Tickets on sale today for Bring It On the Musical Tour

Tickets have gone on sale today for Broadway’s Tony Award® nominated Bring It On The Musical  for its UK & European première  tour! Written by a team including music and lyrics by Tony Award® winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton and In The Heights), Tony Award® winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and Amanda Green with book by Tony Award® winner Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q.

Inspired by the 2000 teen comedy hit film staring Kirsten Dunst, Bring It On offers a high-octane thrill ride where the cutthroat world of competitive cheerleading meets high school politics and teenage romance. It is  a universal coming-of-age story with an exciting score, explosive choreography and breathtaking athleticism.

The tour is due to start on 6th September at the Palace Theatre Manchester and then tour to
Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Torquay, Wimbledon, York, Edinburgh, Stoke, Sunderland, and Woking where it is currently due to end on 2nd December.



Buy Tickets for Bring It On

Five Guys Named Moe Returns to London

Underbelly Productions have just  confirmed that a brand new 25th anniversary production of Clarke Peters' Olivier Award-winning and Tony-Award nominated musical, Five Guys Named Moe, will open in September 2017 in a new pop-up Spiegeltent theatre at  London's Marble Arch. The production features the hits of jazz legend Louis Jordan and will have an initial booking period from 28th August to 25th November 2017, with an opening night on 14th September.

First seen at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1990, it transferred to the West End and played for four years, subsequently playing on Broadway from 1992. The   musical features hits of trailblazing 'King of the Jukebox' Louis Jordan, including Early In The Morning, Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby, Choo Choo Ch'Boogie and Saturday Night Fish Fry. The soundtrack of soul, blues, gospel and early r 'n' b is performed on stage by a live band.

The Marble Arch Theatre is being designed specifically for the production and will transport the audience back to jazz bars of 1940s New Orleans. A unique, circular auditorium will ensure that the action take place all around the theatre with pre and post-performance drinks served in the theatre's authentic 1940s foyer cocktail bar.

Five Guys Named Moe will be directed by Clarke Peters with musical staging and choreography by Andrew Wright (Half a Sixpence, Singin' in the Rain, Guys and Dolls), inspired by Charles Augins' original choreography, set and costume design by takis (Side Show, In The Heights, Hairspray,
The Good Person of Sechuan), lighting design by Philip Gladwell (The James Plays, Cymbeline, Trainspotting, After Miss Julie, Hairspray) and sound design by Ben Harrison (Cabaret, Dreamboats and Petticoats, Dancing in the Streets, The King & I, Starlight Express, Blood Brothers, Soul Sister).

Tickets for Five Guys Named Moe

Gary Barlow, Amber Riley, Tim Minchin, Audra McDonald and School of Rock among performers at this year's Olivier Awards

The Olivier Awards Broadcast Date has been announced on ITV on Tuesday 11th April from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. It will be hosted by hosted by Jason Manford with performances from a variety of Olivier-nominated musicals. Gary Barlow and Tim Firth will open the show with the cast of The Girls. Amber Riley will perform the show-stopping And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls. Tim Minchin will  represent Groundhog Day, which has just started previewing on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber fans can see  a performance from the cast of School Of Rock plus  a performance from Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which is set to return this summer.

Additionally, there will be an exclusive performance from Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes, nominated for Best Entertainment and Family which is currently on tour across the UK. Broadway legend and six-time Tony Award-winner, Audra McDonald who is soon to open in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill , will perform accompanied by the Olivier Awards' orchestra during the show's In Memoriam section.

The many guest presenters for the awards will be announced over the coming weeks.

It will broadcast worldwide at the same time, outside the UK, on Facebook. The awards ceremony will also stream to China for the first time ever via YouKu.

Magic Radio will be broadcasting the entire show live on Sunday 9th April, hosted by Alice Arnold and Olivier Award-winner Ruthie Henshall, with build-up on air from 5:30pm. Sirius XM will broadcast the show via radio in the US.

As previously announced, a new Red Carpet Live show debuts this year from 4:30pm to 6:00pm, hosted by Anita Rani, Jamie Lambert and Frank DiLella, exclusively on Facebook.

Latest news on Joseph movie

STXfilms announced today that they are joining Rocket Pictures’ collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in  a newly adapted animated family feature of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which is currently touring the UK with X Factor winner Joe McElderry in the title role.

Elton John’s Rocket Pictures (which is currently producing the animated feature Sherlock Gnomes - the follow up to Gnomeo and Juliet - for Paramount starring Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt and James McAvoy) is producing the film in association with Really Useful Group, which will feature new songs written by Lloyd Webber and Rice.

Pharrell Williams film musical in the pipeline

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox are producing  a musical film based on the life of Pharrell Williams. The project is called Atlantis and initial reports suggest it will be similar to Romeo and Juliet, but with songs.

The film will reunite Pharrell with Fox, the studio he worked with on Oscar-nominated drama Hidden Figures. He acted as producer for the film, as well as providing much of the music.

Atlantis will be directed by Michael Mayer,

At the age of 12, Pharrell was sent to a school for gifted children where he met Chad Hugo and they formed the Neptunes. He sold his first single at the age of 19

It will be written by Martin Hynes with Funny Girl director Michael Mayer known for his work on Broadway, including stints on Spring Awakening and American Idiot. His big-screen credits include family drama Flicka and upcoming Chekhov adaptation The Seagull) working on the project.

Williams' biggest songs include the 2013 hit "Happy", but  he has also produced music for top artists including  Beyonce, Ed Sheeran and Jennifer Hudson. Williams produced last year's Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures, and has written songs for the Despicable Me films.

It is not yet known  whether the musical will feature original music, or tracks from the singer's back catalogue.

Aladdin cast changes announced

Disney Theatrical Productions announced today new casting   for the West End production of Disney's Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre  from 5th June with Matthew Croke  taking on the title role from Dean John-Wilson, who opened in the production last year.

The role marks Matthew's debut in a leading role in the West End. Originally from Sheffield, Matthew has previously starred in Annie Get Your Gun (Crucible Theatre), Singin' in the Rain (UK Tour), Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Factory), Shall We Dance (Sadler's Wells), A Chorus Line (Crucible Theatre) and West Side Story (UK & Ireland tour). He has also performed and understudied the roles of Amos Hart & Mary Sunshine in Chicago (Cambridge Theatre), Eugene in Grease (Piccadilly Theatre), Don in Singin' in the Rain (Palace Theatre) and Fiyero in Wicked (Apollo Victoria)

Jade Ewen will continue as Jasmine with  Trevor Dion Nicholas as the  Genie

Nick Cavaliere will join the cast in the role of Iago, while Miles Barrow will play Omar, Leon Craig will play Babkak and Daniel de Bourg will play Kassim. Don Gallagher and Irvine Iqbal will continue as Jafar and the Sultan.

Further new casting includes Chanelle Anthony, Danny Becker, Cindy Belliot, Filippo Coffano, Nolan Edwards, Sinead Kenny, Travis Kerry, Dann Kharsa, Tarisha Rommick, Joshua Steel, Monica Swayne and Niko Wirachman.

The remaining cast includes Arran Anzani-Jones, Albey Brookes, Lauren Chia, Bianca Cordice, Cavin Cornwall, Melanie Elizabeth, Kade Ferraiolo, Antony Hewitt, Mitch Leow, Oliver Lidert, Ian Oswald, Kyle Seeley, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Ricardo Spriggs, Kayleigh Thadani and Jermaine Woods.

Asmeret Ghebremichael takes over role of Lorrell in Dreamgirls

Broadway's Asmeret Ghebremichael has joined the  cast of Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre playing Lorrell Robinson. She is  taking over the role from  Ibinabo Jack who  has withdrawn from the production due to health reasons

Her Broadway credits include Legally Blonde, Elf The Musical, Spamalot and Wicked. She also starred in The Book of Mormon in the West End and on Broadway, and appeared in the US television production The Wiz Live!

Casting for new musical After You

Liam Doyle and Laura Tebbutt are to star in a new musical After You, which premieres at Live at Zedel from 13th  to 22nd  April.

With music by Alex Parker and a book and lyrics by Katie Lam, the musical will be directed by Alastair Knights

Doyle's credits include UK tours of Ghost, Legally Blonde and Wicked. Tebbutt was most recently seen in Into the Woods at the Menier Chocolate Factory and has also starred in Les Miserables, Love Me Tender and Andrew Lloyd Webber's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Tickets for After You

Joseph to return to London this Christmas?

According to several red top newspapers this morning,  Andrew Lloyd Webber is trying  to woo One Direction's Liam Payne to star in a new  production  of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which is set to return to London around Christmas this year, marking it the first time the show has played the West End since 2009. It is currently on tour until the end of October starring Factor winner Joe McElderry in the title role.

A source told The Sun, "Andrew has told those involved that his dream signing is Liam. He thinks he can bring so much to the role of Joseph, he's a natural performer." adding "there was talk of other pop stars being approached but he wants to keep the bar high and they don't come much bigger than One Direction." One Direction have been on hiatus since last year to focus on their own work, and Liam has since been working on his debut solo album. A source close to the singer said, "Liam won't do this, he is focusing on his debut solo album and this is the opposite of something he would do."

Oliver Tompsett, Preeya Kalidas, George Maguire and Sabrina Aloueche among performers at West End Big Busk Gala

West End Big Busk (in association with Joel Marvin) is to  present a charity gala evening at The Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End ay 8:00 pm on Tuesday April 11th  in aid of the Passage Charity who support London's homeless .

The show will be hosted TV's Dr Ranj Singh (ITV's This Morning, CBeebies' Get Well Soon) and will feature performances from Olivier Award Winner George Maguire (The Busker's Opera, Sunny Afternoon, Lift) and a stellar cast of vocalists, including Sabrina Aloueche (The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Les Miserables, We Will Rock You), Bronte Barbe (The Wild Party, Shrek, BBC's Over The Rainbow), Richard Hadfeld (Britain's Got Talent Winner with Collabro), Preeya Kalidas (Eastenders, School Of Rock, Bend It Like Beckham, Bombay Dreams), Joel Montague (School Of Rock, Funny Girl, Urinetown), Cameron Sharp (School Of Rock, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rock Of Ages, Avenue Q), Oliver Tompsett (Guys And Dolls, Wicked, Rock Of Ages, We Will Rock You) .

The Adam Street Singers will perform material from their recent sold out concert at the Lost Theatre, Found At The Lost, as well as backing some of the solo performers. Additional performers will be announced at a later date.

West End Big Busk was founded in 2015 by actor/singer/songwriter Alex James Ellison as a project aiming to bring West End performers onto the streets to busk and raise money for The Passage. At two busking events in March and June 2015 in Cardinal Place, Victoria, they raised over £1000 for the homeless charity. Performers at these events included Luke Baker , Danny Colligan, Jordan Lee Davies, Brian Gilligan, Jodie Jacobs, Jamie Muscato, Luke Newton, Katie Payne, Cameron Sharp, Jordan Shaw and Jodie Steele. 

Tickets for West End Big Busk

Casting announced for new tour of Footloose The Musical starring Gareth Gates and Maureen Nolan

Footloose: The Musical is due to go on the road again  in the Spring. It will again star  Gareth Gates as Willard and Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore,who will be joined by Joshua Dowen as Ren McCormack, the role immortalised on screen by Kevin Bacon. Joshua’s stage credits include Dogfight at Southwark Playhouse, Cool Rider at the Duchess Theatre and All or Nothing at the Vaults Festival.

The cast also features Hannah Price (reprising her performance from the 2016 tour) as Ariel Moore, Reuven Gershon (Let It Be, West End and Broadway) as Reverend Shaw, Lindsay Goodhand (Crazy For You, Watermill Theatre) as Ethel McCormack, Laura Sillett (Grease, International Tour) as Rusty, Connor Going (The Pirates of Penzance, Sh*tfaced Shakesepare) as Chuck, Emma Fraser (The Vaudevillians, Les Enfants Terribles) as Wendy Jo, Gracie Lai (Avenue Q, UK Tour) as Urleen, Tomas Wolstenhome (Once, West End) as Bickle, Dominic Gee Burch as Jeter and Alex Marshall (Buddy, UK Tour) as Wes. The cast also includes Luke Dowling, Grace Lancaster, Laurence Libor, Jamie Ross and Lauren Storer.

West End all star cast perform The Color Purple Concert

It has just been announced that An all-star West End will perform a  concert version of The Color Purple at London’s Cadogan Hall for one night only on Sunday 21st May at 6.00pm.

The Color Purple is being staged to raised funds for The British Theatre Academy, a performing arts programme that has inspired and nurtured the talent of thousands of young performers over the past 30 years. The concert will feature a chorus of over 40 current BTA participants.

The cast features:

Wendy Mae Brown (as Sofia) West End roles include Oda Mae Brown in the original cast of Ghost the Musical; Hattie in Kiss Me Kate; Serena in Porgy and Bess; Joanne in Rent.

Cavin Cornwall (Mister) Currently appearing in Disney’s Aladdin at the Prince Edward. He was Caiaphas in the recent Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Other West End roles include Curtis Shanks in Sister Act; Crown in Porgy & Bess; Billy Flynn in Chicago.

Tyrone Huntley (Harpo) Currently appearing as C.C. White in Dreamgirls at the Savoy. He won the Emerging Talent Award at the Evening Standard Awards and has been nominated Best Actor in a Musical at this year’s Olivier Award for his Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. He also appeared in the original London casts of Memphis and The Book of Mormon.

Rachel John (Shug)  Recently returned from Toronto where she played the role of Nicki Marron in The Bodyguard, also in the West End. Other West End roles include Felicia in Memphis; The Lion King; Sister Act; three years as Meat in We Will Rock You. It has recently been announced that Rachel will play Angelica in the UK première of Hamilton.

Hugh Maynard (Pa) West End roles include John in the most recent revival of Miss Saigon (nominated Best Featured Actor in a New Production of a Musical in Broadway World Awards and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in the WhatsOnStage Awards); Simba in The Lion King; Clopin in Notre Dame de Paris; Marvin Gaye in Dancing in the Streets; Sister Act. He recently became the first black performer in the UK to play the iconic role of Sweeney Todd.

Seyi Omooba (Nettie)  Currently appearing in Headlong’s Junkyard at Bristol Old Vic. She received rave reviews as Sarah’s Friend in Ragtime at Charing Cross Theatre.

Marisha Wallace (Celie) The American star of Dreamgirls, she is currently the alternate Effie at the Savoy. Her Broadway shows include the original casts of Something Rotten! and Disney’s Aladdin.

Creative team:
Musical Director James Taylor
Choreographer Mykal Rand
Producer Matthew Chandler
Producer and Casting Director Danielle Tarento.

Last Summer the BTA presented The Secret Garden at the Ambassadors Theatre for a month-long West End season and Godspell (featuring West End and Broadway stars Kerry Ellis, Ramin Karimloo and George Maguire) together with pupils from the Academy. Altogether, over 500 outstanding cast members wowed the audiences all summer long!

The BTA is auditioning for young people to take part in The Color Purple. You can register at www.thecolorpurple.co.uk

Tickets for The Color Purple Concert

Details of this year's West End Bake Off

Acting For Others theatrical charity has announced details  for London’s third annual West End Bake Off which will be held will be held on Saturday 20th  May at St. Paul’s Church Actors' Church , Bedford Street, London. The event is free to members of the public to attend with judging beginning at 10.30am and the winners announced at 11:00 am when it opens for the public to buy cakes and signed posters while mingling with casts and crews from participating shows.

The cast and crew of The Secret Garden won last year’s successful fundraiser  raised over £6,000 offering  freshly baked cakes and sweets with West End theatre stars to raise money for Acting For Others which  offers emotional and financial support to members of the entertainment industry who have fallen on hard times representing 15 UK theatrical charities.

In 2016 teams from 20 top West End shows competed to impress judges Michael Ball, Christopher Biggins and Barbara Windsor with their baking skills.
 

Acting For Others can be supported by donating at Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/ctafo

Danny Mac joining cast of Drew McOnie's On the Town at Regent's Park

Casting has just been announced for On The Town which Drfew McOnie will direct at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre this summer.

A 1949 film version starred Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin telling the story of three American sailors who hit New York on 24-hour shore leave determined to see the sights, and meet three women. The musical will remain set in 1944 with the roles of the three sailors Gabey, Chip and Ozzie will be played by Danny Mac, Fred Haig and Jeremy Taylor. Siena Kelly, Lizzy Conolly and Miriam Teak-Lee will pày Ivy, Hildy and Claire. They will be joined by Maggie Steed as Madame Dilly, Naoko Mori as Lucy Schmeeler, Rodney Earl Clarke as the Workman and Mark Heenehan as Judge Pitkin.

Danny Mac (Gabey) was a finalist in Strictly Come Dancing 2016 and, with dancing partner Oti Mabuse, has recently completed the Strictly Come Dancing Live arena tour. Following his training at Arts Educational Schools he played Mark 'Dodger' Savage in Hollyoaks, and went on to join the cast of Wicked (Victoria Apollo).

Fred Haig (Chip) is a recent graduate of LAMDA. Jeremy Taylor (Ozzie) recently played Fiyero in Wicked (Victoria Apollo), and has previously appeared in We Will Rock You (Dominion), The Sound of Music (Palladium and UK tour) and Evita (UK tour).

Siena Kelly (Ivy) and Miriam-Teak Lee (Claire) are both recent graduates of Arts Educational Schools and make their professional West End debuts. Lizzy Connolly (Hildy) is currently appearing in The Wild Party (The Other Palace) having previously appeared in Once In A Lifetime (Young Vic) and as Ellie Goulding in the TV series The Windsors.

Maggie Steed (Madame Dilly) has enjoyed an extensive career on film, television and stage. Film and television highlights include Florence Foster Jenkins, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassis, The Painted Veil, Larkrise to Candleford, Jam and Jerusalem, Pie in the Sky, Victoria Wood's As Seen On TV and the E4 series, Chewing Gum. Her stage career includes roles at the National Theatre, RSC and Royal Court, and recent credits include Richard II (Trafalgar Transformed), The Birthday Party (Manchester Royal Exchange), The School for Scandal (Bath Theatre Royal) and Trelawney of the Wells (Donmar Warehouse).

Naoko Mori (Lucy Schmeeler) played the role of Kim in Miss Saigon (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Christmas Eve in Avenue Q (Noel Coward). Her extensive TV credits include Toshiko Sato in Torchwood, Sarah (aka Titikaka) in Absolutely Fabulous, Doctor Who, Humans, Vexed, and Yoko Ono in Lennon Naked. Her film credits include Everest, Topsy Turvy, Spiceworld, and the upcoming film Life.

Rodney Earl Clarke (The Workman) has appeared in productions of The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte and in the title role of Don Giovanni. He has appeared as Jake in Porgy and Bess for the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, debuted the role of Crown with The Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen, and took the title role with the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Sante Cecilia, Rome. In the UK he has performed the Bernstein Mass with the London Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop and Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall.

Mark Heenehan (Judge Pitkin) most recently played Gyp in Jersey Boys (Piccadilly), with previous credits including Fiddler on the Roof (Grange Park Opera), Guys and Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Kiss Me Kate (Chichester Festival Theatre/Old Vic).

The cast is completed by Michelle Andrews, Myles Brown, Matthew Caputo, Edward Chitticks, Lavinia Fitzpatrick, Cristina Hoey, James Leece, Jacob Maynard, Rachel Muldoon, Melissa Nettleford, Emily Ann Potter, Mollie Melia Redgrave, Lisa Ritchie, Barnaby Thompson, Sam Salter and Brandon Lee Sears.

Craig Revel Horwood to direct new musical Son of a Preacher Man featuring hits of Dusty Springfield

Craig Revel Horwood is to  direct a tour of Warner Brown's new musical Son Of A Preacher Man:
Louise Redknapp (who is keen to do something in musical theatre and who reached the final of the last series of Strictly Come Dancing on which Revel Horwood was a judge) is being considered for a lead role in a funny and sweetly touching new musical featuring the greatest hits of Dusty Springfield.  

It  looks  at the lives of three broken hearted strangers who are seeking the man who can heal them. The Preacher Man, is a swinging 1960s Soho joint where the kids danced the night away to the latest crazes and dared to dream of love, while the legendary owner, The Preacher Man himself, dispensed advice to cure the loneliest of hearts. Producer John Sachs said the show will use a lot of songs associated with Dusty Springfield, including the title track, which was featured on the classic 1968 Dusty In Memphis album, though it's not about her at all.

Son Of A Preacher Man  will embark on an autumn tour starting at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley from September 4 and is currently due to visit  venues including Manchester, York, Stoke, Oxford and WImbledon.

 

First news and dates for new Jersey Boys UK Tour

Jersey Boys closes at the Piccadilly Theatre  in London's  West End later this month after a run of nine years.  It has just announced that it will set out on a second tour at the end of 2017 (the show previously toured the UK in 2014-15),  opening at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham on December 16th running there until 6th January 2018, before visiting venues  including Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Stoke-on-Trent, Hull, Sunderland and Glasgow. It is currently running until April 14, 2018, with  further dates to  be announced. Booking links to follow shortly.

The tour is directed by Des McAnuff, with choreography by Sergio Trujillo. Jersey Boys is based on the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe. It is produced by Dodger Theatricals and Ambassador Theatre Group, with Joseph J Grano, Pelican Group, Latitude Link and Rick Steiner.

Details of open auditions for School of Rock Kids

Open auditions are to  be held to find children for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical School of Rock throughout the year. They  will be held in Cardiff (25th  March), London (23rd and 25th May, and 20th and 22nd November), Sheffield (10th June), Birmingham (15th July) and Liverpool (23rd September).

To be considered, children must be under five feet tall and aged between 8 and 12 years old. Click here for more information and to register.

Jersey Boys International Tour Announced

The Jersey Boys ends its run at the Piccadilly Theatre on 26th March, and it has just been announced that it is to go on a an international  tour starting  in October of this year.  Selladoor, who have previously toured productions of Avenue Q, James and The Giant Peach and Seussical around the world, will take the production to Dubai and China opening  at the Dubai Opera on 11th October before heading off to Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Beijing, with further dates to be announced.

Selladoor have also announced a deal to tour a new production of The Producers worldwide later this year. Further details are yet to be announced.

David Hutchinson, executive creative producer of Selladoor said: 'With the tour of Jersey Boys announced today and at least one other large scale production in the pipeline to tour internationally in the autumn, we are making huge steps towards achieving our goal to present work to the widest possible audience.We are committed to expanding our connections and goals internationally and in the wake of turbulent political horizons are driven to continue to break down cultural borders and build solid worldwide partnerships.'

Laurence Olivier Award nominees announced

Denise Gough and Matt Henry have just announced the Laurence Oilvier Award nominees in a live stream today. The Olivier Awards will take place this year at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 9th  April.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is  the most nominated new play in Olivier history, with 11 nominations.JK Rowling and Jack Thorne's play won eight awards at the WhatsOnStage Awards earlier this year and the trend looks set to continue, after being nominated in categories including Best New Play, Best Set Design, Best Actress in a Supporting Role (for Noma Dumezweni) and Best Actor (for Jamie Parker)

Groundhog Day has also received eight nominations while Sonia Friedman Productions receive 31 nominations. Ian McKellen was nominated for the 10th time for No Man's Land.

This year Kenneth Branagh is being awarded the Special Achievement Olivier in recognition of his outstanding contribution to British theatre.
 

The Full List of Olivier Award Nominees for musical theatre are:
 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical:

Ian Bartholomew for Half A Sixpence at Noël Coward Theatre

Adam J Bernard for Dreamgirls at Savoy Theatre

Ben Hunter for The Girls at Phoenix Theatre

Andrew Langtree for Groundhog Day at The Old Vic

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Haydn Gwynne for The Threepenny Opera at National Theatre - Olivier

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Murder Ballad at Arts Theatre

Rebecca Trehearn for Show Boat at New London Theatre

Emma Williams for  Half A Sixpence at Noël Coward Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Music

Dreamgirls - Music by Henry Krieger at Savoy Theatre

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child - Composer and Arranger: Imogen Heap at Palace Theatre

Jesus Christ Superstar - The band and company creating the gig-like rock vibe of the original concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

School Of Rock The Musical - Three children's bands who play instruments live every night at New London Theatre

Best New Dance Production

Betroffenheit by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young at Sadler's Wells

Blak Whyte Gray by Boy Blue Entertainment at Barbican Theatre

Giselle by Akram Khan and English National Ballet at Sadler's Wells

My Mother, My Dog And CLOWNS! by Michael Clark at Barbican Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for their London season at Sadler's Wells

Luke Ahmet for The Creation by Rambert at Sadler's Wells

English National Ballet for expanding the variety of their repertoire with Giselle and She Said at Sadler's Wells

Best Entertainment and Family

Cinderella at London Palladium

David Baddiel – My Family: Not The Sitcom at Vaudeville Theatre

Peter Pan at National Theatre - Olivier

The Red Shoes at Sadler's Wells
 

Best Theatre Choreographer

Matthew Bourne for The Red Shoes at Sadler's Wells

Peter Darling and Ellen Kane for Groundhog Day at The Old Vic

Steven Hoggett for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child at Palace Theatre

Drew McOnie for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre


Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

Funny Girl at Savoy Theatre

Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Show Boat at New London Theatre

Sunset Boulevard at London Coliseum


Best Actor in a Musical

David Fynn for School Of Rock The Musical at New London Theatre

Tyrone Huntley for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Andy Karl for Groundhog Day at The Old Vic

Charlie Stemp for Half A Sixpence at Noël Coward Theatre
 

Best Actress in a Musical

Glenn Close for Sunset Boulevard at London Coliseum

"The Girls" - Debbie Chazen, Sophie-Louise Dann, Michele Dotrice, Claire Machin, Claire Moore and Joanna Riding - for The Girls at Phoenix Theatre

Amber Riley for Dreamgirls at Savoy Theatre

Sheridan Smith for Funny Girl at Savoy Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical

Dreamgirls at Savoy Theatre

The Girls at Phoenix Theatre

Groundhog Day at The Old Vic

School Of Rock The Musical at New London Theatre

Dreamgirls London cast recording to be released in April

A cast recording of the hi musical  Dreamgirls, featuring Amber Riley as Effie and the original London cast (including Liisi LaFontaine, Ibinabo Jack and Tyrone Huntley), is due to  be released on 14th  April.

The double-album was recorded live during a performance at the Savoy Theatre last month, and features hit songs from the musical including "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going", "I Am Changing", "Listen" and "One Night Only".

Click here to pre-order the Dreamgirls album

Janie Dee, Fra Free and Laura Pitt-Pulford among all star cast at Sondheim: Smiles of a Summer Night concert

Following their success with A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, Putting It Together and Kings Of Broadway concerts,  Alex Parker and Alastair Knights are now presenting Sondheim: Smiles of a Summer Night at Cadogan Hall on Sunday 4th June at 6:30 pm.

The concert  feature an all-star casting including Olivier Award-winner Janie Dee, Olivier Award-nominee Laura Pitt-Pulford and two-time Grammy Award-winner Lucy Schaufer with  David Birrell, Fra Fee, Lauren Morris, Jordan Lee Davies and Tamsin Dowsett.

The concert will be directed by Alastair Knights and will be celebrating the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim featuring  music from works including Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park With George, Into the Woods, Follies, A Little Night Music and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.  The 33-piece Alex Parker orchestra will be conducted by Parker and  led by Emily Davis. 

Tickets for Sondheim: Smiles of a Summer Night. concert 

Anna-Jane Casey Steps in for Injured Tamzin Outhwaite in Stepping Out

The West End production of Stepping Out started previews a the Vaudeville Theatre last night. The opening night for press is on 14th  March 2017.

The role of Mavis was due to be played by Tamzin Outhwaite; but she has had to temporarily withdraw from the production with a stress fracture of her foot. From 8th March  tapper extraordinaire Anna-Jane Casey (West Side Story, Chicago and Billy Elliot), will take over until she has been given the medical all clear to rejoin the production.  The role will be played by Katie Verner until she  steps in next week.

Stepping Out is a heart-warming comedy following  the lives of seven very different women and one man who are attempting to tap their troubles away at a weekly dancing taught by  Mavis.

Anna-Jane Casey joins her sister Natalie Casey (as bubbly Sylvia) and the previously announced Amanda Holden (as perfectionist Vera), Tracy-Ann Oberman (as mouthy Maxine), and Nicola Stephenson (as shy Dorothy). The production is directed  by Maria Friedman and is brand new staging of Richard Harris's award-winning play  which toured UK venues last year.

Further cast members include Judith Barker, Jessica-Alice McCluskey, Sandra Marvin and Dominic Rowan with Janet Behan, Suzy Bloom, Emma Hook, Marcia Mantack and Nick Warnford.

Amanda Holden said: "It is sad to lose Tamzin. It is ironic and, of course, in keeping with the theme of the show in many ways. However we can assure everyone who comes a fun and entertaining evening and we can't wait to get started with the previews. We look forward to Tamzin returning very soon."

Tickets for Stepping Out