Chess, Kinky Boots and Treason LMTO musical concerts announced for Drury Lane this summer

This summer there will be  three  musical concerts at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane accompanied by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra With performances of ABBA’s iconic Chess, Cyndi Lauper’s Kinky Boots and the new musical Treason.

Chess Monday 1 August

Chess, with music by ABBA legends Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and lyrics by the incomparable Sir Tim Rice, returns to the West End for the first time since 2018.  At the height of the Cold War, two chess masters meet in Bangkok to battle for the world championship, but their greatest contest is for the love of one woman. Telling a story of love and political intrigue, Chess features an incredible score including classics such as 'I Know Him So Well' and 'One Night in Bangkok'.   Leading the cast are Hadley Fraser (City of Angels, Phantom Of The Opera) as Anatoly and Samantha Barks (Frozen, Les Misérables) as Florence, with further casting to be announced in due course.

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Kinky Boots Monday 8 August

Winner of six TONY awards and the Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2016, the hilarious and uplifting musical Kinky Boots returns to the West End for the first time in three years. Kinky Boots is the feel-good musical by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper, based on the popular 2005 film of the same name. Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of the fabulous entertainer Lola. Cedric Neal (Back to the Future, Motown) will be playing Lola/Simon, Matt Willis (Waitress, Wicked) will play Charlie and Courtney Bowman (SIX, Legally Blonde) will play the role of Lauren. Further casting will be announced shortly.

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Treason  22 August

Treason is an explosive new British musical about the gunpowder plot, featuring stunning music by Ricky Allan and book and lyrics by Ricky Allan and Kieran Lynn. With the songs ‘Take Things Into Our Own Hands’, ‘The Cold Hard Ground’ and ‘The Day Elizabeth Died’ having already taken Spotify by storm, and the streamed lockdown concert described as “an exceptional musical in the making”, this is a premiere not to be missed. Treason's live stage debut features a star cast including Carrie Hope Fletcher (Cinderella, Heathers), Bradley Jaden (Les Misérables, Wicked) and Simon-Anthony Rhoden (Hamilton, Kinky Boots).

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CONFIRMED: Alexandra Burke, Michael Ball, Tim Howar and Cassidy Janson to star in ENO's Chess at the Coliseum

Initial casting has now  been confirmed for  ENO's production of Chess which is due to run in London for the first time in 30 years for five weeks only at the Coliseum from 1st May until 2nd June 2018, with previews scheduled to begin on April 26th. 

Michael Ball is to star as the Russian  Anatoly Sergievsky with X Factor winner Alexandra Burke as Svetlana Sergievsky. Joining them is Tim Howar (Rock of Ages, co lead singer of Mike and the Mechanics) as Frederick Trumper, Cassidy Janson (Beautiful & Leading Ladies) as Florence Vassy and Murray Head as the Arbiter (having originated the role of Frederick in the show's 1986 West End premiere).

The production will feature a 48 piece orchestra and  tells the story of a romantic triangle between two players in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the characters personalities are loosely based on those of Victor Korchnoi and Bobby Fischer and the oddity of the Merano championship in the musical is based on the similar oddities which occurred during the 1978 World Championship between Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov. The musical contains some powerful classic numbers including I Know Him So Well, One Night In Bangkok, Anthem and Heaven Help My Heart.

ENO to present Chess the Musical next April

Baz Bamigboye has reported in the Daily Mail this morning that Chess the Musical , by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus presented by the English National Opera is due to run at the Coliseum for the first time in 30 years for five weeks only from 1st  May until 2nd June 2018. Tickets go on sale from 3rd November at 10:00 am with previews scheduled to begin on April 26th .

This new West End production, featuring English National Opera’s award-winning Orchestra and Chorus, will be directed by Laurence Connor, whose recent credits include School of Rock and Miss Saigon on Broadway and in the West End, Les Misérables on Broadway, and the international Jesus Christ Superstar arena tour. Choreography is by Stephen Mear. This is the fourth production in collaboration with ENO by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade.

The production will  feature a 48 piece orchestra with casting currently underway. It is not yet known  whether this concert is related to a potential Broadway revival of the show.

Chess tells the story of  a romantic triangle between two players in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. Although the protagonists were not intended to represent any specific individuals, the characters personalities are loosely based on those of Victor Korchnoi and Bobby Fischer and the oddity of the Merano championship in the musical is based on the similar oddities which occurred during the 1978 World Championship between Korchnoi and Anatoly Karpov. The musical contains some powerful classic numbers including I Know Him So Well, One Night In Bangkok, Anthem and Heaven Help My Heart.

The show opened at the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End in 1986 where it played for three years. A much-altered US version premiered on Broadway in 1988, but ran for only two months. It last toured he UK in 2010/2011 when it was directed by Craig Revel Horwood.

Buy tickets for Chess the Musical

More tour dates for Chess the Musical

Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood's tour of the classic musical Chess which was written by Tim Rice and Abba’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson has extended and is now booking into 2011.

The new tour starts on 25th January 2011 at the Milton Keynes Theatre and is currently playing an additional 11 dates before it ends at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow on 9th April. .

Abba’s Thank You For The Music Concert

Now in its 17th year Thank You For The Music is in concert at the IndigO2 in Greenwich on 24th September at 8:00 pm to celebrate 40 years of Abba.

The tribute band Abba Magic will play hits including Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Knowing Me Knowing You; The Name of the Game and Waterloo.

They will be joined by Bee Gees Magic who will play Maurice, Barry and Robin’s hits from the 70s including Stayin' Alive, Massachusetts, Night Fever, How Deep Is Your Love as well as numbers like Islands In The Stream, Heartbreaker and Chain Reaction which they wrote for other artists.

Click on this link to book tickets for Thank You for the Music

If you're a fan of Abba and the Bee Gees but can't get to the concert don't forget that Grease is still playing in the West End and there is a UK tour of Chess starting in October.

Latest news on Chess Musical 2010 Tour

The new tour of Chess the Musical begins rehearsing this week without the Director as Craig Revel Horwood has posted a note on Twitter today:  “soaking up the sunshine in Greece for a week to recharge the batteries. Copa opened on Monday night and first music day for Chess. Busy beez”.

No doubt he will be joining the cast next week once the music has been set.  He has assembled a very impressive list of principals with Shona White (Wicked) as Florence Vassy: James Fox (Fame Academy Jesus Christ Superstar) the American:  Daniel Koek (West Side Story) the Russian:  Poppy Tierney (Mary Poppins Aspects of Love, Witches of Eastwick) Svetlana: James Graeme (Phantom of the Opera) Walter and David Erik (Dirty Dancing Phantom of the Opera) playing The Arbiter.

The Chess tour opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal on 27th August and currently runs until April 2011.  

Casting for tour of Chess the Musical

The tour of Chess which is being directed by Craig Revel Horwood kicks off in Newcastle on 27th August and the first bit of casting news I’ve got is that Shona White (pictured) is playing the part of Florence Vassy. 

Shona has appeared in a number of West End musicals and tours including Wicked! Mamma Mia, the Rocky Horror Show and Shout and is currently playing the part of Rita in David Essex’s musical All the Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre. 

James Fox is playing the American Frederick Trumper. He is a pop singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who represented the UK in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul.

Theatre credits include playing Judas in the Bill Kenwright tour of Jesus Christ Superstar where Tim Rice saw him and recommended him for the role of the piano playing vocalist/musical narrator lead "Piano Man" in the Tony award winning Billy Joel/Twyla Tharp musical Movin' Out. In 2006 he returned to the UK to take up the role of the "Piano Man" in the European premier of Movin' Out at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre. The lead role of the American was originally played in the West End by Murray Head

Will publish more casting details here and on Musical Theatre News as they become available.

New Tour Dates added for Chess the Musical

Two new dates have been added for Craig Revel Horwood’s tour of Chess which is scheduled to start on 27^th August at the Theatre Royal Newcastle.

The tour of Chess extends into 2011 and it is now also visiting Milton Keynes Theatre from 25^th-29^th January and the New Victoria Theatre in Woking from 8^th-12^th March which is currently when the tour ends.

Full list of tour dates for Chess the Musical.

Casting news to follow shortly.

Revel Horwood directing Copacabana and Chess musicals

The Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood is directing a nationwide tour of Chess which starts at the Theatre Royal Newcastle on 27th August, but before that he is returning to the Watermill Theatre in Newbury to launch a revival of Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, which runs from 21st July to 4th September  (previews from 15th July).

Horwood’s production will star Edward Baker Duly (South Pacific, Gone With the Wind) as Stephen/Tony and Laura Pitt-Pulford (who starred in Horwood’s Sunset Boulevard) as Samantha/Lola.

Also in the cast are: Basienka Blake, Adam C Booth, Robin Colyer, Julian Littman, Karen Mann, Neil MacDonald, Cassie Pearson, Sally Peerless, Antony Reed and Joe West.

More Dates Added to Chess Tour

A couple more dates have been added to the tour of Chess which Craig Revell Horwood is directing in the autumn.

The tour kicks off at the Theatre Royal Newcastle on 27th August and will now also visit Edinburgh on 21st September and Norwich on 30th November.

No casting details have yet been released.

Chess 2010 Tour Dates

A few tour dates have been announced for Craig Revell Horwood’s Tour of Chess the Musical which opens at Newcastle in August.

They are: Newcastle Theatre Royal-27th August-11th September:  Aberdeen His Majesty's Theatre October 5th-9th: Southampton Mayflower Theatre 16th-20th November and Nottingham Theatre Royal 22nd-27th November.

Casting still to be announced.
Chess in Concert

New Tour of Chess Announced

The musical Chess by Tim Rice and the Abba boys is to go on tour in a production directed by the Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.

The production will open at the Newcastle Theatre Royal on 27th August and then embark on a regional tour through Christmas and into the New Year, before hopefully transferring into the West End.

The Producer Michael Harrison said the tour would have a “completely new look” to the original staging and will incorporate actor-musicians into the show with a company of 25 on stage.

Tony Award winner Sarah Travis is lined up as musical supervisor on the project, which has a budget in excess of £500,000. Casting is still to be announced.