Category: Latest News

Categories
Latest News News

& Juliet Reigns Supreme at the 20th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards

& Juliet reigns supreme at the 20th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards

The winners have been announced for the 20th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards. New West End musical & Juliet took the lead receiving 6 awards, including Best Actress in a Musical for its star Miriam-Teak Lee, with Come From Away following close behind with five awards, including Best New Musical and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for Rachel Tucker.

In the play categories Andrew Scott (Present Laughter) and Claire Foy (Lungs) reigned supreme, receiving the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for their performances in their respective shows at the Old Vic.

The international sensation, Six the Musical, took home the inaugural BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best West End Musical and Lolita Chakrabarti‘s adaptation of the seminal novel Life of Pi, which premiered at Sheffield Theatres last year, won the Best New Play award. The play transfers to the West End later this year at the Wyndham’s Theatre.

The full list of winners (in bold) and nominees:

The Equity Award for Services to Theatre

ERA 50:50

The BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical

Six the Musical

Best Actor in a Play, sponsored by Edwardian Hotels

Tom Hiddleston – Betrayal – Harold Pinter Theatre
Andrew Scott – Present Laughter – The Old Vic
Matt Smith – Lungs – The Old Vic
Wendell Pierce – Death of a Salesman – Young Vic / Piccadilly Theatre
Laurie Kynaston – The Son – Kiln Theatre / Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Actress in a Play, sponsored by Tonic Theatre

Claire Foy – Lungs – The Old Vic
Zawe Ashton – Betrayal – Harold Pinter Theatre
Hayley Atwell – Rosmersholm – Duke of York’s Theatre
Sharon D Clarke – Death of a Salesman – Young Vic / Piccadilly Theatre
Juliet Stevenson – The Doctor – Almeida Theatre

Best Supporting Actor in a Play

Alexander Vlahos – Peter Pan – Park Theatre
Charlie Cox – Betrayal – Harold Pinter Theatre
Hareet Deol – My Beautiful Laundrette – A Curve Leicester, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Leeds Playhouse co-production
Hammed Animashaun – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bridge Theatre
Giles Terera – Rosmersholm – Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Supporting Actress in a Play

Ria Zmitrowicz – The Doctor – Almeida Theatre
Isabella Pappas – Appropriate – Donmar Warehouse
Monica Dolan – All About Eve – Noël Coward Theatre
Sophie Thompson – Present Laughter – The Old Vic
Indira Varma – Present Laughter – The Old Vic

Best Actor in a Musical, sponsored by Dewynters

David Hunter – Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
Sam Tutty – Dear Evan Hansen – Noël Coward Theatre
Jac Yarrow – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – The London Palladium
Oliver Tompsett – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Charlie Stemp – Mary Poppins – Prince Edward Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical, sponsored by Café de Paris

Lucie Jones – Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
Katharine McPhee – Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
Miriam-Teak Lee – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Tracie Bennett – Mame – Hope Mill Theatre
Zizi Strallen – Mary Poppins – Prince Edward Theatre

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

Joe Sugg – Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
Jack Loxton – Dear Evan Hansen – Noël Coward Theatre
Jordan Luke Gage – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Oscar Conlon-Morrey – Only Fools and Horses the Musical – Theatre Royal Haymarket
Jason Donovan – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – The London Palladium

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, sponsored by Newman Displays

Laura Baldwin – Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
Marisha Wallace – Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
Cassidy Janson – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Melanie La Barrie – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Rachel Tucker – Come From Away – Phoenix Theatre

Best New Play, sponsored by Ticketmaster

The Doctor – Robert Icke – Almeida Theatre
The Son – Florian Zeller – Kiln Theatre / Duke of York’s Theatre
My Beautiful Laundrette – Hanif Kureishi – A Curve Leicester, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Leeds Playhouse co-production
Life of Pi – Lolita Chakrabarti – Sheffield Theatres
Appropriate – Branden Jacobs-Jenkins – Donmar Warehouse

Best Play Revival, sponsored by JHI Marketing

Betrayal – Harold Pinter Theatre
Death of a Salesman – Young Vic / Piccadilly Theatre
Present Laughter– The Old Vic
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bridge Theatre
Lungs – The Old Vic

Best New Musical, sponsored by h Club London

Waitress – Adelphi Theatre
& Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre and Opera House, Manchester
Dear Evan Hansen – Noël Coward Theatre
Come From Away – Phoenix Theatre
Only Fools and Horses the Musical – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Best Musical Revival, sponsored by Concord Theatricals

Mary Poppins – Prince Edward Theatre
Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – The London Palladium
Mame – Hope Mill Theatre
9 to 5 the Musical – Savoy Theatre

Best Off-West End Production, sponsored by Les Misérables

Fiver – Southwark Playhouse
The View UpStairs – Soho Theatre
High Fidelity – The Turbine Theatre
Preludes – Southwark Playhouse
Falsettos – The Other Palace

Best Regional Production, sponsored by MTI Europe

Mame – Hope Mill Theatre
The Color Purple – A Curve Leicester and Birmingham Hippodrome co-production
Life of Pi – Sheffield Theatres
My Beautiful Laundrette – A Curve Leicester, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Leeds Playhouse co-production
West Side Story – Royal Exchange, Manchester

Best Choreography

Fabian Aloise – Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Matthew Bourne – Romeo and Juliet – UK tour
Kelly Devine – Come From Away – Phoenix Theatre
Jennifer Weber – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Nick Winston – Mame – Hope Mill Theatre

Best Costume Design

Lez Brotherston – Romeo and Juliet – UK tour
Katrina Lindsay – Small Island – National Theatre
Rob Howell – Present Laughter – The Old Vic
Philip Witcomb – Mame – Hope Mill Theatre
Paloma Young – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre

Best Direction, sponsored by LOVEtheatre

Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell – Death of a Salesman – Young Vic / Piccadilly Theatre
Robert Icke – The Doctor – Almeida Theatre
Jamie Lloyd – Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Matthew Warchus – Lungs – The Old Vic
Matthew Warchus – Present Laughter – The Old Vic

Best Graphic Direction, sponsored by Hexagon Print

& Juliet – Dewynters
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Muse Creative Communications
Equus – Feast Creative
Evita – Feast Creative
Rosmersholm – Bob King Creative

Best Lighting Design, sponsored by White Light

Jon Clark – Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Ben Cracknell – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – The London Palladium
Howard Hudson – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Jessica Hung Han Yun – Equus – UK tour
Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone – Present Laughter – The Old Vic

Best Musical Direction, sponsored by AKA

Ian Eisendrath, Alan Berry and team – Come From Away – Phoenix Theatre
Kimberly Grigsby – The Light in the Piazza – Southbank Centre
Alex Parker – Mame – Hope Mill Theatre
John Rigby – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – The London Palladium
Alan Williams – Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Best Set Design, sponsored by Sine Digital

Soutra Gilmour – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Soutra Gilmour – Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Rob Howell – Present Laughter – The Old Vic
Robert Jones – The Light in the Piazza – Southbank Centre
Rae Smith – The Night of the Iguana – Noël Coward Theatre

Best Sound Design, sponsored by Stage Sound Services

Ben Harrison – Mame – Hope Mill Theatre
Nick Lidster – Evita – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Gareth Owen – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
Gareth Owen – Come From Away – Phoenix Theatre
Mick Potter – The Light in the Piazza – Southbank Centre

Best Video Design, sponsored by PRG

Jon Driscoll – Small Island – National Theatre
Will Duke – Grief is the Thing With Feathers – Barbican Theatre
Andrzej Goulding – & Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre
P J McEvoy – Falsettos – The Other Palace
Ewan Jones Morris – A Very Expensive Poison – The Old Vic

Categories
Latest News News

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock – The Musical To Tour the UK and Ireland in 2021

School of Rock the Musical to go on 2021 UK Tour

School of Rock – The Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit, award-winning West End show, will go on a major UK Tour in 2021, opening at the Birmingham Alexandra Theatre on Saturday 13 February 2021.

Based on the hilarious hit movie, this new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band – sensationally performed live by the production’s young actors every night with roof-raising energy!

While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.

Featuring 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and all the original songs from the movie, this high-octane smash delivers face-melting guitar riffs and touching romance in equally awesome doses.

The production opened at the New London Theatre (now the Gillian Lynne Theatre) in November 2016 to 5-star reviews and widespread critical acclaim. It went on to win the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music. The Broadway production recently concluded its run at the Winter Garden Theatre with a US national touring production continuing. An Australian production opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne last October.

School of Rock – The Musical features new music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act) and a book by Julian Fellowes. It is directed by Laurence Connor (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium 2019) with choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter, set and costume designs by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Mick Potter, music supervision by John Rigby with Matt Smith as musical director.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of some of the world’s best known musicals including Cats, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera (which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary) and Sunset Boulevard.  In New York, School of Rock – The Musical, a stage version of the movie, is currently running alongside Cats and Phantom of the Opera, equalling Lloyd Webber’s previous record of three shows running simultaneously on Broadway.

His awards, both as composer and producer, include seven Tonys, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship, the Kennedy Center Honor and a Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem, his setting of the Latin Requiem mass which contains one of his best known compositions, Pie Jesu.  He owns seven London theatres including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the New London Theatre and the London Palladium.  He was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 1992 and created an honorary member of the House of Lords in 1997.  He is passionate about the importance of music in education and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has become one of Britain’s leading charities supporting the arts and music.

School of Rock has a book by Julian Fellowes, for which he received a Tony nomination. Julian the creator, writer and executive producer of the worldwide hit TV series Downton Abbey, which has received 69 Emmy Award nominations, winning 15, including two awards for Fellowes.

Casting for the UK Touring production is to be announced.

Categories
Latest News News

Aaron Taylor-Johnson & Steve Pemberton to star in West End Premiere of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Steve Pemberton to star in The Pillowman

Martin McDonagh, the multi Olivier, BAFTA and Academy Award-winning playwright and screen-writer responsible for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths and Six Shooter, is back in London’s West End this summer with his acclaimed iconic play,The Pillowman.

Performances begin at the Duke of York’s Theatre from Friday 24 July, for a strictly limited 12-week season. As a special initiative, the producers are also thrilled that they will be making tickets available for every performance on a ‘Pay What You Can” scheme.

With an all-star cast including Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Golden Globe Award winner, Nocturnal Animals) and Steve Pemberton (Bafta Award winner, The League of Gentlemen), Matthew Dunster directs the first ever West End production of Martin McDonagh’s electrifying and savagely funny Olivier Award-winning The Pillowman (its only previous UK run was at the National Theatre in 2003) at the intimate Duke of York’s Theatre for a strictly limited season.

“The Pillowman is a play that’s always been very close to my heart, in terms of its combination of the darkest of dark comedy with its exploration of the nature of story-telling itself. It’s a play that I haven’t wanted to have staged in London until I could find the perfect director and the ideal cast for it, and having worked with Matthew previously on Hangmen, and been an admirer of Steve and Aaron’s work for many years, I feel it’s the perfect time to find out what a whole new generation makes of this peculiar tale…”

Martin McDonagh, Playwright

In a totalitarian state a Writer is questioned by the authorities about a spate of murders that bear similarities to his short stories. Is this life imitating art or something more sinister? This black comedy widely regarded as one of the greatest plays of the past 25 years, examines the role of the artist in society and asks what price do we pay for freedom of expression.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s film roles include portrayals of a young John Lennon in Nowhere Boy, Count Vronksy in Joe Wright’s adaptation of Anna Karenina and James Frey in A Million Little Pieces. Recently starred in Doug Liman’s The Wall, David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King and the upcoming Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.  Additional credits include the titular character in the Kick-Ass Films, Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Shanghai Knights, Godzilla and Oliver Stone’s Savages. He was recognized with a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA Award Nomination for Tom Ford’s thriller, Nocturnal Animals. Aaron Taylor-Johnson will play Katurian in The Pillowman.

Steve Pemberton is a member of The League of Gentlemen with Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson.  He co-wrote and appeared in Psyschoville and Inside Number 9.  His other television credits include: Good Omens, Worzel Gummidge, Doctor Who, Benidorm, Blackpool, Shameless, Whitechapel, Happy Valley and Mapp and Lucia.  His stage work includes playing Mr Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer at the National Theatre. Steve Pemberton will play Tupolski.

Matthew Dunster – who directed McDonagh’s award-winning Hangmen at the Royal Court, in the West End and about to open on Broadway – is joined on the creative team by Set and Costume Designer Anna Fleischle (Hangmen, Death of a Salesman, Message in a Bottle, Everyone’s Talking about Jamie) and Sound Designer Ian Dickinson (Hangmen, Company – West End and Broadway, Jerusalem and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time).

Empire Street Productions presents The Pillowman and are thrilled to be bringing this extraordinary play to London with a ‘Pay What You Can’ ticket pricing initiative across the whole run. James Bierman (Empire Street Productions) said,  ”I really hope that with this play, this cast and for this production, we can welcome both established and new playgoers into the West End, and that this pricing accessibility will give those audiences the thrill of live theatre at its very best.”

More information can be found on The Pillowman’s website.

Categories
Latest News News

Be More Chill announces London extension at The Other Palace

Be More Chill Announces London Extension

The producers of the UK premiere of Joe Iconis’ mind-bendingly fun musical, Be More Chill, which premiered to great critical and popular acclaim last week, are delighted to announce a six-week extension.  It will now run at The Other Palace in London until Sunday 14 June 2020, making it the longest running musical at London’s The Other Palace.

‘Making my London debut as a musical theatre writer has long been a dream of mine and my experience with Be More Chill at The Other Palace has exceeded all expectations. I have been blown away by the response of audiences and the theatre community here in the UK and am ecstatic that we will be extending our run until 14 June. How thrilling that more people will now get to experience this production I am so proud of, populated by a genius cast of British unicorns. I look forward to returning this summer to see those brilliant creatures work their misfit magic once again.‘

Joe Iconis, Composer & Lyricist

Scott Folan plays the central character of Jeremy Heere, with Blake Patrick Anderson as Michael Mell and Miracle Chance as Christine Canigula.  Stewart Clarke plays The Squip, Eloise Davies is Brooke Lohst, Christopher Fry plays Mr Heere and Mr Reyes, James Hameed plays Rich Goranski, Renee Lamb is Jenna Rolan, Millie O’Connell is Chloe Valentine and Miles Paloma plays Jake Dillinger.  Understudies are:  Gabriel Hinchcliffe, Eve Norris and Jon Tsouras.

Millie O’Connell (Chloe Valentine), Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

Be More Chill 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 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.

Renee Lamb (Jenna Rolan), Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

Since 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, leading the musical to receive a Broadway production, and now this new London production.

When the 2019 Broadway Cast Recording was released by Ghostlight Records, it debuted at #2 on the Top Cast Albums Chart. Songs from the musical have now accumulatively garnered over 350 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.

Scott Folan (Jeremy), Blake Patrick Anderson (Michael Mell), Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

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 video 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.

Book tickets on The Other Palace’s website and find out more about the show on Be More Chill’s website.

Categories
Latest News News

Cast Announced for Barn Theatre Production of Ben Hur

Ben Hur Cast Announced for the Barn Theatre

The Barn Theatre have announced casting for their upcoming Built by Barn production of the comedy Ben Hur by Olivier award-winning playwright Patrick Barlow.

The production, which runs at the award-winning theatre in the historic Roman town of Cirencester from 4 March to 18 April 2020, will star James Dinsmore (Great Expectations) as Edgar T Chesterfield, Liam Horrigan (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Daniel Veil, Devarnie Lothian (Grandpa’s Great Escape) as Omar Lord and Bronte Tadman (A Christmas Carol) as Crystal Singer.

Joseph O’Malley returns to direct, following his previous direction on the Barn Theatre’s successful productions of Hound of the Baskervilles and The 39 Steps. Bronte Tadman also returns to the Barn Theatre after appearing in their 2019 production of A Christmas Carol.

Based on the best-selling novel, General Lew Wallace’s Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and the 11-time Academy award-winning 1959 film adaptation starring Charlton Heston, this stage adaptation asks the question: can four actors in an amateur theatre company pull off this epic tale? Will the backstage drama ruin the show? One thing that can be certain… audiences will be laughing uncontrollably by the end of the evening! 

Complete with chariot races, sea battles, and stage combat, Patrick Barlow weaves his compressed style popularised by The 39 Steps into one of the largest stories ever told.

This Built by Barn production marks the second time the award-winning theatre has produced a play by Patrick Barlow, following their successful 2019 production of The 39 Steps, which transferred to Theatre Royal Windsor in August 2019.

The production will feature choreography by Zac Nemorin, set design by Justin Williams (Soho Cinders), costume design by Penn O’Gara, lighting design by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner and Justin Farndale and sound design by Harry Smith.

Book tickets on the Barn Theatre website.

Categories
Latest News News

Come From Away Announces West End Extension

Come From Away Announces West End Extension

The Olivier and Critics’ Circle award-winning musical Come From Away celebrated its first birthday in the West End by announcing an extension through to 17 October 2020.

The joyous musical tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded air passengers during the wake of 9/11, and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed, and nerves ran high, but as uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

On 11 September 2001 the world stopped. On 12 September, their stories moved us all.

The company of Come From Away West End. Photo Credit: Craig Sugden

The multi award-winning musical continues sold-out, record-breaking engagements on Broadway, in Canada, in Australia, and on a 60-city North American Tour. A feature film adaptation is also in the works.

From Monday 10 February 2020, Come From Away welcomed new cast members in the West End, including Tarinn Callender (Bob and others), James Doherty (Claude and others), Alice Fearn (Beverley/Annette and others), Kate Graham (Diane and others), and Alasdair Harvey (Nick/Doug and others), with Ricardo Castro, Stuart Hickey, Sorelle Marsh, Micha Richardson and Matthew Whennell-Clark.

They join Jenna Boyd (Beulah and others), Mary Doherty (Bonnie and others), Mark Dugdale (taking over the roles of Kevin T/Garth and others), Jonathan Andrew Hume (Kevin J/Ali and others), Harry Morrison (Oz and others), Emma Salvo (Janice and others), Cat Simmons (Hannah and others) and Chiara Baronti, Alexander McMorran and Jennifer Tierney.

Under the Musical Direction of Alan Berry (Keyboard/Accordion/Harmonium), the band includes Matt Bashford (Whistles/Irish Flute/Uilleann Pipes), Aoife Ní Bhriain (Fiddle), Oli Briant (Electric, Acoustic and Nylon Guitars), Ray Fean (Bodhrán/Percussion), Joey Grant (Electric Bass/Acoustic Bass), Justin Quinn (Acoustic Guitar/Mandolins/Bazouki) and Ian Whitehead (Drums/Percussion).

The company of Come From Away West End. Photo Credit: Craig Sugden

Come From Away features a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and is directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine, music supervision and arrangements by Ian Eisendrath, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Gareth Owen, hair design by David Brian Brown, orchestrations by August Eriksmoen, and casting by Pippa Ailion CDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG.

In addition to winning 4 Olivier Awards (London) including “Best New Musical”, and recently the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for “Best Musical” (London), Come From Away has scooped multiple awards across North America:  the Tony Award for “Best Direction of a Musical”, 5 Outer Critics’ Circle Awards (NYC) including “Outstanding New Broadway Musical”, 3 Drama Desk Awards (NYC) including “Outstanding Musical”, 4 Helen Hayes Awards (Washington DC) including “Outstanding Production of a Musical”, 4 Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 4 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards (Seattle) including “Excellence in Production of a Musical”, 6 San Diego Critics Circle Awards including “Outstanding New Musical”, 3 Toronto Theatre Critics Awards including “Best New Musical”, 3 Dora Awards (Toronto) including “Outstanding New Musical/Opera” and “Outstanding Production”, and the 2017 Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award (Toronto).

The company of Come From Away West End. Photo Credit: Craig Sugden

Come From Away was originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, and presented in 2016 by Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC and Mirvish Productions at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Canada, all in partnership with Junkyard Dog Productions. Come From Away (NAMT Festival 2013) was originally developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project, Michael Rubinoff Producer, Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and was further developed at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists, in East Haddam CT. The Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle WA also provided development support. 

Come From Away is produced in the UK by Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals. The European premiere of Come From Away was co-produced with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre.

Categories
Latest News News

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

Categories
Latest News News

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. 

Categories
Latest News News

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.

Categories
Latest News News

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.