The Cat in the Hat returns to London

It has just been announced that The National Theatre’s adaptation of Dr Seuss’s The Cat In The Hat is returning to London in a brand new production for 12 performances only from Wednesday 19th-Sunday 23th February at Greenwich Theatre.

The cast includes Ashley Bates as Cat, Paul Cleveland as Fish, Cassandra Harris as Sally, Robert Hannouch as Boy, Jill Regan as Thing 1/Kitten 1 and Andrew Beckett as Thing 2/Kitten 2.

They will be presenting a special reading of Dr Seuss’ book at Waterstones Greenwich, 51 Greenwich Church Street, SE10 9BL on Saturday 15th February at 12.00 noon

Tickets for The Cat in the Hat 

Back to the Future the Musical

According to Baz Bamigboye in today's Mail, the 1985 film Back To The Future is being turned into a stage musical.  It will open in the West End next year which is the 30th anniversary of the film which made Michael J Fox a star.

Apparently the project  has been under consideration for the past ten years with  Bob Gale (who wrote the 1985 film and its two sequels) and the film’s director Robert Zemeckis discussed the project with various people but it only fell into place when they met director Jamie Lloyd and producer Colin Ingram. Gale said: "We met Brits, and we met Americans, but we decided on the Brits - Jamie and Colin - because they’re seeing our material through slightly different cultural eyes".

Gale and Zemeckis have written a script that is along the same lines as the film "but not slavishly. The script stands on its own. It’s a different version of the same story."

Lloyd has been working the show and will direct two workshops: one in Los Angeles in July for producers at Universal Stage Productions and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and a second in London in August for Ingram’s London colleagues and theatre owners.

The creative team will also include set designer Soutra Gilmour, lighting expert Jon Clark and illusionist Paul Kieve.

Jersey Boys UK Tour Dates and Booking Details

Jersey Boys is to start a UK tour at the Manchester Palace Theatre on 4th September running there until 4th October.

Click on the link above for the full list of venues so far with more to be announced taking it to October 2015.

More news to follow shortly.

The tour will be staged by the original Broadway creative team: director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo: design by Klara Zieglerova: costume design by Jess Goldstein, lighting by Howell Binkley and sound by Steve Canyon Kennedy.

The London production transfers from the Prince Edward  to the Piccadilly Theatre in March where it is currently booking until October.

Avenue Q Tour Dates Announced

The dates for the new tour of Avenue Q which opens at Greenwich Theatre on 23rd April and runs until 11th May have now been announced.

Crewe Lyceum Theatre	19th-21st May
Londonderry Millennium Forum	23rd-25th May
Bracknell Southill Park	3rd-6th June
Edinburgh King’s Theatre	10th-14th June
Inverness Eden Court	17th-18th June
Buxton Opera House	19th-21st June
High Wycombe Swan	23rd-25th June
Crawley Hawth	26th-28th June
Blackpool Grand	1st-5th July
Poole Lighthouse	7th-9th July
Lincoln Theatre Royal	10th-13th July
Winchester Theatre Royal	17th-19th July
St Helen’s Theatre Royal	21st-23rd July
Lichfield Garrick Theatre	24th-26th July
Croydon Fairfield Halls	28th-30th July
Guildford G Live	31st July-2nd August

More booking links when box offices are open and casting news to follow.

Incredible Line Up for Next WestEndFest in March

The first WestEndFest of this year takes place on 2nd March at The Actors Church in Covent Garden.

Every concert incorporates themes with this one being chosen by Scott Garnham  – ‘Songs you love (BUT SHOULDN’T!) where performers will attempt to sing their guilty pleasures!

The charities WestEndFest supports and raises money for are The Cystic Fibrosis Trust and CRY UK (an organisation that helps raise awareness and helps to raise funds for cardiac arrest in the young).
There are homemade cupcakes being baked for the day, lots of treats, WestEndFest merchandise on sale, and an auction that takes place on stage at the interval, which will be hosted by Scott Garnham and Dean McCullough.

The list of performers includes: (more to be confirmed soon)

Rebecca Caine - original Cosette Les Miserables
Lauren Samuels - Scaramouche (WWRY) Water Babies- World premiere show.
Zizi Strallen - Rock of Ages, Merrily we Roll Along, Hairspray
Cassie Compton - Wicked, Les Mis, American Psycho.
Sabrina Aloueche - Eponine- Les Mis, Scaramouche- We Will Rock You, Maureen- Rent
Tori Allen Martin - After The Turn, Mimi-Rent, HAIR.
Alice Fearn - Les Miserables, Shrek, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Niall Sheehy - Wicked, Les Miserables- 1st Enjolras
Jamie Muscato - Rock of Ages, The Light Princess
Rob Houchen - Marius- Les Miserables
Aaron Sidwell - Loserville (original company), Carnaby Street (original company) Steven Beale (Eastenders)
Scott Garnham - Les Miserables, ‘I Can’t Sing’ the Musical
Oliver Savile - Les Miserables- Enjolras, Tugger- Cats!
James Gant - Les Miserables, Oliver, Evita
Stephen Webb - Notre Damn de Paris, From Here To Eternity
David Ribi - Hairspray, Dreamboats and Petticoats
Greg Oliver - The Prodigals, Spring Awakening, After The Turn
Maria Coyne - Magenta- Rocky Horror, Spring Awakening, Joseph, Crazy for You.
Thomas Sutcliffe - showcasing new show The Mill on the Floss
Peter Polycarpou – Les Mis, Phantom, Sweeney Todd, Cats, Love Story, Chitty
Kieran Brown – Love Never Dies, Wicked, Pipe Dream, Tick Tick Boom, Phantom…

Tickets for WestEndFest

Rachel Tucker and Stuart Matthew Price in Kerrigan & Lowdermilk Cabaret

Cabaret Weekends

As part of their Cabaret Weekends the  St James Studio welcomes American Award-winning songwriters Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk to perform and discuss their work in an intimate evening of songs at the piano.

Kerrigan & Lowdermilk: Words and Music is on at 8:00 pm on Saturday 8th February and features Stuart Matthew Price and special guest Rachel Tucker with an evening of anecdotes, melodies and words.

Tickets for Kerrigan & Lowdermilk

Hugh Jackman Starring as Blackbeard in Peter Pan Movie

Hugh Jackman is starring as the villainous Blackbeard in Warner Bros' new live-action Peter Pan feature film which will be directed by Joe Wright (Atonement,Pride & Prejudice).

The announcement has just been made  by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros Pictures. Silverman said "Hugh Jackman always delivers indelible performances that resonate with audiences. We know he will create a Blackbeard who will be a powerful presence in this original Peter Pan adventure." With Kroll adding  "There is a reason that Hugh is known and loved the world over. He is uncompromising in his dedication to every role, and we are all thrilled to be working with him again."

The as-yet-untitled Peter Pan adventure has a screenplay by Jason Fuchs. Greg Berlanti and Paul Webster are the producers. The film is set for a worldwide release on July 17th 2015.

Voice Contestant Bob Blakely Gets Second Chance

Must admit I was very surprised when Bob Blakeley gave a wonderful  rendition of Cry  Me A River on last Saturday's episode of The Voice and was not taken by one of the judges . One of the reasons given for their rejection was "he was so good that they thought a professional singer".

But the good news is that  has been offered a second chance during an interview on BBC Breakfast when he was reduced to tears after Mike Batt offered his services as a mentor to try to land him a record deal,  potentially with his own label, Dramatico.

Batt said: "Usually when the chairs don't turn around you think, fair enough, but he was just so phenomenal.I just felt such a sense of injustice that I thought I ought to do something. I would like to be the fifth person that did turn round... I would love to mentor you, to, if you like, manage you for six months or so until you get a deal with a good company, or with my own company. You must not let this chance go by and I would like to help you."

 Bob Blakeley singing Cry Me A River 

Kinky Boots heading for London next year

At the press launch of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels today in London, director and choreographer Jerry Mithcell has revealed that his long awaited  production of Kinky Boots will make its UK premiere in the West End some time in 2015.

Mitchell said: "We are in talks with a number of theatres at the moment. Cameron (Mackintosh) is heavily involved, having invested in the Broadway production."

The hit Broadway show won six Tony awards last year including Best Choreography for Mitchell. It has music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein,  and is adapted from the 2005 film of the same name which was inspired by a true story.

The musical is about Charlie who is a struggling British shoe factory's young owner.  He forms an unlikely partnership with drag queen Lola. In a bid to save the business Charlie plans to move away from the usual men's dress shoes they produce and instead make custom transvestite footwear for drag artists.  This is  when he and Lola discover that they are not so different after all ...

Kerry Ellis & Cast of Rent in Concert Performing on Alan Titchmarsh Show

The new tour of Rent in Concert starts up again on 30th January.

You can see Kerry Ellis and the cast performing live on Friday 24th January on the Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV at 3:00pm when they will be singing Rent and Seasons of Love.

Rebecca the Musical to Rise Again?

Producers of the ill-fated musical Rebacca based on the classic novel by Daphne Du Maurier have officially extended its rights to December 31st with a planned Winter 2014 opening on Broadway. They are now joined by Co-Producers Steven Colson, Peter Bezemes and Barbara Sellinger, along with the previously announced co-producers.

According to a release from the show's producers, "REBECCA's previous delay was initially the result of the fraud perpetrated by Mark Hotton (who is now serving time in jail) and then, more damagingly, the consequence of anonymous and malicious e-mails that were revealed to have been sent by the show's previous press agent Marc Thibodeau to a new investor who was replacing a major portion of Hotton's investors. Thibodeau's emails, which were sent as recently as three days before rehearsals were to begin, resulted in the new investor's abrupt withdrawal and the delay of the show in the Fall of 2012. A civil litigation against Thibodeau and unnamed others remains pending and is scheduled to be ready for trial in the middle of 2014. On January 17, 2014, Thibodeau withdrew his countersuit against the musical."

From Here to Eternity Shuttering Earlier than planned

Despite Sir Tim Rice's hopes that ticket sales would enable From Here to Eternity to move another theatre after it closes at the Shaftesbury in April, producers have confirmed that it will now shutter earlier than planned on 29th March.

If you do want ti see it before it closes there are some great ticket deals to be had.

Once's Declan Bennett to join EastEnders

Declan Bennett who plays the lead role of street musician Guy in Once the Musical at the Phoenix Theatre is to join EastEnders as Dot Branning's grandson Charlie Cotton (the eldest son of Dot's wayward son Nick).

He is leaving Once on 8th March with a change of cast expected to be announced this week. The musical has today extended its booking period to July 4th 2015. He will begin filming EastEnders this month and can be seen on screen from March. 

Bennett said: "I'm delighted to be joining the cast of EastEnders, especially at what seems to be an extremely exciting time for the show. June Brown (who plays Dot) is not only an incredible actress but has also created one of TV's most iconic characters. To be working alongside her is a dream come true."

Hugh Jackman to star in The River on Broadway

According to the New York Post, and confirmed by the man himself, Hugh Jackman will be back on Broadway in The River by Jez Butterworth which was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in 2012.

Not surprisingly Jackman is Broadway’s No 1 box office draw and it was disappointing when he had to withdraw from the Houdini musical because of scheduling problems.

Ian Rickson’s London production starring Dominic West and Miranda Raison received favorable reviews in London's West End with the critics describing it as “Hitchcock meets Shirley Valentine. Strange, eerie, tense and, on a single viewing, slightly unfathomable.”

The 80 minute play is about a Man (nameless) who invites a Woman (also nameless) to his cabin in the woods for the weekend. He is  a fisherman and teaches her how to fish, telling her he loves her. But not all is as it seems ... especially when The Other Woman arrives.

Rickson will also direct the New York production which is set to open in early 2015, with Sonia Friedman and the Royal Court producing.

I Can't Sing Cast Performing at National Television Awards

The cast of I Can't Sing! X Factor Musical will be performing live on ITV's  National Television Awards which will be televised at 7:30 pm on Wednesday 22nd January.

They will be performing Fabulous when the Simon character (played by Nigel Harman who looks uncannily like Mr Cowell) explains why he always wears his trousers so high.




The show starts previews at the London Palladium on 27th February and opens on 26th March. It is currently booking until 25th October.

John Barrowman Tickets for Superstar Dogs

John Barrowman is to present new Channel 4 daytime series called Superstar Dogs where dogs and their owners from all over the UK compete in a number of challenges and the winner being crowned at Crufts.

A dog lover pictured here with his pets Captain Jack and  Harris, Barrowman said  "I have a passion for animals, dogs in particular, so I am hugely excited to be part of a sporting event for dogs and their owners that encourages teamwork, competitive spirit and a large dose of fun and laughter! Having dogs myself, I know the determination, love and commitment you need to train them - it's not easy!"

Free tickets to be in the audience for Superstar Dogs, which is being filmed in Dock 10 on Salford Quays in Manchester,  are now being offered at the applause store

First Picture of I Can't Sing Judges

The X Factor musical I Can't Sing  is currently in rehearsal and begins previews at the London Palladium on Thursday 27 February.

They have just released the first image of the X Factor judges featuring Queen Jordy played by actress Victoria Elliot, Simon Cowell played by Nigel Harman (who looks frighteningly like him!) and Louis the  Irish boy band manager played by Alex Knight

Joanna Lumley on Broadway BBC Radio 2 Tonight

On BBC Radio 2 tonight at 22:00 Joanna Lumley on Broadway presents part 2 of a series taking a historical, theatrical and musical journey down Broadway.

In a A Buck or a Pound she looks at how over the years Broadway has married creativity with enviable business acumen to become a mainstay of the American tourist industry.

She follows the money-makers, from Ziegfeld and his Follies to the dominant years of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Broadway re-established itself as the "Street of Dreams" through the hugely successful Lloyd Webber/Cameron Mackintosh "takeover" of the 80s and 90s and into the "jukebox musical" era of the noughties and to the present.

Jodie Prenger starring in tour of Calamity Jane

A new production of Calamity Jane starring Jodie Prenger (Oliver! Spamalot and One Man Two Guvnors) is going on tour later this year. The only date I have so far is Nottingham Theatre Royal from 7th-11th October with tickets going on sale at 11:00 am today. More dates to follow shortly.

With an Oscar nominated score that includes The Black Hills of Dakota, The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away), Just Blew in from the Windy City and the Award winning song Secret Love, Calamity Jane can outrun and outshoot any man in Deadwood.

Desperate to impress, she travels to Chicago to recruit star Adelaide Adams for the Deadwood Stage. But things don't go well as as everyone in town favours the new girl and Calamity struggles to keep her jealousy and pride in check. It takes her long standing enemy Wild Bill Hickok to make her see sense and realise her Secret Love...

Sheridan Smith & Reece Shearsmith to star in ITV's The Widower

Updated 16th March:  The first episode of The Widower will be aired on ITV1 Monday 17th March at 9:00 pm

ITV has just announced that Sheridan Smith is to star in the factual crime drama The Widower playing Claire Morris: the wife of murderous fraudster Malcolm Webster (played by Reece Shearsmith) who was jailed for life in 2011 and recently lost an appeal against his conviction.

Based on real events the three-part drama will detail Webster’s attempts to poison Claire with drugs stolen from the hospital where he works. As she becomes suspicious Webster drugs her and kills her in a car crash which was thought at the time to have been an accident.

He flees to New Zealand to start a new life  attempting to embark on a similar scheme to cash in on insurance payments, as he had done on the previous occasion with his second wife Felicity Drumm survived his murder attempt in 1999.

He fled to Scotland and tried to woo Simone Banarjee and is on to his third murder attempt. It is  then that Detective Inspector Charlie Henry, Head of CID for Argyll and Bute, played by John Hannah (Damages, Cold Blood) to try to stop the criminal.

It will be filmed in Scotland, Auckland in New Zealand, and Guildford in Surrey.

The Widower has been produced by Kwadjo Dajan (Mrs Biggs, Appropriate Adult as co-producer), executive produced by Jeff Pope and directed by Paul Whittington (Mrs Biggs, Vera) for ITV Studios. The series is co-written by James Barton.

Looks like the talented Sheridan has got a part in another gritty drama ....

Tim Minchin and Matthew Warchus' Groundhog Day new musical

Matilda's writer and director Tim Minchin and Matthew Warchus are working on the comedy movie Groundhog Day to turn it into musical.

They are collaborating with Danny Rubin who created the screenplay for the iconic1993 film (which starred Bill Murray and Andie McDowell) about a dispirited weatherman who is forced into a time loop repeating the same day again and again. After indulging in hedonism and numerous suicide attempts, he begins to re-examine his life and priorities.

Warchus said  ‘We’ll be doing the first workshop in the spring. Tim and Danny have been working on it for a while.I’ll decide where it should go — London or New York — once I see what kind of show it is. We won’t know until we run it through at a workshop.’

Marquee For I Can't Sing X Factor Musical

Marquee for the X Factor Musical I Can't Sing at the London Palladium.

The cast started rehearsals this week with I Can't Sing  previewing from 27th February and opening on 26th March,  It is currently booking until 25th October

Barnum starring Brian Conley to open at Leicester Curve in September

The new tour of the musical Barnum starring Brian Conley is to open at the Curve in Leicester and run there from Friday 5 September until Saturday 13 September 2014.

Verity Rushworth returning to Emmerdale

Since leaving Emmerdale at the beginning of 2009 Verity Rushworth made her West End debut as Penny Pingleton in the musical Hairspray, played Sophie in Dougal Irvine's production of Departure Lounge at the Waterloo East Theatre, Maria in the tour of The Sound of Music, Penny Lane in the UK Tour of Carnaby Street and is currently playing Velma Kelly in PaulKerryson's critically acclaimed production of Chicago at the Leicester Curve until until 18th January.

She will reprise her role of the much-loved character Donna Windsor-Dingle in February and will be on screen from March saying  “I'm thrilled to be re-joining the wonderful Emmerdale team. The emotional journey my character is set to experience will be wonderfully challenging to play, and of course working with some of my oldest friends is going to be a real treat!''

Michael Ball in The Great Sport Relief Bake Off

Michael Ball a self confessed “obsessive” fan of the Great British Bake Off and recently took part in the celebrity version of the show along with Helen Skelton, former Blue Peter presenter, and Victoria Pendleton, Olympic cycling champion.

He grew  up with his grandmother’s recipes of Welsh cakes and corned beef pasties and has also been sent a number of themed birthday cakes, including a pie with imitation human fingers inside when he starred in Sweeney Todd.

He has been banned from baking at home as his long term partner Cathy McGowan has put her foot down about sweet treats. “She’s livid about it and banned me from baking for four months because she was putting on so much weight.”

The Great Sport Relief Bake Off  has 16 celebrities competing in four shows being aired at 8:30pm between January 13th and 16th on BBC 2. Other contestants include presenter Johnny Vaughan, Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes, actress Jane Horrocks, Dancing On Ice judge Jason Gardiner, Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young,  Olympian Greg Rutherford, Strictly Come Dancing competitor Michael Vaughan, Jamelia, actresses Doon Mackichan and Samantha Bond, Emma Freud, impressionist Alistair McGowan and Bonnie Wright from the Harry Potter films.

The shows featuring signature, technical and showstopper dishes will be screened over four consecutive evenings: at the end of which a star baker will be crowned. Regular presenter Sue Perkins will be joined by guest hosts Omid Djalili, Ed Byrne and Jo Brand.

On 13th January Michael Vaughan, James Bond and Downton Abbey actress Samantha Bond, Harry Potter actress Bonnie Wright and broadcaster Johnny Vaughan enter the tent with Island Discs' Kirsty Young, singer and actress Jane Horrocks, Olympic gold-medal winning long jumper Greg Rutherford and ice skating's Mr Nasty, Jason Gardiner on the 14th, Michael Ball, broadcaster and co-founder of Comic Relief Emma Freud, singer and presenter Jamelia and Olympic gold-medallist Victoria Pendleton on the 15th and impressionist Alistair McGowan, Saturdays singer Rochelle Humes, comedian Doon Mackichan and former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton on the 16th.

New UK Tour of Avenue Q

Sell a Door productions have just announced that following the success of the London revival of Avenue Q last April the production is going on a twelve week tour across the UK.

Initial auditions to take place in Glasgow and London in February.

Graham Bickley, Sophie-Louise Dann and Issy van Randwyck in Maltby & Shire's Closer Than Ever

Closer Than Ever revue of songs by Richard Maltby Jr and David Shire is being performed at the Jermyn Street Theatre from May 6th-June 7th with cast comprising Graham Bickley, Sophie-Louise Dann and Issy van Randwyck with Arvid Larsen.
 
Described as an "intimate musical about love, friendship, security, happiness - and holding onto those essentials in a world that pulls us in a hundred directions at once", Closer Than Ever is conceived by Steven Scott Smith with musical direction by Nathan Martin. It will be directed by Maltby, Jr and Emily Maltby will re-create the original choreography of Kurt Stamm.


Tickets for Closer Than Ever
 

Cast Announced for Rent in Concert 2014 Tour

The full cast for Rent 20th Anniversary Concert  which kicks off at Hackney Empire on 30th January has now been announced.

Leading the cast is West End and Broadway star Kerry Ellis, who will be joined by Superstar runner up Rory Taylor. Mykal Rand is Collins which he has played both in the West End and on tour.

The full cast list is Kerry Ellis (Mimi): Rory Taylor (Roger): Paul Ayres (Mark): Lisa-Marie Holmes (Joanne): Ian Stroughair (Angel): Mykal Rand (Collins): Kenny Thompson (Benny) and Ruthie Stephens (Maureen).

They will be joined by ensemble members Tim Prottey Jones, Joel Harper-Jackson, David Hinton-Gale, Beth Humphries and Kate England