NICOLE SCHERZINGER TO PERFORM AT LONDON’S BOULEVARD THEATRE

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Nicole Scherzinger is to  host and perform two intimate shows at the Boulevard Theatre, Soho on December 8th and 9th .
 

She will  sing numbers from the musical theatre world, as well as some of her favourite classics and standards. Her acclaimed appearance on London’s West End garnered her a nomination for a Laurence Olivier Award, for her debut performance as “Grizabella” in a revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats. More recently, she was personally invited to perform alongside Andrea Bocelli for two nights at his sold-out Madison Square Garden shows, where she received emphatic applause for her interpretation of “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman.

Nicole is currently a judge on X Factor: Celebrity, as well as the recently-announced X Factor: The Band, in addition to her role as a judge on The Masked Singer USA and Australia’s Got Talent. This week, it was also announced that she will be reuniting with The Pussycat Dolls for a highly-anticipated UK tour in Spring 2020.


 Seated tickets at £42 and standing at £26. For further tickets and details, please visit the website.

Full casting announced for tour of Everybody's Talking About Jamie

The full cast has been announced for the  tour of Everybody's Talking About Jamie which opens in Sheffield next February. Joining the already announced Layton Williams and Shane Richie will be  Shobna Gulati (Rey), Amy Ellen Richardson (Margaret New), George Sampson (Dean), Lara Denning (Miss Hedge), Sharan Phull (Pritti Pasha), Cameron Johnson (Sandra Bollock / Jamie's Dad), John Paul McCue (Laika Virgin), Rhys Taylor (Tray Sophisticay), Richard Appiah-Sarpong (Cy), Simeon Beckett (Levi), Kazmin Borrer (Vicki), Ellis Brownhill (Mickey), Jodie Knight (Fatimah), Jessica Meegan (Bex), Talia Palamathanan (Becca), Adam Taylor (Sayid), Alex Hetherington (swing), Emma Robotham-Hunt (swing), Ellie Leah (understudy) and Garry Lee (understudy).

The show  is also running in the West End,  and is based on the documentary Jamie: Drag Queen in 16, and has been adapted into a major film, which will be released in 2020 (Gulati will also appear in the film).

Dirty Dancing to embark on a limited tour in 2020

It has been announced that Dirty Dancing will embark on a limited tour in 2020, opening at  Hull on 14 – 18 July before visiting  Dublin Bord Gais (20 July – 1 August) , Buxton Opera House(1 – 5 September ) , Killarney (8-12 September) , Derry  (15-19 September)  and Castlebar (22-26 September) and Millennium Forum (28 September-3 October).

Tickets are now on sale  with casting is to be announced for the show.

Sleepless, a Musical Romance to premiere in London starring Kimberley Walsh and Michael Xavier

The new musical Sleepless, a Musical Romance will premiere in London on 21st March next year at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre for just THREE special preview performances before opening in March 2020 starring Kimberley Walsh and Michael Xavier

Based on iconic romantic comedy film Sleepless in Seattle starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan , Sleepless features a sparkling jazz-inspired score.When eight-year-old Jonah phones a Seattle radio show and gets his dad, Sam, to talk live on air about the heart-breaking loss of his mother, Sam instantly touches hearts across America. Nearly 3,000 miles away, journalist Annie starts to ask herself whether Sam could be more than just a great news story. It looks like love is in the airwaves, but how do you know if he’s the one for you if you’ve never even met?  Perhaps only a last-minute dash to the top of the Empire State Building can prove that somewhere there’s someone for everyone...

The new musical has a book by Michael Burdett, music by Robert Scott and lyrics by Brendan Cull, and will begin performances on 21st March at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre with an official opening night on 31st March.

Tickets are now on sale for the  three reduced price preview performances on Friday 13th (evening) and Saturday 14th  (matinee and evening) December plus the initial run from 21st March until 3rd May 2020

For the three special previews in December, the cast will be led by Michael D Xavier as Sam and Kimberley Walsh as Annie. The cast will also include Soo Drouet as Becky, Gay Soper as Eleanor, Alex Fobbester as Rob, Dylan Turner as Walter, Vicki Davids as Suzy, Michael Carolan as Gregg, and Jobe Hart as Jonah, with Charlie Bull, Charlotte Gale, Matt Holland, Joanna Rennie, Tyler Smith and Annette Yeo.

The production will be directed by Morgan Young (Big), with set design by Morgan Large, costume design by Sue Simmerling, lighting by Tim Lutkin, video design by Ian William Galloway, sound design by Avgoustos Psillas and Terry Jardine for Autograph, orchestrations by Larry Blank, musical supervision and direction by Stuart Morley.

Just announced - tour of Dreamgirls the Musical

Sonia Friedman Productions have just announced that the hit musical Dreamgirls, will embark on its first  UK tour, opening in Bristol in September 2020 before visiting Milton Keynes, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Birmingham, with further 2021 venues  still to be announced. Tickets sales start on 28th November.

Featuring the classic songs , this  multi-award winning new production of Dreamgirls had its critically acclaimed West End Premiere in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway.

Meet The Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit.

In 2006, Dreamgirls was adapted into an Oscar® winning motion picture starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx.

Casting for the Dreamgirls UK tour will be announced soon. This award winning production is Directed and Choreographed by Olivier® and Tony® Award winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls, Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley, Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone, Hair Design by Josh Marquette and Music Supervision by Nick Finlow.

Imelda Staunton and Jenna Russell to star in Hello Dolly! at London's Adelphi next year

Imelda Staunton is taking on the iconic role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in a new West End production of Jerry Herman's (La Cage aux Folles, Mack and Mabel, Mame) Hello, Dolly!

Tony Award-nominee Jenna Russell will join her as Irene Molloy - a widow and a beautiful, smart, fun-loving milliner with a hat shop in New York Who Dolly has introduced to Horace Vandergelder but she yearns for romance. More casting news is to follow.

Produced by Michael Harrison Entertainment and David Ian Prod‬uctions the 1964 musical has lyrics and music by Jerry Herman,, and a book by Michael Stewart (42nd Street, Mack and Mabel, Barnum), is based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955. 

The musical follows the story meddlesome socialite turned matchmaker Dolly Levi who travels to Yonkers, New York to find a match for the miserly, unmarried ‘half-a-millionaire’ Horace Vandergelder, but everything changes when she decides that the next match she needs to make is for herself. It includes classic numbers‘Put On Your Sunday Clothes’, ‘Ribbons Down My Back’, ‘Before the Parade Passes By’, ‘Elegance,’ ‘It Only Takes a Moment’ and of course, ‘Hello, Dolly!

This brand new production re-unites Imelda with Director Dominic Cooke following the critically acclaimed production of Follies at the National Theatre, It will play a limited 30-week engagement at the Adelphi Theatre from August 11th to 6th March 2021. Rae Smith is the costume and scenic designer, Nicholas Skilbeck is musical director, with choreography by Bill Deamer.

Imelda Staunton returns to the West End after her acclaimed performances in Stephen Sondheim's Follies and  award-winning performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy. Her  many other theatre credits include Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd, for which she won an Olivier Award, Circle, Mirror, Transformation for the Royal Court and the role of Claire in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance at The Almeida Theatre. In total, she  has been nominated for eleven Olivier Awards, winning four. On film Staunton is perhaps best known for playing the title role in Vera Drake, for which she received the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and for the role of Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter films.

Jenna Russell is an Olivier Award-winning star of stage and TV, is known for her roles in Les Misérables, Sunday in the Park with George, Fun Home at the Old Vic, and the UK premiere of Jason Robert Brown's The Bridges of Madison County at the Menier Chocolate Factory. She received a 2006 Tony Award nomination for the Broadway transfer of Sunday in the Park with George. 

Waitress announces West End Closure in July prior to UK tour

Waitress the Musical has  today announced a further extension with the show due  play its final performance at the Adelphi Theatre on 4th  July 2020. Following the end of the West End season the production will embark on a tour of the UK prior to returning to the West End

   

The tour will visit Manchester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Plymouth, Dartford, Eastbourne, Liverpool, Woking, Stoke, Ipswich, Aberdeen, Bristol, Canterbury, Dublin, Nottingham, Cardiff, Truro, Llandudno, Leeds, Hull, Southend, Wolverhampton, Oxford, Edinburgh, Southampton, Northampton, Crawley, Sunderland, Wimbledon, Bromley and Sheffield. With full dates and on sale details to be announced soon.

Following the tour producers plan for the show to return to the West End.

Just announced cast and booking details for Fame Musical at new Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

New casting is announced for the extended run of the  30th Anniversary production of Fame the Musical playing for a strictly limited season at the newly opened Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre,  in  North West London from 23rd December – 26th Januay 2020.

Cast members Keith Jack, Hayley Johnston, Molly McGuire, Jamal Crawford, Louisa Beadel, Simon Anthony,  Alexander Zane, Katie Warsop, Duncan Smith, Spencer Lee Osborne, Courtney George, Tom Mussell, Ryan Kayode, Lauren Crooks,  Daisy Edwards, Jay Le Marrec will remain with the company in their current roles.

New cast include Kira Malou (Iris Kelly), Josie Benson (Miss Sherman) Georgia Tapp (Carmen 

Diaz) Joshua Steel (Joe Vegas) Rebecca French and Eddie Myles (Ensemble).

Featuring the Oscar-winning title song and a cast of outstanding dancers, singers, musicians and rappers as they transform from star struck pupils to superstars. Fame is Directed and Choregraphed by Nick Winston with Design by Morgan Large, Lighting design by Prema Mehta and Sound Design by Ben Harrison. Mark Crossland is Musical Supervisor.

Fame the Musical is presented by Selladoor Productions (Footloose, Avenue Q, Little Shop of Horrors and Flashdance -  The Musical) with Gavin Kalin Productions, Dan Looney & Adam Paulden, Stephen McGill Productions and Jason Haigh-Ellery in association with BrightLights Productions and Big Dreamer Productions.



Tickets are on sale now at Troubadour Theatres

Let’s Hear it for the Girls featuring some of most impressive female voices of the West End.

SMC productions, the producers behind the  successful West End Live Lounge, Unplugged at Crazy Coqs, and Here Come The Girls,  return to the Crazy Coqs on Sunday 12th January (3:00pm and 7:00pm)  with Let’s Hear it for the Girls -  an evening showcasing some of the most impressive female voices of the West End featuring some of musical theatre’s finest leading ladies including Emma Hatton, Christina Bennington, Jodie Jacobs, Sejal Keshwala, Nicole Raquel Dennis and many more in an evening  hosted by Sooz Kempner, with musical direction by Sam Coates celebrating some of the most iconic songs from the world of theatre and popular music.

Full line-up (subject to availability):

Christina Bennington, Erin Caldwell, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Jenny Fitzpatrick, Emma Hatton, Jodie Jacobs, Claudia Kariuki, Sejal Keshwala, Evie Rose Lane, Emma Lindars, Kayleigh McKnight.

Proceeds from this event will go to the Maya Centre- a charity for women, run by women. The Maya centre are a London based charity, providing support for vulnerable women who have been effected by trauma, deprivation and forms of physical and mental abuse.

For tickets visit: https://www.brasseriezedel.com/live-at-zedel/lets-hear-it-for-the-girls-jan-2020

Joel Montague to take over role of Ogie in Waitress Musical

Waitress the Musical  is delighted to welcome Joel Montague (Falsettos, School of Rock and Funny Girl) to the company of the hit West End musical as Ogie with his first performance taking place on 2nd  December. He takes on the role from Joe Sugg who has performed the role  since 9th September.

Joel Montague will join lead cast members Lucie Jones as Jenna, Hannah Tointon as Dawn, Sandra Marvin as Becky, David Hunter as Dr. Pomatter, Tamlyn Henderson as Earl and Andrew Boyer as Old Joe.

Joel Montague’s theatre work includes: Mendel in Falsettos (The Other Palace); Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls (Théâtre Marigny, Paris); Gangster 2 in Kiss Me Kate (Sheffield Crucible); Kevin in Fat Friends (UK Tour); U/S Dewey Finn in School Of Rock (Gillian Lynne Theatre); Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Factory + Savoy, West End) Dance captain & U/S Leo Bloom in The Producers (UK Tour); Swing/ U/S Bobby Strong in Urinetown (St. James Theatre & Apollo Theatre); Eddie & Dr. Scott in Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour); Ensemble & U/S Joey in Sister Act (UK Tour); Dick in Dick Whittington (Milton Keynes); Swing in Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace, West End); Riff in West Side Story (Royal Northern College of Music). TV and Film Credits include: Tagging Man in Girlfriends (ITV); Featured Performer for Move Like Michael Jackson (Trailer) for BBC 3; Jim in Coronation Street (Granada Television);  Dean in Girls in Love (ITV); Philip in Grange Hill (BBC Television); World in Action (ITV); Small Boy in ‘In Suspicious Circumstances’ (ITV); Commercials include Dreams & Best Buy.

Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre on 7 March 2019 and the Tony-nominated musical also announced a further extension this week with the show now booking until 28 March 2020. 

The full Waitress company includes, Piers Bate, Cindy Belliot, Andrew Boyer, Tamlyn Henderson, David Hunter, Lucie Jones, Sandra Marvin, Joel Montague, Olivia Moore, Ben Morris, Nathaniel Morrison, Rosemary Nkrumah, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, Matthew Rowland, Laura Selwood, Richard Taylor Woods, Hannah Tointon, Lucia De Wan, Mark Willshire and Madison Worley.

Full cast announced for new tour of Once the Musical

The full cast has just been announced for he new tour of Once the Musical which kicks off at  Croydon in December of this year.

The cast will be led by Daniel Healy as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl, who return to the roles following the production's 2018 run at the New Wolsey Theatre. They will be joined by Dan Bottomley as Billy, Matthew Burns as Eamon, Ellen Chivers as Reza, Rosalind Ford as Ex-Girlfriend, Lloyd Gorman as Svejc, David Heywood as Emcee, Samuel Martin as Bank Manager, Peter Peverley as Da, Susannah Van Den Berg as Baruska and James William-Pattison as Andrej. The cast also includes Emma Fraser, Seán Keany, Hanna Khogali and Conor McFarlane. Listen to Falling Slowly Performed by Daniel Healy and Emma Lucia

All star West End line up announced for Footballers’ Wives - The Musical

Big Broad Productions - the producers of  Footballers’ Wives - The Musical have just announced a cast of leading West End stars this week for a workshop presentation to be held on Friday 22nd  November as the new musical,  based on the iconic TV series and featuring 23 original songs, moves towards a full production. The performers include Simon Bailey (Jason),  Natasha J. Barnes (Donna), Norman Bowman (Frank), Liam Doyle (Kyle), Alice Fearn (Tanya), Emma Hatton (Chardonnay), Emmanuel Kojo (Ian),Wendi Peters (Nurse Dunkley) and Dean John Wilson (Salvo)

A musical comedy noir, with book by Maureen Chadwick, (co-creator of the original TV series) and music & lyrics by Kath Gotts (also co-creators of ‘Bad Girls - The Musical’), Footballers’ Wives - The Musical is based on  the first TV series, and follows the fall and rise of captain’s wife and old school femme fatale and super-bitch Tanya Turner -   as she struggles to keep her marriage afloat to footballer and lothario, Jason Turner, amidst groupies, meddling club chairmen, deception, betrayal and murder.

It’s 2002.  Premier League Football is the new Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Earls Park FC wives are living it to the max. These WAGs have the designer gear, the palatial homes, the flash cars and the handsome superstar husbands - and the press pack on their kitten heels at every turn.

Footballers’ Wives - The Musical contains scenes of an adult nature and absolutely no football, along with disastrous hen and stag nights, a fairy tale wedding, deception, betrayal, Catholic guilt, and murder – plus a surprisingly happy ending.

Simon Bailey as Jason (Raoul in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, Liam, ‘I Can’t Sing! The X-Factor Musical’, both West End)

Natasha J. Barnes as Donna (Fanny Brice in ‘Funny Girl’, West End & tour, Anna, ‘Spring Awakening’, West End, Charlotte Brontë, ‘Wasted’)

Norman Bowman as Frank (‘42nd Street’, Sky Masterson in ‘Guys and Dolls’, Mack Sennett in ‘Mack and Mabel’)

Liam Doyle as Kyle (Sam Wheat in ‘Ghost’; Tony in ‘West Side Story’; Fiyero in ‘Wicked’; Warner in ‘Legally Blonde’, Kurt in ‘Heathers the Musical’)

Alice Fearn as Tanya (Elphaba in ‘Wicked’, Nancy, ‘Oliver!’, Renee, ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’, Rapunzel, ‘Into The Woods’)

Emma Hatton as Chardonnay (Eva Peron in ‘Evita’, Elphaba in ‘Wicked’)

Emmanuel Kojo as Ian (Joe in ‘ShowBoat’ - UK Theatre Award Nomination - Best Supporting Performance - Jud Fry, ‘Oklahoma!’ - UK Theatre Award Nomination - Best

Supporting Performance - ‘Girl from the North Country’)

Wendi Peters as Nurse Dunkley (Mrs Baskin in ‘Big the Musical’ and Martha Watson in White Christmas, both West End and national tours of ‘Salad Days’, ‘Quartet’, ‘Wonderland’ and ‘Oh What a Lovely War’)

Dean John Wilson as Salvo (Aladdin in ‘Disney’s Aladdin’, ‘The King and I’, both West End, ‘Cruel Intentions’)

Sondheim's Follies to be made into a movie

According to  Playbill, The musical Follies by Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman is being made  into a big-screen film.

Set within a decaying theatre, Follies centres on a reunion of former follies girls who reunite to relive their past,  rehashing old wounds and regrets. Sondheim's score,  made up of pastiche numbers paying homage to the great pop composers of the early 20th century, includes the tunes  "I'm Still Here," "Broadway Baby," and "Losing My Mind."

Dominic Cooke, who directed the excellent version at the National Theatre (the first fully staged major London production of Follies to present the original, one-act Broadway version of the show, won two 2018 Olivier Awards: Best Revival and Best Costumes) has started to adapt the show - .   But producer Rosie Alison, who is  working  with David Heyman (at Heyday Films) and Rose Garnett (head of BBC Films), stressed the movie is not based on the NT production. Saying  We’re going to translate it for the cinema,’ in the  hope Cooke can start filming in 2021.

Sondheim said Over the years, there have been many attempts to bring Follies to the screen, but not until Dominic Cooke’s brilliant production at the National Theatre of Great Britain did it seem like it could be a real movie. I’m more than delighted, I’m thrilled, that it’s finally going to happen.

In Cooke's NT production Four-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton starred as Sally, opposite Olivier and Obie winner Janie Dee as Phyllis, three-time Olivier winner Philip Quast as Ben, Peter Forbes as Buddy, and two-time Olivier winner Tracie Bennett as Carlotta Campion. Joanna Riding and Alexander Hanson took over as Sally and Ben respectively when the production returned to the National for a 2019 remount. No word yet on casting for the movie but there are several plum roles and Ms Alison said they will be looking for ‘special talents’ from the US and UK.

Noah Thomas announced as new lead in Everybody's Talking about Jamie

Noah Thomas, a  student from Mountview Theatre School has landed the title role in West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

The highly successful show is currently booking until 29th August 2020  with new cast rehearsals starting  on Monday. Noah has admitted that he’s ‘as excited as I am terrified . . . you need a little bit of fear in you to get through’.

The 20-year-old South Londoner, who started acting lessons when he was five, will play  the part of 16-year-old Jamie  on January 6th at the Apollo Theatre. He will take over  from Layton Williams, who will lead a touring production   which kicks off in Shefffield in February.

Killian Donnelly to lead new cast in new Phantom of the Opera Tour

Killian Donnelly is to  play the masked composer in a new touring production of The Phantom Of The Opera. He ends his very successful run as Jean Valjean in a tour of Les Miserables in Southampton tomorrow night. Prior to this ,he originated the role of Charlie Price in Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre in 2015 and also played the role on Broadway.  His other theatre credits include: Jackie Day in Donegal  a new play by Frank McGuinness, at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin and Huey in the original London cast of Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre . He created the role of Deco in The Commitments at the Palace Theatre and has also played Tony'in Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace as well as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's. He first joined the company of Les Misérables in 2008, going onto play the role of Enjolras from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, he played Courfeyrac in the 25th Anniversary Concert at The O2 Arena and also played Combeferre in the 2012 multi-award-winning film of the show.

Jess Koravos, CEO of the Really Useful Group, said that this touring  production of the show  is an exact replica of the original West End and Broadway production,  right down to the famous chandelier. It  is the last version  that director Hal Prince worked on before he died in July. .

The tour begins at the Leicester Curve on February 22nd. Killian Donnelly is playing the Phantom at Leicester, Manchester, Dublin and Birmingham Hippodrome.  Casting for the role from Edinburgh onwards to be announced in due course. He will be joined by Holly-Anne Hull as Christine Daaé, Rhys Whitfield as Raoul, Saori Oda as Carlotta Giudicelli, Adam Linstead as Monsieur André, Matt Harrop as Monsieur Firmin, Francesca Ellis as Madame Giry, Greg Castiglioni as Ubaldo Piangi and Ellie Young as Meg Giry. In certain performances Christine will be played by Anouk Van Laake.

Holly-Anne Hull is currently appearing in the concert of Les Misérables at the Gielgud Theatre. She has also appeared in the International tour of the show and the West End production at the Queen’s Theatre. Her other credits include the UK tour of Copacabana and Loserville at the Union Theatre.

Rhys Whitfield recently appeared in Summer and Smoke at the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End and as Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. His other credits include Close to You at the Criterion Theatre and the UK tour of The Commitments.

Saori Oda’s many West End credits include Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre, The King and I at the London Palladium, Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre, Carousel at the Coliseum and The Wizard of Oz at the Southbank Centre.

Adam Linstead most recently appeared in Fiddler on the Roof at the Playhouse Theatre in the West End. His other West End credits include Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Cats.

Matt Harrop has appeared in the West End productions of Chess and Les Misérables. His other theatre credits include the European tour of Cats, the national tour of My fair Lady and Me and My Girl at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Francesca Ellis most recently appeared in the West End production of Company at the Gielgud Theatre. She has also appeared as Donna in the International tour of Mamma Mia!, The Duckhouse at the Vaudeville and The Railway Children at Waterloo Station. She has also appeared in the national tours of Les Misérables and Oklahoma!

Greg Castiglioni most recently appeared in The Woman in White and Titanic The Musical, both at the Charing Cross Theatre. His other credits include Fiddler on the Roof at Chichester Festival Theatre and the International tour of Cats. He has also appeared as Magaldi in Evita at the Adelphi Theatre and the 25th Anniversary tour of The Phantom of the Opera.

Ellie Young graduated from the Royal Ballet School this year and made her professional debut in the recent International Tour of Cats.

The cast is completed by Brad Barnley, Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Corina Clark, Edward Court, Vinny Coyle, Lily De-La-Haye, Hywel Dowsell, Connor Ewing, Erin Flaherty, James Gant, Lydia Gerrard, Daniel Hall, Eilish Harmon-Beglan, Yukina Hasebe, Hettie Hobbs, Jacob Hughes, Grace Hume, James Hume, Michaela Leisk, Janet Mooney, Ian Mowat, Michael Robert-Lowe, Anna Simmons, Nikki Skinner, Anouk Van Laake, Louis Van Leer, Jasmine Wallis and Andrew York.

Full cast announced for Back to the Future Musical at Manchester

The rest of the performers have today been revealed  joining the already announced Olly Dobson ( Bat Out of Hell and Matilda)  as Marty McFly,  Hugh Coles (The Festival) as George McFly with Cedric Neal (Chess) as Goldie Wilson and Rosanna Hylan (Sister Act) as Lorraine Baines. Tony Award-winner Roger Bart (The Stepford Wives) makes his UK stage debut as Doc Brown.  The full cast of Back to the Future musical will also feature Courtney-Mae Briggs as Jennifer Parker, Aidan Cutler as Biff Tannen,  Will Haswell as  Dave McFly and Emma Lloyd as  Linda McFly, 

Also in the cast are Rhianne Alleyne, Amy Barker, Owen Chaponda, Jamal Crawford, Nathanael Landskroner, Bethany Rose Lythgoe, Cameron McAllister, Alessia McDermott, Laura Mullowney, Oliver Ormson, Mark Oxtoby, Katharine Pearson, Jemma Revell, Jake Small, Justin Thomas and Mitchell Zhangazha.

Back to The Future - The Musical will open at the Manchester Opera House on 20th February running until 17th May 2020 for a strictly limited 12-week season, ahead of a planned transfer to the West End - the details of which are still to be announced. 

Buy tickets for Back to the  Future at Manchester Opera House

More venues for new tour of The Phantom of the Opera

Three new tour dates have been announced for the  new  Phantom of the Opera tour which  opens at Leicester Curve on 24th February 2020. The latest dates take the tour into 2021.

The new dates are for Sunderland Empire (4th November -5th December 2020), Wales Millennium Centre (9th December-16th January 2021) and Plymouth Theatre Royal (20th January- 20th February 2021).

Full casting is still to be announced.

Ruthie Henshall to join Eric and Ern in the West End

West End Leading lady Ruthie Henshall (Cats, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Chicago) will  join Eric and Ern in the West End. The Morecambe and Wise duo Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens will return to the West End as Eric & Ern with special guest Ruthie Henshall to  play two dates at the Duke of York's Theatre on 2nd and 9th  February

Ashpitel and Stephens will perform a collection of classic Morecambe and Wise sketches, as well as new material that has been created with the blessing of the Morecambe and Wise estates. The duo will perform  and will be joined on stage by Henshall as a special guest. The show was nominated for a Olivier Award in 2014 in the Best Entertainment and Family category.

Henshall said of the guest appearance: "I'm really looking forward to working with the boys again and their fantastic portrayal of Morecambe & Wise and what a thrill to be on stage with them at the Duke of York's Theatre in the West End!"

Ashpitel and Stephens added: "We've worked with the amazing West End star Ruthie Henshall a couple of times now and we are both really looking forward to performing with her on the London stage – and getting back the fiver she owes us!"

Buy tickets for Eric and Ern

Jason Donovan and Jac Yarrow returning to Joseph at the Palladium next Summer

News this morning is that Jason Donovan and Jac Yarrow will be returning to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat at the Palladium next year for a limited 10-week season  from July 2nd  to September 6th  2020, with a gala night on 16th  July.

Jac, who made his professional stage debut in the iconic role,  returns alongside original Joseph star, Jason Donovan, who will also re-join the cast in the role of Pharaoh.

Donovan said of his return: "This year was an absolute joy. Joseph has such a special connection with its audience and it has a huge emotional connection for me. Quite simply the show is pure musical magic. To be able to lean on the past yet build something new for the role of Pharaoh is an opportunity that cannot be done just once, and for performer or audience member alike, it just doesn't get much better than the Palladium experience.''

Yarrow added: "Playing the iconic role of Joseph at its spiritual home, The Palladium, last summer was what I thought was a once-in-a-life-time opportunity. When I was asked to step back into the Dreamcoat for a second time, I couldn't quite believe it. I can't wait to be back!"

Full cast for new tour of Beautiful Carole King Musical

Following a highly successful West End  sell-out tour in 2017/18 the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL is to  hit the road again and tour throughout the UK and Ireland in 2020, opening at the Churchill Theatre Bromley on 11th January.

The full cast has just been announced with Daisy Wood-Davis (Hollyoaks, EastEnders) playing Carole King, with Adam Gillian (Hadestown) as her husband and songwriting partner Gerry Goffin.
Laura Baldwin (Waitress) plays Cynthia Weil, with Cameron Sharp (School of Rock) as Barry Mann, Susie Fenwick (The Sound of Music) as King's mother Genie Klein and Oliver Boot (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time) as Donnie Kirshner. At certain performances, Carole King will be played by Vicki Manser.

Video introducing Daisy Wood-Davis as Carole King 

The cast is completed by Toyan Thomas-Browne, Reece Budin, Ronald Brian, Carly Cook, Julia Dray, Jordan Fox, Louise Francis, Chloe Gentles, Katrina May, Grant McConvey, Jacob McIntosh, Samuel Nicholas, Leah St Luce, Mica Townsend and Damien Winchester.

Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel joining Waitress Musical London for limited run

Waitress London looks forward to welcoming International bestselling artist and multi-Grammy-nominee Sara Bareilles (hit singles: 'Brave' and 'Love Story') making her West End debut, reunited with Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor Gavin Creel (Book of Mormon and Mary Poppins) following their sold-out run in the musical on Broadway.

Sara and Gavin will star as Jenna and Dr Pomatter from 27th  January 2020 for a strictly limited six-week run.

Sara Bareilles first achieved mainstream critical praise in 2007 with her widely successful hit Love Song, which reached No. 1 in 22 countries around the world from her debut album Little Voice. Since then, Sara has gone on to receive seven Grammy® nominations, two Tony nominations and three Emmy nominations.  Her book, Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song, was released in the fall of 2015 by Simon & Schuster and is a New York Times bestseller. Making her Broadway debut, Sara composed the music and lyrics for Waitress, and made her Broadway acting debut in 2017 by stepping into the shows lead role.  Recently, Sara teamed up with Apple as an executive producer for Little Voice a 10-episode series, which she will create the original music for. On April 5, 2019 Sara released her fifth full-length and first album of original material since 2013, entitled Amidst The Chaos, to rave reviews.  For this latest body of work, she joined forces in the studio with legendary Academy® Award-winning producer T Bone Burnett.  As a result, the album spotlights her voice as a singer and storyteller like never before, while making an enduring statement. She is currently on her Amidst The Chaos North American tour.

Gavin Creel received a Tony Award for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce. He made his Broadway debut originating the role of Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which he received his first Tony Award nomination. He has since created such memorable performances on Broadway as Claude in Hair, which earned him a second Tony Award nomination, Jean-Michel in La Cage Aux Folles, and Stephen Kodaly in the Roundabout Theater Company’s production of She Loves Me, which was filmed live and is available on BroadwayHD. No stranger to London audiences, Gavin most notably originated the role of Elder Price in the West End production of The Book of Mormon, for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also starred as Bert in Disney’s Mary Poppins and reprised his performance as Claude in Hair. As well as starring opposite Sara Bareilles in the Broadway production of Waitress, his other stage credits include The Book of Mormon (on Broadway and originating the First National Tour), and the world premieres of Stephen Sondheim’s Bounce (at The Goodman Theatre and The Kennedy Center) and Prometheus Bound at A.R.T. On television, Gavin co-starred alongside Julie Andrews in ABC’s Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime. He has released three original albums GoodTimeNation, Quiet (which landed on Billboard’s Top Heat Seekers) and Get Out, and his single Noise raised money and awareness for marriage equality. Creel was a co-founder of Broadway Impact, the first and only grassroots organization to mobilize the nationwide theater community in support of marriage equality. A native of Findlay, Ohio, he is a proud graduate of University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.

Lucie Jones and David Hunter will return to the roles of Jenna and Dr Pomatter on 9 March.

Rachel Tucker, Jai McDowall and Matthew Pagan to headline charity gala performance of Boublil And Schönberg’s ‘The Pirate Queen’ at the London Coliseum

Olivier nominee Rachel Tucker (Come From Away, Wicked) is Grace O’Malley , ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winner Jai McDowall (Les Musicals) as Tiernan and Matthew Pagan  from Collabro plays Donal  in   a charity gala performance of Boublil & Schönberg’s ‘The Pirate Queen’ at the London Coliseum on Sunday 23rd February, 2020. Proceeds will go to Leukaemia UK

From the writers of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, the show combines classic storytelling and a sweeping score, with the powerful, vibrant traditions of Irish dance and song, to create a modern musical event that is both historic romance and a timeless epic.  The musical first opened on Broadway in 2007, with the charity concert marking the piece's UK premiere.Music is by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Alain Boublil, Richard Maltby Jr and John Dempsey, with book by Schönberg, Boublil and Maltby Jr.The concert is directed by Drew Baker, designed by Ben M Rogers and produced by Tom Gribby.

Based on the real-life story of history’s Grace O’Malley – an Irish Chieftain and notorious pirate -  ‘The Pirate Queen’ is an adventure about an inspiring heroine who led an extraordinary life as a rogue, lover and mother in 16th-century Ireland. To protect her people and save her one true love, O’Malley must confront the one woman more powerful than her — her fierce rival, Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Buy tickets for the Pirate Queen

Rosalie Craig, Hadley Fraser , Rebecca Trehearn and Vanessa Williams to star in City of Angels at the Garrick next March

A new production of City of Angels based on the 2014 Donmar Warehouse production is to run at London's Garrick Theatre from 5th March-5th September 2020.

Directed by Josie Rourke the musical comedy will star Rosalie Craig again playing Gabby/Bobbi (the wife of movie mogul Buddy Fidler), Hadley Fraser again as Stine the novelist who is adapting his novel City of Angels into a screenplay,  Rebecca Trehearn/Donna/Oolie with Vanessa Williams making her West End debut as Alaura Kingsley/Carla Hayward.

Also appearing will be Marc Elliott as Panchos/Munoz, Nick Cavaliere as Sonny, Adam Fogarty as Big Six and Mark Penfold as Luther Kingsley, each returning to the production, alongside Rob Houchen as Jimmy/Dr Mandril, Joshua St Clair as Peter Kingsley with Cindy Bellot, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Manuel Pacific and Ryan Reid as the Angel City 4. Further casting is to be announced.

City of Angels has a sensational jazz score by Cy Coleman, lyrics from David Zippel and book by acclaimed comic screenwriter Larry Gelbart (MASH, Tootsie).The musical comedy is set in Hollywood in the 1940s with two plots: a Hollywood comedy and a detective drama involving the world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay and the world of the fictional film. It is a homage to the film noir genre of motion pictures in the 1940s.

Tickets from £20 NOW ON-SALE

Beverley Knight to star in new musical The Drifters Girl

It has been announced this morning that West End leading lady Beverley Knight is to star in The Drifters Girl a new musical opening in  the West End Autumn 2020 which tells  the remarkable story of THE DRIFTERS, one of the world’s greatest vocal groups, and the truth about the woman who made them.

Produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian the show will run at the Theatre Royal Newcastle from September 5th-19th 2020 (booking opens  4th Nov at 09:00) then transfer to London's  Garrick Theatre from October 1st for a limited 20 week run.

BEVERLEY KNIGHT (Sylvia, Cats and The Bodyguard) stars as Faye Treadwell, the legendary manager of THE DRIFTERS. She was the world's first African American, female music manager and widow of the group's co-founder George Treadwell. Faye continued to manage the band after George's death in 1967 and fought for three decades to turn Atlantic Records' hottest vocal group into a global phenomenon. From the highs of hit records and sell out tours to the lows of legal battles and personal tragedy, THE DRIFTERS GIRL charts the trailblazing efforts of the world’s first African American, female music manager and how she refused to ever give up on the group she loved. Thirty years, and hundreds of hit songs later, there is no doubt that Faye Treadwell was and always will be, The Drifters Girl.

The musical will be directed by Jonathan Church (Singin' In The Rain), with a book by Ed Curtis, design by Anthony Ward, choreography by Karen Bruce, lighting design by Ben Cracknell and music supervision and orchestrations by Chris Egan. Further casting and the full creative team will be announced at a later date.

With an  soundtrack of some of the most iconic songs in history, including SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME, UNDER THE BOARDWALK, KISSIN’ IN THE BACK ROW OF THE MOVIES, STAND BY ME, COME ON OVER TO MY PLACE and SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES.

Tickets are available from 10:00am today.

LesMis Staged Concert to be broadcast live in cinemas in December followed by DVD and tour

The staged concert of Les Misérables starring Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas will be broadcast live in UK/Ireland Cinemas on December 2nd. Cameron Mackintosh has also announced an album and DVD release in early 2020 and that the concert production will tour the UK and overseas later in 2020 and in 2021. 

There will be a lottery to buy tickets and see the filmed performance in-person at the Gielgud Theatre in London, which launches at 12pm on 8 November.

With a cast and orchestra of over 65, the sold out production is running from 10th August - 30th November 2019 at the Gielgud Theatre next door to the newly named Sondheim Theatre which will reopen with the new full scale production of Les Miserables  on  18th December 2019.

Cameron Mackintosh's concert version  of Boublil and Schonberg's LES MISERABLES starsMichael Ball (Javert), Alfie Boe (Jean Valjean), Carrie Hope Fletcher (Fantine) Matt Lucas (Thenardier) and Katy Secombe (Madame Thenardier) in a spectacular staging of the legendary concert previously seen in London at the Royal Albert Hall and The O2.  For three performances a weekthe role of Jean Valjean is  played by John Owen-Jones.

UK tickets now on sale.