Cast announced for Jerry’s Girls at the Menier Chocolate Factory

Casting has been announced for the Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Jerry’s Girls which is a revue celebrating multi-award-winner Jerry Herman’s works. It is  directed by Hannah Chissick, with choreography by Matt Cole and musical supervision and arrangements by Sarah Travis, which will  include numbers from Mame, Hello Dolly!, Milk and Honey, Mack and Mabel, and La Cage aux Folles.  The set and costume designer is Paul Farnsworth, while the lighting designer is Philip Gladwell.

It runs from 18 May to 29 June in a limited season, with a cast set to feature Cassidy Janson (& Juliet), Lyn Paul (Blood Brothers) and Julie Yammanee (Clueless). 

Cassidy Janson returns to the Chocolate Factory, having previously appeared in Candide and Tick, Tick…Boom!. Her West End theatre credits include & Juliet (Olivier Award winner), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Man of La Mancha, Wicked, Chess, The Mousetrap, Avenue Q and Once.

Lyn Paul recently completed a UK tour of Calendar Girls The Musical. Her other theatre credits include Blood Brothers both in the West End and throughout the UK, Cabaret, Footloose and Taboo. Lyn came to fame as a member of the chart-topping pop group The New Seekers who were runners-up in the Eurovision Song Contest, and whose song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” was a number 1 hit in the UK and the US. Lyn has also performed with Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey.

Julie Yammanee last appeared at the Chocolate Factory in Spamilton. Her other theatre credits include Bonnie and Clyde, Clueless, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Gatsby, Lazarus, Here Lives Love, Carousel, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Avenue Q. Her film credits include Matilda and A Christmas Story Christmas.

Jerry’s Girls was first created by Herman and collaborator Larry Alford in 1981, opening Off-Broadway to critical acclaim, and going on to have a national tour and a Tony-nominated run on Broadway, directed and choreographed by Wayne Cilento. It was previously presented in London in 2015, running at the St James Theatre (now the Other Palace) studio, and the Jermyn Street Theatre.

Opening Night starring Sheridan Smith to close early on 18th May

Opening Night, starring Sheridan Smith, has announced a new closing date. The production was due to run until 27 July but will now close on the earlier date of  18 May 2024.

Producers Wessex Grove said today: “It is an honour to produce this beautiful new musical in the West End, and everyone at Wessex Grove is proud to have delivered the artistic vision of Ivo Van Hove and Rufus Wainwright and their incredible team, led by the exquisite Sheridan Smith. In a challenging financial landscape, Opening Night was always a risk and, while the production may not have had the life we had hoped for, we feel immensely proud of the risk we took and of this extraordinary production.

“Our world class cast delivers a brilliant show night after night, and there are still five weeks left to see Sheridan Smith in the role of a lifetime. What is sure-fire and safe has its place. But Wessex Grove exists to produce great artists in the West End and to provide the space for original, artist-led productions in the commercial sector, productions exactly like Opening Night. We’re grateful for all of the support everyone has given us as we made this show, and look forward to celebrating the rest of the run.”

Full cast for Kiss Me Kate at the Barbican

The full cast has just  been revealed for the revival of Cole Porter's musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate, starring Stephanie J Block and Adrian Dunbar which is set for a 15-week run at London’s Barbican Theatre starting on 4th June 2024 and ending on 14th September, with a press night scheduled for 18th June, . Tickets are now on sale.

The cast  is led by Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) as Fred Graham/Petruchio wih  Tony Award winner Stephanie J Block (Into the Woods, The Cher Show and 9 to 5) making her West End debut as Lilli Vanessi/Katharine.

Also appearing are Charlie Stemp (Crazy for You) as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio, while Georgina Onuorah (The Wizard of Oz) will play Lois Lane/Bianca, alongside Nigel Lindsay (An Enemy of the People) and Hammed Animashaun (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) who play the famous gangster pairing in the show with  Peter Davison (Dr Who) as the General.

Newly announced  are Josie Benson (as Hattie), Jack Butterworth (as Paul) and Jude Owusu (as Harry Trevor/Baptista), as well as Carl Au (Hortensio/Ensemble), Jordan Crouch (Gremio/Ensemble), Gary Milner  (Ralph/Ensemble) and James Hume (as Pops/Ensemble).

Completing the company are Alisha Capon, Shani Cantor, Maya de Faria, Amelia Kinu Muus, Jacqui Jameson, Lucas Koch, Alex Lodge, Nell Martin, Anna McGarahan, John Stacey and Harrison Wilde. Swings are Robin Kent, Barry Drummond, Emily Goodenough and Maddie Harper.

Buy tickets for Kiss Me Kate

More casting announced for new tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

The upcoming revival of the tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has announced additional casting with Adam Garcia taking on the role of Caractacus Potts in the first leg,  with  Emmerdale star Liam Fox, taking on the role of Grandpa Potts. Truly Scrumptious will be played Ellie Nunn, alongside Martin Callaghan as Baron, Jenny Gayner as Baroness, Adam Stafford as Boris, Michael Joseph as Goran and John Macaulay as The Toymaker. It has just been revealed that EastEnders´ baddie Charlie Brooks (The Ocean at the End of the Lane  Broken News) will play the Childcatcher in Southampton, Woking, Wimbledon, Newcastle, Bromley, Milton Keynes, Bradford, Belfast, Torquay, Llandudno, Crawley and Norwich.

The cast also includes Charlie Bishop, Ruaraidh Blackwood, Hadrian Delacey, Belle Kizzy Green, Tia Gyngell, Kirsty Ingram, Bibi Jay, Isabella Mason, Joe Press, Theo UK Rose, Molly Rees Howe, Callum Train and Luke Woollaston.

Jemima Potts will be played by Gracie Cochrane, Isla Ithier, Isabella Manning and Jasmine Nyenya, while Jeremy Potts will be played by Ayrton English, Charlie McGuire, Roshan Thomson and Louis Wilkins.

Casting for Caractacus Potts after Liverpool, and for the Childcatcher after Oxford, is to be announced soon.

Leading West End Performers announced for With All Our Hearts NHS Charity Gala in the West End

In celebration  of over 75 years of the NHS a number of leading West End performers will be taking part in  With All Out Hearts charity gala at  London´s Adelphi Theatre  on Tuesday, 9th April at 7:30pm.

Alfie Boe (Les Misérables) is set to join the cast with other leading  performers including Aimie Atkinson (Death Note: The Musical), Joni Ayton-Kent (The Prince), Kerry Ellis (Anything Goes), Jo Foster (Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical), Tom Francis (Sunset Boulevard), Ahmed Hamad (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Preeya Kalidas (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Rob Madge (My Son’s A Queer), Gracie McGonigal (The Little Big Things), Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin,Next to Normal) and Marisha Wallace (Guys and Dolls).  The NHS Choir from Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust will also be performing, while Oti Mabuse (Strictly Come Dancing) and Dr Ranj (Breakfast TV, All Star Musicals) will act as hosts for the event.

Written by Rob Madge and directed by Arlene Phillips with Lily Dyble, With All Our Hearts will take the audience through the history of the NHS with  music and musical supervision by Matthew Brind.

Tickets are on sale now , with 100% of the proceeds going directly to NHS Charities Together.

More casting news for new Wild About You Musical

Jamie Muscato will be joining Eric McCormack, Rachel Tucker, Oliver Tompsett and Tori Allen-Martin in the new musical in concert Wild About You, which is making its World Premiere at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 25^th and 26^th March.

Wild About You is a new musical with music and lyrics by Chilina Kennedy and book by Eric Holmes.

When Olivia finds herself in the hospital with limited memory, she must dig through her messy past to figure out which of the loves of her life is her emergency contact, only to understand that her desire to make everyone happy has left no one happy. Through a series of realizations, she reclaims her right to be flawed and loved in all her human complexity. However, as she regains clarity, tragedy strikes, but that is when Olivia literally moves Heaven and Earth to reconnect with her greatest love – her son.

 Buy tickets for Wild About You 

Full cast joining Jodie Prenger as Rose in Gypsy in Concert

The Hope Mill Theatre has announced a one-night concert production of Gypsy, featuring Jodie Prenger as Rose on 25th  February 2024, at the Opera House in Manchester. The concert aims to raise funds for Hope Mill Theatre’s ‘Hope for the Future’ campaign,  to secure the future life of the award-winning Manchester venue.

Directed by Joseph Houston and choreographed by William Whelton, co-founders of Hope Mill, the production will explore a new model for Hope Mill productions and aims to bring their work to a larger scale.

Gypsy, a musical fable with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, tells the story of Rose (Prenger) and her daughters navigating the showbiz world. The show includes well-known songs such as “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”, “Together (Wherever We Go)”, “You Gotta Get a Gimmick”, and “Rose’s Turn”.

Joining Prenger on stage will be Tom Lister (as Herbie), Grace Mouat (as Louise), May Tether (as June), Divina De Campo (as Mazeppa), Harriet Thorpe (as Tessie Tura), Liz Fletcher (as Electra), Idriss Kargbo (as Tulsa), Peter Gunn (as Pop/Mr Goldstone) and Angela Lonsdale (as Miss Cratchitt), Halle Brady (as Baby June), and Amelia Munshi (as Baby Louise).

Completing the company are students from Laine Theatre Arts – Jacob Morrish, Josh Egan, Harvey Pearce, Nat Ingham, Cameron Boulter, Holly Henderson, Ynez Williams, Aisling Sharkey, Georgia Clements, and Eloise Knowles – alongside students from Stagebox Theatre Academy..

 Tickets are now on sale for Gypsy 

Todrick Hall joins cast for new Burlesque Musical

Burlesque is a  glamorous, gritty and outrageously fun new musical based on the much-loved hit movie. It  will run at Manchester Opera House from 13th-29th June 2024.

 

Jess Folley, known for winning The Voice Kids UK and X Factor – The Band, is set to take on the role of Ali in the stage adaptation of hit film Burlesque, originally starring Christina Aguilera. Joining her will be Todrick Hall as Sean and It’s a Sin star Michael Mather as Jackson with George Maguire as Vince, Billie-Kay as Sophia, B Terry as Georgie, Jess Qualter as Daphne, Yasmin Harrison as Brenda/dance captain, Lily Wang as Fifi, Hollie-Ann Lowe as Summer, and Alessia McDermott in the ensemble.

 

Tickets for the Glasgow (Wed 11 Sep - Sat 28 Sep) and second Manchester season (Thu 03 Oct - Sat 02 Nov) have just gone on sale.w Further casting information is to be announced on 5th February.

Discover a club like no other...a place beneath the city lights where the sequins sparkle, seduction shimmers, and a life can change in the flick of a feather boa.

When Ali heads to the bright lights of New York in search of her long-lost mother, she finds herself drawn into a dazzling underground world where the beat of the music and the heat of the dance moves will change her life forever. Among this unlikely family of misfits, dreamers and schemers, Ali will unwittingly find her real voice, discover her talent, and find where she really, truly belongs.

Written by Steven Antin, with additional material by Kate Wetherhead, and directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, Burlesque The Musical is a scintillating journey of self-discovery that absolutely sizzles with songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren, alongside additional songs by Jess Folley and Todrick Hall.  

Buy presale tickets for Burlesque

 

 

 

 

Oliver Tompsett and Eric McCormack to star in Wild About You

Oliver Tompsett  is to join Will & Grace star Eric McCormack in the world premiere of the musical Wild About You at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in concert on 25th and 26th March 2024, with tickets now on sale.

Tompsett´s many musical theatre credits include  & Juliet, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages, Pretty Woman, Kinky Boots, Guys and Dolls and Wicked. Emmy Award winner McCormack’s previous credits include The Cottage, The Best Man and The Music Man. Additional casting will be announcesd shortly.

Wild About You features music and lyrics by Chilina Kennedy (who has starred on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Paradise Square and Jesus Christ Superstar) and a book by Eric Holmes (The Good Fight). The concert performances will be directed and choreographed by Nick Winston (Bonnie and Clyde) with  casting by Harry Blumenau.

The show follows Olivia, who finds herself in the hospital with limited memory, she must dig through her messy past to figure out which of the loves of her life is her emergency contact, only to understand that her desire to make everyone happy has left no one happy. Through a series of realizations, she reclaims her right to be flawed and loved in all her human complexity. However, as she regains clarity, tragedy strikes, but that’s when Olivia literally moves Heaven and Earth to reconnect with her greatest love - her son.

A concept album for the show was released online last autumn, with notable performers such as Katharine McPhee, Alex Newell, Jackie Burns, Jenn Colella, Joaquina Kalukango, Jessie Mueller, Lea Salonga, and others involved. The album is produced by two-time Tony Award-winner Brian Spector and Daniel Edmonds, who also serves as the album’s music supervisor/director, arranger and orchestrator.

Full casting for The Addams Family with Ramin Karimloo, Michelle Visage and Lesley Joseph in concert at The London Palladium

 

The Addams Family  coming to the West End in concert for two nights only at The London Palladium on 12th and 13th February 2024,

The show is to be led by Michelle Visage as Morticia Addams, Ramin Karimloo as Gomez Addams and Lesley Joseph as Grandma with  Sam Buttery (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Uncle Fester, Nicholas Mclean (Annie Get Your Gun) as Pugsley Addams, Dickon Gough (As You Like It) as Lurch, Sean Kingsley (Patriots) as Mal, Ryan Kopel (Disney’s Newsies) as Lucas, Kara Lane (Rebecca) as Alice and  Chumisa Dornford-May (Aspects of Love) as Wednesday Addams.

In the ensemble are Leeroy Boone (The Phantom of the Opera), Abigail Brodie (The Wind in the Willows), Gavin Eden (Hairspray), Chloe Gentles (Mamma Mia! ), Katie Hutton (Cats), Matthew Ives (Back to the Future), Jessica Keable (42nd Street) and Castell Parker (Sister Act).

Following the  dysfunctional family  the piece’s book is by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on the characters created by Charles Addams.

The show will be directed by Matthew White, with choreography by Alistair David, production design by Diego Pitarch, orchestrations by Richard Beadle, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Richard Brooker and casting by Jane Deitch.

Buy tickets for The Addams Family

More casting announced for Opening Night starring Sheridan Smith

More casting has just been announced for the new musical  Opening Night which will star Sheridan Smith  at the Gielgud Theatre from 6 March until 27 July 2024.  The new musical  is based on John Cassavetes’ 1977 film which follows a theatre company's preparations to stage a major new play on Broadway. But drama ignites behind the scenes when their leading lady: an alcoholic actress who is concerned about aging and haunted by the ghost of one of her deceased fans which forces everybody to deliver the performance of their lives. Joining Sheridan as Myrtle will be Hadley Fraser as Manny, Shira Haas as Nancy, Nicola Hughes as Sarah, Amy Lennox as Dorothy and John Marquez as David. with further casting to be announced. 

Hadley Fraser’s many West End credits include most recently The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, City of Angels at the Garrick and Donmar Theatres, Young Frankenstein, also at the Garrick Theatre and Javert in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre. Hadley starred at Raoul in the 25^th Anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall and Grantaire in the 25^th Anniversary of Les Misérables at the O2. On Broadway he created the role of Tiernan in The Pirate Queen.

Shira Haas garnered international critical acclaim for her role in the Netflix series Unorthodox, for which she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series and was nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, becoming the first Israeli to be nominated for an acting Primetime Emmy Award. Shira won the Tribeca Film Festival Award for Best International Actress for her performance in the film Asia. Additional credits include this year's Netflix series Bodies, the international hit series Shtisel, and Niki Caro's film The Zookeeper's Wife. Shira will next star in Marvel’s fourth Captain America film, Captain America: New World Order. Opening Night will mark Shira’s West End debut.

Nicola Hughes is a double Olivier Award nominee for Best Actress in a Musical for her starring roles in Fosse at the Prince of Wales Theatre and Porgy and Bess at the Savoy Theatre. Her other West End credits include Velma Kelly in Chicago and Lola in Damn Yankees, both at the Adelphi Theatre and The Acid Queen in the original London company of Tommy at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Other theatre credits include Simply Heavenly at the Young Vic and Trafalgar Studios, Allelujah! at The Bridge Theatre, Caroline or Change at Chichester Festival Theatre and Shug Avery in the original London company of The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Nicola most recently appeared at The Witch in Into the Woods at the Theatre Royal Bath, for which she was nominated for Best Supporting Performance at this year’s UK Theatre Awards.

Amy Lennox recently starred as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. She received an Olivier nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her portrayal of Lauren in the West End production of Kinky Boots. Her other credits include Ellie in the London premiere of the David Bowie and Enda Walsh musical Lazarus. She was in the original West End cast of the musical Legally Blonde and created the role of Doralee in the original UK production of 9 to 5 The Musical.

 John Marquez recently played Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion at the Old Vic. He has also appeared at the Old Vic in The American Clock and Flea in her Ear. His many other theatre credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre, Privates on Parade at the Noël Coward Theatre, Ragtime at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, The Taming of the Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Anniversary at the Garrick Theatre and The Emperor Jones, Market Boy and Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads, all at the National Theatre. John is best known to TV audiences as PC Joseph Penhale in the hit ITV series Doc Martin.

Casting for the London premiere of Cruel Intentions

 

Casting for the London premiere of Cruel Intentions which  is based on the cult 1999 movie by Roger Kumble includes Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky (Six) and Daniel Bravo (Witness for the Prosecution) lead the cast as Kathryn and Sebastian the manipulative step-siblings, with Abbie Budden (Peter Pan, TikTok star) as Annette and Rose Galbraith (Old Friends) as Cecile.

Completing the line-up are Josh Barnett (Newsies, Last 5 Years) as Blaine, Jess Buckby (42nd Street, Anything Goes) as Ms Bunny Caldwell / Dr Greenbaum, Nickcolia King-N’Da (RSC) as Ronald and Barney Wilkinson (Bonnie & Clyde, Bat out of Hell) as Greg, with further casting to be announced.

 The show runs at The Other Palace  for 14 weeks from 11th January-14 April 2024

Josh Barnett (Blaine Tuttle/Court Reynolds) was Race in Newsies (Troubador Theatre), alternate Jamie in The Last 5 Years (international tour), swing in Anything Goes (Barbican), and Rodger in Grease (UK tour).

Daniel Bravo (Sebastian Valmont) was 1st cover Leonard Vole in Witness For The Prosecution (County Hall), George Holly in Suddenly Last Summer (The English Theatre Frankfurt), Patrick in Elegies for
Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (King’s Head Theatre) and Luke in Speak (Paines Plough).

Jess Buckby (Mrs. Bunny Caldwell/Dr. Greenbaum) was Ann Reilly in 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris), Angel (Virtue) & understudy Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (Barbican/UK tour), Mimsie in
Funny Girl (Théâtre Marigny, Paris), 1st cover Morticia in The Addams Family (UK tour).

Abbie Budden (Annette Hargrove) was Tiger Lil in Peter Pan (Capitol Theatre) and has gained 1.5m followers on TikTok through a series of hugely popular self-written and performed comedy sketches.

Rose Galbraith (Cecile Caldwell/Marci Greenbaum) was in Sondheim’s Old Friends (Gielgud Theatre) and Maria Friedman and Friends: Legacy (Menier Chocolate Factory) and High Society (West Green House Opera). On TV she was in Dalgliesh: The Murder Room (C5).

Nickcolia King-N’Da (Ronald Clifford) was Simon Chachava in The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Michael Grandage Company, Rose Theatre Kingston), Boy/Myself in Boys (Barbican), Shakie in The Death of a Black Man (Hampstead Theatre) and Venice Preserv’d and The Provoked Wife (at the RSC). He recently filmed two upcoming movies, Dali and Monique.

Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky (Kathryn Merteuil) was Catherine Of Aragon in Six (Vaudeville). Her other West End shows include Alline Bullock/Tina Turner in Tina, The Tina Turner Story, Bat Out of Hell for which she won a nomination for Best Understudy in the 2018 West End Wilma Awards; and The Book of Mormon. She was also Rizzo in Grease (UK tour).

Barney Wilkinson (Greg) was alternate Clyde in Bonnie & Clyde (Garrick/Arts Theatre), alternate Strat in Bat Out of Hell (Dominion), Jack in Into The Woods, directed by Terry Gilliam (Theatre Royal Bath), Adam/Artie Green in Sunset Boulevard (The Curve UK tour & international tour), Young Gideon in Sting’s The Last Ship (Toronto). On TV  he was in Dr Who, Grantchester and Father Brown. He recently played Joe Buck in the workshop of Midnight Cowboy, directed by Nick Winston.