New Year UK search for children for new School of Rock Musical

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new School of Rock musical is currently smashing  Broadway Box Office records as a nationwide search is about to start in the UK for highly talented children required for the musical’s West End debut at the London Palladium in the spring of 2017.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “I had forgotten what it was to have this kind of hit. It is particularly great as we have no star names and we are witnessing personal triumphs for our brilliant kids and for Alex Brightman as Dewey, the role made famous by Jack Black. Now our team will begin searching across the UK for talented children to star in the West End transfer.”

While the Broadway production has roles for 13 child actors giving eight performances a week, UK performance regulations will require the show to carry at least three separate casts, providing opportunities for more than 39 talented children in total. Aside from singing, dancing and acting, a recorded announcement from Andrew Lloyd Webber before every performance guarantees that all of the actors, children and adults, are playing their own instruments.The search for the UK cast will begin in the New Year.

The musical is an adaptation of the 2003 hit film comedy which starred Jack Black as the failed rock star, Dewey Finn, who becomes a teacher and forms a band with his pupils. Lloyd Webber has composed an original score for his stage adaptation, with lyrics written by Glenn Slater, and a book written by Julian Fellowes.


We will publish details of the auditions as soon as they are available.

Burt Bacharach and Kyle Riabko BBCRadio 2

On 31st  December on BBC Radio 2 at 12:05 Paul Gambaccini talks to Burt Bacharach and Kyle Riabko about Close To You - Bacharach Reimagined , the stage show at  the Criterion which  Kyle conceived around Burt's amazing songbook.

Kyle performs some acoustic versions of songs from Close To You at the BBC Maida Vale studios and Burt discusses the show, his career and collaborations with Hal David, Cilla Black, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Carole Bayer Sager, Herb Alpert, Elvis Costello, The Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, BJ Thomas, Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle.

The Secret Life of Mary Poppins

The musical Mary Poppins is currently touring to great critical acclaim, but if you have seen the award winning film Saving Mr Banks starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks you will know something of the background to the making of the 1964 the Mary Poppins film which premiered in Hollywood to world acclaim. But PL Travers the author of the books loathed it.

A  Culture Show special on BBC2 on 27th December from 12:45pm is presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and explores the dark and complex life of the writer. Her twenty year battle with Walt Disney, the strange adoption of her child (he was one of twins) and how the film version overshadowed her writings but made her rich. 

With contributions from Emma Thompson, Cameron Mackintosh and PL Travers's granddaughter

Alexander Armstrong A Year of Songs Live Concert Tour

Alexander Armstrong recently appeared in ITV's The Sound of Music Live! He is probably best known as a presenter of Pointless and BAFTA award winning duo Armstrong & Miller. He is now returning to his roots as a classically trained musician in his first major concert tour to launch his debut album, A Year of Songs. You can see him in  concert at the London Palladium on Friday 22nd January at 7:30 pm. 

Forty years after he became a choirboy, Alexander will be performing an eclectic mix of popular classics and favourites including  A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, On Days Like These, A Stranger in Paradise and Londonderry Air.

Below are the tour dates and booking links for A Year of Songs Live!

• Sheffield City Hall: Monday 18th January - 0n sale on Thursday, 31 Dec  at 12:00 noon

• Edinburgh Playhouse:  Monday 1st February 2016

• Manchester Opera House Sunday 21st Febuary

More Casting news for Billy Elliott Tour

Annette McLaughlin, Martin Walsh and Scott Garnham,  will lead the touring production of the hit musical Billy Elliot, which kicks off at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on February 24.  The company also includes Phillip Aiden, Jonathan Alden, Leo Atkin, Tom Bainbridge, Deborah Bundy, Jack Butterworth, Luke Cinque-White, Donna Combe, Wayne Fitzsimmons, Nikki Gerrard, Abbie Louise Harris, Paul Hutton, Leon Kay, Charlie Martin, Kris Manuel, Barnaby Meredith, Daniel Page, Georgina Parkinson, Amy Rhiannon-Worth, Rachel Spurrell, Sebastian Sykes, Rafe Watts and Luke Zammit. The children of the first UK and Ireland tour will be announced in early 2016.

The West End production of Billy Elliot will close at the Victoria Palace in April after an 11year run.

McLaughlin (Mrs Wilkinson)has starred in MATILDA THE MUSICAL and ANYTHING GOES in the West End, as well as BRIEF ENCOUNTER on Broadway, plus Open Air Theatre's HENRY IV PART I, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and CAMELOT.

Walsh (Dad)is known for his roles on the TV series CORONATION STREET, GAME OF THRONES, EMMERDALE, CITY CENTRAL and more.

Garnham (Tony) recently led the West End premiere of MADE IN DAGENHAM, as well as the regional World Premiere of HONK! and I CAN'T SING, LES MISERABLES, and [TITLE OF SHOW] in London.

JUST ANNOUNCED: tour of Kinks Musical Sunny Afternoon

Sonia Friedman Productions and Ambassador Theatre Group are delighted to announce an extensive  national tour of SUNNY AFTERNOON opening at  the Manchester Opera House on 19th August 2016 and touring into 2017.

Recipient of four awards at the 2015 Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies. It features some of The Kinks’ best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola, SUNNY AFTERNOON tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks.

Click here for details of tickets which go on sale next week for  the tour of Sunny Afternoon

Andrew Lloyd Webber to acquire St James's Theatre for new musicals try out

After workshopping his new musical SCHOOL OF ROCK at New York's Gramercy Theatre, Andrew Lloyd Webber is keen to secure a permanent space in the UK to try out new musicals.

According to today's Mail, Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group is close to acquiring the St James Theatre in Westminster saying "It would be great to have a space to try out shows in London," . Commenting on SCHOOL OF ROCK's Broadway run, he added: "I had slightly forgotten what it was like to have a hit in New York, I must say."

SCHOOL OF ROCK - THE MUSICAL just opened on Broadway and announced its opening at the London Palladium next  Autumn  followed by a tour across the U.S.

Ramin Karimloo, Lea Salonga, Jodie Prenger & Ruthie Henshall performing at Lytham Festival next year

The Lytham Festival is a seven-day live music event being held in Lancashire from August 1st-7th. Next year will  feature an all-star line-up of West End and Broadway stars for its Last Night of the Proms event on August 7th.

Already announced to appear are Ramin Karimloo, Lea Salonga, Jodie Prenger, Claire Sweeney, Ruthie Henshall, Lucie-Mae Sumer and singing troupe Collabro who will be joined by by the 60-piece Heart of England Symphony Orchestra.

On other nights, headliners will include The Village People, Earth Wind & Fire and the Bay City Rollers (August 5th) and Bryan Adams (August 6th).

The festival, founded in 2009, has previously featured such artists as Status Quo, Katherine Jenkins, Boyzone, Alfie Boe, Olly Murs, Jason Donovan, Marc Almond and Russell Watson

Tickets on sale  09:00 on Monday 14th December  for the Lytham Festival 

Billy Elliott to close at the Victoria Palace next April

Universal Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions have announced that after 4,600 performances, and with the Victoria Palace Theatre's previously announced refurbishment programme, the multi award-winning West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical will play its final performance  on 9th April 2016 as the production celebrates its eleventh birthday. The show has been seen to date by over 5.25 million people in London and nearly 11 million people worldwide, has grossed over $800 million worldwide and is the winner of over 80 theatre awards internationally.

There are plans for the  first UK and Ireland tour of Billy Elliott the musical has been announced, opening at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on 24th February 2016 viiting ten other venues  until May 2017.

There’s also hope Billy Elliot might return to London - perhaps in two or three years’ time. And although the stage show was the offspring of the 2000 movie written by Lee Hall  there is a desire to make a picture based on the musical.   Hall and Elton John, who wrote the music, and both are eager for this to happen.

Fellner, who runs Working Title films has confirmed that the Billy Elliot musical movie project was ‘chugging along on active development’. It’s three or four years away,’ Stephen Daldry insisted the new film would be wholly different from the 2001 one saying  ‘We’d probably look at the miners’ strike in more detail'.

An Evening With Ramin Karimloo - with special guest Hadley Fraser

West End and Broadway star Ramin Karimloo hgas just announced a special concert: An Evening With Ramin Karimloo - with special guest Hadley Fraser at Islington Assembly Hall, London on Wed 20th  Jan 2016, 19:00.  Tony-nominated Ramin Karimloo will be celebrating his career and music, and performing his favourite songs from the stage and his recordings.

Buy tickets for  An Evening With Ramin Karimloo - with special guest Hadley Fraser

Andrew Lloyd Webber's new School of Rock Musical headed for West End

Andrew Lloyd Webber has announced that following its triumphant Broadway opening  earlier this week,  the West End production of his new School of Rock – The Musical will open at the London Palladium in Autumn 2016. Dates to  be confirmed in the New Year with details of when the production will go on sale.

ALW said: “I am thrilled to announce that we are confirming a West End production of School of Rock – The Musical. We have had such a great time in the US staging the world premiere and now that we have opened on Broadway, I am delighted to be focussing on the next chapter in the show’s journey.”

Based on the smash hit 2003 film of the same title, School of Rock features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellowes. School of Rock – The Musical is directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, set and costume designs by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Mick Potter, music supervision by Ethan Popp and hair design by Josh Marquette.

As well as the London production, Lloyd Webber also announced that a National Company of School of Rock – The Musical will launch a US Tour in the Autumn of 2017, playing coast-to-coast engagements across America.

Down-on-his-luck wannabe rock star Dewey Finn poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school to make ends meet. When he discovers his students’ musical talents, he enlists his fifth-graders to form a rock group and conquer the Battle of the Bands.

Produced by Paramount Pictures, the 2003 film was directed by Richard Linklater and starred Jack Black in a career-defining performance and went on to gross more than $130 million worldwide.

Star studded line up for The Oliviers in Concert

Leading West End stars are celebrating 40 years of the Olivier Awards in a gala concert with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London on Monday 25 January at 7.30pm

Previous Olivier Award winners Michael Ball, Katie Brayben, John Dagleish, Elaine Paige and Clive Rowe are in the  the star-studded cast joining previously announced award-winning cast members Daniel Evans and performer/director Maria Friedman. More artists will be announced in the New Year.

Katie Brayben has just completed a run playing the lead role in Beautiful - The Carole King Musical - a role that earned Katie her first Olivier Award in 2015, for Best Actress in a Musical.

John Dagleish won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2015, for his performance in Sunny Afternoon, based on the music of The Kinks.

Daniel Evans has picked up two Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Musical, both for productions of Sondheim musicals - the first in 2001 for the original London production of Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, and another in 2007 for Sunday In The Park With George.

Maria Friedman made her directing debut in 2012 with the Menier Chocolate Factory’s Olivier Award-winning production of Merrily We Roll Along; and has since led a critically acclaimed production of High Society at The Old Vic. She is also a three-time Olivier Award winner, including winning two awards for Best Actress in a Musical - in 1997 for her performance in Passion, and in 2004 for playing Mother in Ragtime.

Elaine Paige won an Olivier Award in 1978 for Performance of the Year in a Musical, for playing Eva Perón in Evita; and has since had a thriving career in the West End, appearing in shows including Grease, Chess, Cats, Anything Goes and Sunset Boulevard. Elaine Paige on Sunday is broadcast every Sunday from 1-3pm on BBC Radio 2, celebrating the best music from Hollywood, Broadway and West End productions.

Clive Rowe won an Olivier Award in 1997 for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical, for his role as Nicely Nicely Johnson in the National Theatre revival of Guys and Dolls. One of his best known roles since was playing Duke in the CBBC drama The Story of Tracy Beaker.

The concert will be staged by Maria Friedman and Tim Jackson. The company will perform a selection of songs from celebrated musicals accompanied by the 70-strong BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Principal Conductor Keith Lockhart, alongside a 100-strong choir comprising of students from Arts Educational Schools London.  The BBC Concert Orchestra will also be performing at the 2016 Olivier Awards ceremony, taking place in April. 

Tickets for The Oliviers in Concert 

Original Sunny Afternoon Cast Members to perform Charity Concert

The original cast members from the Kinks' Musical Sunny Afternoon are reuniting for a one-night-only charity concert next year. All profits will be donated towards SeeAbility’s Children in Focus campaign which aims to change eye care for children with disabilities forever

The show will take place at  Richmond Theatre on Sunday 17th January 2016 at 7.30pm.

Three months after leaving the show,  John Dagleish, George Maguire, Ned Derrington and Adam Sopp will perform The Kinks’ greatest hits as well as some other live music.

Buy tickets for the show.

.

Jamie Muscato to join Bend It Like Beckham

Jamie Campbbell Bower is leaving Bend it Like Beckham later this month and from 14th  December  Jamie Muscato joins the cast to play coach Joe alongside Natalie Dew as football crazy Jess and Lauren Samuels as Jules, a player with the Harriers local women’s football team. Sophie-Louise Dann plays the role of Paula with Jamal Andréas as Jess’ good friend Tony. Preeya Kalidas plays Pinky, Jess’ sister, with Tony Jayawardena and Natasha Jayetileke as her parents, Mr and Mrs Bhamra.

Jamie Muscato’s theatre credits include Sweeney Todd for Welsh National Opera, House of Mirrors and Hearts for the Arcola Theatre, Dogfight for Southwark Playhouse, The Light Princess for the National Theatre, Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Blitz for the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Love Story at the Duchess Theatre, Les Miserables on tour internationally, Spring Awakening at the Lyric Hammersmith and Novello Theatres and Lift at the Trafalgar Studios.  His film credits include Les Miserables, The Euphoria of Drowning and Wild Oats.  On television his credits include Cilla and My Parents Are Aliens.

John Owen-Jones heading for Les Miserables on Broadway

Les Misérables will end its run at Broadway's  Imperial Theatre on September 4th next year  after over two-and-a-half years.

Alfie Boe who leads the current company as Jean Valjean,will play his final performance on February 28th. On March 1st John Owen-Jones (who played the role on Broadway in 2007 and is  playing the Phantom of the Opera in London's West End until 30th January ) will take over  and perform until the show's closing date.

The principal company also includes original 2014 revival cast member Will Swenson as Javert (standing in for an injured for Earl Carpenter), Montego Glover as Fantine, Gavin Lee as Thenardier, Rachel Izen as Madame Thenardier, Brennyn Lark as Eponine, Chris McCarrell as Marius, Alex Finke as Cosette and Wallace Smith as Enjolras. Hayden Tee assumes the role of Javert on January 29th .