Sinatra: The Man and the Music at Palladium for limited season

Sinatra: The Man and the Music is running at the London Palladium for a limited season from 10th July to 10 October 2015. 

The production will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Frank Sinatra, and will take place at a venue  which has long been associated with the performer, since his London debut. He first topped the bill at the Palladium in 1950, supported by the famous sand dance variety act, Wilson, Keppel & Betty and comedian Max Wall. He returned to the Palladium in 1975 for 10 shows supported by jazz legends Sarah Vaughan and Count Basie.

Described as a "multi-media show" Sinatra: The Man and the Music has the endorsement of the Sinatra family and is produced in association with Frank Sinatra Enterprises. It combines rare and original master recordings of Frank Sinatra with never before seen performance footage, all accompanied by a 24 piece orchestra and a company of 20 dancers and singers.

 
Tickets for Sinatra: The Man and the Music

West End Sings for Comic Relief at Playing our Part

At Playing our Part this year the West End Sings for Comic Reflief Red Nose Day at the Cadogan Hall on 1st March at 6:00 pm.

The line up will include stars from West End shows including The Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd, Memphis and Wicked! and will feature pefomers including  Gina Beck, Wendy Ferguson, Steph ParryLaura Pitt-Pulford, Laura Tebbutt, Simon Bailey, Killian Donnelly, Chris Howell, Adam Linstead, Nadim Naaman and Jeremy Secomb.

Buy tickets for Playing Our Part 

Julian Ovenden, Singular Sensations at Charing Cross Theatre

Edward Seckerson (formerly the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s long-running musical theatre show Stage &Screen) continues his Singular Sensations series of in-depth encounters with stars of musical theatre at London’s Charing Cross Theatre.

His next show Will feature West End leading man and Downton Abbey star Julian Ovenden (currently appearing in My Night with Reg) in a live gig with chat at 3:00 pm on February 8th at the Charing Cross Theatre. He will be accompanied by Scott Frankel of Grey Gardens fame who will be flying in from AMerica.

Tickets for Julian Ovenden-Singular Sensations

Louise Dearman hosts Let's Hear It for the Boys with the West End's leading men

West End leading lady Louise Dearman is hosting a concert in aid of the Alzheimer's Society at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable on Sunday 10th  May at 7:00 pm

Following the success of Here Comes The Girls, Let’s Hear It For The Boys is a  community performance featuring a stellar line up of the West End’s leading men including Daniel Boys, Killian Donnelly, Ben Forster, Alex Gaumond, Tom Lister, Hugh Maynard, Lee Mead, John Owen Jones  Jon Robyns, Niall Sheehy, Oliver Tompsett and Michael Xavier.

Tickets for Let's Hear it For the Boys.

Michael Xavier and Anna Francolini join Assassins at Menier

Anna Francolini and Michael Xavier are to  join the cast of the already sold out  Assassins playing John Wilkes Booth and Sara Jane Moore at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 10th  February 2015.

The pair will replace Aaron Tveit, who is leaving due to filming commitments and Catherine Tate, who will be out of the show for two weeks before returning on 24th February to complete the run which  ends on 7th March.

Anna Francolini has theatre credits including Our Town (Almeida Theatre), The Day We Sang, A View From the Bridge (Royal Exchange) and Mare Rider (Arcola Theatre).

Michael Xavier has appeared in The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury Theatre), The Sound of Music, Into the Woods (Open Air Theatre) and Soho Cinders (Soho Theatre).

The rest of the cast includes  Carly Bawden, Stewart Clarke, Simon Lipkin, Mike McShane, Harry Morrison, Andy Nyman, Jamie Parker, David Roberts, Melle Stewart, Marc Akinfolarin, Adam Bayjou, Greg Miller Burns and Aoife Nally.

2015 Copacabana Tour starring Jimmy Osmond Cancelled

A tour of the musical Copacabana planned for 2015 has been completely cancelled. The 2014 leg of the musical, starring Jon Lee, was cancelled before the end of its run with performers, musicians and suppliers  owed money and  Equity and the Musicians’ Union announcing they were taking legal action against production company Dancing Fool Theatrical.

In a statement, Dancing Fool has now said that paying people from the 2014 leg was the “optimum priority” and added that continuing with plans for a 2015 tour would not “allow the required substance to resolve this matter swiftly-Therefore the decision to cancel the remaining engagements, even with strong advance sales, is deemed the correct step to move forward. Despite the best efforts of all involved continually working to keep the production moving forward, it has reached the point where certain criteria could not be met and regrettably the production cannot be mounted for 2015.”

The statement added that the producers, including Antony Stuart-Hicks, “would like to sincerely apologise to the cast, crew, musicians and the many fans of this iconic show that had been greatly excited by its planned revival”. The Fairfield Halls in Croydon and St Helens Theatre Royal had already cancelled planned runs of the show. but  Jimmy Osmond who was due to appear in the production, has still  not been contacted by the producers about its future.

Andy Karl to star in Warchus and Minchin's Groundhog Day at the Old Vic

Updated 29th January:  according to Baz in today's Mail Andy Karl will star in GROUNDHOG DAY THE MUSICAL, in the role made famous by Bill Murray in the film of TV meteorologist Phil Connors.

He has appeared in over eight Broadway shows. He received Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Award nominations as Rocky Balboa in Rocky and Bruce Granit in On The Twentieth Century, and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Roundabout's revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Off-Broadway: Altar Boyz and Saturday Night. He is currently recurring as Sergeant Dodds in Law & Order: SVU. Films: The Silent Treatment (upcoming), And So It Goes, and Joyful Noise.

Updated 21st April:  it is now confirmed that  Groundhog Day will premiere at the Old Vic with a ten-week run opening in June 2016 (exact dates tba). It will be directed by Matthew Warchus with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, it features choreography by their Matilda collaborator Peter Darling and a book by Danny Rubin.

Groundhog Day has had three workshops, with Karl  not participating in any of them, but apparently  his series of auditions were ‘stunning’.

The plan is that  it will  debut at the Old Vic Theatre as part of Matthew Warchus' first season at the helm. It is  slated for a 2017 bow on the Great White Way, with Warchus aiming for several more West End and Broadway transfers during his first couple of seasons with the Old Vic.

More Casting for Gypsy the the Savoy

As already mentioned Lara Pulver is again playing stage-shy Louise who transforms into seductive stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and joining Imelda Staunton as her battling stage mother Rose, in the highly acclaimed Chichester production of musical Gypsy Rose Lee when it transfers into the Savoy Theatre in March.

Kevin Whately, who played agent  and suitor Herbie at Chichester, can’t make the London transfer because he has to film Lewis. Peter Davison, the former Doctor Who who has extensive TV credits and has appeared in West End musicals including Spamalot and Legally Blonde,  will take the role.

Producers Michael Harrison and David Ian are currently finalising the rest of the cast for the Savoy with rehearsals starting next month.

Casting for the Tour of The Bodyguard

Casting has just been announced for the tour of The Bodyguard which starts in Southampton on 12th February..

Joining Alexandra Burke playing Rachel Marron and Zoe Birkett (Alternate)will be Stuart Reid /Frank Farmer: Melissa James/Nicki Marron:Mensah Bediako /Bill Devaney: Adam Venus/Sy Spector: Siôn Lloyd/Tony Scibelli: Mike Denman/The Stalker: Glen Fox/ Ray Court with Elliot Aubrey, Jhayheim Davis Mark Jones & Xhanti Mbonzongwana, Chiesa Musonda and Seito Smith alternating the role of Fletcher.

With ensemble members Jade Albertsen , Omari Bernard, Edward Clarke , Jamal Crawford, Lydia Fraser , Jamie-Ray Hartshorne , Annie Kitchen , Sophie Usher Matthew Wesley and Emmy Willow and  swings  Lisa Darnell , Kieran Donovan , Lucia Gonzalez, Oliver Roll and  Mark Willshire

Changes to Jersey Boys London Cast

Gary Watson will be joining the cast of Jersey Boys at the Piccadilly Theatre playing Nick Massi from 10th  March. His  theatre credits include Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (Theatre Royal, Stratford East), A Chorus Line (London Palladium), Finding Neverland (Curve, Leicester), Matilda (Cambridge Theatre/RSC) and Les Miserables (Queen's Theatre).

He  will be joining Michael Watson as Frankie Valli, Edd Post as Bob Gaudio and Jon Boydon as Tommy DeVito. (Sandy Moffat plays the role of Frankie Valli at certain performances).

Also joining the cast on 10th  March will be Simon Adkins (the original Bob Crewe in London), Matthew Cutts, Stuart Dawes, Nicky Griffiths, Joseph Peters, Chris Stoddart and Helen Ternent.

They will be joining current cast members Nicola Brazil, Lucinda Gill, Thomas Goodridge, Matthew Hunt, Mark Isherwood, Charlotte Jeffery, Ben Jennings, Matt Thorpe and Ben Wheeler.

Cast Announced for new Damon Albarn Alice in Wonderland Musical at the MIF

Updated 11th May: Casting has just been
 announced for the Manchester International Festival run of wonder.land. It will include Sam Archer, Lois Chimimba, Rob Compton, Rosalie Craig, Ivan De Freitas, Luke Fetherston, Hal Fowler, Anna Francolini, Lorraine Graham, Paul Hilton, Karina Hind, Holly James, Sam Mackay, Daisy Maywood, Enyi Okoronkwo, David Page, Golda Rosheuvel, Cydney Uffindell-Phillips and Witney White.


Casting is still to be announced for its run  at the NT's Olivier Theatre from November 2015 until April 2016 and at  the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in June 2016.
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At the National Theatre 2015 season launch this morning new Artistic Director Rufus Norris and Chief Executive Tessa Ross announced that their first season will include a new musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice In Wonderland  with music by   Damon Albarn:  a  musician who is best known for being part of the bands Blur and Gorillaz and has also previously created the stage shows Dr Dee and Monkey: Journey to the West for the Manchester International Festival with  book and lyrics by Moira Buffini (plays Handbagged and Welcome To Thebes and the screenplays for Tamara Drewe, Jane Eyre and Byzantium).

wonder.land will be directed by Rufus Norris (who has previosuly eorked with Albarn on Dr Dee) and has been commissioned by Manchester International Festival, the  National Theatre and the Théâtre du Châtelet. It will be a co-production with Manchester International Festival.

Wonder.land is described as a world where "you can be exactly who you want to be". The story follows Aly, a 12-year-old, who "loves this extraordiarly virtual world. Bullied at school and unhappy at home, wonder.land lets her escape from her parents, from teachers, from herself".

"online, Aly becomes Alice: brave, beautiful and in control. But some of the people she meets – the weird Dum and Dee, the creepy Cheshire Cat, the terrifying Red Queen – seem strangely familiar. As hard as Aly tries to keep them apart, real life and wonder.land begin to collide in ever more curious and dangerous ways."

The dates for the musical are:

•  The MIF from 2nd – 12th July. 
• the Olivier Theatre at the NT from 27th November  to 31t January 2016.
• Paris 2016 

Book tickets for wonder.land in London

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Cast Announced For Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Musical at the Curve

Leicester Curve have announce the full cast for the world première of Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ - The Musical. The cast includes Rosemary Ashe (Grandma), Cameron Blakely (Mr Lucas), Amy Booth-Steel (Miss Elf/Doreen Slater/Mrs Lucas), Neil Ditt (George Mole),Kirsty Hoiles (Pauline Mole) and Neil Salvage (Bert Baxter). The role of Adrian will be shared by Lewis Andrews, Sebastian Croft, Joel Fossard-Jones and Toby Murray

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The role of Pandora will be played by Elise Bugeja, Imogen Gurney and Lulu-Mae Pears; with Nigel played by George Barnden, Kwame Kandekore, and Samuel Small; and Barry will be played by Edward Cross, James McJannett-Smith and Harrison Slater.

 this new musical of Sue Townsend's best seller, directed by Luke Sheppard, will open on 17th  (previews from 7 March) , and runs until 4th April.

Tickets for Adrian Mole the Musical

Casting for She Loves Me at the Landor

Casting has just been announced for the musical She Loves me which is due to run at the Landor Theatre from 4th February-7th March.

Charlotte Jaconelli is playing the the female lead Amalia Balash. She reached the finals of Britain's Got Talent  with singing partner Jonathan Antoine in 2012 and the pair subequently released 2 Gold certified albums after signing with Simon Cowell's record company Syco. Since going solo,  Jaconelli has toured the country and released her debut solo album 'Solitaire'.

Joining Charlotte in the cast is John Sandberg as George Nowack, Emily Lynne as Ilona, Matthew Wellman as Kodaly, Joshua Leclair as Arpad, David Herzog as Sipos and Ian Dring as Mr Maraczek, with George Mulryan, Luke Kelly, Tom Whalley, Rosie Ladkin, Olivia Holland-Rose, Annie Horn and Susie Chaytow.

The production will be directed by  Robert McWhir with Musical Director: Iain Vince-Gatt: Choreographer: Robbie O’Reilly: Lighting Designer: Richard Lambert and Designer: David Shields

Tickets for She Loves Me

Meryl Streep Follies movie?

According to Baz in the  Daily Mail, Oscar-nominated Into the Woods star Meryl Streep could be playing another Sondheim role with director Rob Marshall wanting to adapt Follies for the big screen, with  Streep being lined up  for the role of 'Phyllis Rogers Stone' or 'Sally Durant Plummer'.

Marshall still needs book writer James Goldman's permission for the film rights to Follies so this is very early speculation. Marshall has also directed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Nine, Memoirs of a Geisha, Chicago and the TV movie version of Annie.

Ray Quinn on Get Your Act Together Tonight

Ray Quinn is appearing in the first episode of Get Your Act Together tonight on ITV at 6:45pm.  This new series hosted by Stephen Mulhern sees stars join forces with variety acts to put on a unique performance.Each week five different celebrities battle it out to learn new  talents, from contortion to fire dancing, ventriloquism to acrobatics, juggling to plate spinning!

Ray is doing some celebrity impressions with  show bosses arranging  for him to have three days of training with pro mimic Debra Stephenson. Plus extra tuition from  impressionist Jon Culshaw

Ray also rehearsed his material in front of of fans while on tour. He said: “I put in three solid days with Debra. But I’d been practising in the studio beforehand to get on top of my impressions.Debra was great, Jon is a really close friend of hers so he gave me some advice too. I’ve taken the mickey out of people my whole life and I know the better you are at it, the bigger laughs you are going to get.”

Tonight’s show will see Ray compete against ex-Westlife singer Brian McFadden, Loose Women star Sherrie Hewson,  Danielle Lloyd and rugby ace Gareth Thomas. Ray is  tasked with mimicking Louis Walsh and John Bishop.He said: “This is as scary as Dancing On Ice. Going out on stage is terrifying. It’s nerve-racking.”

Beyond Bollywood at London Palladium in May

The hit-Mumbai musical Beyond Bollywood it to make its West End debut, opening at the London Palladium on 11th  May (previews from 8 May) where it is booking until 27th  June .

Described as "a monsoon of emotion that brings the fire, heat and desire of Indian dance direct to the heart of London", this new show is written, choreographed and directed by Rajeev Goswami, with lyrics by Irfan Siddiqui and  an original score by Salim-Sulaiman. 

Beyond Bollywood is a colourful dance extravaganza celebrating the history of Indian arts taking audiences on a truly authentic cultural tour of India with  hundreds of colourful  costumes and a company of 42 award-winning classical Indian and Bollywood dancers, with strong emphasis on Indian Classical folk dance,  showcasing  the diverse dance styles that  still hold great value and importance in India. The score  features live musicians performing traditional tracks using Indian instruments. Salim and Sulaiman's film credits include 'Heroine', 'Chak De!' 'India', and 'Rab Ne Bana'. They have also worked on a Bollywood remix for Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way'.

Tickets for Beyond Bollywood

Hugh Bonneville appearing as "God" in Spamalot at Richmond

The new tour of Spamalot the musical starring Joe Pasquale, Sarah Earnshaw and Todd Carty has just kicked off at Manchester.

It has just been revealed that  Downton Abbey's Lord Grantham, Hugh Bonneville will be their 2D 'God' in  hen it visits Richmond  Theatre from 26th-31st January.(Pictured here and almost unrecognisable!)

Addams Family Musical heading for London?

There are rumours circulating that the musical version of The Addams Family may be heading for London late 2015/early 2016.

The show features music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and  is based on the family of characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams, including parents Morticia and Gomez, children Wednesday and Pugsley, Uncle Fester, Cousin Itt and butler Lurch.  The show opened  on Broadway in 2010 to poor reviews but proved a box office hit.

It was first rumoured for the West End in  2011, but the transfer never happened with a productions at last year's Edinburgh Fringe. Amateur rights have now been restricted ahead of a professional London production.

Christopher Biggins joins Follies in Concert celebration of Stephen Sondheim's 85th birthday

Updated 23rd March.  The full casting breakdown has just been released for Follies in Concert: 

Christopher Biggins, Betty Buckley, Lorna Luft, Charlotte Page, Peter Polycarpou/Buddy, Amy Ellen Richardson and Jos Slovick complete the cast of Follies in Concert, with The City of London Philharmonic Orchestra alongside ensemble members Sarah Bakker, CJ Field, Jennifer Davison, Emily Warner, Lucy James and Luke Fetherstone.They join the previously announced Christine Baranski who is playing Phyllis Stone (Into The Woods, The Good Wife, Mamma Mia), Alistair Brammer /Young Ben (Miss Saigon, War Horse, Les Misérables), Anita Dobson/Stella Deems (EastEnders, Chicago), Alexander Hanson/ Ben Stone (Stephen Ward the Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Little Night Music), Anita Harris/Emilie Whitman (Carry On Doctor & Follow That Camel, Cats), Ruthie Henshall/ Sally Plummer (original Roxy in Chicago, Les Misérables), Roy Hudd(Theodore Whitman (Fagan in Oliver!, Coronation Street, Good Old Days) Laura Pitt-Pulford/ Young Phyllis (The Sound Of Music, Marry Me A Little, The Light Princess), Stefanie Powers/ Solange Lafitte (Hart to Hart, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E) and Russell Watson/ Roscoe (the UK’s best selling classical artist ever; winner of four Classical BRIT awards).
For just one  matinee and evening performance, FOLLIES in Concert returns to the UK at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday 28th  April at 3:00 & 7:30 pm.

Featuring an impressive cast including Ruthie Henshall (Chicago, Les Misérables, Billy Elliott) as Sally,  Russell Watson (UK’s best-selling classical artist; winner of four Classical BRIT awards),Christine Baranski (Into The Woods, The Good Wife, Mamma Mia) as Roscoe with Anita Dobson (Eastenders, Chicago), Anita Harris (Carry On films, CATS), Roy Hudd (Oliver! - Fagin, Coronation Street, Good Old Days) FOLLIES in Concert will be directed by Craig Revel Horwood (Strictly Come Dancing), choreographed by Andrew Wright and supported by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Featuring lassic numbers including Losing My Mind, Broadway Baby and I'm Still Here, the show is being performed in celebration of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim's 85th birthday this year.

Tickets for Follies in Concert 

Anne Emery leaves Billy Elliott

85-year-old actor Ann Emery announced her retirement from the musical Billy Elliott last week after10 years. She has revealed back  problems forced her to leave the production sooner than she would have liked.

Emery said the decision was taken sadly after suffering pain in her back and realising that she could not commit 100% to the role.“They did not want me to go, but I couldn’t do it anymore, which is rather sad. You can’t battle on, otherwise you might do something serious, which is silly, It was a case of having to say goodbye and not being able to do what I wanted to do. I am an old pro, from a long line of professionals, but you know yourself better than anyone, and I just couldn’t give it the pizzazz that was needed.”

She has been replaced in the production as Grandma by Gillian Elisa, who has previously alternated the role with Emery.

Casting announced for Godspell in Concert Tour

The first casting has just been announced for the tour of Godspell in Concert which kicks off on 4th April at Hackney Empire.

The tour follows the show's one-off West End gala last year with former X Factor runner up Andy Abraham returning  o the cast as Judas/John the Baptist. He will be joined  by former Sugababe Jade Ewen, whose previous stage credits include Rod Stewart musical Tonight's The Night and Porgy and Bess at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. She represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, singing Andrew Lloyd Webber's "It's My Time".They are  joined  by Leanne Jarvis (The Voice) with  Tom Senior (Jersey Boys) as Jesus.

Kevin Whateley not transferring to Savoy with Gypsy

As already blogged, the fabulous Imelda Staunton  will lead Jonathan Kent  as Mama Rose in the critically acclaimed Chichester Festival Theatre production of  Gypsy into the Savoy Theatre in March.

It is now confirmed that Lara Pulver will be reprising the role Louise of but Kevin Whately, who co-starred as Herbie in the Chichester production, will not be transferring into the West End because of commitments to the ITV television drama Lewis.

Summer Strallen and Alex Gaumond to lead Jerry Mitchell's Easter Parade Workshop

Updated 30th January: It looks as though Sheridan Smith is no longer involved in the Easter Parade Workshop (I suspect her full on TV and filming commitments do not allow it). Summer Strallen, will now join Sophie Isaacs, Alex Gaumond and Dan Burton today in a workshop reading of Ken Ludwig's new adaptation of the Irving Berlin musical. Strallen will play the part Ann Miller had in the film of  Fred Astaire's old dance partner who's jealous of his growing friendship with Judy Garland's character.

Director Jerry Mitchell, and the Ambassador Theatre Group want to see how the new script works in association with Berlin songs from other shows that have been added to the 'new' Easter Parade.

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According to Baz in today's Mail Sheridan Smith is in negotiations to star in a London workshop which Jerry Mitchell will direct of Irving Berlin's Easter Parade, featuring a new book by Ken Ludwig and additional songs by Berlin.

Mitchell certainly has an impressive list of credits including the new Broadway musical On Your Feet!Kinky Boots, Catch Me If You Can, Legally Blonde, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, La Cage aux Folles, Never Gonna Dance, Gypsy, Imaginary Friends, Hairspray, The Rocky Horror Show, The Full Monty, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown plus many more among his director and choreographer credits.

Smith will be joined Alex Gaumond (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Matilda), Dan Burton (Chichester's Gypsy) and Sophie Isaacs (Made In Dagenham).  Smith and Gaumond have worked for Mitchell before starring in his London Production of Legally Blonde the Musical.

The 1948 clasic movie starred Fred Astaire and Judy Garland with songs including "Easter Parade", "It Only Happens When I Dance With You", "Steppin' Out With My Baby" and more.

This revamped production is aiming for a West End debut next year.

Bend it Like Beckham Casting News

The musical version of Bend It Like Beckham starts previews  on May 15th, with  its official first night on June 24th at the Phoenix Theatre.

The first casting news is that actress Natalie Dew is playing the show’s leading lady Jess, the Sikh schoolgirl who  loves how David Beckham plays and wants to bend the ball into the net the way he does. She joins the the Harriers local football team, against the wishes of her family. Who want her to follow  traditional Indian values which certainly doesn't include playing footballs  or bending a ball into the back of a net.

Her stage credits include the Royal Court's  The Internet Is Serious Business and Ophelia in a production of Hamlet for the Northern Broadsides Theatre company.

Jamie Campbell Bower is to play Joe, the Harriers’ handsome manager. He  sings with group The Darling Buds, with his main experience in films including  Tim Burton’s  Sweeney Todd, the vampire Caius in three Twilight saga films, the young Gellert Grindewald in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows plus the  Mortal Instruments films.

Also in the cast are Preeya Kalidas, Lauren Samuels, Jamal Andreas, Ronni Ancona, Tony Jayawardena and Natasha Jayetileke.

Scott Alan & Cynthia Erivo Home Again concerts

Scott Alan & Cynthia Erivo will be performing  Home Again at the St James's Studio from 4th-6th May 2015.

AInternational composer Scott Alan (Home; Dreaming Wide Awake) & Evening Standard and What’s On Stage Award Nominated West End Star Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple; I Can’t Sing, Henry IV at the Donmar Warehouse) will join forces for  three special concerts at the St James Studio as part of the 2015 London Cabaret Festival.

 Erivo is singing songs from Alan’s songbook, including  favourites from his six album releases (Dreaming Wide Awake; Keys; What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up; LIVE; Anything Worth Holding on To & Greatest Hits; Volume One) as well as from his upcoming West End Musical HOME.

Each night will host different special guests to be announced at a later date that will join Alan & Erivo to sing the work of Scott Alan.

Tickets for Home Again

Whistle Down the Wind at Union Theatre later this month

Whistle Down the Wind is being presented at the Union Thatre in Southwark from January 28th- February 21st. It is not the Andrew Lloyd Webber version,  but the production which is adapted by Russell Labey and Richard Taylor with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor. Based on the novel by Mary Hayley Bell and the screenplay by Willis Hall & Keith Waterhouse and the film by Richard Attenborough and Bryan Forbes.

It will be Directed by Sasha Regan with Musical Direction by David Griffiths, design by Nik Corrall and Lighting Design by Tim Deiling

Set in the late 1950s in  a small village in Lancashire. Hurrying to a barn with three rescued kittens, a schoolgirl Cathy, discovers a stranger hiding there. She recognises him immediately as Jesus Christ and tells her sister Nan. The next day their brother Charles also learns of their discovery. They decide to tell nobody, but gradually word spreads through the children of the village. Anxious to protect Jesus from unbelieving adults, they keep His arrival a secret and besides, most of their parents are preoccupied with news of a convict on the loose in the area. Trouble starts when the village bully, Raymond, threatens to give the game away . . . Adapted from the famous film and novel, this critically acclaimed musical will enthral audiences with its powerful and moving score

The cast includee Callum McArdle, Grace Osborn, Alex James Ellison, Chris Coleman, Kathyrn Hamilton-Hall, Danielle Morris, Romero Clark, Bryan Hodgson, Oliver Stanley, Sebastion Thomas, Joshua Lewindon, Harry Wright, Edward Crann, Sarah Kate Howarth, Imelda Warren-Green, Ana Richardson, Molly Steere and Donna Marsh.

Tickets for Whistle Down the Wind  

New Hugh Jackman movie musical The Greatest Showman on Earth set to open next year

The new Hugh Jackman movie musical The Greatest Showman on Earth  is due to open on  Christmas Day next year.

Based on the life and career of master showman PT Barnum, it is set to film this Summer directed by  Michael Gracey, with songs by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek  with musical contributions by Brian Lapin, Bonnie McKee and Jake Shears.

The film has a  historically-based leading lady role of real-life opera diva Jenny Lind to counter the central performance intended for Jackman as Barnum, expected to be announced soon.

The life story of PT Barnum has successfully been presented on stage before with a tour starring Brian Conley and Linzi  Hateley in the title  roles due to start up again in Woking on 20th January after  Conley ends his panto run.

Miss Saigon Anniversary Gala repeated on BBC Radio2 tonight

On BBC Radio2 at 9.00 pm tonight there is a repeat of Michael Ball presenting the 25th Anniversary Gala performance of the Miss Saigon with a spectacular finale recorded  on stage at the Prince Edward Theatre on September 22nd, as the cast of the current production are joined by members of the original company including Lea Salonga, Simon Bowman and Jonathan Pryce, During the interval Michael Ball goes  backstage atmosphere and talks to both the composer and lyricist.