New Come From Away Cast Members from June

Come From Away welcomes new and returning cast members to the Phoenix Theatre from June 2022.

Kirsty Malpass has returned to the London Come From Away family in the role of Bonnie and others, Olivier Award-nominated Robert Hands returns to the role of Nick/Doug and others, Lejaun Sheppard will play Bob and others, with Sarah Morrison (returning to the production having performed in Come From Away in Australia) and Lucy Park also joining the cast.

They are welcomed by the current London cast who are extending their time with the show beyond June: Jenna Boyd (Beulah and others), James Doherty (Claude and others), Mark Dugdale (Kevin T/Garth and others), Gemma Knight Jones (Hannah and others), Alice Fearn (Beverley/Annette and others), Kate Graham (Diane and others), Jonathan Andrew Hume (Kevin J/Ali and others), Harry Morrison (Oz and others), and Emma Salvo (Janice and others) with Chiara Baronti, Ricardo Castro, Stuart Hickey, Alexander McMorran, Jennifer Tierney and Matthew Whennell-Clark.

Casting and more dates announced for tour of Bugsy Malone

Casting and more tour dates were announced today  for the Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Birmingham Rep and Kenny Wax revival of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s universally acclaimed, sell-out production of the BUGSY MALONE tour  which will open at Theatre Royal Bath with performances from 2 July 2022, followed by Birmingham Rep from 27 July 2022.  The National Press Night will be on 12 July in Bath.The cast and more dates have been announced for he new tour of Bugby Malone which 

The lead roles will be performed by three young casts of seven in rotation. Bugsy Malone will be played by Shaun Sharma, Gabriel Payne and Amar Blackman, Blousey Brown by Mia Lakha, Delilah Bennett-Cardy and Avive Williams, Fat Sam by Albie Snelson, Isham Sankoh and Charlie Burns, Tallulah by Taziva-Faye Katsande, Jasmine Sakyiama and Fayth Ifil, Fizzy by Aidan Oti, Jamie Northey-Dennis and one performer yet to be announced, Lena/Babyface by Cherry Mitra, Kayla-Mai Alvares and Ava Hope Smith and Dandy Dan by Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray, Kit Cranston and Desmond Cole.

They are joined by adult ensemble members: Georgia Pemberton, Alisha Capon, Lucy Young, D’Mia Lindsay Walker, Jessica Daugrida, Alicia Ally, Alicia Belgarde, Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Luchia Moss, Kalifa Burton, Rory Fraser, Andile Mabhena, Thomas Walton, Ru Fisher, Mohamed Bangura, Marcus Billany, Luke Mills and Will Lucas.

Westlife`s Mark Feehily, Hadley Fraser and Emma Williams to lead new concert version of The Secet Garden musical

Tony award-winning musical, The Secret Garden, based on the 1911 novel of the same name, returns to the West End for a one-night-only concert celebration at the London Palladium on 28th August..

Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett with book and lyrics by Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon, this concert production will be directed by Nick Winston (Bonnie & Clyde, Rock of Ages, Beauty and the Beast) with music direction by Adam Hoskins (Doctor Zhivago, Camelot in Concert, Songs For A New World). With an ensemble cast led by Mark Feehily (Westlife), Hadley Fraser (The Pirate Queen), Maiya Quansah-Breed (Six), Alex Thomas-Smith (&Juliet), Emma Williams (Half a Sixpence), the show also features performances by Darcy Jacobs as Mary, Isaac Lancel-Watkinson as Colin, Michael Riseley as Captain Albert Lennox, Linda John-Pierre as Mrs Medlock, Grace Mouat as Alice, Aleyna Mohanraj as Ayah, Johndeep More as Fakir, Glain Rhys as Rose and Howard Scott Walker as Ben Weatherstaff with narration by Lucy Drever. Students from Trinity Laban Musical Theatre will be joining the cast as the ensemble.

In a lonely manor house on the Yorkshire Moors, Archibald Craven (Hadley Fraser) is stifled by his manipulative brother (Mark Feehily) and yearns for his beautiful, late wife (Emma Williams), all the while becoming more isolated and remote from his crippled son (Isaac Lancel-Watkinson). But their quiet routine is turned upside down when young Mary Lennox (Darcy Jacobs) is sent to live with them following the death of her parents in India. She finds a secret walled garden hidden in the grounds and with the help of a few friends (Alex Thomas-Smith and Maiya Quansah-Breed) releases the magic and adventure locked inside it, changing their lives forever.

Lambert Jackson said: “After two cancelled shows due to the pandemic, we're thrilled to finally be bringing this beautiful concert musical to the London Palladium. The Secret Garden has a special place in many people’s hearts. Be it as a musical, a novel, or a film, the enduring story has a way of staying with you with the timely message to live life to the full.” 

Tickets on sale now

Chess, Kinky Boots and Treason LMTO musical concerts announced for Drury Lane this summer

This summer there will be  three  musical concerts at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane accompanied by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra With performances of ABBA’s iconic Chess, Cyndi Lauper’s Kinky Boots and the new musical Treason.

Chess Monday 1 August

Chess, with music by ABBA legends Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and lyrics by the incomparable Sir Tim Rice, returns to the West End for the first time since 2018.  At the height of the Cold War, two chess masters meet in Bangkok to battle for the world championship, but their greatest contest is for the love of one woman. Telling a story of love and political intrigue, Chess features an incredible score including classics such as 'I Know Him So Well' and 'One Night in Bangkok'.   Leading the cast are Hadley Fraser (City of Angels, Phantom Of The Opera) as Anatoly and Samantha Barks (Frozen, Les Misérables) as Florence, with further casting to be announced in due course.

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Kinky Boots Monday 8 August

Winner of six TONY awards and the Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2016, the hilarious and uplifting musical Kinky Boots returns to the West End for the first time in three years. Kinky Boots is the feel-good musical by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper, based on the popular 2005 film of the same name. Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of the fabulous entertainer Lola. Cedric Neal (Back to the Future, Motown) will be playing Lola/Simon, Matt Willis (Waitress, Wicked) will play Charlie and Courtney Bowman (SIX, Legally Blonde) will play the role of Lauren. Further casting will be announced shortly.

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Treason  22 August

Treason is an explosive new British musical about the gunpowder plot, featuring stunning music by Ricky Allan and book and lyrics by Ricky Allan and Kieran Lynn. With the songs ‘Take Things Into Our Own Hands’, ‘The Cold Hard Ground’ and ‘The Day Elizabeth Died’ having already taken Spotify by storm, and the streamed lockdown concert described as “an exceptional musical in the making”, this is a premiere not to be missed. Treason's live stage debut features a star cast including Carrie Hope Fletcher (Cinderella, Heathers), Bradley Jaden (Les Misérables, Wicked) and Simon-Anthony Rhoden (Hamilton, Kinky Boots).

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Hamilton the Musical cast changes next month

HAMILTON, Lin-Manuel Miranda's mega hit Broadway musical, which has won 11 Tony Awards including best musical, will premiere in London in 2017 reopening the Victoria Palace Theatre, with Cameron Mackintosh's Delfont Mackintosh Theatres expected to spend approximately £30 million to refurbish the theatre in preparation.

CAST CHANGE FROM 21ST JUNE 2022: Reuben Joseph will play the title role of Alexander Hamilton with Simon-Anthony Rhoden as Aaron Burr, Allyson Ava-Brown as Angelica Schuyler, Shan Ako as Eliza Hamilton, Roshani Abbey as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds, Trevor Dion Nicholas as George Washington, Waylon Jacobs as Marquis De Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, Emile Ruddock as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, Jake Halsey-Jones as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton and Joel Montague as King George III. At certain performances the role of Alexander Hamilton will be played by Alex Sawyer.

The cast also includes Jade Albertsen, Curtis Angus, Maya Britto, Matthew Caputo, Filippo Coffano, Ashley Daniels, Kelly Downing, Matthew Elliot-Campbell, Jordan Frazier, Manaia Glassey-Ohlson, Olivia Kate Holding, Barney Hudson, DeAngelo Jones, Phoebe Liberty Jones, Nicolais-Andre Kerry, Travis Kerry, Ella Kora, Natasha Leaver, Aaron Lee Lambert, Louis Mackrodt, Kerri Norville, Samuel Sarpong-Broni, Lindsey Tierney and Brandon Williams.

Bat Out Of Hell returning to London`s West End next year

Bat Out of Hell will return to the West End next spring for a limited season after ending its UK and Ireland tour in November.

The show will play a limited season at the Peacock Theatre with performances from 17th February to  1st April 2023, while also planning a Las Vegas residency from September 2022. Casting for both is to be revealed.

It is being performed in memory of Jim Steinman, who sadly passed away on 19 April 2021, and Meat Loaf, who passed away on 20 January 2022.

 Tickets go on general sale  from 16th May 2022

 

 

Alexandra Burke joins cast of Jack and the Beanstalk London Palladium pantomime

Alexandra Burke is set to appear in the London Palladium pantomime  Jack and the Beanstalk  playing the giant`s wife the villainous  Mrs Blunderbore. 

She will join Dawn French who is playing Jack's mum Dame Trot and regulars regulars Julian Clary/the Spirit of the Beans, Paul Zerdin/Simon Trot, Nigel Havers/King Nigel and Gary Wilmot as Queen Nigella. 

The £2 million show will run  for five weeks from 10th December to 15th January 2023

 

Elf the Musical to run at the Dominion Theatre over Christmas

A new production of  Elf  the musical is running at London´s Dominion Theatre from 14th November 2022 to 7th January 2023 for a strictly limited eight-week season.

The new version of the show, produced by Temple Live Entertainment,  has yet to announce casting. It will be directed by Philip Wm McKinley, with original set and costume design by Tim Goodchild, choreography by Liam Steel, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe and sound by Gareth Owen. Casting will be by Grindrod Burton Casting.

Based on the iconic 2003 feature film starring Will Ferrell, the piece  is the funny and charming tale of Buddy, who mistakenly crawled into Santa’s bag as a baby and was raised as an elf! Way too tall and not so great at his job, Buddy is the North Pole’s biggest misfit… and knows he’ll never belong. When Santa tells him the truth, Buddy heads to New York to find his birth father (who turns out to be quite high on the Naughty List). After causing some merry mayhem in Manhattan, Buddy finally discovers the gift of family and falls in love. And when Santa’s sleigh crashes in Central Park, it’s Buddy who finds a way to save Christmas forever!

The show has a book by Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan (Annie) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), with songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer).

Elf was first seen on Broadway in 2010, with a West End premiere (also at the Dominion) following in 2015 – where it became the fastest selling show at the venue since it opened in 1929.

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Lee Mead to play Billy Flynn in tour of Chicago the Musical

David Ian, in association with Barry and Fran Weissler,  are pleased to announce star of stage and screen Lee Mead will play the role of ‘Billy Flynn’ in the UK and Ireland tour of the musical CHICAGO opening at the Sunderland Empire from Tuesday 31 May 2022. Lee joins the previously announced Gemma Collins as ‘Mama Morton’, Faye Brookes as ‘Roxie Hart’, Djalenga Scott as ‘Velma Kelly’, Jamie Baughan as ‘Amos Hart’ and B.E. Wong as ‘Mary Sunshine’.

 The cast is completed by Ishmail Aaron, Michelle Andrews, Gabby Antrobus, Delycia Belgrave, Joel Benjamin, Tanisha-Mae Brown, Daniel Clift, Callum Fitzgerald, Emily Goodenough, Billie Hardy, Aaron Jenkins, Liam Marcellino, Theo Reece, Hollie Jane Stephens and Harrison Wilde.

 Following her previous run, international recording artist Sinitta will reprise the role of ‘Mama Morton’ at the Grand Opera House, Belfast (6 – 11 June), Theatre Royal, Plymouth (14 – 18 June) and Venue Cymru, Llandudno (25 – 30 July) due to popular demand.

Lee Mead (Billy Flynn) won the nations hearts when they voted him their Joseph in BBC1’s Any Dream Will Do. Since then, Lee has gone on to star in the West End in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre, Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre and Wicked at the Victoria Apollo, as well as touring the UK as Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Lee has also appeared on screen establishing himself as a TV favourite on BBC1’s Casualty and Holby City in the role of Lofty.

 

New tour of Shrek the Musical to kick off in July 2023

Shrek the Musical is to  embark on a new UK tour from July 2023. Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston and Samuel Holmes with  design by Phil Whitcomb, it is produced by Mark Goucher and will open at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 21st  July, with further dates to be announced.

Based on William Steig's children's book and the Oscar-winning DreamWorks film, Shrek the Musical has a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. It premiered on Broadway in 2008 and ran at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the West End from 2011, before embarking on a tour.

New tour of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Musical

The musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is to go  on a new tour in 2023 opening at Leeds Playhouse from 18 November 2022 to 28 January 2023, the tour will open at the Milton Keynes Theatre on 9 February 2023 before visiting His Majesty's Theatre Aberdeen (15 to 26 March 2023), Edinburgh Playhouse (29 March to 15 April 2023), Norwich Theatre Royal (19 to 29 April 2023), Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (3 to 20 May) and Canterbury Marlowe Theatre (24 May to 3 June). Further dates and casting are to be announced.

Roald Dahl's iconic 1964 book  is adapted by David Greig, with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The stage production will feature Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley songs from the 1971 movie, including "Pure Imagination".

The musical will be directed by  James Brining with design Simon Higlett with the full creative team  to be revealed.

 

Annie Get Your Gun 75th Anniversary Concert

Annie Get Your Gun is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year in  a new concert production for one night only at The London Palladium on 1st June 2022.

It will be led by Amber Davies (Bring It On) as Annie Oakley, Julian Ovenden (Downton Abbey) as Frank Butler and Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin, Hamilton) as Buffalo Bill.

Irving Berlin's classic tells the fictional tale of the real-life sharp-shooter who falls for a star marksman. It includes numbers  "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "Anything You Can Do".

Produced by by Cuffe and Taylor and Lambert Jackson, this is first time the show has ever been seen in concert with further cast members and the creative team to be revealed

Tickets on general sale Thursday 14 April, 10am