Desmond Barrit newest Wicked Wizard
Desmond Barrit is to star as ‘The Wizard’ in the smash hit musical Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre from Monday 9 June 2008.
Nigel Planer will play his final performance as ‘The Wizard’ on Saturday 7 June 2008 after almost two years in the role.
Wicked currently stars Kerry Ellis as Elphaba (until Saturday 7 June 2008), Dianne Pilkington as Glinda, Oliver Tompsett as Fiyero, Susie Blake as Madame Morrible (until Saturday 12 April 2008) and Nigel Planer as The Wizard (until Saturday 7 June 2008). From Monday 14 April 2008, Madame Morrible will be played by Harriet Thorpe and from Monday 9 June 2008, The Wizard will be played by Desmond Barrit.
The Lord of The Rings to close July 19
The Lord Of The Rings will complete its run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London on July 19, 2008 after 492 performances.
The show has already played to an audience of over 446,000 in London since previews began on May 9, 2007 and according to the Daily Mail, must make way for the upcoming revival of Lionel Bart’s Oliver, a product of the latest television casting competition, I’d Do Anything, shown on the BBC on Saturday nights.
Tickets for The Lord of the Rings, at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane are available in person from the theatre box office;
by phone on 0844 412 4660,
online at www.lotr.com and from all reputable theatre ticket agents. Ticket prices start at £15.00.
Performance times: Monday 7:00pm; Tuesday – Saturday 7:30pm; Thursday and Saturday 2:00pm
Claudia Shear joins cast of Chicago
Tickets for Chicago, priced from £20.00 - £52.50 (£55.00 on Saturday evenings, with a £75 VIP Package option, including interval champagne in a private room and souvenir brochure), are available from the Cambridge Theatre Box Office on 0844 412 4652. Performance times at the Cambridge Theatre are Mondays to Thursdays at 8.00pm, with Friday performances at 4.30pm and 8.00pm and Saturday performances at 3.00pm and 8.00pm. Chicago is now booking until 28 February 2009. Visit the Chicago website at www.chicagothemusical.co.uk.
Our House to tour beginning 29 May
The first UK tour of the Olivier award-winning Our House will open at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre for four weeks on Tuesday 3 June, following previews from 29 May. The production will run there until 21 June. The West End production of Our House, which opened in autumn 2002, received rave reviews and public acclaim, winning the 2003 Olivier Award for 'Best New Musical'. Steve Brookstein will star as 'Dad'. Further casting will be announced shortly.
The following tour dates have been confirmed –
Regents Theatre Stoke-On-Trent (23 – 28 June)
Theatre Royal, Glasgow (30 June – 5 July)
Edinburgh Playhouse (7 – 12 July)
Churchill Theatre Bromley (14 – 19 July)
Bradford Alhambra (21 – 26 July)
Milton Keynes Theatre (1 – 6 September)
Wimbledon Theatre (8 – 13 September)
Further dates will be shortly announced.
For more information, visit www.ourhousethemusical.co.uk
Mamma Mia! announces new cast
The new London cast for the global smash hit musical Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre will start performances on Monday March 3. Linzi Hateley will continue to head the cast as 'Donna Sheridan', with Joanna Monro as 'Rosie' and Jane Gurnett as 'Tanya'. Richard Laing will play 'Sam Carmichael', Paul Ryan 'Harry Bright', Andrew Hall 'Bill Austin', Katie Brayben 'Sophie Sheridan', Oliver Hembrough 'Sky', Jodie Read 'Ali', Laura Selwood 'Lisa', Giovanni Spano 'Pepper' and Matt Wilman 'Eddie'. At certain performances the role of 'Donna Sheridan' will be played by Melissa Jacques.
Mamma Mia! is now booking until April 25, 2009. Tickets are priced from £20- £55 for weekday performances and £20-£59 for Saturday performances. Tickets are available online at www.mamma-mia.com or through the Box Office on 0844 482 5115 or SEE on 0870 264 3333. Performances times are Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm, with Friday performances at 5.00pm and 8.30pm and Saturday performances at 3.00pm and 7.30pm.
21st Anniversary concert of Chess to feature Ellis, Menzel, Groban and Pascal
Kerry Ellis who is currently starring in Wicked, will join Idina Menzel and American singer Josh Groban in Chess at the Royal Albert Hall. Also newly confirmed for the 21st-anniversary concert production, which takes place on 12 and 13 May 2008, is Broadway star Adam Pascal. Further casting is still to be announced.
More information and tickets are available by calling the Royal Albert Hall Box Office: 020 7589 8212. Or log onto: http://www.royalalberthall.com/
Maria Friedman: Rearranged to have limited run
According to WhatsOnstage.com West End diva Maria Friedman will launch her new concert show "Maria Friedman: Rearranged." According to the article: Friedman picked up one of her three Laurence Olivier Awards to date for her concert show "By Special Arrangement." Following on the heels of that, Friedman is now launching a newly conceived piece entitled "Maria Friedman: Rearranged," which will have a limited season at the Menier Chocolate Factory 19 March to 4 May 2008.
Friedman will be accompanied by an 11-piece band, and will perform new rearranged versions of some of her favorite show tunes and contemporary songs, from the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Jacques Brel, Burt Bacharach, Jason Robert Brown, Andrew Lippa, George Gershwin, Leslie Bricusse, Kander and Ebb, Randy Newman, Michel Legrand and Stevie Wonder.
Summer Strallen next Maria
From February 26, the worlds of theatre and television collide in a unique life imitating art event as Summer Strallen, from Channel 4's hit soap "Hollyoaks,"takes over as Maria in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium.
Connie Fisher, whom originated the role of Maria in the new revival, plans a national concert-tour following her departure.
The Sound of Music is booking until October 18, 2008. Performance times at the London Palladium are at 7:30PM on Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays, with Tuesday performances at 7PM, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2:30PM. Tickets, priced from £25.00 - £55.00 including all booking fees, are available from the London Palladium Box Office on 0870 890 1108 or at www.soundofmusiclondon.com
Zorro to premiere at New Victoria Theatre
According to WhatsOnstage.com: The long-planned musical version of Zorro - based on the 2005 bestseller by Chilean novelist Isabel Allende, with music by Grammy Award-winning flamenco band the Gipsy Kings – will receive its world premiere at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre on 13 March 2008 ahead of a regional tour and West End transfer.
In the 30-strong cast, Matt Rawle (Evita, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre, Aspects of Love) will take the title role as the master swordsman, opposite former Royal Ballet principal and choreographer Adam Cooper (Swan Lake, On Your Toes, Singin’ in the Rain, Guys and Dolls as Ramon and Aimie Atkinson, winner of the BBC Voice of Musical Theatre 2006, as Luisa. The actors will be joined on stage by leading flamenco dancers.
Zorro will tour the UK on a schedule available at www.zorrothemusical.com, before making its West End Transfer. For more information on Zorro, The Musical, which is produced by Isabel Allende, visit www.zorrothemusical.com.
Nina Soderquist newest Lady of the Lake
On Saturday, February 2 Nina Söderquist was crowned as the new Lady of the Lake for the hit West End Musical Monty Python's Spamalot. Having won TV3's "West End Star," going head to head with Linda Holmgren in the Swedish live TV final, Nina received over 59% of the votes from the viewing public declaring her the winner. Söderquist will have her first performance as The Lady of the Lake at the Palace Theatre on Monday February 11, 2008.
The London production of Monty Python's Spamalot currently stars Peter Davison as King Arthur, Marin Mazzie as The Lady of The Lake, Robert Hands as Sir Robin, Steven Kynman as Prince Herbert, Graham MacDuff as Sir Dennis Galahad, Andrew Spillett as Patsy, Tony Timberlake as Sir Bedevere and Jake Nightingale as Sir Lancelot. Alan Dale will take over the role of King Arthur from March 3.
Show times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday at 8PM; Fridays at 5:15PM & 8:30PM, Saturday Matinee at 3PM
Tickets: Monday – Thursday 8PM, Fridays 5:15PM & Sat 3PM
Stalls £55, £45, £35, Dress Circle £55, £35, Grand Circle £40, £30, £20, £15, Balcony £20, £15, Boxes £55, £35, £20
Friday 8:30PM & Saturday 8PM
Stalls £60, £47.50, £37.50, Dress Circle £60, £37.50, Grand Circle £42.50, £32.50, £22.50, £17.50, Balcony £22.50, £17.50, Boxes £60, £37.50, £22.50
Family rates are also available. Call the box office at 0870 890 0142 of visit www.montypythonsspamalot.com
Gone with the Wind set to begin previews April 4
Darius Danesh and Jill Paice will lead the cast in Trevor Nunn's production of Margaret Mitchell's classic novel, Gone with the Wind, playing the iconic roles of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara. Joining them are Edward Baker-Duly who will play Ashley Wilkes, Madeleine Worrall who plays Melanie, Natasha Yvette Williams as Mammy and Jina Burrows as Prissy.
In a new music theatre adaptation of the classic love story with book and lyrics by Margaret Martin adapted by Trevor Nunn and music by Margaret Martin, Gone with the Wind will have its first performance at the New London Theatre on Friday April 4, 2008, officially opening on Tuesday April 22, and is initially booking until September 27, 2008.
Joining the principal cast is a company including Emily Bryant, Gareth Chart, Laura Checkley, Julian Forsyth, Kirsty Hoiles, Chris Jarman, Tober Reilly, David Roberts, Tom Sellwood, Ray Shell, Savannah Stevenson, Gemma Sutton, Sue Jane Tanner, Susan Tracy and Alan Winner. Final casting will be announced shortly.
Show times are Monday evenings at 7PM (perfs before April 22 at 7:30PM); Tuesday – Saturday evenings at 7:30PM; Wednesday – Saturday matinees at 2:30PM. There will be no matinees April 5 & 9.
Tickets are £27.50 - £60.00 (£10 off all previews prices April 4-21) are available at the box office 0870 890 0141 or visit www.gwtwthemusical.com
Marguerite to star Ruthie Henshall
The final production in Jonathan Kent's Theatre Royal Haymarket Season will be the world premiere of Marguerite, a new musical with music by Michel Legrand, book by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Jonathan Kent, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and orchestrations and arrangements by Michel Legrand and Seann Alderking. Marguerite will run at the Haymarket from May 7, with press night on May 20.
Ruthie Henshall, the award-winning West End and Broadway actress, returns to the London stage to play the title role alongside Julian Ovenden who will play Armand and Alexander Hanson who will play German officer, Otto.
The cast includes Annalene Beechey (Annette), Matt Cross (Pierrot), Don Gallagher (Georges) and Simon Thomas (Lucien), with Mark Carroll, Keiron Crook, James Doherty, Siubhan Harrison, Jon-Paul Hevey, Julia Nagle, Duncan Smith, Gay Soper, Phillip Sutton and Lucy Williamson.
For tickets (£25.00 - £60.00 plus concessions) call the box office at 0870 4000 626 or visit www.marguerite-themusical.com or www.trh.co.uk
Performances are Monday – Saturday at 7:30PM; and Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2:30PM. Theatre Royal Haymarket is located at Haymarket, London SW1Y 4HT.
High School Musical confirmed for West End
According to England's whatsonstage.com: "Disney’s screen-to-stager High School Musical looks set to be as big a hit on this side of the Atlantic as it is in the US. A London production – separate to the previously announced UK regional tour, which launched an 11-month, 29-venue schedule last week at Bromley and has already sold out at many venues (See News, 3 Jul 2007) – has now been confirmed. It will start performances on 30 June 2008 at west London’s Hammersmith Apollo, where it’s initially booking until 9 August."
No casting has yet been announced for the London production, for which booking is due to open in the next week.
Talbot joins cast of Hairspray
Ian Talbot will star as 'Wilbur Turnblad' in the smash hit award-winning musical Hairspray from Monday 28 January. He will join Michael Ball as 'Edna Turnblad', LeAnne Jones as 'Tracy Turnblad' and Ben James-Ellis as 'Link Larkin', who will all continue to star in the show until Saturday 25 October 2008.
Performances times at the Shaftesbury Theatre are Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 3.00pm. Tickets, priced from £22.50 - £60, are available from the Shaftesbury Theatre Box Office on 0207 379 5399 or by visiting www.hairspraythemusical.com.
Take That are back for good in a brand new musical
Written by the BAFTA award-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, the production features all of the classic Take That hits including A Million Love Songs, Could It Be Magic, Relight My Fire, Pray, Back For Good, Babe and Never Forget
High School Musical Tour announces cast/dates
Disney's High School Musical will embark on its first ever UK theatre tour, through towns and cities across Britain throughout 2008.
The leading roles of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are played by Ashley Day (On The Town and Mary Poppins) and Lorna Want (Les Miserables and Evita) respectively. Ruling drama queen Sharpay and her faithful brother and sidekick Ryan will be played by Helen George and Lee Honey-Jones and the principal cast is completed by Carlton Connell as Chad, Hannah Levane as Taylor, Claire Machin, Mark Dickinson, Cathryn Davis, Jennifer Tanarez, Richard Vincent and Dominic Tribuzio.
The cast also includes Ashley Andrews, Drew Campbell, Matthew Cheney, Dan Cooke, Lewis Greenslade, Natalie Hope, Mark Hilton, Robert Jones, Sarah Kitson, Richard Leeson, Buchi Osuji, Simone Palmer, Soeli Parry, Tania Pieri, Jessica Phillips, David Purdue, Amy Ross, Bonnie Laura Smith and Charlotte Walcotte.
Also announced today are the following additional touring dates: Oxford, Canterbury, Northampton, Belfast, Crawley, Aberdeen, Plymouth, Cardiff and Leeds. A total of 28 venues will now be visited on the tour with further dates likely to be announced soon.
TOUR SCHEDULE:
Bromley
Churchill Theatre
24 January – 2 February 2008
Stoke-on-Trent
Regent Theatre
4 – 9 February 2008
Norwich
Theatre Royal
11 – 16 February 2008
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Playhouse
19 February – March 1 2008
York
Grand Opera House
3 – 8 March 2008
Wolverhampton
Grand Theatre
10 – 15 March 2008
Woking
New Victoria Theatre
17 – 29 March 2008
Leicester
De Montfort Hall
31 March – 5 April 2008
Southend-on-Sea
Cliffs Pavillion
7 – 12 April 2008
Nottingham
Royal Concert Hall
14 – 19 April 2008
Bradford
Alhambra Theatre
21 – 26 April 2008
Southampton
Mayflower Theatre
28 April – 10 May 2008
Hull
New Theatre
19 – 24 May 2008
Birmingham
Hippodrome
26 May – 7 June 2008
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Theatre
9 – 14 June 2008
Wimbledon
New Wimbledon Theatre
16 – 21 June 2008
Manchester
Palace Theatre
23 June – 5 July 2008
Bristol
Bristol Hippodrome
7 – 19 July 2008
Newcastle
Theatre Royal
21 July – 2 August 2008
Glasgow
King's Theatre
4 – 16 August 2008
Oxford
New Theatre
25 – 30 August 2008
Liverpool
Empire Theatre
1 – 13 September 2008
Canterbury
Marlowe Theatre
22 – 27 September 2008
Northampton
Derngate Theatre
29 September – 4 October 2008
Belfast
Opera House
6 – 11 October 2008
Aberdeen
His Majesty's Theatre
21 October – 1 November 2008
Plymouth
Theatre Royal
4 – 15 November 2008
Cardiff
Wales Millennium Centre
17 – 22 November 2008
Leeds
Grand Theatre
24 November – 6 December 2008
Avenue Q announces casting changes
After a year and a half of performances Julie Atherton, Jon Robyns and Simon Lipkin will be leaving the company of Avenue Q on December 3.
From December 3 the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut will be taken by Rebecca Lock. The roles of Princeton and Rod will be played by Daniel Boys. Christopher Fry will play the role of Brian. Mary Doherty and Delroy Atkinson will continue in the roles of Mrs T/Bad Idea Bear and Gary Coleman respectively. New cast members in the roles of Christmas Eve and Trekkie Monster/Nicky will be announced shortly.
Mary Poppins tour dates announced
WhatsOnStage.com reports that after completing its two-year West End run on January 12, 2008 Disney's Mary Poppins will launch on a national tour criss-crossing the United Kingdom. The tour begins on June 4, 2008 for a month-long engagement at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
The West End tour schedule also includes:
Birmingham Hippodrome – July 10 thru September 27, 2008
Edinburgh Playhouse – October 1 thru December 6, 2008
Manchester Palace Theatre – December 10, 2008 thru March 7, 2009
Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff – March 11 thru April 18, 2009
Reportedly the touring production will open internationally in late Summer 2009 after the British run.
Julian Clary joins the cast of Cabaret
Michael Ball's new CD- Back to Bacharach
New cd: 'Michael Ball - Back To Bacharach'
22 October (Universal Music TV 1748686)
MICHAEL BALL'S beautiful new cd, Michael Ball - Back To Bacharach, is an impressive choice of classic tunes from the legendary composer's outstanding canon of work. Back To Bacharach reflects Michael's personal favourites and catapults him into a new musical direction.
"I've recorded a few Bacharach songs over the years and performed some in concert and always felt they suited me," says Mich ael. "I love the stories, and the lyrics (many by Hal David) have always struck a chord with me, especially on the more serious numbers. Bacharach has such a brilliant ear for melody and his music has a completely timeless feel to it; I thought it would be great to do a whole album of his music and to record with a full orchestra and big band which is something I hadn't done before. I thought it was also time I made a sort of 'late night album with sophisticated arrangements - and he's definitely the king of all that!"
Classic tracks include Make It Easy On Yourself which was a No. 1 hit for the Walker Brothers in 1965; You'll Never Get To Heaven If You Break My Heart a huge hit for Dionne in 1964; (They Long To Be) Close To You immortalised by The Carpenters; Anyone Who Had A Heart chart toppers for both Cilla and Dionne; Alfie Bacharach/David's Oscar nominated film theme from 1966 and the Oscar nominated The Look Of Love which was a huge hit for both Dionne and Dusty in 1967...
"Dusty Springfield was one of my all time favourite singers," says Michael. "She was the rarest of talents, she pioneered a completely new sound and paved the way for a host of other female performers. Her 'Dusty In Memphis' is one of the greatest records ever made. We sang 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' together on my TV show and it was the last public performance she made. It was absolutely thrilling singing with her - her version of 'The Look Of Love' is so sexy...I hope I've done it justice."
More tracks include One Less Bell To Answer...
"Barbra Streisand recorded a medley of 'A House Is Not A Home' and 'One Less Bell To Answer' for her 1971 album Barbra Joan Streisand which I thought was beautiful. I had already recorded 'A House...' on my second album and really wanted to record One Less Bell . It's a perfect and surprising song; it doesn't go to places you would expect it to - the rhythms, the key signatures and so on - and it has a sense of drama which of course is what I like and what I do - I like to approach a song as an actor as well as a singer; as an actor I'm able to tell a story and this is one of his best storytelling songs. I love it."
...and This House Is Empty Now with lyrics by Elvis Costello
"I recorded God Give Me Strength, another Bacharach/Costello collaboration; I just think the combination of these two huge talents is fascinating; there's a pain to Elvis Costello's lyrics which I find really powerful," says Mich ael.
...and Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do) by Christopher Cross from the 1981 movie; This Guy's In Love With You a hit for Herb Alpert in 1968; You'll Never Get To Heaven another Dionne classic from 1964; Reach Out For Me and What the World Needs Now.
The result is a cool, sophisticated album - a departure for Mich ael whose multi-platinum award winning albums have seen him move through rock, soul, movie themes, classic pop songs and sweet ballads. It provides the perfect showcase for his unique voice and gives him the opportunity of exploring the songbook of Burt Bacharach, the 21st century's equivalent of the Gershwins, Irving Berlin and the great writers of the American songbook. These are songs that are extraordinarily well crafted pop songs, classics of their time that have stood the test of time and that have retained their coolability, their fashionable status and their musical credibility.
Biography: MICHAEL BALL, Britain's leading musical theatre star, has won critical and public acclaim over the last twenty years with his dynamic, award-winning, lead performances in the West End and on Broadway. A multi-platinum recording artist, outstanding live concert performer and charismatic leading man, Mich ael has won the hearts of a fiercely loyal public with his numerous performances on stage, on radio and TV and in concert across the UK, Australia and the US. His many West End credits include Marius (Les Miserables); Giorgio (Stephen Sondheim's Passion); Raoul (Phantom of the Opera), Alex (Aspects of Love, West End and Broadway), Caractacus Potts (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) and Count Fosco (Woman In White, West End and Broadway). He made his debut with the New York City Opera in 2005 as Reginald Bunthorne in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience and this summer he made his English National Opera debut as Hajj/Poet in Kismet. In October Mich ael will star as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray which opens at the Cambridge Theatre on October 30th (previews from October 11th). Michael's television shows have included Michael Ball and An Evening With Mich ael Ball while he hosts a regular series of Ball Over Broadway for BBC Radio 2. His discography includes Michael Ball, One Careful Owner, First Love, Mich ael Ball - The Musicals, Mich ael Ball - The Movies, Music, One Voice and the forthcoming superb homage to Burt Bacharach, Michael Ball - Back To Bacharach, which is released on October 22nd through Universal Music TV.
Bradley to play Joseph during Mead's absence
Lee Mead, who stars in the West End's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, will be on holiday and therefore not performing during the following periods: January 14-26, March 10-15 and May 5-10 2008. At these performances, the role of Joseph will be played by Lewis Bradley.
Preeya Kalidas will not be performing on Wednesday matinees. At these performances the Narrator will be played by Fiona Reyes.
Visit www.josephthemusical.com/news.html to view more production photos and for more information.
South Pacific tour announced
Bad Girls comes to the West End
TV's hit series Bad Girls is coming to the West End. Set in a womens prison HMP Larkhall, this new musical is written by the creators of the original TV series and will follow the lives of the women behind bars. 'Do' the time of your life, this new msical will be full of new and funny songs.
Following its sucessful run at the West Yorshire Playhouse, Bad Girls will open at The Garrick Theatre this autumn and will star Sally Dexter, Nicole Faraday, Chris Grierson, David Burt and Helen Fraser (the original bodybags herself)
Grey Gardens headed to West End
The announcement comes on the heels of the production earning 10 2007 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. The Broadway producers – East of Doheny, Staunch Entertainment, Randall L. Wreghitt/Mort Swinky, Michael Alden and Edwin W. Schloss in association with Playwrights Horizons – will be teaming with London producers to present the show in its UK bow during the 2007-2008 season. London partners, dates and additional casting will be officially announced in the coming months.
Visit www.greygardensthemusical.com for more information.