Bertie Carvel - Matilda
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Sharon D Clarke (Ghost The Musical), Sophie-Louise Dann (Lend Me A Tenor), Nigel Harman (Shrek) , Paul Kaye (Matilda) and Katherine Kingsley (Singin’ In The Rain)
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Sharon D Clarke (Ghost The Musical), Sophie-Louise Dann (Lend Me A Tenor), Nigel Harman (Shrek) , Paul Kaye (Matilda) and Katherine Kingsley (Singin’ In The Rain)
Winner: Nigel Harman - Shrek the Musical
Best Musical Revival: Crazy For You, Singin’ In The Rain, South Pacific and The Wizard Of Oz.
Best Musical Revival: Crazy For You, Singin’ In The Rain, South Pacific and The Wizard Of Oz.
Winner: Crazy For You
Best New Musical: Matilda, Betty Blue Eyes, London Road, Shrek
Winner: Matilda
Best Theatre Choreographer: Peter Darling (Matilda), Javier de Frutos (London Road), Stephen Mear (Crazy For You) and Andrew Wright (Singin’ In The Rain)
Best New Musical: Matilda, Betty Blue Eyes, London Road, Shrek
Winner: Matilda
Best Theatre Choreographer: Peter Darling (Matilda), Javier de Frutos (London Road), Stephen Mear (Crazy For You) and Andrew Wright (Singin’ In The Rain)
Winner: Peter Darling - Matilda
Best Set Design: Ghost/Rob Howell, The Ladykillers/Michael Taylor, Matilda/Rob Howell and One Man, Two Guvnors/Mark Thompson
Best Set Design: Ghost/Rob Howell, The Ladykillers/Michael Taylor, Matilda/Rob Howell and One Man, Two Guvnors/Mark Thompson
Winner: Matilda
Best Costume Design: Crazy For You/Peter McKintosh, Matilda/Rob Howell, Shrek/Tim Hatley and South Pacific/Catherine Zuber.
Best Costume Design: Crazy For You/Peter McKintosh, Matilda/Rob Howell, Shrek/Tim Hatley and South Pacific/Catherine Zuber.
Winner: Crazy For You
Best Sound Design; Ghost/Bobby Aitken, Frankenstein/Underworld and Ed Clarke, The Ladykillers/Ben and Max Ringham and Matilda/Simon Baker
Best Sound Design; Ghost/Bobby Aitken, Frankenstein/Underworld and Ed Clarke, The Ladykillers/Ben and Max Ringham and Matilda/Simon Baker
Neil Morrissey in Me and Mrs Jones new BBC sitcom
He is about to star in a new BBC sitcom Me and Mrs Jones with Sarah Alexander who plays a complex mum-of-three who is having to juggle love, affection, sex and motherhood between her ex-husband, one grown-up son, two young daughters and male admirers with a 20-year age gap.
Sarah Alexander plays the central Mrs Jones character with Nathaniel Parker as her on-off boyfriend and Neil Morrissey as her ex-husband. Robert Sheehan plays their grown-up son.
The six part series Me and Mrs Jones will begin on BBC One on May 21st.
Will Young playing Emcee in Cabaret
Young will be making his West End debut playing one of the most famous roles in musical theatre. According to the Mail Norris and Kenwright have been talking to Young for eight months about him doing the role. Kenwright said: "It’s one of those great, left-field casting ideas.It will change the trajectory of Will’s career. He’s not done the London stage before, but he has acted in film and television."
The only dates I have so far is the Southampton Mayflower 3rd-8th September: Nottingham Theatre Royal 10th-15th September: Norwich Theatre Royal 17th-22nd September and The Lowry in SalfordQuays from 24th-29th September prior to the West End opening on 3rd October.
Since its Broadway premiere in 1966 and the famous movie version with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, Cabaret has won 8 Oscars, 7 BAFTAs and 13 Tony Awards.
This Double Olivier Award Winner and Variety Club Awards "Best Musical", turns 1931 Berlin into a sizzling haven of decadence, and at its heart is the legendary Sally Bowles, who performs nightly at the infamous Kit Kat Klub.
Cabaret features show-stopping choreography and some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre including Money Makes The World Go Around, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time and Cabaret.
Further casting to be announced.
Maria Friedman - Sondheim & Me at Chickenshed
Maria will be celebrating the music of Stephen Sondheim, which she has performed on stages all over the world. She has appeared in a number of Sondheim musicals including Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Follies, Merrily We Roll Along, A Little Night Music, Passion and Anyone Can Whistle.
Maria also performs her own one-off concerts and will be directing a production of Merrily We Roll Along which opens this November at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Tickets for Maria Friedman –Sondheim & Me
Monkee Business Tour Pulled
Apparently the audiences in Manchester when it opened were as low as 150 at certain performances.
They have also cancelled a further tour that was to play cross the UK from August.
Thursday, April 12
Lee Mead in Panto at Southampton Mayflower
Julian Clary will play the Spirit of the Beans and he will be joined by the smooth-talking TV heart-throb Nigel Havers (currently appearing as Lewis Archer -Audrey Roberts’ love interest in Coronation Street) as Fleshcreep. Ventriloquist Paul Zerdin is making a special guest appearance as Simple Simon, with his cheeky companion Sam.
Jack and the Beanstalk will run from Saturday 22nd Dec 2012 - Saturday 19th January 2013 Tickets are on sale on Friday 20th April from The Mayflower Box Office tel: 02380 711811, online at mayflower.org.uk or in person from the Mayflower ticket south shop.
Ramin Karimloo performing at the Jubilee Family Festival in Hyde Park
For more details on the event visit www.sainsburys-live-well-for-less.co.uk
Tickets for Ramin Karimloo at Jubilee Family Festival
New Air Supply Musical Lost In Love
The cast also includes Justin Matthew Sargent (Rock of Ages, Bonnie & Clyde), Kristin Piacentile, Lynn Craig, Paul Jackel (The Secret Garden), Beau Allen (Best Little Whorehouse, Jesus Christ Superstar), Adinah Alexander (Kinky Boots, Wicked), William Blake (American Idol), Brian Golub (Naked Boys Singing), Georgia Haege and Jamie Epstein.
Lost in Love is the title of Air Supply’s fifth studio album and the score comes from their catalogue of the Grammy winning hits with band member Graham Russell writing four new songs for the show.
Russell has been working on the musical with book writer Melissa Bell, who is also collaborating with Tommy Tune on the new musical 54. Jonathan Ivie is musical director for the reading.
The musical Lost In Love is "set in England in the early 1900s and has a Downton Abbey feel. As royalty and emerging American wealth collide, a man and a woman must follow tradition or live for love."
McArdle will take on the role of Mrs. Rutledge (an aristocratic woman of a certain age who seems to know everything about everyone) and Maroulis (Rock of Ages, Jekyll & Hyde) will play Eduardo (a charming Italian prince, in title, but with little means of financial support).
Tuesday, April 10
Details of Olivier Awards this Sunday
The list of presenters includes Hayley Atwell, Douglas Booth, Zach Braff, Jim Carter, Tom Chambers, Tyne Daly, Jack Davenport, Agyness Deyn, JoNathan Edwards, Susannah Fielding, Vittorio Grigolo, Lenny Henry, Ronan Keating, Katherine Kelly, Harry Lloyd, James McAvoy, Natascha McElhone, Laurie Metcalf, Elaine Paige, Dan Stevens, Sir Patrick Stewart, David Suchet, Kara Tointon, Will Young, Zoe Wanamaker, Jodie Whittaker and Barbara Windsor plus a few surprises on the night.
There will be performances from all of the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award nominees: Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables and Wicked plus a couple of guest performances including Ronan Keating who will be singing a number from his album When Ronan Met Burt (Bacharach).
Dame Monica Mason, outgoing Director of the Royal Ballet, joins the previously announced award-winning lyricist Sir Tim Rice, marking their lifetime contribution to theatre and the arts
Magic 105.4 radio station has Magic Breakfast presenter Neil Fox hosting the Olivier Awards Covent Garden Piazza stage alongside with theatre star Louise Dearman from 16:00. From this area you can see a big screen relay of everything happening inside the Royal Opera House.
You can follow the live coverage from the BBC on television (Red Button), on BBC Radio 2 and online. Anneka Rice hosts red carpet interviews for the Red Button from 5.30 pm followed by show coverage from 6:00-9:00pm. The BBC Radio 2 coverage will be hosted by Ken Bruce, broadcasting live from the ceremony with special guests from 5.30-9.30pm.
The awards will also be streamed live via the Olivier Awards website www.olivierawards.com and BBC Radio 2 website www.bbc.co.uk/radio2
David Essex Rock Tour Dates
He also has a new best selling updated autobiography called Over The Moon which he has been promoting and done a number of interviews on various TV and radio shows..
And later this year he is going on the road again in his David Essex Rock Tour appearing at theatres all over the UK from October to December.
Phantom Tour extends to Birmingham in March 2013
Tickets go on sale as follows: Friends Priority: 8th May/Groups: 14th May/General (Online): 17th May and General (Phone & Counter): 21st May
Full Cast for Finding Neverland Peter Pan Musical starring Julian Ovenden
Finding Neverland will also include Oliver Boot as Blunt/Hook, Norman Bowman as P G Wodehouse, Clare Foster as Mary Barrie, Vince Leigh as Arthur Conan Doyle, Stuart Neal as Elliot, Liz Robertson as Mrs Emma Du Maurier and Matt Wilman as Edward Elgar.
Completing the cast are Michelle Rancis, Frankie Jenna, Julie Jupp, Gary Watson, Stephen Webb, Zoe Rainey, Harry Polden, Corey Wickendon, Connor Fitzgerald, Worrall Courtney, Edward Bracey, Connor Phillips, Garrett Tennant, Jamieson Hughes, Theo Fewell, Josh Swinney, Harrison Slater and Morgan Heath.
Rehearsals start in August and Finding Neverland runs at the Curve in Leicester from 21st September- 18th October.
Tony and Olivier Award winner Rob Ashford (Evita, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anna Christie) will direct and choreograph the musical. It has a book by Allan Knee with a score by Tony Award-nominated Grey Gardens and Far From Heaven writers Scott Frankel and Michael Korie.
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As blogged last July Julian Ovenden is to star in the musical Finding Neverland which is based on the real-life story that inspired J M Barrie to write Peter Pan.
It will open at the Curve Theatre in Leicester in September with a 4-5 week run, hopefully followed by a West End run next year.
Finding Neverland is based on a movie of the same name that starred Johnny Depp as Barrie and Kate Winslet as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, whose four sons befriended the author.
Julian Ovenden has already done two workshops on the musical and will portray Barrie with rehearsals starting on July 30th. The book is being re-worked and there are some enchanting numbers but there is a lot of work to be done …
Filler needed for the London Palladium?
It would seem that the current production of The Wizard Of Oz will not survive until the end of the year with Russell Grant only contracted until next month.
The Charlie And The Chocolate Factory musical is due to preview early in May 2013. So what next at the Palladium?
Sunday, April 8
Ramin Karimloo on Songs of Praise Tonight
Ramin has just finished playing Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in London's West End and his new album Ramin is due for release tomorrow (9th April).
He is also about to embark on a tour called Ramin in Concert which starts on 1st May at London's Royal Festival Hall and tours until 26th May.
Anne Hathaway's new cropped look for LesMis Movie
The American actress Anne Hathaway is playing the part of Fantine and it appears she is taking the role very seriously as she has been on a very strict diet to lose weight for her latter scenes when she becomes ill and dies, and has also been spotted this weekend sporting a new very short hairstyle.
The storyline goes that her character is a struggling factory worker who is forced to turn to prostitution to provide for her illegitimate child and ends up selling her hair for money so it is more than likely the new crop is for her art.
Saturday, April 7
Connie Fisher in BBC1 Casualty Tonight
Connie Fisher is well known for her musical theatre roles and is currently starring in the tour of Leonard
Bernstein's Wonderful Town.
But she certainly
won’t be singing tonight when she appears in Casualty on BBC1 at 21.10. Connie plays Amanda Franks who is a dog walker
who rushes off to find her dog and falls into a cave sparking a dramatic rescue
operation.
Ray Quinn & Emma Stephens Marry
Ray met Emma when they appeared in Grease in London in 2008 and he proposed at Christmas when they were in pantomime together. Congratulations to them both on the marriage and the baby.
Ray leaves Legally Blonde on 14th July and will then be appearing in the tour of The Rise And Fall of Little Voice alongside Beverley Callard (Corrie's Liz McDonald) which opens at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford on 3rd September.
Friday, April 6
Top Hat's Astaire National Platform
Summer Strallen and Tom Chambers star in the roles Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire played in the 1935 movie of the same name. The show toured last year, took a break to do some tweaks and then visited another couple of venues this year to try out the new material this year.
I saw the show pre and after tweaks and have to say I loved it both times. But the changes have put it into really good shape for the West End.
Fred Astaire’s daughter Ava is taking part in a discussion with choreographer Matthew Bourne and writer Kathleen Riley about Fred and his sister Adele who was his early dancing partner pre Ginger. They are talking about Ms Riley’s biography of The Astaires - Fred And Adele, at a 45 minute platform at the National’s Lyttelton Theatre at 6:00 pm on May 14th.
Ronan Keating performing at Olivier Awards
They will be hosted by Sweeney Todd’s Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton and let's hope the TV coverage will be better organised than last year.
It has just been announced that Ronan Keating will make his debut at the Royal Opera House as a special guest star. He will sing a number from his album When Ronan Met Burt which features songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It would be appropriate if he sang a musical theatre number, and the album (which I like a lot and play frequently) features I’ll Never Fall in Again from Promises, Promises.
Sheridan Smith pulls out of Bridget Jones the Musical
For some time she has been linked with the new Bridget Jones musical playing the lead role but it now seems as the eleventh hour she has pulled out of the project. Lily Allen has written the music and Sheridan has been part of several workshops. Bridget Jones the Musical was due to go into rehearsals in August and open at the Savoy Theatre in late September/early October.
According to Baz Bamigboye in today’s Mail Sheridan did not want to commit to a long run in the West End as she now is in so much demand with a very successful film and television acting career. One clearly furious creative connected with the show described it as “an act of pure selfishness”. Saying: “The girl ain’t a movie star - give me a break! It’s every theatre producer’s nightmare. You spend years - and many thousands of pounds - developing a project with a top creative team that includes director Stephen Daldry, writer Helen Fielding, choreographer Peter Darling, Lily Allen, Julian Webber (Daldry’s associate on the Billy Elliot musical) and producers from Working Title. But in the meantime, your leading lady’s career is growing in stature, and she’s in mega demand.”
The show will survive and Sheridan’s departure is being termed as a “scheduling” problem and a failure to agree, but Bridget Jones is now likely to be put on hold until next year.
Thursday, April 5
Jonathan Ansell Auditioning for Jesus Christ Superstar
Ex G4 member Jonathan Ansell is playing Charles Darnay for some performances with Anthony Hansen as an alternate. Paul told the Loose Women that the reason Jonathan has become unavailable for the whole run is because he is auditioning for Andrew Lloyd Webber's ITV casting show Jesus Christ Superstar and has been released to take part in the selection process.
Tuesday, April 3
Bickering Spice Girls delay Viva Forever musical
All of the girls: Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell, Mel C and Mel B are involved in the project although none of them will star in it.
Surprisingly Geri has been keeping a low profile while she concentrates on her own reality TV show. She has signed a deal with Sky Living and agreed for the cameras to follow her every move with a fly-on-the-wall show which will feature The Spice Girls as they prepare to launch their musical, while showcasing a portrait of her life.
Victoria Beckham’s intense work schedule with her fashion line, while juggling four children and living in California is also hindering progress.
The musical has been in the development stage since 2010 and was originally due to open in London’s West End by the end of this year. It will follow the story of a mother who takes her daughter to a talent competition, with the backdrop of The Spice Girls soundtrack.
Sierra Boggess in Disney Concert
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She has played roles ranging from Christine in Love Never Dies to Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and West End and Broadway star Sierra Boggess has just announced that she is flying into London next month to perform in the Disney Concert at the Jubilee Family Festival at London’s Hyde Park on Sunday 3rd June.
The Festival is being held to commemorate the 60 years that Queen Elizabeth has reigned. The Magic of Disney in Concert will close the celebrations with a specially-created event that brings together the songs, music and characters associated with over 70 years of animated Disney movies. Hosted by the Royal Parks in London's Hyde Park on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd June, the 70 minute concert will feature artists (including Sierra) performing songs from classics including Bare Necessities (Jungle Book), Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and The Beast), When You Wish Upon A Star (Pinocchio), Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid) and Can You Feel The Love Tonight (The Lion King).
Mickey Mouse will be making an appearance along with other classic characters, pirates and all ten Disney Princesses – Ariel, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White and Tiana.
Book tickets for The Jubilee Family Festival