David Essex new tour of All the Fun of the Fair

On tomorrow's Elaine Paige show on BBC Radio 2 between 13:00 – 15:00 you can hear David Essex talking about his new tour of All the Fun of the Fair and his role in EastEnders as uncle to Alfie Moon (played by Shane Ritchie) later this year. 

As  previously mentioned he is also embarking on a new tour in September of his musical All the Fun of the Fair which played at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End last year.

More tour dates announced for Jonathan Ansell and Friends

Jonathan Ansell and Friends starts an extensive UK tour at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford on 3rd June.

The full list of tour dates will be announced shortly, but in the meantime dates for the Cliffs Pavilion Southend, Princess Theatre Torquay, Buxton Opera House, Liverpool Empire and Bristol Hippodrome have been released.  Click on the link above to find out more.

Musical Theatre stamps issued by Royal Mail

The Royal Mail are celebrating over seven decades of musical theatre in Britain by issuing a set of commemorative stamps to reflect the "diversity of British musicals".

There are eight stamps in total using a mixture of production images and show posters for Queen’s We Will Rock You, Lionel Bart's Oliver!, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Me and My Girl – first produced in 1937, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, Elton John’s Billy Elliot and Return to the Forbidden Planet.

The shows were selected by using the criteria "origins, longevity and success", but I find the choice of Return to the Forbidden Planet a bit bizarre, especially as Andrew Lloyd Webber doesn’t feature anywhere with the Phantom of the Opera and the world’s longest running musical Les Miserables absent.

The stamps are on sale now from the Royal Mail’s website and can be purchased as a set of four 1st Class and four 97p stamps.

Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen helped launch the stamps at the Dominion Theatre and said: “We’re thrilled that We Will Rock You has been immortalised on a Royal Mail stamp. The image on the stamp takes us back to when we were touring as Queen and embodies the rock and roll music that we wanted to celebrate in We Will Rock You the musical.”

Ramin Karimloo, Samantha Barks and Gina Beck in Concert at Charing Cross Theatre

Stars of the West End including Samantha Barks, Gina Beck, Cassandra Compton, Alice Fearn,  Conleth Kane, Ramin Karimloo, Jeremy Legat, Rebecca Lock, Martin Neely, Jeff Nicholson, Abbie Osmon, Sophia Ragavelas, Rebecca Seale, Summer Strallen and the GSA Choir will be singing the songs by the composer Steven Luke Walker at the Charing Cross Theatre (formerly the New Players) at 18:30 on 20th March.

Tickets at 0207 478 0170 or visit www.stevenlukewalker.com

Connie Fisher to Star in Wonderful Town at Lowry

Connie Fisher left the Sound of Music tour in January.  She is taking some time out from theatre at the moment but it has just been announced she will  lead the cast as Ruth Sherwood in Leonard Bernstein's Wonderful Town at the Lowry in Salford from 31st March-14th April 2012.

Wonderful Town is the story of sisters Ruth and Eileen Sherwood, who travel to New York City from Columbus, Ohio in search of love and fortune. My Sister Eileen is the collection of short stories on which the play and musical are based. They are about Ruth's memories of growing up with her sister.

This will be a joint production between the Manchester Royal Exchange, the Halle orchestra and the Lowry. Braham Murray will be directing and the Halle will be conducted by Sir Mark Elder. The production is due to run for two weeks and may subsequently tour.

Tickets go on sale today at www.thelowry.com

Jonathan Ansell, Daniel Boys and Zoe Tyler performing at Birmingham Pride Ball

West End and ex G4 opera star Jonathan Ansell , Daniel Boys and one of ITV’s Loose Women Zoe Tyler are performing at the Pride Ball at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on Friday 25th March.

The Pride Ball 2011 is the biggest LGBT in the UK with over 1000 black-tie diners.  It is a charity event which has raised over £50,000 in the last three years benefiting local HIV/AIDS charities and Birmingham LGBT where independent groups can apply for grants.

The evening includes performances from featured artists including Jonathan Ansell and Zoe Tyler, followed by a three course dinner, the Midlands Zone Readers Awards 2011, after dinner live entertainment, and a disco until 1:00 am.

After the Ball a number of after parties take place in the Birmingham Gay Village.

For full details of ticket prices visit www.prideball.co.uk

Cast Change for Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Mark Moraghan is probably best known for playing Consultant Owen Davies in BBC1's Holby City. He has now joined the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical  to play Bob the mechanic.

Richard Grieve has taken over as Tick from Ben Richards and the other principals remaining in the cast are Don Gallagher as Bernadette and Oliver Thornton as Adam.

They will be joined by Gemma O'Duffy, Charlotte Riby and Lucinda Shaw (Three Divas), Newley Aucutt  (Miss Understanding), Selina Chilton (Marion), Daniele Coombe (Shirley), Tristan Temple (Jimmy), Kanako Nakano (Cynthia), Steven Cleverley (Farrah/Young Bernadette) and John Brannoch as Frank.

Completing the company are James Cohen, Tim English, Liz Ewing, Steven Grace, Hugo Harold Harrison, Matt Krzan, Frances Mayli McCann, Lucy Newton, Callum Nicol, Ian Oswald, Will Peaco, Olivia Philip, John Phoenix, Graham Vick and Graham Weaver.

Matt Lucas joining Les Miserables in June

I can now confirm that Matt Lucas will be playing Thenardier in Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre from 23^rd June until 10th September.  He  is scheduled to be on at all 8 performances.

Hadley Fraser, who played  Grantaire in the 25th Anniversary show, is taking on the  role of Javert

Alfie Boe's Les Miserables dates announced

Alfie Boe’s performances as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre commence on Thursday 23rd June and end on Saturday 26th November 2011

His weekly performances are generally going to be: Tuesdays to Saturdays including Saturday matinees. (He will not be playing Monday evenings or Wednesday matinees)

Due to other commitments he will not be performing on the following dates: Saturday August 6th, Saturday August 20th, Saturday 10th September, Sunday 11th September, Saturday 12th November and Friday 18th November. As well as the following inclusive periods: Tuesday  20th September– Saturday  24th September  and Tuesday 1st – Sat 5th November.

More changes and delays for Spider Man Musical

The mega-expensive and accident prone Spider-Man Turn off the Dark musical has now enlisted the help of Paul Bogaev who is a multi-award winning music director-producer, arranger and composer to work on improving the show's many sound issues. He will also “help improve the performance, vocal and orchestration arrangements, and sound quality of the songs and numbers”.

It is also expected that the production will officially announce its sixth delay later this week which might push the official opening back until after this year's Tony Awards.

The New York Times is also  reporting that Bono and the Edge are writing new music for Spider Man Turn Off The Dark

Alfie Boe & Matt Lucas Les Miserables News

Both Alfie and Matt tweeted last night that Cameron Mackintosh is making a special announcement outside the Queen’s Theatre (with Alfie in tow) at 09:00 this morning regarding their appearing in Les Miserables. 

Will post the news as soon as I can

Sheridan Smith on The One Show this Thursday

Sheridan Smith is on BBC1’s The One Show this Thursday night to talk about her new role in Flare Path.
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She was on a family Christmas holiday in Dubai when she got a text from Sir Trevor Nunn inviting her to join a cast including Sienna Miller in a revival of Terence Rattigan's wartime drama Flare Path which he is directing,

She was planning on taking a break after 14 months of stage performances in Legally Blonde, but decided this was too good an opportunity to miss and two weeks after ending her run at the Savoy started rehearsals for the play, which previews at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on March 4th.

Smith plays the barmaid Doris in the play which is set during the Second World War. It tells the story of a love triangle featuring an actress, played by Miller, a young RAF bomber pilot and a Hollywood star who is the actress's former lover played by James Purefoy

You can buy tickets for Flare Path here 

Full Cast for Shrek the Musical at Drury Lane

Shrek the Musical opens at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 7th June (previews from 1st May).

The full cast has just been announced.  Joining Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Richard Blackwood as Donkey, Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona and Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad will be a company of 33 performers.

They include Delroy Atkinson, Amy Beadel, Stephanie Bron, Dean Chisnall, Jon-Scott Clark, Ste Clough, Lee William-Davis, Ross Dawes, Lucie Downer, Alice Fearn, Michelle Francis, Ashley E Hale, Rosanna Hyland, Bradley Jaden, Aaron Lee Lambert, Emma Lindars, Grant Murphy, Spencer O'Brien, Landi Oshinowo, Damien Poole, Stuart Matthew Price, Jacqui Sanchez, Jonathan Stewart, Leigh-Anne Stone, Lucy Tapp, Karli Vale and Michael Watson.

The roles of Young Shrek and Young Fiona will be shared by Samantha Allison, Chorlène Biron-Monnier, Lauren Dawes, Madeleine Hill, Emilia Jones and Sophie Wythe.

New Cast for Love Never Dies

As already mentioned, Ramin Karimloo is extending his contract as the Phantom in Love Never Dies for another six months up until 3rd September. But he will be on a six performance contract with Monday and Thursday being the likely evenings when he will not be on.

Liz Robertson (Madame Giry), Adam Pearce (Squelch) and Charles Brunton (Gangle) will stay with the show.

From 7th March they will be joined by several new cast members including David Thaxton who is  taking over as Raoul from Joseph Millson with Celia Graham as Christine, Haley Flaherty as Meg Giry, and Tracey Penn as Fleck.  They are taking over from Sierra Boggess, Summer Strallen and Niamh Perry.

The company also includes Nick Blair, Dale Branston, Abigail Brodie, Kieran Brown, Nick Crossley, Natalie Edmunds, Chris Gage, Lucy Van Gasse, Mirela Golinska, Daniel Gourlay, Simon Ray Harvey, Grace Holdstock, Lucinda Lawrence, Vanessa Leagh-Hicks, Louisa Lydell, Lisa Mathieson, David McMullan, Colette Morrow, Ashley Nottingham, Mira Ormala, Rae Piper, Alexa-Jayne Robinson, Andrew Rothwell, Simon Storey, Tim Walton and Zara Warren. Jack Costello, Daniel Dowling and Harry Polden share the role of Gustave; Tam Mutu is the alternate Phantom.

Ramin Karimloo's new performance schedule in Love Never Dies

Love Never Dies’ Phantom Ramin Karimloo has finally confirmed his new performance schedule in the show when the cast change happens on 5th March.

As previously mentioned, he has extended his contract for six months until 3rd September.  But he has a new reduced new performance schedule as he will be playing the role for six shows a week,  and at the moment is saying the nights he won’t be on are Mondays and Thursdays.

He’s also mentioned a record deal so hopefully things are moving on for his group the Sheytoons.   I’ve seen them perform and they certainly deserve one

Sarah Lancashire excited about meeting Betty Blue Eyes

As previous mentioned, the animatronic pig Betty Blue Eyes was flown in from Australia yesterday.  Sarah Lancashire was talking about the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes on the Graham Norton Show on Radio 2 this morning and said she was very excited as she was meeting her for the first time this afternoon.

She said Alan Bennett’s story “A Private Function” had been expanded for the stage and contained some rather marvellous British eccentric characters. The show is currently in rehearsal and previews next month opening on 14th April which is very timely because it is all about a Royal Wedding and opens just before the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton 

Graham Norton previewed one of her numbers “Nobody” which she described as a little bit of “Broadway in Yorkshire” from the show which she belts out and you can imagine her acting the part while she is singing it.

She went on to say it is very much an ensemble piece with some great numbers from Stiles & Drewe, with the director Richard Eyre certainly getting the best out of the cast who are mainly straight actors and not musical theatre performers.

John Owen-Jones starring in Eisteddfod’s Opening Concert

The Urdd National Eisteddfod’s Opening Concert this year will star John Owen-Jones and will take place on Sunday, 29th May at 8:00 pm.

John Owen-Jones comes from Burry Port and last year played the lead role of Jean Valjean in the 25th Anniversary Tour of Les Miserables which culminated in a special concert at the O2 Arena in October. He is currently playing the role of the Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s theatre in London.

John Owen-Jones said, "I'm delighted to be singing at the Opening Concert of the Urdd National Eisteddfod. I love performing in Wales and can't wait to be on stage at the pavilion, which always has a great crowd generating an infectious atmosphere. It's just amazing to realize how many of today's Welsh performers have graduated from competing in the Urdd Eisteddfod to performing on the West End Stage and I'm sure the Eisteddfod this year in Swansea, will highlight young talent once again. Long may it continue!"

Tickets are from £10 and are available at urdd.org/eisteddfod or by calling 0845 257 1639.

Take That Back for Good tribute tour dates

The Take That tribute musical Back for Good is on the road again.  This year the tour visits over 20 venues and currently ends at the Buxton Opera House on 17th June.

The "Take That" cast members are Daniel Paul Maines (Gary Barlow): Steven Craven (Howard Donald): Matthew Hall (Mark Owen) and Jamie MacGregor as Jason Orange

The show features some great dance routines and some real Take That classic numbers including ‘Relight My Fire’, ‘It Only Takes A Minute Girl’, ‘Everything Changes’, ‘Could It Be Magic’ to the heart warming ‘Babe’, ‘Love Ain’t Here Anymore’, ‘A Million Love Songs’ ‘Pray’ and ‘Back For Good’!

News on West End Eurovision

The fourth West End Eurovision will be held on Thursday 21st April at 11:30 pm at the Piccadilly Theatre.

This fun-filled, camp and glitzy fundraising show features West End Shows/Theatres competing against each other singing original Eurovision Song Contest songs to win the votes of the audience, a panel of celebrity judges and judges from each competing entry to win the West End Eurovision crown.

Previous winners have included: Wicked (2008), Mamma Mia! (2009) and Dirty Dancing (2010), with celebrity judges including: Graham Norton, Arlene Phillips, Sally Ann Triplett and producer, David Ian.

The show will also feature a special guest appearance by a past original Eurovision Song Contest entrant still to be announced. Previous performances have included: Scooch, Nicki French and Bardo.

Tickets at:  http://www.ambassadortickets.com

Sarah Lancashire talking Betty Blue Eyes on Graham Norton show tomorrow

The new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes starts previews on March 19th with the opening night on 14th April.

Sarah Lancashire is playing the bossy Joyce Chilvers who is wife to hen-pecked chiropodist Gilbert Chilvers played by Reece Shearsmith. You can hear her talking about the show on the Graham Norton Radio 2 show tomorrow (Saturday 19th February) which starts at 10:00 with Sarah due to be on between 11:30 and noon.

Miss Betty Blue Eyes has arrived!

The final member of the cast for the new Cameron Mackintosh musical Betty Blue Eyes touched down yesterday flying into London first class from Melbourne.

She is the most expensive artist in the production and some would say the star.  Of course I’m talking about the animatronic pig that the show is named after.  She has been created by the Creature Technology Company in Australia.

Now come the interesting part when she has to start rehearing with the actors – never work with children or animals they say – may an animatronic will be more manageable!

Les Miserables musicians to audition for places in new larger orchestra

Some of the 11 musicians in the orchestra of Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London’s West End have have played for the show since it opened 25 years ago. They have now been told they will have to audition for a place in an enlarged orchestra of 14 which is going to play new arrangements that were used on last year’s 25th anniversary UK tour

Cameron Mackintosh has told The Stage that he hoped some of the current orchestra members will remain with the show, but the updated score has new “doubling and trebling” (which relates to the number of instruments each musician is required to play as part of the orchestra) and this was one of the reasons why current players were having to audition.

In a statement to The Stage the show's writers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg said the new orchestrations “are in parts more difficult to play than the original and require some adjustments to the orchestra line-up. Nevertheless we fervently hope that many of the current orchestra will remain with us in the continuing life of Les Miserables,”

Nick Allott from the Mackintosh office said the new orchestrations are “more acoustic in nature and rely less on electronic sounds”. This will mean the sinfonia will no longer be used.

The Musicians’ Union declined to comment.

Joe McFadden and Dianne Pilkington starring in She Loves Me

The witty musical She Loves Me will be playing at the Minerva Studio at the Chichester Festival Theatre from 9th May-18th June

It will be directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear and will star Joe McFaddden and Dianne Pilkington as the lovelorn assistants Georg and Amalia.

The musical is set in the 1930’s where they work and squabble all day long, but at night they secretly find comfort in the passionate but anonymous love letters they write - both unaware that each is the other’s correspondent.

Tickets at: www.cft.org.uk Friends can book from 10:00 am today and public booking online opens at 10:00 am on Monday 28 February; telephone and counter bookings open at 10:00 am on Thursday 3rd March.

Full Cast Announced for Chichester's Singin’ in the Rain

Daniel Crossley, Scarlett Strallen, Adam Cooper (Guys and Dolls), Michael Brandon (Jerry Springer The Opera), Sandra Dickinson (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Katherine Kingsley (Aspects of Love) will appear there in Singin’ in the Rain from 27th June-10th September. It will be directed by Jonathan Church, Chichester's Artistic Director.

Singin’ in the Rain is based on the MGM film which starred  Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood the silent movie star with everything he could want - fame, adulation and a well-publicised ‘romance’ with his co-star Lina Lamont. But Hollywood is about to change forever. There is rumour in the studio of a new kind of film, where the actors actually talk,  sing.and dance!
Singin’ in the Rain is the story of that first Hollywood musical, the moment when the silver screen found its voice and never looked back. It features classic numbers including Make ‘em Laugh, Good Morning, Moses Supposes and Singin’ in the Rain.

Tickets at: www.cft.org.uk

Peter Polycarpou joining Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton in Sweeney Todd

As mentioned last year, West End theatre star Michael Ball is to play Sondheim’s Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Sweeney Todd will also star Imelda Staunton as Mrs Lovett and another piece of casting that has just been announced is that Peter Polycarpou who starred in Love Story at the Duchess Theatre earlier this year is playing the Beadle.  It will be directed by Jonathan Kent and run at the Chichester Festival Theatre from 24th September-5th November with a West End transfer anticipated.

Sweeney Todd is regarded by some as Sondheim’s masterpiece. Laced with sharp wit and dark humour it is set in the 19th century London and tells of the return of Sweeney Todd who has been falsely imprisoned for many years.  He sets out on a savage quest for justice and retribution aided by pie-shop owner Mrs Lovett.

Friends can book from 10:00 am today and public booking online opens at 10:00 am on Monday 28 February; telephone and counter bookings open at 10:00 am on Thursday 3rd March. Tickets at: www.cft.org.uk

Prior to rehearsals, Michael Ball is embarking on a concert tour "Michael Ball Heroes" which vistis UK venues from 24th May-26th June.

Love Never Dies Cast changes

As previously blogged, with the cast changes taking place in Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre on 5th March, David Thaxton is taking over the role of Raoul from Joseph Millsom.

Other changes are that Celia Graham (who is currently Christine’s understudy) will take over the role from Sierra Boggess who is heading to Broadway to star in Master Class with Tyne Daly.
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Ramin Karimloo is extending his contract and remaining as the Phantom for a while longer (end date not yet known) and Haley Flaherty (Rocky Horror Show, Mamma Mia, Follies, Grease, Chicago, Saturday Night Fever) is taking over as Meg Giry from Summer Strallen who is leaving to go on a tour of Top Hat the Musical  with Tom Chambers.



The new cast takes over on 7th March.

David Thaxton opens as Raoul in Love Never Dies tomorrow

The new cast of  Love Never Dies open at the Adelphi Theatre tomorrow (Monday 6th March).

David Thaxton has taken over the role of Raoul from Joseph Millsom. He played Enjolras in Les Miserables last year but left the show to play  Giorgio in the Donmar Warehouse production of Sondheim's musical Passion for which he is currently up for an Olivier Award.

Tom Chambers on Loose Women

Tom Chambers is starring with Summer Strallen in the tour of the musical Top Hat which opens in August. Tom will be playing Fred Astaire and Summer is in the Ginger Rogers role.

He has just appeared on today's  ITV lunch time show Loose Women and said that he has landed his dream job playing Fred Astaire in Top Hat for the stage. The film was made in 1935 and 75 years the producer Kenny Wax has got the stage rights.

He is also appearing for a charity he supports in a programme called Starlight for Children at 7:30 pm on Channel 5 tomorrow night.

Sierra Boggess to appear in Master Class on Broadway

Love Never Dies’ Sierra Boggess will join Tyne Daly in the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Terrence McNally's Master Class. Boggess will play Sharon who is a student enrolled in opera singer Maria Callas' voice class. Master Class is a portrait of the opera diva told through her recollections of the triumphs and tragedies of her  life and career.

The production begins previews on May 24th and opens on June 21st at the Samuel J Friedman Theatre.

Boggess is currently starring as Christine Daeé in Love Never Dies which she is scheduled to leave on 5th March and it had been mooted that she might be appearing the Rebecca the Musical and She Loves Me at Chichester.

She last appeared on Broadway as the title role in The Little Mermaid and has toured the States with Les Miserables and also starred in Phantom! -The Las Vegas Spectacular.

David Bedella joining Chicago Cast

David Bedella (Rocky Horror Show, Jerry Springer The Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Smokey Joe’s Café) is taking over as Billy Flynn for a limited season in Chicago the Musical at the Cambridge Theatre from 28th February until 6th April

Dirty Dancing to close in July at Aldwych

The producers of the West End production of Dirty Dancing have announced that it will close on 9th July. It was booking until October 2011 and has been playing at the Aldwych Theatre since 2006.

Ray Quinn who is playing the part of Billy is contracted until 28th May.

The closure has been rumoured since the tour of Dirty Dancing was announced a few months ago. The tour will start in September at the Bristol Hippodrome and tour the UK until it currently finishes at the Milton Keynes Theatre on 26th May 2012. Casting details have not yet been announced.

David Burt & Gina Beck appearing in Howard Goodall and Charles Hart's The Kissing Dance

The Kissing Dance is Howard Goodall (The Hired Man and Love Story) and Charles Hart’s (The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love and Love Never Dies) musical adaptation of Oliver Goldsmith’s comedy She Stoops to Conquer.

It receives its professional premiere at Jermyn Street Theatre previewing from 22nd to 25th March and running until 26th April.

Casting includes David Alder, Gina Beck, David Burt, Lila Clements, Greg Herst, Beverley Klein, Samuel Martin, Jack Shalloo, Lauren Storer, Gemma Sutton, Dylan Turner and Ian Virgo

In Nonesuch Hall the young heiress Kate Hardcastle and her cousin Constance prepare to receive their suitors, but Kate’s formidable mother and the mischievous Tony Lumpkin have other ideas, leading to a brilliant musical comedy of mistaken identity and disguise.

Book tickets for The Kissing Dance here

Marti Pellow on The One Show tomorrow

Wet Wet Wet front man Marti Pellow is appearing on The One Show tomorrow night on BBC One at 19:00.

Marti is currently in the middle of a critically acclaimed tour of the musical Jekyll & Hyde.  It started in January and has just played two weeks in Dubai and continues its UK tour at the new Theatre in Wimbledon on 28th February currently finishing at the Grand Theatre in Leeds at the end of July.

Alfie Boe Concert on Radio 2 this Friday

Ken Bruce presents Alfie Boe and soprano Rebecca Bottone  in Friday Night Is Music Night live from the Chichester Festival Theatre on Radio 2 on Friday 18th February at 8:00 pm .

Alfie has just announced the dates for his Bring Him Home tour starting in December. Tickets go on sale on Friday 18th February.

Denise Van Outen pulls out of Channel Five's new OK! TV show

Legally Blonde’s Denise Van Outen has pulled out of Channel 5’s new OK! TV show less than three days before it goes live on air.

A spokesperson for her released a statement earlier today stating that she would not be fronting the prime-time show and blamed a busy schedule. Denise’s representative said: “Due to other contractual commitments, Denise Van Outen will not be presenting OK! TV. Both parties wish each other the very best."

Denise has been battling cold after cold since Christmas and with her baby daughter Betsy still less than a year old she was certainly setting herself a punishing schedule.

Legally Blonde was expecting her to do the TV show and had lined up her understudy Sorelle Marsh to play the part of Paulette at Thursday matinees.  

The show is replacing the canned Live From Studio Five Show and launches on Monday night at 6.30pm.  Kate Walsh has stepped in at the last minute and will join Matt Johnson on the show next week.

Jonathan Ansell & Friends Tour

Classically trained singer and musical theatre star Jonathan Ansell is going on an extensive UK tour starting on 3rd June at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford.  I will post the rest of the dates as soon as they are confirmed..

Jonathan Ansell And Friends perform the music of G4  including Bohemian Rhapsody, Barcelona, Nessun Dorma, Circle of Life, Somebody to Love, Danny Boy and My Way

Jonathan has recently been touring in Lark Rise to Candleford and prior to that appeared in the musical Whistle Down the Wind playing the Man.  Before he goes on tour he is presenting Jonathan Ansell's Intimate Sunday in the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall on 24th April.

EastEnders Samantha Womack to star in South Pacific?

The 1949 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical  South Pacific is due to open at the Barbican on 15th August. The first bit of casting news is that EastEnders actress Samantha Womack (Ronnie Branning nee Mitchell) is in discussion with the show’s director Bartlett Sher and executives from the Ambassador Theatre Group to play nurse Nellie Forbush.

She auditioned for Sher during his recent visit to London and was offered the role. It’s just a case now of finalising the deal.

The actress has been playing a key role in the BBC soap drama’s controversial dead baby swap storyline and is due to leave the show in May.  I suspect taking on the role of nurse Nellie Forbush who falls for a French plantation owner on a South Sea island during World War II will offer her some much needed light relief.

Nellie has some great songs from the fabulous score including I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair, Honey Bun, I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy and A Cockeyed Optimist.

South Pacific is due to run at the Barbican for six weeks and then tour the UK from October 3rd until Christmas, returning to the Barbican in 2012.

Womack last appeared in the West End as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls alongside Patrick Swayze and Miami Vice star Don Johnson

Alfie Boe Bring Him Home Tour Dates

In October 2010 Alfie Boe accepted an offer from Cameron Mackintosh to play the lead role of Jean Valjean in 25th Anniversary concert performance of Les Miserables at the O2 Arena in London.

Following this he released his latest hit album Bring Him Home and is now planning to do a six month stint in the show at the Queen’s Theatre starting at the end of June until 3rd December.

He is then embarking on a UK concert tour on the following dates:6th December Bristol Colston Hall : 7th December London Royal Festival Hall:   8th December   Brighton Dome: 12th December Cardiff St David’s Hall:  13th December   Birmingham Symphony Hall: 14th December  Liverpool Philharmonic Hall:  16th December Gateshead Sage: 17th December Blackpool Opera House and 18th December  Nottingham Royal Concert Hall   

Tickets go on sale Friday 18th February@ 09:30am
Buy online: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Sadly No Me and My Girl at the Shaftesbury

With the Shaftesbury Theatre currently dark following the premature closure of Flashdance last month rumours have been circulating on what is going in there.

Rebecca the Musical had to pull out because of problems accommodating its set and the transfer of Me and My Girl from Sheffield doesn’t seem to be happening either.

In the immediate future Comedy Rush hosted by Rufus Hound, which features 60 acts in 60 minutes, has announced it will play the West End venue on 24th February and 24th March 2011.

After that illusionist Derren Brown is bringing his show Svengali in from 8th June-16 July. It will have already been on a UK tour starting in March.

The rumour for later in the year is that the Broadway hit Rock of Ages might be heading there.

Michael Crawford on his “Balloon Problems” as The Wizard of Oz

The Mystery Guest on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 this morning was Michael Crawford who is currently appearing in London's West End as the Wizard of Oz.

Chris had to do an off the cuff interview over the telephone which lasted for three minutes.  He managed to find out that Crawford  had been in New Zealand for the past  4 years to recuperate from a debilitating illness which meant  he couldn’t stay awake after 4:00 pm in the afternoon! It was the right thing to do because NZ is so peaceful he stared to relax, and with the new stress free lifestyle and the help of his grandchildren he made a steady recovery.

Andrew Lloyd Webber called him just as he was boarding a train to Bruges which was the start of journey  eventually ending up in Sicily with his family. He said he thought about the offer for 4 weeks and felt so refreshed after spending time with his grandchildren decided it was good idea as the Wizard is not a massive role. (Crawford modestly says he’s one of most unimportant people in the show!)  I saw him earlier this week at the Palladium and think he is marvellous in the role.

Chris Evans asked him if anything has gone wrong in the previews which started at the beginning of this week. Crawford said he has an interesting exit in a balloon which has caused some problems.  One night a bit fell off it narrowly missing people on the stage (luckily they saw it coming and scattered), and last night he pushed it in wrong direction and crashed into the set.

Hopefully Crawford will be fully in control of his balloon when The Wizard of Oz has its opening night at the London Palladium on 1st March

Special Ticket Offers for Tours of Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show, Elaine Paige Concerts and Spamalot

Ticketmaster are offering special deals on tickets for the tours of Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, Elaine Paige in Concert and Spamalot  which are bookable for 72 hours from noon today until noon on Monday 14 February 2011.

Just click on the links below to take you through to the booking page.

Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show - Buy one get one free - normally up to £35 each.

Elaine Paige Concert Tour – Buy a pair of tickets at Blackpool Opera House and save up to £15 - normally up to £38.50 each.

Spamalot – Sunderland Empire top tickets for £22.50 - normally up to £32.50.

Matt Lucas to play Thenardier in Les Miserables

It seems that the rumours which have been circulating in the West End are true and that Little Britain’s Matt Lucas will join the cast the Les Miserables playing the innkeeper Thenardier at the Queen’s Theatre when the cast change takes place in June and Martin Ball is due to leave the show.

Lucas has become firm friends with Alfie Boe since they met while appearing in the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena recording a duet of The Impossible Dream on Boe's new album, and  Boe lodging with Lucas while he was moving his family over from America.

Alfie Boe joins the show playing Jean Valjean at the end of June (date still to be confirmed) so it could well be that Lucas will join at that time.  Boe is with the show for six months until 3rd December, but the Lucas rumours mention a contract of either three or six months.  Lucas recently said that his perfect day would be "watching Arsenal in the afternoon and a performance of Les Mis in the evening" so it looks as though his wish has been granted.

In any case, it looks as though he will  be appearing in the West End from July-September this year.

Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert on Radio 2 this Friday

If you missed the first broadcast of the special concert marking the 25th anniversary tour of Les Miserables, then you can hear it this Friday (11th February) on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night at 20:00.

Performers include John Owen-Jones, Gareth Gates and Jacinta Whyte who are accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Mike Dixon.

Barbra Streisand Confirms Mama Rose/Gypsy role

According to the Los Angeles Times,  Barbra Streisand has confirmed that she will play the ultimate stage mother Mama Rose in a new film adaptation of the Broadway musical Gypsy

According to Streisand “The news leaked a little early, because the deal wasn't finished. I am not sure about directing it. It may just be too much. I know I will be playing the part. It's like a bookend starting with Funny Girl."

Streisand has the blessing of 92-year-old Broadway legend Arthur Laurents who wrote the book to the show.  He has said “Barbra had a mother who she always thought was Mama Rose. I don’t want to get into the details, but the point is she knows. She’s got it in her. She’s going to be much more than people expect We’ve talked about it a lot, and she knows what she’s doing. She has my approval.”

Stephen Sondheim  wrote the lyrics to the Broadway play and has said of the Mama Rose character “She’s monstrous to her daughters and the world is secondary…. She’s a very American character, a gallant figure and a life force.”

Mama Rose is one of the most challenging roles in musical theatre with numbers including "Rose's Turn" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses". It has previously been played on Broadway by “belters” Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Linda Lavin, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone. In previous film versions Rose has been portrayed by Rosalind Russell and Bette Midler.

After taking a bit of a back seat for a while, Streisand definitely seems to be returning to the business as she is scheduled to perform at this year’s Grammy Awards where she is a nominee for best traditional pop album for Love Is the Answer.

She is also recording a new album of songs by her close friends Alan and Marilyn Bergman and is due star opposite Seth Rogen in a road-trip comedy My Mother's Curse which is expected to begin filming this spring.

David Shannon Performing at Cafe de Paris Charity Gala

West End star David Shannon is performing at the Little Princess Trust Black Tie Charity Gala at the Café De Paris on Sunday 20th March 2011

Little Princess was started by the parents of Hannah Tarplee who was diagnosed as having a Wilms Tumour and eventually died.  It is a charity dedicated to providing specialist children’s wigs and came about as Hannah loved her hair and losing it was very traumatic for her.

You can purchase David's album Till I Hear You Sing at www.amazon.co.uk 

Information and tickets at: www.etickets.to

Alfie Boe & Matt Lucas Duet on Comedy Rocks this Friday

Jason Manford hosts the hour-long comedy and music entertainment shows Comedy Rocks for ITV1. Every week he is joined by some top draw comedians and a well-known musical act.

This Friday 11th February at 9:00pm Julian Clary returns to his stand-up roots, music is provided by McFly and there is an exclusive duet between classical music star Alfie Boe and Little Britain's Matt Lucas. I am assuming they will sing Impossible Dream which is the number they recorded on  Alfie's new hit album Bring Him Home

Louise Dearman, Mark Evans and West End stars in charity gala at Lincoln Cathedral

West End diva Shona Lindsay is organising a star-studded fundraising gala which will be held at Lincoln Cathedral on Sunday 29th May at 7:00 pm.

Some Enchanted Evening will by hosted by Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page and  feature West End stars Louise Dearman and Mark Evans from Wicked!,  Shona Lindsay, Glyn Kerslake, Ria Jones, Tim Rogers, Emma Clifford, Earl Carpenter, Gina Beck, Daniel Boys, Annalene Beechey, Paul Spicer and the Band of The RAF … with more to come.

Will post details of how to purchase tickets as soon as they are available

Legally Blonde the Musical going on Tour

The musical Legally Blonde is currently playing at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End.  The producers are about to announce a twelve month tour which opens in Liverpool in July.  I believe the intention is to use the US touring set.

The intention is that the London production will continue (it is currently booking until 29th October).  There has recently been a cast change there with most of the contracts running until the middle of the year.

More news soon.

Adam Garcia performing on Got To Dance this Sunday

West End star and Got to Dance judge Adam Garcia will put on his tap shoes this Sunday  February 13th perform with Chris Horsey and his tap company TapWorks.

Adam is an amazing tap dancer having starred in Tap Dogs in London’s West End last year and in Australia over Christmas.

Got to Dance is on Sky1 at 6:00 pm on Sunday.

Love Story’s Michael Xavier and Emma Williams at Dress Circle later this month

Cast Members Emma Williams and Michael Xavier and composer Howard Goodall from Love Story - The Musical will be at Dress Circle in Monmouth Street on Saturday 19th February from 12 noon - 1:00 pm to sign copies of the London cast recording of the show.

The music from this show is really beautiful and one of the shocks this year is that the show posted early closing notices and is now ending its run at the Duchess Theatre on 26th February.

This is even more ironic as the show has received rave reviews and was nominated for three 2011 Laurence Olivier Awards yesterday.

If you can’t make the signing you can order a copy of Love Story the Musical here