Full casting for new tour of Shrek the Musical

Based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animated film, a new UK  tour of Shrek the Musical  kicks off 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.

Ccasting news is that Anthony Lawrence (The Lion King tour, Matilda the Musical) is Shrek, alongside Joanne Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing, Windfall, The Addams Family) as Fiona. Also cast are Brandon Lee Sears (Dreamgirls, Be More Chill, Come From Away) as Donkey with James Gillan (Everybody's Talking About Jamie), playing Lord Faquaad. They will be joined by  Cherece Richards (Once on This Island) as the Dragon, with Leo Abad, Scotty Armstrong, Imogen Bailey, Jabari Braham, Georgie Buckland, Natasha Cayabyab, Mark Darcy, Jonathan David Dudley, Remi Ferdinand, Sonny Grieveson, Edward Leigh, Bethany Kate, Jessica Lim, Andile Mabhena, Bronte MacMillan, India Thornton. Talia Duff, Gabby Gregorian, Roy Shafford and Jamie Jonathan.

Shrek The Musical | UK and Ireland tour cast introduction

 

Antony Lawrence will play Shrek. His previous credits include Scar in The Lion King, (International Tour) Mary Poppins (National Tour), Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre/RSC) and We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour).

Joanne Clifton, best known for her time as a professional dancer on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, will play Fiona.  She joined the iconic TV show after winning the World Professional Showdance Champion and the European Professional Ballroom Championship. During her time on the show, she won the Christmas Special with McFly’s Harry Judd and went on to win the glitterball trophy as the 2016 champion with her partner Ore Oduba.  On stage Joanne Clifton was most recently seen in Windfall (Southwark Playhouse) and The Addams Family (UK Tour).  

Olivier Award-nominee James Gillan (Lord Farquaad) most recently created the role of Tray in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) – a role he stayed with through the show’s entire West End run. He has also performed in productions of Wicked, Starlight Express and Taboo!

Brandon Lee Sears (Donkey) most recently played the role of Jimmy Early in Dreamgirls (UK tour).  His previous theatre credits include the original West End productions of Be More Chill (Shaftesbury Theatre), Come From Away (Phoenix theatre); Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Motown the Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre); and On The Town (Regents Park Open Air Theatre).

 

 

 

Nicole Scherzinger to star in Sunset Boulevard

It has just been confirmed that Nicole Scherzinger will star as Norma Desmond in a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard in the West End at the Savoy Theatre for 16 weeks from September. This Jamie Lloyd Company production is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals (the first presented by the new joint venture by Lloyd Webber and Michael Harrison).Gavin Kalin Productions, and Wessex Grove.

The production, celebrating the musical's 30th anniversary, will begin in September at London's Savoy Theatre. Exact dates and additional casting will be announced at a later time

Lead casting announced for MJ the Musical

Producers of MJ the musical have announced that Myles Frost, who originated the role of Michael Jackson in New York and ultimately won a Tony Award, will reprise his performance in London at the Prince Edward Theatre from 6th March 2024, with a press night on 27th March. Tickets will go on general sale later this week (24th May

The director said "Working with Myles has always been amazing. He is a visionary and knowing that we’re now going into his stomping ground, I’m ready for that ride! I’m super excited to bring this show to the West End and to make this a magical experience for everybody."

The choreographer added  added: "I am naturally thrilled to have Myles opening the London company with his knockout award-winning performance. Myles embodies the artistic spirit of MJ but allows his own glorious talent to shine through his portrayal. Working closely with Myles to achieve this is in part what has made this show such a success on Broadway."

Full cast for Crazy for You in London

Susan Stroman's production of Crazy for You  is to transfer to the  Gillian Lynne Theatre from 24th June 2023, for a 30-week season with Charlie Stemp leading  the production, as he did in Chichester.

First seen at Chichester Festival Theatre earlier this year, the production of Ken Ludwig's piece which features Gershwin classics  including "I Got Rhythm" and "Someone to Watch Over Me" will again be led by Charlie Stemp, the Olivier-nominated star of Half a Sixpence and Mary Poppins as Bobby, Carly Anderson, star of Wicked as Polly, and Drama Desk Award winner Tom Edden as Bela Zangler. They will be joined by Natalie Kassanga (Dreamgirls) as Irene Roth, Mathew Craig (We Will Rock You) as Lank Hawkins, Duncan Smith (White Christmas) as Everett Baker, Marilyn Cutts (Funny Girl) as Lottie Child, Sam Harrison (Les Misérables) as Eugene Fodor, Rina Fatania (The Killing of Sister George) as Patricia Fodor, Jack Wilcox (Anything Goes)as Standby Bobby Child with Kayleigh Thadani, Kate Parr, Lila Anderson, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Imogen Bowtell, Laura Hills, Ella Valentine, Tara Yasmin, Marc Akinfolarin, Lucas Koch, Philip Bertioli, Jason Battersby, Ashley-Jordon Packer, Nicholas Duncan, Nathan Elwick, Liam Wrate, Joshua Nkemdilim, Nell Martin, Bradley Trevethan, Bethan Downing, Ryan Jupp, Jinny Gould, George Bray.

New casting has been announced for London production of Hamilton

New casting has been announced for the West End production of Hamilton, with new faces set to have their first performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre on 19 June 2023.

Declan Spaine (Get Up, Stand Up!) will join in the title role of Alexander Hamilton, with  Ava Brennan (The Secret Life of Bees) as Angelica Schuyler, Simbi Akande (Mother Goose) as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds, Dom Hartley-Harris (Rent) as George Washington and Lemuel Knights (42 Balloons) as Marquis De Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson.

Joining the ensemble will be Gabriela Acosta, Elizabeth Armstrong, Alishia-Marie Blake, Aimie Hibbert, Sam Holden, Christian Knight, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Stacey McGuire, Lewis Newton, Hassun Sharif, Hannah Qureshi, Alex Tranter and Maddison Tyson.

Continuing in the show will be Simon-Anthony Rhoden as Aaron Burr, Shan Ako as Eliza Hamilton, Emile Ruddock as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, Jake Halsey-Jones as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton and Joel Montague as King George III.

 

Full cast announced for The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium

Full casting news for The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium is that West End star Gary Wilmot (The Wizard in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Jethro in The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion, and Badger in The Wind in the Willows at The London Palladium) will play the Wizard and Professor Marvel. He will be joined by comedian and performer Jason Manford (Curtains, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) will play The Cowardly Lion, while Diversity star Ashley Banjo will make his West End musical debut as The Tin Man. They will be joined by Dianne Pilkington (Bedknobs and Broomsticks) as the Wicked Witch of the West, Louis Gaunt (Mary Poppins) as the Scarecrow and Christina Bianco (Forbidden Broadway), reprising her role as Glinda the Good Witch from the original production at Curve in Leicester. Georgina Onuorah is playing the lead role of Dorothy - she is currently performing as Ado Annie in Oklahoma! at the Wyndham's Theatre and previously played the role of Dorothy in the Curve, Leicester production of The Wizard of Oz last year. Her other credits include Millennials at The Other Palace and the Alternate Cinderella in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

The full cast is completed by Ben Thompson (Toto), Annie Southall, Charlotte St Croix, Claire O'Leary, Eamonn Cox, Emily Ann Potter, Geoff Aymer, Harrison Wilde, Jacqui Dubois, Jessica Daley, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Lauren Stroud, Marley Fenton, Michael Lin and Sam Stones.

We Will Rock You London full cast announced

A new production of the hit Queen musical We Will Rock You  is to return to the West End for a strictly limited season at the London Coliseum from 2 June to 27 August 2023.Brenda Edwards will play Killer Queen and Lee Mead is Khashoggi with comedian, writer, and director Ben Elton set to make his stage acting debut in the new role of  the Rebel Leader. 

They will be joined by Ian McIntosh and Elena Skye who will reprise their roles as Galileo Figaro and Scaramouche The cast is completed by Christine Allado (The Prince of Egypt) as Meat, Adrian Hansel (Ain't Misbehavin') as Brit, and the ensemble of Glenn Adamson, Laura Ava-Scott, Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Liam Buckland, David Burilin, Victoria Collins, Isaac Edwards, Leanne Garretty, Lucy Glover, Ryesha Higgs, Ellis Linford-Pill, Shak Mancel James, David McIntosh, Danny Nattrass, Jarryd Nurden, Jenny O'Leary, Sam Robinson, Madison Swan, Karen Walker and Rebecca Wickes.

Tour cast for 42nd Street

A new UK production of the tour of  musical 42nd Street will feature  Samantha Womack, Michael Praed, Faye Tozer, Les Dennis and Nicole-Lily Baisden.

The production, which is also being staged by Curve and Sadler’s Wells with a slightly different line up  opens at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury on 13th July 2023. .

Samantha Womack, who most  recently starred as the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, will play the role of Dorothy Brock, while Michael Praed will play Julian Marsh. Faye Tozer, a member of pop group Steps, will play Maggie Jones, with Les Dennis playing Bert Barry and Nicole-Lily Baisden playing Peggy Sawyer.

The cast will be completed by Sam Lips as Billy Lawlor, with Erica-Jayne Alden, George Beet, Charlie Bishop, Kevin Brewis, Olly Christopher, Briana Craig, Jordan Crouch, Rhianna Dorris, Ashleigh Graham, Alyn Hawke, Aimee Hodnett, Connor Hughes, Deja Linton, Sarah-Marie Maxwell, Greta McKinnon, Ben Middleton, Benjamin Mundy, Anthony Ofoegbu and Jessica Wright.

 

Full casting for Aspects of Love

As already announced, Moulin Rouge! West End star Jamie Bogyo will play the role of Alex, joining Michael Ball in the new production of Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre  which runs from 12 May to 11 November 2023

Moulin Rouge! West End star Jamie Bogyo is to  play the role of the young romantic Alex - the role which Ball originated in 1989. He will now take on the role of Alex´s uncle George and will once more belt out the hit song, "Love Changes Everything," in the new production which will be restructured so that Ball can reprise his performance of the iconic song and could also feature a new song from composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

 Joining him will be Laura Pitt-Pulford (Falsettos, The Other Palace; Sound of Music, Leicester Curve) as Rose, Jamie Bogyo (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) as Alex and Danielle de Niese (Man of La Mancha and It’s a Wonderful Life English National Opera) as Giulietta, Anna Unwin will make her West End debut in the role of Jenny. They will be joined by Rosemary Ashe, Anthony Cable, Vinny Coyle, Chumisa Dornford-May, Sophia Foroughi, Dickon Gough, Ben Heathcote, Eu Jin Hwang, Daniel Jagusz-Holley, Linda Jarvis, Natasha O’Brien, Joanna O’Hare and Michael Matus who will all feature in the revival. Additionally, the role of Young Jenny will be shared by Indiana Ashworth, Millie Gubby, and Katie Mitton.

De Niese said today: "I fell in love with Andrew Lloyd Webber's beautiful score and melodies as a child and now even more so with these gorgeous new orchestrations which are so rich and romantic. I am so excited about playing and exploring my fantastic character, Giulietta and returning to the West End. Working with Laura Pitt-Pulford and Jamie Bogyo will be great fun and sharing the stage with the inimitable Michael Ball will be beyond amazing!"

Ball added: "I feel privileged and very lucky to introduce our fabulous leading ladies joining me in Aspects of Love. The incredible Laura Pitt-Pulford who is no stranger to the West End as Rose and the divine Danielle de Niese, the renowned opera singer, as Giulietta. Making her West End debut as my daughter Jenny, a wonderful new talent, Anna Unwin. I couldn't be happier. First day of school, Monday!"

Full cast for Greatest Days Take That musical tour

 

 

The full cast for the tour of the official Take That musical Greatest Days has been announced. It features a book by award-winning playwright Tim Firth, is set to embark on a major UK and Ireland tour from 6 May 2023, and will coincide with the release of the official movie version during the summer.

Joining  the previously announced Kym Marsh as Rachel and her daughter Emilie Cunliffe as Young Rachel will be  Taylor Alman, Charlotte Anne Steen, Holly Ashton, Hannah Brown, Kalifa Burton, Benjamin Cameron, Jamie Corner, Archie Durrant, Regan Gascoigne, Kitty Harris, Bayley Hart, Keith Henderson, Karen Holmes, Christopher D. Hunt, Evangeline Jarvis-Jones, Rachel Marwood, Mari McGinlay, Jamie-Rose Monk, Mary Moore, Alexanda O'Reilly, and Alan Stocks.

Greatest Days celebrates the 30th anniversary of Take That's first-ever UK number 1 single, "Pray", and features over 15 record-breaking Take That songs alongside a story of five best friends in the 1990s who are obsessed with their favourite boy band. The girls reunite more than 20 years later with a plan to see their heartthrobs one last time. 

 Originally produced as The Band by David Pugh, Dafydd Rogers and Take That, the show first opened at Manchester Opera House in September 2017, breaking box office records along the way.

The show has co-direction by Stacey Haynes and Firth, choreography by Aaron Renfree, set and costume design by Lucy Osborne, lighting design by Rob Casey, sound design by Tony Gayle, casting by David Grindrod Burton, musical supervision by John Donovan, and costume supervision by Martin Rodges.

World premiere of the official Stock Aitken Waterman musical, I Should Be So Lucky to go on tour later this year

The world premiere of the official Stock Aitken Waterman musical, I Should Be So Lucky, will open at the Manchester Opera House on 1 November, 2023.

The musical is based on the soundtrack of a generation, with tunes from artists including Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Jason Donovan, and Bananarama. I Should Be So Lucky will feature at least ten Number One singles and over 30 songs from the Hit Factory, whose music defined an era.

It follows Ella and Nathan, a young couple hopelessly in love and about to take the biggest step of their lives – marriage. Until it doesn't go quite to plan. Tunes set to appear include "Never Gonna Give You Up", "I Should Be So Lucky", "Love In The First Degree" and "Especially For You".

The musical is written and directed by Debbie Isitt (best known for the hit Nativity! franchise), and choreographed by Jason Gilkison (creative director of Strictly Come Dancing and Eurovision 2023)

Tom Read Wilson will star as Squidward in the THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

Tom Read Wilson will star as Squidward in the UK Premiere of THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL, joining the previously announced Divina de Campo as Plankton. Tom will play the role in Bradford, Manchester, Sheffield, Peterborough, Wolverhampton, Leicester and Aberdeen.

Tom Read Wilson (Squidward) is probably best known as the receptionist on Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating. He studied at Rose Bruford College and the Royal Academy of Music before performing in Sleeping Beauty at Wellingborough Castle Theatre, Alice in Wonderland at Madinat Theatre, Dubai, the UK Tour of Cat in the Hat and in Sweet Revenge at Theatre Royal Windsor.

As previously announced, Gareth Gates will play the role of Squidward in Southampton, Birmingham, Oxford, Dublin, Belfast, Cardiff, Blackpool and Norwich.

 Further casting for the production’s run at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, in Plymouth and Newcastle to be announced.