Month: December 2019

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The Turbine Theatre Announces Its 2020 Season

The Turbine Theatre in Circus West Village, the first chapter in the regeneration of the iconic Battersea Power Station, has announced an exciting and diverse Spring 2020 season, which includes the programming of a variety of new work and emerging talent from visiting companies, as well as the transfer of one of the Edinburgh Festival’s 2019 hit shows, #HonestAmy.

The full Spring 2020 season comprises of: The stage spectacular, Burlesque’d Live!, directed by Ashley Luke Lloyd and starring Kelsey Beth Crossley and Charlotte Gooch; hot off the back of a successful summer in the West End; Riot Act, a play exploring six decades of queer history; The Barn Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest; Warped Sacrifice, an original play with fast-paced movement sequences and a poignant soundtrack; Guy, an uplifting new musical by the creators of 2017’s much-hyped, multi-award-winning The Marriage of Kim K; CTC Company’s new hit show,  Identity; Westminster Cathedral Choir School’s brand new musical version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; and Amy Booth-Steel’s heartfelt, one-woman show #HonestAmy, directed by Kathy Burke. 

The Spring 2020 season also includes the previously announced return of Paul Taylor-Mills’ MTFestUK, which runs at the theatre from 3 – 15 February. A celebration of new musical theatre from around the world, the festival’s 2020 musical line-up and casting will be announced in January 2020. 

I’m delighted that our Spring 2020 season is a celebration of new and emerging talent. This is one of the most important strands of our vision and integral part of the future of The Turbine and indeed the theatre landscape in London and beyond. 

We’ve got an eclectic line up which includes the award winning #HonestAmy which celebrated a sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, directed by Kathy Burke. Alongside this, we’ve carefully curated a programme which features a number of visiting companies including contemporary dance, burlesque and a new production of The Importance of Being Earnest from the powerhouse that is The Barn Theatre. 

Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director of the Turbine Theatre

In conjunction with the 2020 Spring season, The Turbine Theatre is proud to announce a partnership with Industry Minds, who will be running a variety of seminars and events at the theatre throughout the year. The seminars will run monthly at the theatre in order to provide more help and support for those in the arts, including creatives, students and families. 

The Turbine Theatre will host the Industry Minds Awards in September 2020, along with Artist Showcases and Live Podcast events throughout the year. These live podcast events have been hugely popular in the past and consist of chats to industry folk about mental health in the arts with a live audience, and a Q&A in order to keep the conversation open. 

Seminars will be overseen by Industry Minds‘ brilliant counsellor Mary Burch BEM. Further details and dates of the seminars will be announced in due course. 

Find Out More:  TheTurbineTheatre.com

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Matt Lucas Joins West End Cast of Les Misérables

Matt Lucas has stepped in to play the role of Thénardier in the new production of Les Misérables at the newly refurbished Sondheim Theatre in the West End.

Matt Lucas returned to the part on Monday 23 December 2019 for six weeks stepping in for Gerard Carey who, after strict medical advice, was told on the morning of the first performance on Wednesday that he would be unable to perform during this period in order to completely rest his vocal chords and avoid long-term damage to his voice. Gerard Carey is expected to return to the role on Monday 3 February 2020.

“Just as I was thanking the gods of the theatre for getting the spectacularly rebuilt Sondheim Theatre open on schedule with our brilliant new cast and production, we heard that our irrepressible Thénardier, Gerard Carey, would not be allowed to perform for several weeks due to a serious problem with his vocal chords. Though obviously a disappointment for him and all of us, I’m thrilled to announce that Matt Lucas has volunteered to abandon his Christmas plans and rejoin Les Mis as Master of the House after his recent triumph in the Staged Concert at the Gielgud Theatre. He will play alongside Josefina Gabrielle as Madame Thénardier while Gerard recovers and returns to the company in February.”

Cameron Mackintosh, Producer

Multi-Award winning comedian, screenwriter, actor and singer, Matt Lucas, recently reprised the role of Thénardier at the sold-out Les Misérables Staged Concert at the Gielgud Theatre, a role he previously played in the critically-acclaimed West End production Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre as well as in the show’s 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena.  His other theatre credits include Taboo at the Leicester Square Theatre and the touring production of Little Britain Live.  His film credits include Les Misérables Staged Concert, Sherlock Gnomes, Shaun of the Dead, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Gnomeo and Juliet, Bridesmaids and Paddington. On television his credits include Shooting Stars, Doctor Who, Pompidou, Come Fly with Me and The Wind in the Willows, as well as the BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning television show Little Britain with David Walliams.

The cast of Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre features Jon Robyns  as ‘Jean Valjean’, Bradley Jaden as ‘Javert’, Carrie Hope Fletcher as ‘Fantine’, Shan Ako as ‘Eponine’, Josefina Gabrielle as ‘Madame Thénardier’, Harry Apps as ‘Marius’, Ashley Gilmour as ‘Enjolras’ and Lily Kerhoas as ‘Cosette’. Rachelle Ann Go will return to the role of ‘Fantine’ for 7 weeks in the Spring and will take over the role next Summer.

They are joined by Kelly Agbowu, Ciarán Bowling, Richard Carson, Rodney Earl Clarke, Matthew Dale, Matt Dempsey, Harry Dunnett, Jessie Hart, Jessica Joslin, Sarah Lark, Georgie Lovatt, Ellie Ann Lowe, Luke McCall, Leo Miles, Claire O’Leary, Shane O’Riordan, Kathy Peacock, Sam Peggs, Mark Pearce, Emma Warren, Sake Wijers, Mared Williams and Samuel Wyn-Morris. 

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Full Cast Announced for UK Tour of Holes

The Children’s Theatre Partnership (CTP) and Royal & Derngate, Northampton are delighted to announce the full cast of the Nottingham Playhouse production of Holes, written by Louis Sachar and directed by Adam Penford.

The production will open at Royal & Derngate, Northampton on 24 January 2020 before embarking on a UK tour. The tour will visit, Nottingham Playhouse, Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Coventry Belgrade Theatre, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Liverpool Playhouse, High Wycombe Swan, Norwich Theatre Royal, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and Canterbury Marlowe Theatre. 

The cast includes Harold Addo, Leona Allen, James Backway, Joëlle Brabban, Jeremy Cobb, Rhona Croker, Gracey Davey, John Elkington, Ashley Gayle, Henry Mettle, Matthew Romain and Elizabeth Twells.

Holes will be directed by Nottingham Playhouse’s Artistic Director Adam Penford (The Madness of George III, Enemy of the People and Family Business). The rest of the creative team includes set and costume design by Simon Kenny, lighting design by Prema Mehta and sound design by Adam P McCready. The composer is Tom Attwood, puppetry director and co-designer is Matthew Forbes and choreography is by Emma Annetts. Guy Jones is the Associate Lighting Designer and Meghan Treadway is the Associate Puppet Director. The production is cast by Vicky Richardson. 

Holes is an inventive new stage show based on the multi-award-winning novel and blockbuster film of the same name. It is a thrilling off-beat comedy adventure which tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, who is born into a family cursed with bad luck and finds himself accused of a crime he didn’t commit.

Sent to a labour camp as punishment, he is tasked with digging one hole, five-foot wide by five-foot deep, every day. He is told it is to build ‘character’. But the tyrannical Warden is definitely hiding something. How will Stanley and his fellow inmates deal with her demands, her two cronies, plus the fearsome rattlesnakes and yellow-spotted lizards? And will Stanley and his new friends unearth what’s really going on?

Holes, written by Louis Sachar won the 1998 U.S. National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the 1999 Newbery Medal for the year’s most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Louis also wrote the screenplay for the 2003 film adaptation.

 Holes is the first production from CTP since the partnership announced three years of support from Arts Council England. CTP aims to produce new and exciting productions, created for a young and diverse audience. Previous CTP productions include the Olivier award winning Goodnight Mr Tom, Swallows and Amazons, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild and a new adaptation of The Jungle Book.

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Waitress star Lucie Jones to perform solo concert at Adelphi Theatre

Waitress star Lucie Jones will perform her first West End solo concert at the historic Adelphi Theatre on Sunday 16 February 2020 at 7pm. Accompanied by the 22-piece London Musical Theatre Orchestra, Lucie Jones Live at the Adelphi will be a celebration of all that Lucie has achieved to date across her multi-platform career.

Tickets for Lucie Jones Live at the Adelphi will go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 18 December via https://lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/lucie-jones-live-at-the-adelphi/

Lucie first came to prominence when she melted audiences’ hearts singing to millions on The X Factor in 2009. She represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017, where she placed 15th, the UK’s highest result since 2011.

She is now firmly at home on the stage, and over the last few years has played Elle in Legally Blonde, Holly in The Wedding Singer, Maureen in Rent, Molly in Ghost and Cosette in Les Misérables, before landing the much coveted lead role of Jenna in Waitress, which she currently plays 8 times a week at the Adelphi Theatre.

Lucie Jones Live at the Adelphi will be packed with old classics and modern hits, and Lucie will share stories from her remarkable career.

As Lucie’s time ‘at the diner’ draws to a close next summer, this is the perfect moment to celebrate all that she has done in a venue she now calls home.

Lucie Jones Live at the Adelphi is produced by Adam Blanshay Productions, and sponsored by Alpha Club.

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Sophie Isaacs to join the West End cast of SIX


Heathers and Cruel Intentions star Sophie Isaacs, who is currently starring as Goldilocks in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium, will be crowned the new Katherine Howard in the West End cast of SIX. She will join the production at the Arts Theatre on Tuesday 21 January 2020.

Sophie will replace Vicki Manser, who is leaving SIX to become the alternate Carole King in Beautiful – The Carole King Musical on a UK tour.

The current West End Queendom are Jarneia Richard-Noel (as Catherine of Aragon), Courtney Bowman (Anne Boleyn), Natalie Paris (Jane Seymour), Alexia McIntosh (Anna of Cleves), Vicki Manser (Katherine Howard), Danielle Steers (Catherine Parr), with Zara MacIntosh (Alternate Catherine of Aragon and Katherine Howard), Cherelle Jay (Alternate Anne Boleyn and Anna of Cleves), Hana Stewart (Alternate Jane Seymour and Catherine Parr), Collette Guitart (Dance Captain/Understudy).

Nominated for five 2019 OIivier Awards, including Best New Musical, Best Choreography and Best Costume Design, the West End smash hit SIX is the phenomenon everyone’s losing their head over.

The show’s 2018 debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe hastened its West End transfer which opened in January 2019. This homegrown histo-remixed pop-concert musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss is rocking the Arts Theatre, London, enjoying an open-ended run – currently booking to July 2020 – and playing to sold out houses.

And the Queens are going global: a Broadway transfer has been announced for February 2020 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, following north American runs in Chicago, Boston, Edmonton and Minnesota. SIX will also open in Australia at the Sydney Opera House in January 2020. It is currently selling out theatres across the UK in a 33-venue tour that continues to summer 2020.

SIX is written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, with Direction by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, Choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Set Design by Emma Bailey, Costume Design by Gabriella Slade, Lighting Design by Tim Deiling, Sound Design by Paul Gatehouse, Musical Orchestration by Tom Curran, Musical Supervisor Joe Beighton, Associate Choreographer Freya Sands, Musical Director Katy Richardson, Associate Musical Director Arlene McNaught.

SIX is produced by Kenny Wax, Global Musicals and George Stiles.

Find Out More: www.sixthemusical.com/london

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Pantomime Returns To Blackpool Winter Gardens For The First Time In 60 Years

Blackpool Winter Gardens’ first pantomime in 60 years, Cinderella, will play the Opera House from Sunday 13 December 2020 – Sunday 3 January 2021

The Winter Gardens Blackpool announced today their partnership with West End Producer Mark Goucher (Hairspray, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) to bring Blackpool’s biggest ever family pantomime to the Opera House Blackpool next Christmas. CINDERELLA will play at the Opera House Blackpool from Sunday 13 December to Sunday 3 January 2021. Tickets on sale now with star casting to be announced soon.

“This is really exciting news for the venue and the people of Blackpool. After such a long absence we can’t wait to put on the best pantomime that the Opera House has ever seen. This large scale production of Cinderella will really put the magic into Christmas 2020!”.

Michael Williams, Managing Director of the Winter Gardens 

The Opera House has enjoyed years of Christmas musicals, but not since the production of Dick Whittington in 1956, has a family pantomime played at the Winter Gardens. To celebrate the return of pantomime to the venue, each performance will have over 100 tickets priced at just £10 providing unbelievable value and the opportunity for all to experience theatre at Christmas time.

 “After years of touring our first-class hit musicals Hairspray and Priscilla Queen of the Desert to Blackpool and entertaining sold out audiences across Christmas time with pantomime this year, this new partnership with the Winter Gardens will see Blackpool’s biggest family pantomime, focused on local references, topical jokes and above all – high quality production values and special effects all at affordable prices with recognisable faces from screen and stage!”

West End Producer, Mark Goucher

CINDERELLA is written by Samuel Holmes (Club Tropicana, Curtains, Shrek, Monty Python Live), Directed and Choreographed by Nick Winston (Annie, Club Tropicana, Fame, Royal Variety Performance), Musical Supervision & Arrangements by Charlie Ingles with designs by Phil R Daniels & Charles Cusick Smith, produced by Mark Goucher for Charming Pantomimes in association with Winter Gardens Blackpool. 

Audiences can expect jaw dropping special effects, a fabulous fairy, stunning costumes, some very wicked ugly sisters and a toe-tapping soundtrack of hit songs that will have everyone singing along. So, polish your pumpkins, dust off your gowns and grab your glass slippers to find out if Cinderella will go to the ball. Will she find her Prince Charming or will the Ugly Sisters ruin the day?

Find out more here: www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk.

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Meet The UK Cast of Be More Chill at The Other Palace

Casting for the UK premiere of Be More Chill, the mind-bendingly fun, smash hit Broadway musical was announced today.

The leads roles of Jeremy Heere will be played by Scott Folan (recent credits include Mother of Him at Park Theatre, Damned By Despair at the National Theatre) and Michael Mell by Blake Patrick Anderson (previous musicals credits include Straight Dave in Pet Shop Boys’ Closer to Heaven and Starlight Express). 

Two former Queens join the Be More Chill company in the shape of  Renee Lamb and Millie O’Connell.  They both starred in one of Britain’s most celebrated and popular new musicals:  Six: The Musical.  Renee played Catherine of Aragon in the original Arts Theatre production, and Millie played Anne Boleyn at the Arts Theatre.

Also announced today are:  Miracle Chance as Christine Canigula, Stewart Clarke as The Squip, Eloise Davies as Brooke Lohst, James Hameed as Rich Goranski, Miles Paloma as Jake Dillinger, Christopher Fry as Mr Heere and Mr Reyes and Eve Norris (swing) with further company members to be announced.

Be More Chill, which premieres at The Other Palace on Wednesday 12 February 2020, is based on the groundbreaking novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini.

With original music and lyrics by Joe Iconis and a book by Joe Tracz, Be More Chill is an international sensation – when the 2015 Original Cast Recording was released by Ghostlight Records,  millions of people streamed the album and formed a passionate community of Be More Chill fans, ultimately leading the musical to receive a Broadway production.

When the 2019 Broadway Cast Recording was subsequently released by Ghostlight Records, it debuted at #2 on the Top Cast Albums Chart. Songs from the musical have accumulatively garnered over 318 million streams, with the breakout track Michael In The Bathroom amassing over 31 million streams and 8 million YouTube views alone. Tumblr has ranked Be More Chill as the #2 most talked-about musical on their platform, behind only Hamilton.

This new production of Be More Chill will run at The Other Palace through until Sunday 3 May 2020, with a press night on Tuesday 18 February at 7:00pm. 

Be More Chill tells the atypical love story of a boy, a girl….and the supercomputer inside the boy’s head guiding him every step of the way. The boy is desperately trying to fit in. The girl’s longing to be noticed. And the supercomputer just wants to take over the world.

The Tony Award-nominated score bursts with addictively catchy songs including More than Survive, Be More Chill and the hugely popular Michael in the Bathroom.

Be More Chill was commissioned by and premiered at Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey in 2015, had a limited run, and Ghostlight Records released an original cast recording.  In 2017, the number of online listeners to the recording started growing, with fans creating animated YouTube videos, art fiction, blogs and vlogs.

In 2018, the show’s creators thought it was time to bring it back – resulting in an ‘off-Broadway production’ and this year’s Broadway run at the Lyceum Theatre.  Its runaway success continues with this London premiere at The Other Palace and a film adaptation which is currently underway.

Joining Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz on the creative team are director Stephen Brackett, choreographer Chase Brock, set designer Beowulf Boritt, costume designer Bobby Frederick Tilley II, lighting designer Tyler Micoleau, sound designer Ryan Rumery and projection designer Alex Basco Koch with wigs by Dave Bova. Orchestrations are by Charlie Rosen, vocal arrangements by Emily Marshall, UK Musical Direction by Louisa Green and UK casting is by Will Burton.  

Jerry Goehring and Lisa Dozier King are Executive Producers for the UK Production of Be More Chill.

Find out more at bemorechillmusical.com