Full cast announced for return of Pretty Woman Musical

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL returns to the West End this Summer in its new home at the Savoy Theatre, with performances from 8th July 2021. 

London casting news is that Aimie Atkinson and Danny Mac will take the two lead roles as Vivian Ward – the role originated in the film by Julia Roberts – and Edward Lewis - the Richard Gere role. Joining them again will be Rachael Wooding as ‘Kit De Luca’ (Vivian's best friend), Bob Harms as ‘Happy Man/Mr Thompson’, Neil McDermott as ‘Philip Stuckey’ and Mark Holden as ‘James Morse’.

Also appearing in the show will be Jemma Alexander, Andy Barke, Kimberly Blake, Katie Bradley, Oliver Brenin, Olivia Brookes (joining as first cover Vivian), Alex Charles, Olly Christopher, Ben Darcy, Hannah Ducharme, Nicholas Duncan, Paige Fenlon, Damon Gould, Alex Hammond, Tom Andrew Hargreaves (joining as ensemble / 1st cover Stuckey / 2nd cover Edward), Antony Hewitt, Matt Jones, Serina Mathew, Katie Monks, Joanna Woodward and Charlotte Yorke

It has original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and his longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, a book by Garry Marshall and the film's screenwriter J F Lawton, with direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray), with set by David Rockwell, costume by Gregg Barnes, lighting by Kenneth Posner and Philip S Rosenberg, orchestration by Will Van Dyke and sound by John Shivers.

Kevin Clifton to lead cast in Rock of Ages tour as Stacee Jaxx

It has just been announced that Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin Clifton will return to the tour of Rock of Ages in the role of Stacee Jaxx at selected performances. The tour will open at The Alexandra Birmingham from the 19th August with Kevin first appearing at the Liverpool Empire on 13 September 2021. 

The full cast for the  tour includes Luke Walsh who first played the lead role of Drew in the 2018/2019 tour and is back to reprise the role in 2021. He is a singer/songwriter with theatre credits including ‘Chess’ (Umeda Arts Theatre, Osaka) and ‘Boybands Forever’ (Germany Tour).

Rhiannon Chesterman played Regina on the previous tour and is returning in the role of Sherrie. Her   previous theatre credits include UK and Ireland tour of ‘Grease’ and ‘Mrs Henderson Presents’ at Noel Coward Theatre, West End. Joe Gash will play the iconic role of Lonny making his theatre debut in the role. Ross Dawes (Phantom of the Opera, Girl from the North Country, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Shrek the Musical) will play Dennis Dupree with Gabriella Williams (Sophie in ‘Mamma Mia!’ and ‘Carrie; The Musical’ at Southwark Playhouse) will play Regina and Jenny Fitzpatrick (alternate Tina Turner in The Tina Musical) will play Justice. 

Vas Constanti, Andrew Carthy and Erin Bell will also be returning in their roles from the 2018/2019 tour as Hertz Klinemann, Franz Klinenmann and Constance. They are also joined by returning cast members Adam Strong and Joshua Dever with Scott Hayward, Sam Turrell, Phoebe Samuel-Gray, Siobhan James, Morgan Scott and Janine Somcio.

Stephen Schwartz's Pippin to run at London's Charing Cross Theatre

Stephen Schwartz's timeless musical Pippin  is reimagined in a new production, directed by Steven Dexter which will  run at the Charing Cross Theatre from 30 June - 14 August 2021 with casting news to follow soon.

Pippin is a 1972 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O Hirson. Bob Fosse directed the original Broadway production and also contributed to the libretto. 

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

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

 Buy tickets for Pippin which goes on sale at 10.00 am on Friday 11 June.

 

 

 

 

Full casting announced for Anything Goes at the Barbican

Anything Goes the Musical begins performances at London`s Barbican on 23rd July (rescheduled from 5th June) for a strictly limited run until 17th October. 

As previously revealed, it stars Robert Lindsay, Felicity Kendal, Gary Wilmot and Sutton Foster (who replaces injured Megan Mullally) with  Samuel Edwards as Billy Crocker,  Nicole-Lily Baisden as Hope Harcourt, Carly Mercedes Dyer as Erma and Haydn Oakley as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.

They will be joined by: Martin Callaghan (Ship's Purser), Jon Chew (John), Clive Hayward (Ship's Captain), Alistair So (Luke), Marc Akinfolarin, Simon Anthony, Georgie Ashford, Vivien Carter, Natalie Chua, Eamonn Cox, Jordan Crouch, Frances Dee, Charlene Ford, Selina Hamilton, Maddie Harper, Michael Lin, Robbie McMillan, Tom Partridge, Jack Wilcox, Alexandra Wright, George Beet, Gabrielle Cocca, Emily Ormiston and Liam Wrate.

Disney's Broadway Hits concert filmed at the Royal Albert Hall added to Disney Plus

Disney's Broadway Hits concert  filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016, is to be added to Disney Plus on 2nd July 2021 

The line up for the event includes Trevor Dion Nicholas with the West End cast of Aladdin, as well as the show's composer and Oscar winner Alan Menken. It will  feature songs from shows including The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins. Cast appearing include Scarlett Strallen, Ashley Brown and Merle Dandridge. Keith Lockhart conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra

Sign up here to see the show on Disney Plus

Initial casting news for Disney's tour of Bedknobs and Broomsticks

The new UK & Ireland tour of Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks is due to open at the Theatre Royal Newcastle in August 2021.

With rehearsals already underway first casting news is that Dianne Pilkington will lead the cast as Miss Eglantine Price (an apprentice witch who must take in three refugee children escaping the Blitz of WWII), with Charles Brunton as fraudulent magician Professor Browne, Conor O'Hara as Charlie Rawlins (orphaned Carrie and Paul's older brother) and Jacqui DuBois as Mrs Jessica "Jessie" Hobday, the local postmistress of Pepperinge Eye and chairwoman of the War Activities Committee.

Joining them will be Matthew Elliot Campbell, Rob Madge, Mark Anderson, Emma Thornett, Sadie- Jean Shirley, Kayla Carter, Sam Lupton, Nathanial Morrison, Robin Simoes da Silva, Georgie Buckland, Vinnie Monachello, Susannah ven den Berg, and Jonathan Cobb. 

The Rawlins children will be played by Dexter Barry, Izabella Bucknell, Haydn Court, Poppy Houghton, Evie Lightman and Aidan Oti.

 

Lee Mead to star in new tour of Fat Friends - The Musical

Fat Friends - The Musical will return next year for a UK and Ireland tour starring Lee Mead as lovelorn vicar Paul, with further casting to be announced soon.

Based on the ITV hit comedy show Fat Friends, that starred James Corden and Ruth Jones, the show is written by original creator Kay Mellor and features original music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber.

Produced by Joshua Andrews, the tour kicks off at Dartford Orchard Theatre on 14 January 2022.

Lee Mead's West End credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Legally Blonde and Wicked. He has also been a regular on Casualty and then Holby City in the role of Lofty. He said: "I saw the show when it first ran and absolutely loved it, so I can't wait to now play the lovelorn vicar, Paul. I'm so looking forward to performing live again to wonderful audiences around the country and working with the incredible and iconic Kay Mellor."

Latest news on rescheduled dates for West End and touring Musicals

Updated 14th June 2021 listed below are latest updates we have  for the openings and rescheduled dates for West End shows and touring musicals . 

 

Please check back regularly as we will be  updating this page on a daily basis as we receive more news 

 

WEST END MUSICALS

-  Andrew Lloyd Webber's new version of Cinderella starring Carrie Hope Fletcher at the Gillian Lynne Theatre  is now scheduled to open on 14th July 2021.

- A new UK production of Anything Goes from Tony-winner Kathleen Marshall  starring Robert Lindsay, Felicity Kendal, Gary Wilmot  and  Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster who will be reprising her role as Reno Sweeney and replacing the previously announced Megan Mullally.It will open at the Barbican  with performances now scheduled to run from 23rd July - 17 October   2021

-  &Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre is now currently booking from 24th September 2021 until February 2022

-  Back to The Future - The Musical  had an out-of-town preview at the Manchester Opera House in 2020, will now begin performances at the Adelphi Theatre on 20th August 2021.

-  New producion of Cabaret the Musical to open in November  starring Eddie Redmayne as the  ‘The Emcee’ with  Bafta Nominee and British Independent Film award winner Jessie Buckley as ‘Sally Bowles’

 

-  Chichester Festival Theatre has moved its 2020 season to this year

-  Come From Away has a new cast and is now booking at the Phoenix Theatre from 22nd July to 18th December, 2021.

-  Dear Evan Hansen  is now reopening on 26th October 2021

-  Everybody's Talking About Jamie has reopened in London.

-  Frozen starring Samantha Barks as  ice Princess Elsa with Stephanie McKeon playing her sister Princess Anna now previews on 27 August 2021, with a press night on 8 September.

 -  Hairspray the musical starring Michael Ball, Les Dennis, Rita Simons and Marisha Wallace  is now scheduled to open on Tuesday 22nd June, with additional performances added until Wednesday 29th September. (The first four weeks of performances are planned to play with social distancing at reduced capacity.)

-  Hamilton the Musical   is planning to reopen on 19th August, with casting to be announced it has been confirmed.

-   Hello, Dolly! The new West End production  has been postponed until 2023 due to Imelda Staunton's Netflix filming commitments on the final two series of The Crown.

- Jersey Boys originally  scheduled for April at the Trafalgar Theatre will now begin performances from 28 July, ahead of an opening night of 10 August. It is initially booking until 2022

 -  Jesus Christ Superstar special concert staging is running at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre for 70 performances only from Friday 14 August for six weeks to 27th September. There will be  reduced capacity down to 390 seats

-  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Jason Donovan, Alexandra Burke  and Jac Yarrow at the Palladium  opens on 1st July with tickets now on sale

-  Les Miserables Musical  at the Sondheim has postponed its reopening.

- Les Miserables Staged Concert  is at the Sondheim Theatre in London's West End , from 20th May 2021.

-  Magic Mike Live Channing Tatum's show has announced plans to reopen from 21 May to 1 August 2021 at the London Hippodrome

-  Mamma Mia! at the Novello is booking from 25th August 2021

 -  Mary Poppins  at the Prince Edward Theatre will now return on 7th August, with Zizi Strallen and Charlie Stemp set to return in the leading roles. Full casting will be announced soon.

 -  Matilda The  Musical will recommence performances on 16 September 2021, and is currently booking until 13 February 2022

-  Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! 2020/2021 National tour and Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells   has been postponed until 2022.

-  Moulin Rouge the Musical  previews at the Piccadilly Theatre from November 12th (Opening night December 8th ) .Priority tickets from 10am May 17th  General booking from May 24th

-   Only Fools & Horses at the Haymarket is now booking from 1st October 2021

-  Phantom of the Opera has postponed its reopening until 21st July 2021 at Her Majesty's starring
Killian Donnelly in the title role with tickets now on sale to 13th February 2022.

 -  Pretty Woman the Musical returns to the West End this Summer in its new home the Savoy Theatre, with performances from 8 July 2021.

- Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's entire summer season will now run in 2021, including the Carousel revival. The  new 101 Dalmatians musical has been postponed until 2022.

-  Singin in the Rain' – The Sadler's Wells run  has been moved to July 2021, with tour dates now in 2022

-  Sister Act  Jamie Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg, the producers of Sister Act The Musical, have sadly come to the decision that it is impossible to open the show in London this summer and have postponed performances at the Eventim Apollo until 2022. The new dates for the production in London are 19 July  – 28 August 2022.This necessary change of date now means that Whoopi Goldberg will no longer be able to appear in the role of Deloris Van Cartier. 

Casting for the role of Deloris Van Cartier and all other roles for the London performances of Sister Act in 2022, together with casting for the new UK tour dates, will be made soon. 

-  Six the Musical is currently running the Lyric Theatre

-  Sunday in the Park with George starring  Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford has  now confirmed it will not run  in the West End in 2021 with dates still  to be confirmed.
 
-  The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre is planning to reopen on 12th July 2021.

-  The Drifters Girl new musical starring Beverley Knight has been postponed and will now run at the Garrick Theatre from 4th November 2021 to 26th March 2022.

-  The Lion King will return from Thur 29 Jul 2021 - April 2022 at the Lyceum

-  The Prince of Egypt  is currently booking  from 1st July 2021

-  Tina the Musical  is reopening in London on 28th July 2021

-  Wicked! is reopening on 5th September and currently booking until 27th November 2021 .

 TOURING MUSICALS 

See at a glance which are the number 1 UK touring musicals with all their latest rescheduled dates.

- Ambassador Theatre Group announce pantos in Manchester, Bristol and Milton Keynes

-  Bat Out of Hell producers  currently rescheduling  tour dates to 2021/2

- Dirty Dancing is heading out on tour again in  2021 opening in the summer

-  Disney’s Beauty and the Beast new UK and Ireland tour is now due to  open in Bristol on 25th August.

-  A new UK & Ireland tour of Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks is due to open at the Theatre Royal Newcastle from August 2021.

- Bring it On  the Lin Manuel Miranda musical will now play at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall in December, following eight performances at the New Theatre, Peterborough with 2022 tour dates now announced.

- Chicago the Musical  has a new tour due to start in September with tickets now on sale

- Cilla The Musical starring Sheridan Smith has been cancelled

- Dreamgirls the musical tour scheduled for the beginning of 2021 has been postponed until the end of this year/2022

-  Everybody's Talking About Jamie tour dates have been rescheduled  starting in September 2021

-  Fat Friends the Musical starring Lee Mead is to go on a new tour starting in January 2022

 -  Footloose  tour  starring Gareth Gates and Darren Day will now begin in February 2022

-  Friends! The Musical Parody  has rescheduled some tour dates to 2021.

-  Ghost the  Musical is to tour again at the end of 2021

-  Grease the Musical  starring Peter Andre has released rescheduled tour dates and now kicks off at end of July at Leicester

- Hairspray the Musical Tour - postponed until 2021.  New dates now on sale.

- Heathers the Musical - postponed until 2021.  New dates now on sale.

- Jersey Boys the Musical is due to tour the UK again starting in November 2021

-  Les Miserables has some rescheduled 2021 tour dates on sale

- Mamma Mia! has announced new tour dates for 2022/23

- Matthew Bourne`s new show The Midnight Bell is going on a  UK tour starting in September 

- Matthew Bourne`s Nutcracker national tour and Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells  has been postponed until 2021/2022 with new dates now on sale.

- My Best Friends Wedding starring Alexandra Burke has added new tour dates

-  9 to 5 the Musical second tour of Dolly Parton's  hit musical  now begins in  August  2021 with Louise Redknapp joining  in August as Violet Newstead  and more casting news to follow

- Priscilla Queen of the Desert is to restart touring in June 2021

-  Riverdance, the New 25th Anniversary Show will return to complete its tour of the UK. The show will visit 25 venues from 27th August 2021. All the 2020 tour dates have successfully been replaced and NEW SHOWS have been added

-  Rock of Ages has a new tour starting in August 2021 with tickets now on sale.

- School of Rock new 2021/22 tour dates

- Singin`in the Rain has announced rescheduled tour dates

- Six the Musical has rescheduled its tour dates and is now opening in Canterbury in June

- Strictly Ballroom the new  tour of the Baz Luhrmann musical, starring Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin Clifton, has been postponed and will now open in Portsmouth at the end of September 2021.

 - Sunny Afternoon tour of the Kinks Musical has been postponed

- The Addams Family tour postponed until August 2021

- The Book of Mormon tour  has rescheduled tour dates to 2021/2022.

- The Cher Show goes on a year long tour starting in August 2022

- The Commitments tour of the Roddy Doyle Musical will now run in 2022/23

-  The Lion King tour has been postponed until March 2022

- The Osmonds - a New Musical Tour has announced an extensive UK tour which will open in 2022

- The Rocky Horror Show to tour again in May 2021 starring Ore Oduba as Brad

 - Thriller Live! the Michael Jackson musical has rescheduled some tour dates and added new ones to 2021

- Waitress Musical has  new dates on sale for the 2021/2 tour which now begins in September

- White Christmas has a new tour opening in October 2021 with dates now on sale

- We Will Rock You  has postponed its tour until 2022with more new dates added.

- Whitney – Queen of the Night  has rescheduled its West End date to December 2021


CONCERT TOURS

-  Collabro have rescheduled their Concert Tour 

 - David Essex has rescheduled his concert tour 

- Jane McDonald has rescheduled her Leave a Light On 

  - Ruthie Henshall has moved her In My Life Tour

- Michael Ball and Alfie Boe have announced their Together At Christmas 2021 Concert Tour 

- Gary Barlow has rescheduled his Music Played by Humans tour to November and December 2021

Ride musical starring Gemma Sutton and Bronté Barbé to play two West End performances

Ride is a new musical starring Gemma Sutton (Girl from the North Country, Follies) and Bronté Barbé  (Oklahoma, Chichester, Beautiful UK tour) is to play two semi-staged performances at the Garrick Theatre on 21st June (3pm and 8pm).

It is a new musical about the first woman to cycle round the world, premiered at last year's Vault Festival It features music and lyrics by Jack Williams and book and lyrics by Freya Catrin Smith, who also co-directs with Adam Lenson (Public Domain, Vaudeville Theatre). The creative team also includes choreographer Alfred Taylor-Gaunt, designer Libby Todd, lighting designer Sam Waddington and orchestrator Macy Schmidtt.

The incredible true story of a young woman with big plans, and an even bigger imagination bursts into life in this new musical.In 1895 Annie Londonderry (Sutton) has returned victorious to America, hailed as the first woman to ever cycle around the world. She's pioneering, she's plucky, and she's pitching her story to the New York World. But she can't do it alone. Joined at the eleventh hour by unwitting secretary Martha Smith (Barbé), the two begin to share Annie's unbelievable adventures.

Buy tickets for Ride the Musical

Here Come the Boys with Strictly dancers opens at The London Palladium

Here Come the Boys dance spectacular has now opened at The London Palladium featuring Strictly Come Dancing stars Aljaž Škorjanec, Pasha Kovalev, Graziano di Prima and Robin Windsor with Strictly finalist Karim Zeroual. Plus  special guest star, Strictly's Nadiya Bychkova.  

 
Here Come The Boys sees the dancers go head-to-head in a battle of Latin, Ballroom, Commercial and Contemporary dance disciplines accompanied by a live DJ playing "a cutting-edge soundtrack of dance-floor anthems, club classics and guilty pleasures."- with the audience judging the contest.
 

SAVE 40% ON SELECTED TICKETS  for Here Come the Boys  at The London Palladium, where seating is socially distanced, until 9th  June.

Keala Settle announces concert at London's Cadogan Hall in December

Keala Settle who played bearded lady Lettie Lutz in The Greatest Showman is to perform in concert at London's Cadogan Hall for one night only on 22nd December 2021.

Her performance of the Oscar-nominated song "This Is Me" became a hit and helped the film's soundtrack to top charts worldwide. She also joined Hugh Jackman on his world tour, The Man. The Music. The Show. in 2019. Her Broadway credits include Hands on a Hardbody, Les Misérables and Waitress.

Keala Settle said today: "After the past year and a half we have had, I have learned and understood more about my voice and the healing power of music. This concert is filled with music that has helped heal me and rediscover life. I cannot wait to share it with you all. Performing in London will be a long-awaited homecoming and I am so excited to celebrate with everyone!"

Buy tickets for Keala Settle

Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley to play the Emcee and Sally Bowles in a new production of Cabaret the Musical

Baz Bamigboye of The Daily Mail  has confirmed that  Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Tony and Olivier award winner Eddie Redmayne will star as the  ‘The Emcee’ with  Bafta Nominee and British Independent Film award winner Jessie Buckley as ‘Sally Bowles’  in a new revamped production of Cabaret the Musical at the Kit Kat Club to be  directed by  Rebecca Frecknall who will be joined by  production designer Tom Scutt, choreographer Julia Chen, lighting designer Isabella Byrd, sound designer Nicholas Lidster, and music director Jennifer Whyte.

The production will open in November at the Kit Kat Club, the location of which is still the be revealed but is known to have a capacity of 550. Further details and full casting to be announced soon. Tickets sales begin on June 28th. 

 Jessie Buckley was most recently seen in the National Theatre film production of Romeo and Juliet. She was  a finalist on the Oliver! reality competition series, I'd Do Anything. She has been seen on the West End in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music with  screen credits including Chernobyl, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, and Fargo. Her film roles include Beast and Wild Rose. 

Eddie  Redmayne co-starred with Alfred Molina in the award-winning John Logan play RED on Broadway  for which he took home a Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Play in 2010. He originated the role at the Donmar Warehouse in London where he won the coveted Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor. His film work includes the Les Miserables, Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Danish Girl, and The Theory of Everything, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.