First casting news for Barnum The Musical at the Menier

Barnum the musical is to play at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 5th December to 3rd March, with previews from 25th November.

Casting news so far is that the two leads are comedian Marcus Brigstocke as Phineas T Barnum and Laura Pitt-Pulford is his wife Charity (Chairy) Barnum. The cast also features Celinde Schoenmaker as Jenny Lind with Tupele Dorgu as Joice Heth and Harry Francis as Tom Thumb. They will be joined by Danny Collins, Eamonn Cox, Ainsley Hall Ricketts, Courtney Hows, Philip Marriott, Dominic Owen and Lucie-Mae Sumner. Further casting will be confirmed shortly.

Marcus Brigstocke is a comedian and broadcaster, appearing on Have I Got News For You, The Late Edition and currently The Joy of Techs. His theatre includes: Oklahoma! (BBC Proms 2017), Peter Pan (Wimbledon), Spamalot (West End & tour) and The Railway Children (York Theatre Royal / TCT / Waterloo). Films include Beyond The Sea and Love Actually.

Laura Pitt-Pulford theatre includes: Nell Gwyn (ETT, Globe and tour), Flowers for Mrs Harris (Sheffield Crucible), Oliver! (Leicester Curve), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Olivier nomination – Regent’s Park) and Mack & Mabel and Side Show (Southwark).

Celinde Shoenmaker theatre includes: The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s), Les Miserables (Queen's), Love Story and Ghost (Netherlands).

Tupele Dorgu theatre includes Legally Blonde (Leicester Curve), Noises Off (Liverpool Royal Court), Chicago (UK tour) and Mamma Mia (Prince of Wales). Television includes: Casualty, Billionaire Boy and Coronation Street.

Harry Francis theatre includes Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales), Cats and A Chorus Line (London Palladium).

Graham Norton and co hosts announced for West End Bares 2017

The Make A Difference Trust has just announced that Graham Norton will return as host of this year’s WEST END BARES: RUBY STRIPPERS at the Novello Theatre on Sunday 29th  October at 7.00pm and 9.30pm. The first of his star co-hosts include  Adam Garcia (The Exorcist, Murder on the Orient Express [2017], Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Tap Dogs, Saturday Night Fever, Coyote Ugly); Summer Strallen (Young Frankenstein, Love Never Dies, The Sound of Music, Hollyoaks); Dianne Pilkington (Young Frankenstein, Mamma Mia!, Wicked, Taboo); Tom Allen (Live At The Apollo, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Just A Minute); Celinde Schoenmaker (The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables) and Oliver Savile (Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!). More celebrity guest hosts and West End stars to be announced soon.


They will join the previously announced  Rebecca Trehearn (Showboat, City of Angels, Ghost), who will open the show with a performance of an exclusive track especially written for the occasion by Mark Anderson (The Book Of Mormon, Legally Blonde) and Luke di Somma (That Bloody Woman [composer], 21 Chump Street).

Join  characters of Oz for an extraordinary night at WEST END BARES: RUBY STRIPPERS, which will see over 100 of the hottest performers from the West End stage take to the stage to combine the naughtiness of burlesque with the magic of the West End. All of the money raised will go to The Make A Difference Trust to fund HIV and AIDS projects that raise awareness, educate and provide care and support in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Directed by David Grewcock with choreography from Fletcher Dobinson (Cats; West Side Story), Jaye Elster (Singin’ In The Rain; Half A Sixpence), Matt Gillett (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Singin’ In The Rain; Jersey Boys; Top Hat), Tom Jackson Greaves (Nutcracker, Early Adventures and Sleeping Beauty with New Adventures; Secret Cinema; Kneehigh Theatre), Ashley Jordan-Packer (Cats; Thriller Live), Will Lucas (Cats; Wicked), Simone Mistry-Palmer (Motown; Dirty Dancing), Ashley Nottingham (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Dance Mums; Disaster!), Racky Plews (American Idiot; Footloose; Heaven on Earth), Aaron Renfree (X Factor; The Saturdays), Chris Whittaker (Blondel; Judy!), and James Wilson (Strictly Come Dancing; The Voice).

The Make A Difference Trust is a UK based charity with a vision of a world free from HIV and AIDS. Building on the legacy of 25 years of fundraising by the Theatre industry, they continue to make the vision a reality having distributed over £1.6million in grants to support individuals experiencing hardship across the UK as well as over £1million to support projects with their UK and international partners. For further information about the Make A Difference Trust please visit www.madtrust.org.uk

Tickets for WEST END BARES are now on sale and are priced from  £15 – £100. 

Take That's The Band heading for West End, Broadway or being made into a film?

According to today's Mirror, Take That members Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen have had meetings with producers  about turning their new musical The Band into a Hollywood film.

Gary told the Mirror: “They came to previews of the show the other day. It’s a possibility. We have never been involved in a film before - it would be a first.”

The tour  of the  Band opened in Manchester on Tuesday after a star-studded press night. It  became the fastest-selling musical of recent history when it went on sale in April, chalking up an impressive £15 million in advance sales.

In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Gary, Howard and Mark – who are all executive producers on the musical – said that if the show proved a hit it could also end up on Broadway.Gary said: We never broke America as a band and it would be unthinkable really. This show deserves a big stage. We would love to take it to the West End and then maybe Broadway.

Eva Noblezada Girl No More solo concert in London next year

West End and Broadway star Eva Noblezada will debut her solo show - Girl No More -  in London next year at the Jazz Café in Camden on January 28th. She is best known for her roles as Kim in the West End and Broadway productions of Miss Saigon and Eponine in Les Miserables.

She will perform songs from  Les Miserables and Miss Saigon plus some of her favourite artists including  Amy Winehouse and Frank Sinatra while sharing anecdotes from her life with  the audience.


Tickets for Eva Noblezada Girl No More Concert at the  Jazz Café

An American in Paris to close in January

The critically acclaimed  musical, An American in Paris, is to close earlier than planned and  is now playing its final 14 weeks at the Dominion Theatre. The last performance will now be on Saturday 6th January 2018. (It was booking until 28th April next year).

The London production  has been filmed for future release in cinemas, featuring the original cast led by Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope. Screening dates to follow.

Samantha Barks to star in Pretty Woman musical

West End leading lady Samantha Barks has been cast as Vivian (originally played in the film by Julia Roberts) in a new musical adaptation of 1990 film Pretty Woman which Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde) will direct and choreograph. 

The world premiere production opens at Chicago's Oriental Theatre on March 13th 2018 for a limited five week run before transferring to Broadway in the autumn. Joining her as Edward (Richard Gere in the film) will be Tony Award-winner Steve Kazee – best known for originating the role of Guy in Once will co-star as cynical corporate raider Edward Lewis, who hires her as an escort for his weeklong stay in Los Angeles. The show will mark the Broadway debut for Barks.

The happily-ever-after romantic comedy is about a prostitute who falls in love with a Wall Street trader who pays her to be his escort for a week features a new score by Bryan Adams and his longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, with a book by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton, the director and screenwriter of the original movie, respectively. The film was a massive hit for Disney's Touchstone Pictures, grossing $178.4 million domestically and a further $285 million in foreign.

The musical will have an original score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, with a book by Garry Marshall and the film's screenwriter JF Lawton. The

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Full Cast Announced for Wicked UK & Ireland Tour

The full cast has just been announced for the 2018 UK & Ireland Tour of Wicked the Musical which kicks off at Bristol Hippodrome on 31st January.

Joining the previously announced Aaron Sidwell as Fiyero is  Amy Ross (Elphaba), Helen Woolf (Glinda), Steven Pinder (The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond), Kim Ismay (Madame Morrible), Emily Shaw (Nessarose), Iddon Jones (Boq) and Nikki Bentley (Standby for Elphaba).

They will be joined by Charli Baptie, Jason Broderick, Samantha Brown, Hannah Cadec, Grace Chapman, James Davies-Williams, Howard Ellis, Amy Goodwin, Daniel James Greenaway, Jack Harrison-Cooper, Charlie Karlsen, Nicole Lupino, Stuart MacIver, Stacey McGuire, Sara Morley, Emily Olive Boyd, Georgia Rae Briggs, Paul Saunders, James Titchener, Helen Walsh, Amy Webb, Luke Woollaston and Benjamin Yates.

Amy Ross (Elphaba) has most recently been starring as ‘Nicola’ in the hit musical Kinky Boots in the West End. She previously appeared in Sunny Afternoon, playing ‘Joyce’, at both the Hampstead Theatre and in the West End; Helen Woolf (Glinda) has most recently been appearing in the London production of WICKED and was also part of the original 2013 UK & Ireland Tour company. She has played the role of ‘Glinda’ on many occasions; Aaron Sidwell (Fiyero) has just finished playing ‘Steven Beale’ in the BBC’s EastEnders, a role he originally played in 2007/08. His many acclaimed musical theatre appearances include Grey Gardens (Southwark Playhouse), American Idiot (Arts Theatre, London) and the leading role of ‘Michael Dork’ in Loserville The Musical (West Yorkshire Playhouse and in the West End); still best remembered as ‘Max Farnham’ in Brookside, Steven Pinder (The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond) starred in the UK & Ireland Tour (joining in 2014) and on the International Tour of WICKED. He also played Doctor Dillamond in the West End. Kim Ismay (Madame Morrible), Emily Shaw (Nessarose) and Iddon Jones (Boq) all recently starred in the International Tour of WICKED; Nikki Bentley (Standby for Elphaba) has recently appeared in the Asian Tour of Ghost The Musical, the UK & Ireland Tour of Shrek the Musical and in Monty Python’s Spamalot in the West End.

An Intimate Evening with Kristin Chenoweth one off concert next month

Emmy and Tony award winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth is to perform an evening of her favourite songs in an intimate  one off concert  at the London Palladium at 7:30pm on on  20th  October 2017.

Tickets for An Intimate Evening with Kristin Chenoweth

Patti Lupone and Rosalie Craig to lead Sondheim's Company at the Gielgud next September

Marianne Elliott is to direct COMPANY, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical comedy about life, love and marriage. Patti LuPone is to  star as Joanne' opposite Rosalie Craig as Bobbi   when it hits the West End opening at the Gielgud Theatre on 26th September 2018 for a limited run as it is currently booking until 22nd December.
 
Elliott & Harper Productions present this iconic musical with the lead role of “Bobby” re-imagined for the first time as a woman.At Bobbi’s 35th birthday party all her friends are wondering why isn’t she married? Why can’t she find the right man? Why doesn’t she settle down and have a family? One thing is for certain; you will fall in love with Company. Featuring Stephen Sondheim’s iconic songs – The Ladies Who Lunch, Being Alive and Side by Side.

The 1970 musical has received some modern updates. Chris Harper, a business partner to the director says, "Bobbi is a sexually confident woman, looking for love. She's a woman of today, really 2018." LuPone said she is doing the show because of Marianne Elliot saying  "She's a visionary."

Buy tickets for Company which are now on general sale

Beverley Knight, Amber Riley and Cassidy Janson new super group Leading Ladies

West End leading ladies Beverley Knight, Amber Riley and Cassidy Janson have created a vocal super group called the Leading Ladies.

The three stars – Amber Riley (best known for Glee and her current role as Effie White in Dreamgirls), Beverley Knight (The Bodyguard, Memphis, Cats, solo tour later this year) and Cassidy Janson (Beautiful, Wicked) – will be releasing their debut album Songs From the Stage on 17th  November (available for pre-order now). 

The performers all have  superb voices which  complement each other beautifully with  their harmonising on classic show tunes a real force to be reckoned with.

The album contains songs from shows including Dreamgirls, The Bodyguard and Beautiful as well as popular Broadway musicals like Hamilton plus a Christmas number.

Songs From the Stage is a perfect album for musical theatre fans, with  stripped-back arrangements also making  it appeal  a wider audience.

Sheridan Smith to star in ITV special about her life and career

Updated 27th October: the show will  broadcast by  at 9:00 pm on November 5th.

Sheridan Smith is to star in her own special entitled Sheridan for ITV this autumn, featuring  the actress and singer performing music from her new album and speaking about her life and career.The one-off show will see the multi award-winning actress and singer headline her very own show for the first time.

The star of ITV and musical theatre shows including Funny Girl, Legally Blonde, Black Work, the C Word, the Moorside   Mrs Biggs and Cilla - for which she won a BAFTA TV Award - will showcase exclusive performances of songs from her new album which is due for release on 3rd November,  as well as an array of musical numbers accompanied by a live orchestra.

In a statement a spokesperson for ITV described the special as as ‘wonderful celebration of Sheridan, one of Britain’s most recognisable stars of stage and screen, and her love of music and performing’.

Meanwhile the Cilla actress said  I am so excited to be performing my songs and sharing my journey with my fans, friends and family. It's a dream come true.

Lee Connolly ITV’s creative director of entertainment teased that the show would shine a spotlight on Smith’s ‘wonderful’ voice. With such a stellar career as an actor, it's easy to forget that Sheridan is also a wonderful singer. With brilliant performances in ITV's Cilla and as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl it reminded us why Sheridan is such a special and unique performer and we are delighted to be making this one off special with her. 

 Broadcast information for Sheridan to follow when announced.

Changes to Sunset Boulevard tour schedule announced

A revised tour schedule for Sunset Boulevard starring Ria Jones and Danny Mac has just been released. 

Danny was originally only scheduled to perform for  the 2017 dates, but is now doing some  performances in 2018.

Collabro to release charity Lighthouse single

The  musical theatre group Collabro are to release of their first ever single ‘Lighthouse’ and give all proceeds to Save the Children’s Emergency Fund in wake of Hurricane Irma.

Collabro singer Michael Auger was caught at the centre of the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, where winds of up to 185mph tore through the Caribbean and Florida – leaving dozens dead, thousands homeless and entire communities shattered. Michael, who is now back in the UK, said: The devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Irma is truly heart-breaking for the people of the Caribbean and Florida.I know I was very lucky to escape unharmed but there are many thousands of people who have lost everything and will feel the effects of this disaster for years to come.

After witnessing the terrible destruction first hand as Irma hit the Caribbean island of Saint Martin where Michael was on holiday, he has joined bandmates Jamie Lambert, Matt Pagan and Thomas Redgrave in pledging to raise money for Save The Children’s Emergency Fund which helps bring aid to children affected by war and disasters around the world.Lighthouse – which was co-written by the band and Ben Adams of A1 – is a beautifully poignant message of being a shining beacon of hope and help.It is available to digitally download on FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22^nd with 100% of all money raised from the release going to Save the Children’s Emergency Fund.This means every time the song is downloaded 99p will go to the fund which mobilises emergency teams in times of crisis, allowing them to assess situations and get life-saving food, shelter and medicines straight to where they are most urgently needed.

West End and Broadway to dim their lights tonight as tribute Sir Peter Hall

Venues in the West End and on Broadway will dim their lights tonight (Friday 15th September) in memory of  the late Sir Peter Hall,  British director and theatre impresario.

Before the evening’s performances commence tonght , audience members and industry professionals will recognise one of the greatest names in British theatre while lights are dimmed for one minute as a mark of respect. The tradition, which is performed to honour theatre’s most prestigious and loved contributors, will take place across the West End at 19:00 (BST) and on Broadway at 19:45 (ET).

Peter Hall’s extraordinary career spanned more than half a century. In 1960, aged 29, he founded the Royal Shakespeare Company which he led until 1968. In 1973 he was appointed Director of the National Theatre and oversaw the move from the Old Vic to its current home on the South Bank.

After leaving the National Theatre in 1988, he formed the Peter Hall Company (1988 – 2011), and in 2003 became the founding director of the Rose Theatre Kingston. His productions were acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic and his work spanned theatre and opera. Peter Hall was Artistic Director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera (1984 – 1990) and worked at many of the world’s leading houses including The Royal Opera, the Metropolitan Opera and Bayreuth.

Sir Peter Hall received the Society of London Theatre’s Special Award at the 1999 Olivier Awards. In 2011 he received the award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre at the 2011 UK Theatre Awards.

Caissie Levy and Patti Murrin to star in Disney's Frozen the Musical

Michael Grandage is to direct Caissie Levy (Ghost) as Elsa  and Patti Murrin (Wicked) as Anna in Disney's Frozen the Musical which is playing a try out at the Buell Theatre in Denver until 1st  October before heading for the  St James Theatre, New York where it previews from  22nd February 2018.

The musical is based on the Oscar-winning Disney film, with  music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and a book by Jennifer Lee. It also has design by Christopher Oram whose previous work includes the Kenneth Branagh season at the Garrick Theatre and the RSC's Wolf Hall, for which he won the 2015 Olivier and Tony Awards.

Clare Burt to join Kelsey Grammer in new Big Fish Musical

Clare Burt has just been announced to star as ‘Sandra Bloom’ alongside the previously announced Kelsey Grammer as ‘Edward Bloom’ in a new production of John August and Andrew Lippa’s BIG FISH THE MUSICAL which is directed by Nigel Harman, and will play at The Other Palace from Wednesday 1 November 2017 – Sunday 31 December 2017, with a Press Night on Tuesday 7 November and a Gala Night on Wednesday 8 November.
 

Clare Burt was the winner of the UK Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Musical for her portrayal of ‘Mrs Harris’ in “Flowers for Mrs Harris” at the Sheffield Crucible.  She created the role of ‘Jan’ in the original production of the award-winning musical “London Road” at the National Theatre. Her other National Theatre credits include “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Coram Boy”. Clare’s Donmar Warehouse credits include the musicals “Into the Woods”, “Company” and “Nine”. She also appeared as ‘Eunice’ in the Young Vic’s acclaimed production of “A Streetcar Named Desire”.

Tickets for Big Fish the Musical

Principal Casting news for A Woman in White

Thom Southerland (Titanic, Grey Gardens, Grand Hotel) is to direct the first ever revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony and Olivier Award-nominated musical The Woman in White at London's Charing Cross Theatre for  a strictly limited 12-week season from 20th November-10th February 2018. 

Principal casting news so far is that Chris Peluso (Showboat, Miss Saigon, Funny Girl) is to play sinister Sir Percival Glyde with Anna O'Byrne (The Phantom of the Opera) as Laura Fairlie with  Carolyn Maitland (Ghost) as Marian Halcombe, Ashley Stillburn (The Phantom of the Opera) as Walter Hartright, Greg Castiglioni (Titanic) as Count Fosco, and Sophie Reeves (Les Miserables) as Anne Catherick.

Australian musical theatre star, Anna O’Byrne/Laura Fairlie played  Christine in the hugely successful Australian premiere of Love Never Dies, which was later filmed for DVD release. Andrew Lloyd Webber then brought  Anna to London to make her West End debut in The Phantom of the Opera. She won the 2017 Helpmann Award for Best Actress - the Australian equivalent of the Olivier Awards – Anna received the award for her performance as Eliza Doolittle in the sold-out 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady at Sydney Opera House. The show was cast and directed by Dame Julie Andrews.
 

Chris Peluso /Sir Percival Glyde. Chris starred as Death in the European premiere of Death Takes a Holiday and played Nicky Arnstein opposite Sheridan Smith in the UK tour of Funny Girl. He made his West End debut as Chris in Miss Saigon and was Missisippi gambler Gaylord Ravenal in Show Boat at the New London Theatre.

Carolyn Maitland/Marian Halcombe starred as Molly Jensen in Ghost, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, and Ellen in Miss Saigon.

Ashley Stillburn/Walter Hartright was previously in Death Takes a Holiday at Charing Cross Theatre and has previously played Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera.

Greg Castiglioni/Count Fosco credits include the European premiere of Titanic, Fiddler on the Roof at Chichester, Evita (Magaldi), The Phantom of the Opera, Cats and Lend Me a Tenor.

Sophie Reeves/ Anne Catherick is a recent graduate of Guildford School of Acting, and has appeared in the West End company of Les Misérables.

Cast announced for Bananaman the Musical world premiere

Updated 26th October:  The cast has been announced for the world premiere of Bananaman the Musical. Matthew McKenna (The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, We Will Rock You) will play the title role - superhero and resident of Acacia Road.

He is joined by Marc Pickering (Boardwalk Empire, Les Misérables screen adaptation), who plays Bananaman's arch nemesis Doctor Gloom. Also cast are Jodie Jacobs (Rock Of Ages) as Eric's loyal sidekick, Crow, Mark Newnham (Sunny Afternoon) as Eric Wimp and Carl Mullaney (Les Misérables) as General Blight.

They will be joined by TJ Lloyd, Lizzii Hills, Brian Gilligan, Emma Ralston, Chris McGuigan and Amy Perry.

Leon Parris's musical, based on both the 1980 Nutty comic and the TV cartoon which ran between 1983 and 1986, will be directed by Mark Perry with set design from Mike Leopold, musical supervision from Alan Berry, and choreography and associate direction by Grant Murphy.

Bananaman runs at the Southwark Playhouse from 4 January to 20 January, with previews from 15 December.Based on the '80s cartoon, Bananaman the Musical will have its world premiere at Southwark Playhouse from 4th to 20th January 2018, with previews from 15th December 2017.

Written and composed by Leon Parris (Wolfboy, Monte Cristo), the musical will be directed by Mark Perry (A Comedy of Arias, Little Shop of Horrors) wih musical supervision by Alan Berry, design by Mike Leopold, and choreography by Grant Murphy. Casting still  to be announced.

Bananaman started fighting crime in 1980 trying to halt the evil plans of supervillains Doctor Gloom and General Blight when he appeared in  The Dandy and then The Beano in 2012. The popular TV cartoon ran between 1983 and 1986 for 40 episodes and featured the voices of Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie.

Tickets for Bananaman

Wind in the Willows to be shown in cinemas on TV and online streaming.

The Wind in the Willows by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and Olivier Award-winning composer and lyricist duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe,  recently completed its limited West End run at the Palladium where it was filmed for release in cinemas, on television and online streaming.

Producer Jamie Hendry said: "I am delighted that our magnificent production has been captured in all its glory at the London Palladium. The Wind in the Willows has been a joy to produce and I'm so pleased that audiences around the world will be able to experience the adventure."

Based on the novel by Kenneth Grahame, the  filmed version stars Rufus Hound as Mr Toad, Simon Lipkin as Ratty, Craig Mather as Mole, Neil McDermott as Chief Weasel, Denise Welch as Mrs Otter, Gary Wilmot as Badger and the entire West End company. The stage adaptation is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with choreography by Aletta Collins, set and costume design by Peter McKintosh, lighting design by Howard Harrison and sound design by Gareth Owen.

The Wind in the Willows was filmed by BroadwayHD, who will release the film on their online platform. The recording is directed by Tim van Someren. Dates for show's online release are to still be announced.

New tour of the Jungle Book just announced

The Children’s Touring Partnership and the Royal & Derngate, Northampton have just announced a new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s  classic, “THE JUNGLE BOOK”. The Jungle Book runs at Royal & Derngate from 28 November to 31 December. The UK tour begins at Chichester Festival Theatre on 25 January and continues to Richmond, Liverpool, Wycombe, Bromley, Malvern, Cambridge, Newcastle, Plymouth, Norwich, Nottingham, Canterbury, Salford and Blackpool.

Originally written in 1894, Kipling’s tale will be reworked  with a brand new score and script, exploring  themes of family, belonging and identity. “THE JUNGLE BOOK” tells of Mowgli the man cub who battles for survival in this heart-warming coming-of-age story about a boy raised by wolves in the jungle. With the help of his animal friends, including Bagheera the panther, Balloo the bear and Kaa the python, Mowgli outwits the cruel and powerful tiger, Shere Khan, and learns the law of the jungle.

Cast includes Rachel Dawson as ‘Kaa Grey’, Lloyd Gorman as ‘Shere Khan’, TJ Holmes as ‘Hiran’, Avita Jay as ‘Raksha’, Keziah Joseph as ‘Mowgli’, Dyfrig Morris as ‘Balloo’, Deborah Oyelade as ‘Bagheera’ and Tripti Tripuraneni as ‘Akala’. They are joined by ensemble  members  Ruri James and Chipo Kureya.

The award winning creative team bringing Kipling’s timeless story to the stage includes playwright Jessica Swale, director Max Webster and internationally renowned songwriter Joe Stilgoe.Playwright Jessica Swale will be adapting the story for the stage. Her previous acclaimed play “Nell Gwynn” won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 2016.Max Webster directed Dr Seuss’ “The Lorax” at the Old Vic, which was nominated for Best Entertainment and Family Show at the 2016 Olivier Awards.
Completing the creative team is set and costume designer Peter McKintosh, musical supervision from Paul Herbert, movement direction by Lizzi Gee, lighting design by Charles Balfour, puppetry design and direction by Nick Barnes and fight direction by Kate Waters.

Children’s Touring Partnership is led by Fiery Angel and Chichester Festival Theatre. Previous productions include the award winning West End and UK tour production of “Goodnight Mister Tom” and most recently the UK touring production of Michael Morpurgo’s “Running Wild”.

Suitable for ages 6+

Tour dates and booking details here  for The Jungle Book

Cast announced for tour of Shrek the Musical

The new tour of Shrek the Musical is again being directed by Nigel Harman who played the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad during the West End run.

It kicks off  at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 12th December and the cast has just been announced  featuring Steffan Harri (Les Miserables) in the title role of the Ogre  with  Laura Main (Call the Midwife) as Princess Fiona - but due to filiming commitments only at certain locations - Marcus Ayton (The Rat Pack Live) as Donkey and Samuel Holmes (The Wedding Singer, Mrs Henderson Presents) as Lord Farquaad.

They are joined by Adam Baker, Ethan Bradshaw, Michael Carolan, Joseph Dockree, William Hawksworth, Sarah-Louise Jones, Reece Kerridge, Thomas Lee Kidd, Amy Oxley, Jemma Revell, Lucinda Shaw, Sam Stones, Adam Taylor, Jennifer Tierney, Sophie Wallis, Francesca Williams, Laura Wilson and Kevin Yates.

Michael Crawford to front All Star Musicals show on ITV This Christmas

West End and Broadway star Michael Crawford is to guide seven well known celebrities through All Star Musicals which  singing and  dancing musical theatre extravaganza, which is coming to ITV on Christmas Eve, 24th December, at 6.40pm.

Hosted by Freddie Flintoff, the show will feature a cast of famous faces who will each perform an iconic number from a hit musical supported by a sensational chorus line - to a packed house at the London Palladium in London's West End. The show will feature numbers from a range of famous musicals, including Chicago, Evita and Guys and Dolls, with the theatre audience deciding at the end of the night whose performance wowed them the most.

Sir Tony Robinson, Denise Lewis OBE, Nicky Campbell, Sally Phillips, Lucy Fallon, Michael Parr and Rebecca Front,  have been selected based upon their stand out performance skills and will be mentored by Michael Crawford who will offer offer guidance, advice and encouragement ahead of their big performance as they  train with some of the West End's most seasoned performers as they get to grips with their chosen song.

With both Tony and Olivier awards to his name, Michael Crawford has a successful West End career spanning five decades. Presenter Freddie Flintoff is making his musical theatre debut in a tour of Fat Friends the musical later this year.

Siobhan Greene, Head of Entertainment Commissioning for ITV, said "All Star Musicals is going to be the ultimate night out, in. I am so excited that Michael Crawford has agreed to take part and with Freddie Flintoff hosting too, the viewers have a real treat in store, with our fabulous cast performing in some truly iconic musical numbers."

Carley Bawden, Joanna Riding, Marc Antolin and Gareth Snook to star in Romantics Anonymous Musical

Casting has been announced for Emma Rice's musical Romantics Anonymous which runs at Shakespeare's Globe from 27th  October to 6th January with previews from 20th  October.

The show will star Marc Antolin as Ludo, Carly Bawden as Angelique, Dominic Marsh as Jean-Rene, Joanna Riding as Mother and Magda, Philip Cox as Father,  Gareth Snook as Mercier, Natasha Jayetileke as Suzanne/Mimi and Dominic Marsh as Jean-René with Lauren Samuels and Joe Evans as  Ensemble / On-stage Swing

Angélique makes beautiful chocolates, carefully infused with all the emotion that seems to overwhelm her in daily life. Jean-René runs a chocolate factory that is running out of steam, rather like his own existence. Both seek help from the usual sources: Jean-René favours self-help tapes and Angélique joins a support group, Les Émotifs Anonymes. Romantics Anonymous is an unusual and tender love story in which the obstacles to happiness are not the usual external barriers, but those sneaky little ones we know all too intimately: the ones within.

It  has a book by Rice, with lyrics by Christopher Dimond and music from Michael KoomanIt and will be the final production directed by Rice in her role as artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe when she steps down from running the theatre next year as Michelle Terry takes over as artistic director from April 2018.

The piece is being presented by special arrangement with Radio Mouse Entertainment, a New York based theatre and media production company that has been developing the musical since 2014.

Tickets for Romantics Anonymous

Hamilton musical opening delayed by two weeks.

The London production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton will open two weeks later than originally planned on 21st  December  rescheduling 16 performances. Hamilton will now begin previews on 6th December rather than 21st  November as originally announced, with an official opening on 21st December.

Customers who purchased tickets via official channels will be contacted directly by Ticketmaster in order to be re-seated. Tickets which had been held in reserve to be used at the time the building was nearing completion will be allocated to those patrons who originally booked for the re-scheduled performances.

The delay is due to the expansion and restoration of the Victoria Palace Theatre. Cameron Mackintosh said of the news: "The time constraints to access the land around the theatre to enable the rebuild and getting the show open to the public by the end of this year have been equally tight, not helped by the theatre being built over the huge King's Scholars' Pond Sewer, an active 200 year-old brick tunnel."Added to the usual unhelpful problems that always happen when doing up old buildings, this has put pressure on the time needed to commission the entirely new services that have been installed at the theatre and obtain the necessary licences to reopen to the public. We have therefore needed to take a pragmatic decision to reschedule the previews of Hamilton to commence on 6 December, two weeks later than originally planned.I am, of course, sorry to amend the performance schedule but undertaking a private rebuilding project on this scale in central London has no precedent.

Thanks to the phenomenal efforts of the amazing team (of hundreds!) working often around the clock to get the theatre ready, I look forward to welcoming our patrons to the newly constructed theatre where Frank Matcham's masterpiece will be revealed in even greater splendour as a spectacular home for this landmark musical.

Full cast announced for Fat Friends Musical

The full cast of the British musical Fat Friends has just been announced.  The show is based on the TV drama and has been adapted for the stage by writer Kay Mellor with original music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber. Mellor will also direct the show which opens at Leeds Grand Theatre on 7th November followed by an extensive UK tour in 2018.

Jodie Prenger will play Kelly Stevenson a big, bubbly, bride to be who works in her dad's fish and chip shop. leading a star company including X Factor Winner Sam Bailey as Betty - Kelly’s mother, homely and sweet and recently slimmed down/Elaine C Smith at three Scottish dates in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen with Emmerdale's Natalie Anderson as a Lauren (Jewish, attractive, thinks her bum's too big, works in a bridal shop and runs Super Slimmers Headingley Branch) and former England cricket captain, and star of SKY’s League of Their Own, Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff is playing Kevin Mergatroyd (Kelly's fiancee, a big lovable lad but not the sharpest knife in the drawer) in Leeds, Southampton, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford and Blackpool/Joel Montague (School of Rock) who also recently starred alongside Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl will share the role. Other casting includes Rachael Wooding as Joanne (Kelly's sharp tongued and feisty thin sister), Chloe Hart as Val (works for local TV, has replaced men with chocolate and put on 2 stone!). Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton, who has previously starred in Blood Brothers, will take on the role of Julia at certain locations alongside Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street, We Will Rock You) as Fergus with Jonathan Halliwell (Let It Shine) and Chloe Hart (Hairspray) , with Neil Hurst as Alan (one of dozens of Yorkshiremen who applied for the role through an open audition call) and Craig Armstrong, Lizzie Bea, Paul Brangan, Emma Crossley, Ellie Leah, Laura Mansell and Ryan Pidgen completing the cast.

Strictly Ballroom to open in London next Spring

Following a successful run at the West Yorkshire Playhouse  last year. Baz Luhrmann’s (Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby) musical Strictly Ballroom is to open at the London's Piccadilly Theatre on 11th April with previews starting on 16th  March.

It is due to follow Annie the Musical which is booking until 18th February 2018 and  stars Miranda Hart as Miss Hannigan until 17th September: (Craig Revel Horwood  from September 18th until November 20th).

 

Based on Luhrmann’s 1992 film, it is based on a short play he wrote while he was a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney in the ‘80s. After an expanded version of the play was a success at Sydney's Wharf Theatre, Luhrmann was approached to turn it into a film. The writer agreed, on the condition he could direct the movie, and it was Luhrmann’s first film. It went on to be one of the highest grossing Australian films of all time.The  musical premiered in the UK at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2016/17, and is directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie (Jesus Christ Superstar, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre; The Lorax, Old Vic).

Strictly Ballroom tells the story of Scott, a competitive ballroom dancer in '80s Australia who makes up his own moves and finds himself aggravating ballroom-purists. He follows his heart to, not only find his true calling in dance, but also find his true love featuring hit songs from the film "Love Is in the Air" by John Paul Young, "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" by Doris Day, and a version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".

McOnie, who runs his own dance company, choreographed London's IN THE HEIGHTS and the UK tour of OKLAHOMA! Othre  recent credits include  CHICAGO (Curve, Leicester), WEST SIDE STORY (NYMT), BRITISH STYLE (Collaboration with Matthew Bourne for the BBC, Buckingham Palace), JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (UK Tour) and 13 (Apollo Theatre, London). He is currently workshopping a new musical adaptation of King Kong on Broadway.

Casting for the London production is yet to be announced, but in Leeds it starred Gemma Sutton, Sam Lips, Tamsin Carroll and Stephen Matthews.

Buy tickets for Strictly Ballroom

Charlie Stemp off to Broadway to star in Hello, Dolly!

The new West end star Charlie Stemp has just finished playing Arthur Kipps in Half a Sixpence to great critical acclaim and is due to play the title role in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Palladium this Christmas, and now according to Producer Scott Rudin he will make his Broadway debut as Barnaby Tucker in the most successful  Broadway production of the year: Hello, Dolly! 

He  will begin performances opposite the previously announced  Bernadette Peters (who is taking  over from Bette Midler)  and Victor Garber on  January 20th prior to a  February 22nd opening night. Taylor Trensch will play his final performance as Barnaby Tucker on January 14th.

Hello, Dolly! began performances on Broadway on March 15th 2017, and officially opened on Thursday, April 20th.This production of Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! broke the record for best first day of ticket sales in Broadway history and by the time it began previews, had the largest pre-performance advance sale in Broadway history. It has won four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical (Bette Midler), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Gavin Creel), and Best Costume Design of a Musical (Santo Loquasto), and has continued to break the Shubert Theatre house box office record many times over.
 

Natasha J Barnes guesting at Lee Mead at Christmas Concert

Tickets are on sale today for the one off concert  Lee Mead at Christmas at the Harold Pinter Theatre on Sunday 3rd December at 7:00 pm. He will be joined by Natasha J Barnes (Funny Girl, Cinderella)

Currently playing Lofty in the hospital drama Holby City, Lee is delighted to return to London's West End with his special anniversary Christmas show marking 10 years since he  won TV's Any Dream Will Do, going on to star as Joseph in the West End for 15 months. Lee and his band will take  nostalgic look at all that Lee has achieved in the 10 years since Joseph with Christmas songs as well as music from Joseph, Wicked,  Blonde, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,  and Lee's last four albums and his brand new album Lee Mead Ten Years. 

Buy tickets for Lee Mead at Christmas

Cast announced for Manhattan Parisienne New Alain Boublil musical

Updated 19th September_ In association with The Other Palace, Robert Mackintosh is  delighted announce a ‘Work in Progress’ production by LesMis writer Alain Boublil:  MANHATTAN PARISIENNE  will have public sharings in The Studio at The Other Palace between Tuesday 10th-Saturday 21st. October 2017.

MANHATTAN PARISIENNE is Directed by Bruce Guthrie with Musical Direction and Orchestration by Barney Ashworth; Choreography by Cameron Carver and Casting by Will Burton CDG. The full cast is: Noa Bodner as ‘Adam’s Mom/Waitress’; Richard Emerson as ‘Teddy/Agent’; Douglas Hansell as ‘Paul/Gareth’; James Lailey as ‘Busker’; Orlando Seale as ‘Gerard’; Gabriel Vick as ‘Adam’ and Marie Zamora as ‘Eve’.

Noa Bodner was last seen on stage in “A Tale of Two Cities” at the Royal & Derngate and on UK Tour.  Her other theatre credits include: “Testing The Echo/Moving Stories” at the National Theatre; “Playing for Time” at Sheffield Crucible”; “Macbeth” at Mercury Colchester and “Paper Dolls” at the Tricycle Theatre. Her screen credits include the feature film “World War Z” and the BBC TV series “Rome”.

Richard Emerson has most recently been seen in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at Wilton’s Music Hall. His other recent theatre credits include: “O’Neill’s The First Man” at the Jermyn Street Theatre; “A Chorus of Disapproval” at the Harold Pinter Theatre and “Hamlet” and “A Man of No Importance” at the Salisbury Playhouse. Richard also works as a lyricist and composer; his new musical is slated for production in London in autumn 2018.

Douglas Hansell has most recently been seen in “Thirty Three” at the Leicester Square Theatre. His other theatre credits include: “Titanic” at the Charing Cross Theatre; “When Blair had Bush and Bunga” at the Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh; “Going Bush” at the Bush Theatre and “A Doll’s House”, “Neighbourhood Watch” and “Wind in the Willows” in his native Australia.

James Lailey’s theatre credits include: “Measure for Measure”, “The Oresteia”, “Henry V”, “Henry IV” pts. 1 and 2, “Love's Labours Lost”, “Romeo and Juliet” and “Helen and Bedlam” at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; “The Three Musketeers” at Rose Theatre Kingston; “Suspension” at Bristol Old Vic; “Treasure Island” at Theatre Royal Haymarket and “Mamma Mia!” at the Prince of Wales Theatre. His TV credits include: “The Sound of Music Live!”; “Where the Heart Is” and “Wire in the Blood”.

Orlando Seale’s theatre credits include: “Bedroom Farce” for the Peter Hall company; “The Lightning Play” at The Almeida and “The Servant to Two Masters” for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His TV credits include: “Motherland” and “Count Arthur Strong” for BBC 2; “Mr. Selfridge” and “Lewis” for ITV; “The IT Crowd” for Channel 4; “Doll & Em” for HBO; “The West Wing” for NBC and “Ghost Whisperer” for CBS.

Gabriel Vick has most recently been seen in “Promises Promises” at the Southwark Playhouse.  His previous theatre credits include ‘Bobby Wace’ in “Sunny Afternoon” at the Harold Pinter Theatre; “Flowers of the Forest” at the Jermyn St Theatre; “Once” at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin and Phoenix Theatre; “Chariots of Fire” at the Gielgud Theatre; “La Cage Aux Folles” at the Playhouse Theatre and “A Little Night Music” at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Garrick Theatre. On screen his film credits include: “The Invisible Woman” and “Les Misérables” and on TV his credits include: “Doctors” and “My Family.”

Marie Zamora returns to “Manhattan Parisienne” having played the role of ‘Eve’ at 59E59 Theaters in New York. On stage Marie originated the role of ‘Cosette’ in the Paris production of “Les Misérables”. Her other theatre credits include ‘Kate’ in “Kiss Me, Kate” and ‘Chairy’ in “Barnum”. She recently performed the role of ‘Queen Marie-Antoinette’ in the Chicago world premiere concert in English of Boublil and Schӧnberg’s “La Révolution Française”. Marie is the co-book writer and the director of the 2010 Czech Republic production of “Marguerite” in collaboration with Michel Legrand and Alain Boublil.

MANHATTAN PARISIENNE is a New York story of differences and attraction of two struggling artists and an unlikely meeting of minds. She is a Parisienne actress/singer. He is a Manhattan musician who has a history with Paris.  Connected by music, they embark on a surreal journey through New York.  MANHATTAN PARISIENNE features excerpts of songs from the classic French and American songbooks by songwriters including Jacques Brel, George and Ira Gershwin, Michel Legrand, Cole Porter and Charles Aznavour; and the London production will feature a new song called "About Love" with music and lyrics by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil. The play made its debut at 59E59 Theaters in New York.

Tickets for Manhattan Parisienne

Chichester's Caroline or Change starring Sharon D Clarke to transfer to Hampstead Theatre

Chichester Festival Theatre's musical production of Caroline, or Change will transfer to  Hampstead Theatre from 19th  March to 21st April March next year.

Sharon D Clarke will be reprising her role as Caroline Thibodeaux in Michael Longhurst's production.

Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's musical is  about an African American maid in '60s Louisiana, and will be the first musical at Hampstead Theatre since their smash hit Kinks Sunny Afternoon

Tickets on sale soon for Caroline or Change

Tour of An Officer and a Gentleman Musical to open at Leicester Curve next April

Next April is the UK premiere at Leicester Curve  of the musical An Officer and a Gentleman based on the 1982 Oscar winning film starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger. Its soundtrack includes the hit song from the movie Up Where We Belong along with 80s classic anthems including Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Material Girl, Don’t Cry Out Loud , If You Believe in Love and Alone.

The brand new version has been adapted directly from the film and created in collaboration with original screenwriter Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen who wrote  the book.

Nikolai Foster, artistic director of Curve will direct and said: "When I first looked at the film of An Officer and a Gentleman I was genuinely blown away by this tender, poignant, intimate study of working class lives and incredible women who are looking to escape from the society they feel trapped within. There was a big musical version staged in Australia, but we knew that this wasn't going to be that. In a workshop at Curve we took the film script and felt the characters would best be expressed through '80s pop and rock music. We have used the intimacy and quiet poignancy of the movie and integrated the pop songs, making them a coherent part of it."

The musical is being produced by Jamie Wilson Productions (tours of Sister Act, Nativity! and Crazy For You) in Association with the Curve Theatre Leicester with choreography by Kate Prince (Into The Hoods, ZooNation) and musical supervision by Tony Award-winning Sarah Travis (Sweeney Todd, Sister Act). with set and costume design by Michael Taylor, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Tom Marshall.

Wicked! extends booking to December 2018

Wicked! at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre celebrates its 11th Birthday on 27th September and  is  the 16th longest running show in West End theatre history. 

It has just announced its 24th extension (of six months) with 500,000 new tickets  released for performances until Saturday 1st  December 2018. 

John Owen-Jones, Suzie Mathers & Janie Dee Concerts Live at Zedel

West End and Broadway leading man John Owen-Jones (LesMis & Phantom) is to appear in three concerts at Brasserie Zedel on 10th December at 7:00pm and 9.15pm and 11th December at 7:00 pm as part of the autumn-winter season.

Suzie Mathers (Wicked! & Mamma Mia)  is performing for one night only on 9th November while  Janie Dee (currently starring in Follies at the National) returns with two shows: Janie Dee: Off the Record and Janie Dee: At the BBC between 2nd-4th  October.

Click on the links to purchase tickets.