Wednesday, July 31

48 Hour Theatre Sale – save up to £50

48 hour Theatre Sale – save up to £50 with tickets from as little as £15.  Starts 10:00 am Wednesday 31st July and ends 10:00 am Friday 2nd August

Shows and offers included are as follows:

·         Top Hat from £25 - Save up to £32.50 incl Saturdays
·         The Woman In Black from £15 - Save over £25 on selected performances
·         Let it Be from £25 - Save over £35 on selected performances
·         A Chorus Line from £24.75 - Save over £50 on selected performances
·         The 39 Steps from £19.5  - Save up to £22 on selected performances
·         Relatively Speaking from £29.50 - Save up to £23 on selected performances
·         Soul Sister from £15 - Save up to £19.50 on selected performances
·         Rock of Ages from £32.50 - Save over £35 on selected performances
·         Thriller Live from £33 - Save up to £29.50 on selected performances
·         A Doll's House from £29 - Save over £40 on selected performances
·         The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui from £32.50  - Save up to £20.50 on selected performances
·         Seven Brides from £15 - Save up to £19 on selected performances
·         The Ladykillers from £25 - Save over £20 on selected performances
·         One Man Two Guvnors from £25 - Save up to £19 on selected performances

Click on this link to find out more and book tickets


Tuesday, July 30

Full Cast for Tour of Cabaret Starring Will Young

The full cast has now been announced for the tour of Cabaret starring Will Young which starts at Wimbledon Theatre on 28th August.

Will Young/Emcee: Siobhan Dillon/Sally Bowles:Lyn Paul/Fraulein Schneider: Matt Rawle/Cliff : Valerie Cutko/Fraulein Kost: Linal Haft/Herr Schultz and Nicholas Tizzard/Ernst Ludwig.

They will be joined by ensemble members: Alastair Postlethwaite:Alessia Lugoboni:Alexzandra Sarmiento:Cydney Uffindell-Phillips :Emily Bull :Luke Fetherston:Oliver Roll  and Shahla Tarrant

Ryan Molloy to Play Lead in Jersey Boys Movie?

According to the Daily Mail,  Ryan Molloy who is playing Frankie Valli in the London production of the musical Jersey Boys, could be cast in the lead role of the movie being directed by Clint Eastwood.

Ryan is the longest serving Frankie in the world and was hand picked by the original Frankie Valli  for the West End show with him saying he is the best Frankie he has seen.

The producers of the film saw him perform and were so impressed they requested acting footage and invited him to meet them at the Dorchester.

Christopher Walken has been cast as Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo -  the mobster who takes Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons under his wing. With John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen and Michael Lomenda (all of whom have appeared in stage productions of the show) in talks for the movie with Boardwalk Empire star Vincent Piazza expected to play Valli's foil, Tommy DeVito

Jersey Boys is set to begin filming in London in September.

Saturday, July 27

Siobhan Dillon playing Sally Bowles joining Will Young and Lyn Paul in tour of Cabaret

The tour of Cabaret kicks off at Wimbledon Theatre on the 28th of next month  with Will Young  reprising the Emcee role he has already played in a previous tour and in the West End.  He is joined by Siobhan Dillon and Lyn Paul (Taboo,  Footloose, Blood Brothers) playing Fraulein Schneider

Siobhan Dillon rose to fame when she was one of the finalists in the Andrew Lloyd Webber talent show-themed BBC television series How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? in 2006.

Since then she has appeared in the West End playing Sandy in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre,Vivienne Kensington in Legally Blonde at the Savoy and Molly Jensen in Ghost at the Piccadilly.

She has played Sally Bowles in Cabaret before in late 2009 on a UK tour taking over the role from Samantha Barks.

Wednesday, July 24

Geronimo Rauch taking over as Phantom

Updated 2nd August:  Geronimo will take over the role of The Phantom on 2nd September with Sean Palmer playing Raoul.

The departure of Geronimo Rauch from Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre on Saturday night with alternate Daniel Koek taking over the role full time (Christ Holland on Monday evenings)  has fuelled the rumour that has been circulating for some time that he is taking over the lead role in The Phantom of the Opera.

Argentinian actor Rauch has already said he is staying in the UK for the foreseeable future and is on holiday at the moment (doing one final show in LesMis at the evening performance on Wednesday 31st July). This fits in perfectly with the rehearsal scheule for the new Phantom cast which changes over on 2nd September. 

Will let you know when it is confirmed ...

Cast List for Into the Woods Movie

The latest news from Broadway is that casting for the major roles in the Disney film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine's musical Into the Woods has now been confirmed.

The production is to be directed by Rob Marshall and starts shooting in the UK in a few weeks time with the amazing line up of Meryl Streep as The Witch, James Corden as The Baker, Emily Blunt as The Baker's Wife, Johnny Depp as The Wolf, Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, Chris Pine as Cinderella's Prince, Billy Magnussen as Rapunzel's Prince, Mackenzie Mauzy as Rapunzel, Lucy Punch as Lucinda, Tammy Blanchard as Florinda, Christine Baranski as Cinderella's Mother and Tracey Ullman as Jack's Mother.

This list confirms stories over the last few days that Jake Gyllenhaal had pulled out of playing one of the princes due to it clashing with other commitments.

 The actors playing Jack and Little Red Riding Hood are not yet confirmed.

Monday, July 22

Tour Dates and Cast for Tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee transferred to Broadway in 2005 where it ran for three years and won the Tony for Best Book of a Musical. It made its UK premiere at the Donmar Warehouse in February 2011 directed by Jamie Lloyd, and is now due to go on a UK tour later this year.

It will star Darren Day as Vice Principal Panch, Niki Evans as Mona Lisa Peretti who will be joined by Rhys Owen as Mitch Mahoney, Ellie Mason as Olive Ovstrokvsky, Thomas Mackley as William Barfee, Janette McManus as Logainne Schwartz and Grubenierre, Arina II as Marcy Park, Ross Cobbald as Leaf Coneybear and Joshua Dowen as Chip Tolentino.

ASH Productions LIVE and Harlow Playhouse are producing the touring production in association with Patch of Blue Theatre Company who presented the musical last year at the Edinburgh Festival for a sellout, critically acclaimed run directed by Alex Howarth who returns to direct this up-scaled production along with Lee Freeman as Musical Director and Kenn Oldfield as Choreographer.

Spelling Bee will open at Harlow Playhouse on 3rd October and then visit venues including Croydon, Barnstaple, Kettering, High Wycombe, Crawley, Blackpool, Jersey and Eastbourne ending on 16th November.  Dates and booking links to follow.

Sunday, July 21

Dave Willetts in Cabaret

West End leading man Dave Willetts is performing three nights in cabaret at London's Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zedel accompanied by musical director Barry Todd from September 10-12th.

The newly An Evening With Dave Willetts  will see Dave performing songs from the many musicals he has appeared in. Last year he celebrated over 25 years in the business with the release of his fifth solo album Once In A Lifetime.

For more information and booking details visit www.brasseriezedel.com

Thursday, July 18

Adam Garcia Playing Football for Radio Northwick Park

Adam Garcia has signed up to take part in a hospital radio’s charity football match and will be joining Radio Northwick Park’s football team as they take on team of former Arsenal players and celebrities.

The match will kick off at 2:00 pm (door open at 12 noon) Harrow Borough Football Club on Sunday August 18th to raise money for Radio Northwick Park and the Arsenal Foundation. The  Harrow Borough Football Club is at Earlsmead Stadium in Harrow, Middlesex.

He said: “A friend of mine made me aware of the charity and the football match, and I thought that what better way to help in some way than to play the game I love the most.”

The day will also include a half-time penalty shoot out along with a summer fête which be taking place all day and includes games, face painting, food and drink.

You can find out more and buy tickets which cost £5 by clicking here. Under 12s get in free.

Latest on The Jersey Boys Movie

Updated 6th August:  Jeremy Luke and Joey Russo have just been named for two supporting parts. Jeremy will play loan shark Donnie who is trying to get money from Frankie and Joey will play Joe "Joey" Pesci who helped to create the group.

Updated 24th July: Christopher Walken is playing mobster Angelo “Gyp” DeCarlo, who helps the singers keep their career straight early on. 

According to Variety the leads for the Jersey Boys movie which Clint Eastwood is directing will be mainly cast with actors that have previously appeared in a stage production of the musical.

Current names in the frame are John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza. Warner Bros has approved the four actors as its top choices and if the offers work out and contracts are signed Young would play Frankie Valli, Bergen would play Bob Gaudio, Piazza would play Tommy DeVito and Lomenda would play Nick Massi.

John Lloyd Young is currently starring in Jersey Boys on Broadway: Erich Bergen has appeared in the US touring and Las Vegas productions of the show:  Michael Lomenda appeared in the first National Tour with Vincent Piazza the only actor not to to have performed in a version.


Lee Mead Performing at Pheasantry

Lee Mead is appearing at the Pheasantry on the King's Road from 14th-17th & 19th August in cabaret.

His guest is Ashleigh Gray (Taboo, Wicked!) with musical support  by Will Stuart (MD for the West End Men show) and Mason Neely (MD from Lee's solo concerts). 

Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show starts at 8:30 pm.

Book tickets for Lee Mead at the Pheasantry



Wednesday, July 17

Alfie Boe to Appear in Mr Selfridge

Alfie Boe is to make a guest appearance in ITV'sseries two of Mr Selfridge.

He will appear as Richard Chapman, a tenor and old friend of Lady Mae Loxley (Katherine Kelly),  who once topped the bill at the Gaiety. She describes him as having "the voice and heart of an angel" and asks him to sing at a Selfridge's charity concert to raise money for the war effort, bringing him back into her life at a time when she needs him most.

Alfie Boe said: "I'm a huge fan of Mr Selfridge and am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the series. I'm looking forward to seeing the set and meeting the cast."

Series two is set five years ahead in 1914  with the country on the brink of war as the store celebrates its 5th anniversary. While Mrs Selfridge (Frances O'Connor) is living a separate life to her husband, Harry (Jeremy Piven) and Lady Mae's husband Lord Loxley, has come to London to keep tabs on his wayward wife.

The cast are half way through filming the series which is expected to air in 2014.

Tuesday, July 16

Louise Dearman in Bond and Beyond Concert

Louise Dearman and Matt Little are performing with the London Concert Orchestra Big Band conducted by John Rigby at Birmingham Symphony Hall on Friday 27th December at 7:30 pm in Bond and Beyond.

The concert will be celebrating the UK’s most famous secret service agent featuring iconic music and songs from over 50 years including From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Live And Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, Tomorrow Never Dies and Skyfall plus a tribute to other spies and detectives from around the world.

Buy tickets for Bond and Beyond 

Monday, July 15

Viva Forever Not Dead Yet?

The Spice Girls' musical Viva Forever! closed early in the West end last month after some pretty bad reviews. Written by Jennifer Saunders it played to dwindling houses for six months before finally posting early closing notices.

Its producer Judy Craymer (of Mamma Mia! fame) told the Telegraph that while it has its faults, it could still be fixed and re-staged saying Oh yes, I’m sure Viva! will rise again at some point. It can be worked on. It was heartbreaking that we had to close it. I wouldn’t say there weren’t faults with it, but I love the Spice Girls, and, when you are thinking about a subject to write a musical about, I think that the Spice girls have earned a place on our landscape. Audiences had a good time. It wasn’t Mamma Mia! but I wasn’t trying for it to be Mamma Mia! It was meant to be more the combination of Jennifer [Saunders], and comedy with a wink at pop culture.

Have to say that despite liking the Spice Girls music I didn't care for it.

Friday, July 12

Linzi Hateley, Clare Foster, Annalene Beechey, Katy Secombe,Niamh Perry and Louise Gold Sondheim Women Concert

West End leading ladies Linzi Hateley, Clare Foster, Annalene Beechey, Zoe Curlett, Katy Secombe, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Niamh Perry, Lucyelle Cliffe and Louise Gold are part of an amazing line up performing Sondheim Women at the St James Studio in London on Saturday 7th September at 8:00 pm celebrating the Music of Broadway’s Legendary Composer and Lyricist,  Stephen Sondheim

Sondheim: Women celebrates over five decades of great anthems from musicals including: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, SWEENEY TODD, COMPANY, GYPSY, FOLLIES, INTO THE WOODS and more…

Featuring a live band led by acclaimed pianist Terence Penk with  performances directed by Jonathan Peter.

Tickets for Sondheim Women

Thursday, July 11

Oliver Thornton and David Bedella in Panto

This year's panto at Wimbledon Theatre has an amazing line up including Jo Brand, Matthew Kelly, Flawless and Rocky Horror stars Oliver Thornton and David Bedella.

Comedienne, writer and actress Jo Brand makes her pantomime debut as Genie of the Ring. She is joined by street dancers Flawless as the Peking Police Force, and Olivier award winning actor and television presenter Matthew Kelly as Widow Twankey.

West End musical theatre stars Oliver Thornton (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Starlight Express, The Rocky Horror Show) will play the title role of Aladdin and  award winning actor David Bedella (Jerry Springer - The Opera, The Rocky Horror Show) will play Abanazar.

Aladdin will run from 6th December-12th January and tickets are now on sale.

Tuesday, July 9

Cast Announced for Singin' in the Rain Tour

Hollywood actor Maxwell Caulfield is joining the cast of the tour of Singin in the Rain  playing studio boss R F Simpson when it kicks off at the Manchester Opera House in November,

Faye Tozer from pop group Steps and  Coronation Street's (late Molly Dobbs wife of Tyrone) Vicky Binns will be playing Lina Lamont. Faye is playing the role until 5th April 2014 and Vicky takes over on the 8th.  James Leece is Don Lockwood, Amy Ellen Richardson plays Kathy Selden and Stephane Anelli will be reprising the role of Cosmo he played in London.

Maxwell Caulfield is best known for his roles as Michael Carrington in Grease 2 (1982) and as Miles Colby in The Colbys (1985–87) and Dynasty (1985–86).

He starred in Ronald F Maxwell's Gettysburg (1993) and Tom DiCillo's The Real Blonde (1987). He has appeared on ITV in the UK as Mark Wylde in Emmerdale and as Dr Jim Brodie in BBC1's Casualty and Holby City.

In 2007 he made his West End stage debut as Billy Flynn in Chicago and  resumed the role on Broadway. He also played Narrator on a tour of the Rocky Horror Show in Nottingham, Darlington and Southsea.

A Chorus Line What We Did For Love Cabaret

"What We Did For Love" is a one-night only cabaret show featuring the cast of the London revival of A Chorus Line.  They will be performing at the Leicester Square Theatre on Monday 5th August at 11:00 pm.

They will be singing the best of Broadway, West End, rock and pop. All profits will go to Acting For Others, the appeal of The Combined Theatrical Charities. 

Tickets on sale from choruslinecabaret.com

Friday, July 5

Kerry Ellis to Join New Rent in Concert 2014 Tour

JP Productions have just announced a third and final leg to the current UK tour of  Rent in Concert

Celebrating 20 years since its first staged performance, West End leading lady and Broadway star Kerry Ellis will return to the role of Mimi in this iconic concert version of the smash-hit musical.

The show last toured the UK in April this year and will tour again in November starring Natasha Hamilton and Rory Taylor, before its final run in January and February 2014 with Kerry Ellis. Booking opens on Friday 12th July.

Commenting on the show Kerry Ellis said: “I am thrilled to be returning to this production for its final dates. I had so much fun the first time round with this amazing cast and it’s great to see that there is such demand for our show!” 

Full cast details for next year's tour will be announced over the coming weeks.

 
Details of the 2014 dates together with booking links can be found here.

Full Series of Sheridan Smith's The Daltons on Sky1

Sky1 is to develop  a full series of Sheridan Smith’s The Daltons, which aired as part of the Little Crackers series back in 2011

The original episode starred Sheridan and The Royle Family's Ralph Little playing a country and western duo who head off on tour and leave their young daughter behind with a babysitter.

Kerry Ellis, Oliver Tompsett, Helen Hobson and Alasdair Harvey in West End Anthems Concert

West End musical Theatre stars Kerry Ellis, Helen Hobson, Alasdair Harvey and Oliver Tompsett are performing an evening celebrating the best musical theatre from the West End and Broadway.

A theatrical event not to be missed this summer at Glow, the 2700 seat venue at Bluewater on 4th August at 7:30 pm

Buy tickets for West End Anthems

Thursday, July 4

Michael Feinstein in Cabaret with Julian Ovenden and Elaine Paige

Michael Feinstein is in Cabaret with  special guests Elaine Paige and Julian Ovenden for an evening of great music, lyrics and performance at the Palace Theatre in London's West End on Monday, 4th November 2013

Feinstein is a five time Grammy Award nominated entertainer dubbed "The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook" and is considered one of the premier interpreters of American songbook standards. This show has been especially created for the London Festival of Cabaret,

Book tickets for Michael Feinstein in Cabaret 

Statement on Cancellation of Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory

Updated 20th September: The entire run of Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory at the Hackney Empire has been cancelled .  

The producers have issued the following statement: "The show was an independent production, privately financed, dependent upon continuing fiscal support in a hotly-contested and saturated market place. During technical rehearsals this week one of the production's financial backers very suddenly pulled a considerable amount of funding, and so the producers decided that the only fair, just, and transparent course of action was to inform the entire company and, collectively and collaboratively, the decision was reached to not proceed further at this time"

Gary Wilmot is  starring in the London premiere of the musical comedy Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory which was originally staged at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast and then at the Edinburgh Fringe.

It will play at the Hackney Empire from September 20th-October 5th with a press night on September 22nd.

The town of Little Happening gets an unexpected make-over when a stranger arrives on Mammary Lane and the shopkeepers plot to get a few things off their chests.  Heavily laden with big laughs, catchy songs, and leaky implants, Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory sticks a finely tuned musical hypodermic firmly into the bosom of today’s surgery-obsessed culture.

You can see a trailer here.

He will be joined by Sophie-Louise Dann, David Hunter, Shona White, Russell Morton, Christopher Finn, Conleth Kane and Stephanie Fearon.

Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory is written by Paul Boyd, who also directs. It has choreography by Sarah Johnston, lighting by John Riddell, design by Diego Pitarch and musical direction by Matthew Reeve.

Tickets for Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory







Monday, July 1

New Cast for Wicked! at Apollo Victoria

When the cast change for the musical Wicked! takes place at the Apollo Victoria on 18th November and Willemijn Verkaik takes over as Elphaba she will be joined by Savannah Stevenson as Glinda, Jeremy Taylor (Fiyero), Sue Kelvin (Madame Morrible) and  Paul Clarkson (Doctor Dillamond).

Sam Kelly returns to play The Wizard which  he previously played in 2009/2010 with  Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose) and Sam Lupton (Boq) continuing in their current roles.

Emma Hatton will be Standby Elphaba and ensemble member Sophie Linder-Lee will become Standby Glinda.

Savannah Stevenson  has most recently been playing ‘Sybil Evers' in Chariots of Fire at the Gielgud Theatre. Her other theatre credits include: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love (Menier Chocolate Factory); The Secret Garden (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Simply Cinderella (Leicester Curve); Gone With The Wind (New London Theatre) and Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre.

Jeremy Taylor is currently appearing in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre. His other musical theatre credits include The Sound of Music (London Palladium) and the national tour of Evita.

Sue Kelvin played Mama Morton in Chicago at the Adelphi and Cambridge Theatres.  She is currently  playing Louise in Jonathan Kent's revival of Private Lives at the Gielgud Theatre.

The cast from 18 November will also feature: Florence Andrews, Kyle Anthony, William Bozier, Oliver Brenin, Lauren Brooke, Philippa Buxton, Philip Catchpole, Aisling Duffy, Samuel Edwards, Kerry Enright, Michelle Francis, Jacqueline Hughes, Melissa Jacques, Marc McBride, Stacey McGuire, Natalie McQueen, Greg Miller Burns, Tom Muggeridge, Rachel Muldoon, Sean Parkins, Charlie Stemp, Lauren Stroud, Lindsay Taylor, Justin Thomas, Hannah Toy, Matt Turner, Russell Walker and Jenny Wickham.

Cast announced for From Here to Eternity

As already announced, Darius Campbell is appearing in the new Tim Rice musical From Here to Eternity which starts previews at the Shaftebsury Theatre on 30th September.

The rest of the cast has just been announced as follows:Darius Campbell/Warden:  Siubhan Harrison/Lorene:Robert Lonsdale/ Prewitt, Ryan Sampson/Maggio and Rebecca Thornhill as Karen.

They will be joined by Keisha Amponsa Banson, Marc Antolin, Julie Armstrong, James Ballanger, John Brannoch, Abigail Climer, Brian Doherty, Jessica Ellen, Dale Evans, Shimi Goodman, Kirby Hughes, Lauren Ingram, Dean John-Wilson, Joshua Lacey, Carolyn Maitland, Nuno Queimado, Lucinda Shaw, Warren Sollars, David Stoller, Rebecca Sutherland, Laura Tyrer, Adam Vaughan, Lauren Varnham, Stephen Webb and Matthew Wesley.

West End theatre credits for the principals include Darius Campbell (Chicago, Gone With the Wind) , Siubhan Harrison (Grease), Robert Lonsdale (Anna Christie), Ryan Sampson (Open Court)  and Rebecca Thornhill (South Pacific UK tour).