Categories
First Look News

First Look at New Immersive Production of Zorro the Musical Opening at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre

Zorro The Musical reveals a first look at the cast in action as rehearsal images for the new immersive production are released today. The production features music by The Gipsy Kings and the evening will start with live entertainment and a Flamenco party in the foyer of Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre before the story continues in the auditorium itself, bringing the legendary adventure of the masked hero to life. Zorro the Musical is directed by Christian Durham and runs from 14 March – 18 April 2020, with opening night for press on 18 March

Zorro the Musical will be performed by a cast of 16 actor-musicians with Antony Costa as Garcia, Alex Gibson-Giorgio as Ramon, Emma Kingston as Luisa, Genevieve Nicole as Inez, Kit Orton as Don Alejandro and Benjamin Purkiss as the masked hero, Zorro. The cast is completed by Ajjaz AwadAmy BastaniIsobel BatesBen Boskovic, Maxwell GriffinMatthew HeywoodJessica PardoeThomas PingSeren Sandham-Davies and Stylianos Thomadakis.

Antony Costa (centre), Photo Credit: Ben Hewis

With music by the Gipsy Kings and John Cameron, lyrics by Stephen Clark and a book by Stephen Clark and Helen EdmundsonZorro the Musical reinvigorates the story of the iconic hero, who appears when times are hardest and the struggle for freedom feels lost. The audience will be enveloped by the action of the legendary adventure as they are taken on a thrilling journey into an iconic story of good vs. evil, love vs. hate, brother vs. brother. The production is presented by Katy Lipson and John Gertz and features original music by the Gipsy Kings, alongside their international hits including Bamboleo, Baila Me and Djobi, Djoba. The production will be filled with pounding flamenco, breathtaking sword fights, tricks and magic, comedy and, at its heart, the desperate battle within a family of power versus freedom. 

Benjamin Purkiss and Emma Kingston, Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography

Antony Costa (Garcia) is best known as a member of the chart-topping boyband Blue. Most recently on stage he starred in the 2019 Rock of AgesUK tour. Previous stage credits also include A Judgement In Stone, Save The Last Dance For Me (Bill Kenwright Productions), Blood Brothers(Phoenix Theatre) and Boogie Nights (UK tour). For TV he has appeared in Holby City and Casualty

Alex Gibson-Giorgio’s (Ramon) stage credits include Aria Entertainment’s recent production of RAGS The Musical (Park Theatre), Everything’s Coming Up Sondheim (Chapel off Chapel), Yank (Understudy Productions), Mamma Mia! (Australian Tour) and Anything Goes (Opera Australia).

Emma Kingston (Luisa) starred as Eva Peron in Evita (2017-18 international tour), Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Vanessa in In the Heights (King’s Cross Theatre). Further stage credit includes Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK Tour) and Grease (UK Tour). 

Genevieve Nicole’s (Inez) musical credits include Guys & Dolls, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Spamalot in the West End, UK tours of Hairspray,Chicago, The Producers, Miracle on 34th Street and White Christmas, and previously at the Hope Mill in Pippin.

Kit Orton’s (Don Alejandro / Gypsy Leader / Guitar / Violin) theatre credits include Tom (UK Tour 2014/2016), Spamalot (UK Tour & West End), Oliver!, Spend Spend Spend, Martin Guerre (Watermill Theatre) and Dickens Abridged (Arts Theatre). 

Benjamin Purkiss (Zorro/Diego) recently performed as the alternate Strat in the original West End cast of the Evening Standard Award and BBC Radio 2 Audience Award winning Bat Out Of Hell The Musical (Dominion Theatre/ Manchester Opera House). His other stage credits include Broken Wings (The Other Palace), Macheath in The Beggar’s Opera (William Christie and Les Arts Florissants) and Allegro (Southwark Playhouse).

Zorro the Musical brings together Director Christian Durham (Breaking The Code, Quaint Honour, Café Society Swing), Choreographer Cressida Carre (Avenue Q, Titanic, Pippi Longstocking), Designer Rosa Maggiora (Hobson’s Choice, Approaching Empty, ‘Nina’ A Story About Me & Nina Simone) and Orchestrator and Musical Director Nick Barstow (RAGS The Musical, Just So, RE:arrangement). The creative team also includes Sound Designer Andrew Johnson, Lighting Designer Matt Haskins, Flamenco Specialist Maria Vega, Fight Director Renny Krupinski, and Casting Director Jane Deitch.

Tickets are now on sale at www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk/events/zorro/

Categories
Everything Changes News

Everything Changes (Week 7/1/19 – 13/1/19)

It’s our first ever “Everything Changes” feature! This is the weekly feature that keeps you informed of shows that are opening and closing in the UK theatre scene and yes, it’s a reference to Waitress (which is opening in the West End this February!).


Opening Up!

Coming Clean – Trafalgar Studios 2 (from 9th January)

Coming Clean opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 on 9th January.
  • Location: Trafalgar Studios 2
  • Dates: 9th Jan to 2nd Feb 2019
  • Cast: Lee Knight (Tony), Stanton Plummer-Cambridge (Greg), Tom Lambert (Robert) & Elliot Hadley (William/Jurgen)
  • Creatives: Kevin Elyot (Author), King’s Head Theatre (Producer), Making Productions Limited (Producer), RGM Productions (Producer), Adam Spreadbury-Maher (Director), Nic Farman (Lighting) & Amanda Mascarenhas (Design)

Following a critically acclaimed run at the London’s King’s Head Theatre, the producers behind the Olivier nominated La Boheme transfer the smash-hit, sell-out play by Kevin Elyot, writer of the landmark drama My Night With Reg, transfers to Trafalgar Studios 2 this January.

Tony and Greg seem to have love all figured out. They’re in a committed relationship but with room for a little more on the side whenever it takes their fancy. The only rule? Never sleep with the same man twice.

When drop-dead gorgeous Robert walks into their lives, the fragile foundations of their sexual contract are thrown into jeopardy.

Funny, fresh and packed with razor-sharp wit, Coming Clean questions the nature of fidelity and the limits of love.


Songs for Nobodies – Ambassadors Theatre (from 9th Jan)

Songs for Nobodies transfers to the West End on 9th Jan
  • Location: Ambassadors Theatre
  • Dates: 9th Jan to 23rd Feb 2019
  • Cast: Bernadette Robinson
  • Creatives: Joanna Murray-Smith (Author) & Simon Phillips (Director)

After a stunning run at Wilton’s Music Hall, and after overwhelming demand, Songs for Nobodies is transferring to the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre for a strictly limited run starting 9 January. This one woman show is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

For 90 minutes, accompanied only by live musicians, Bernadette Robinson singlehandedly tells the tales of five everyday women whose lives are changed when they briefly encounter fame and the legendary singers who had such an impact on them. Bringing to life powerhouse voices across vastly different genres of music, Bernadette Robinson has a versatility that is truly astonishing. Watch as she brings Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas to life as you listen.

Bernadette Robinson’s talent is nearly unbelievable so don’t miss your chance to see it for yourself.


Violet – Charing Cross Theatre (from 12th Jan)

Violet opens at Charing Cross Theatre on 12th Jan
  • Location: Charing Cross Theatre
  • Dates: 12th Jan to 6th Apr 2019
  • Cast: Kaisa Hammarlund (Violet), Matthew Harve (Monty), Jay Marsh (Flick), Simbi Akande, Angelica Allen, Kenneth Avery-Clark, Keiron Crook, James Gant, Danny Michaels, Janet Mooney, Amy Mepham, Rebecca Nardin & Madeleine Sellman (Young Violet)
  • Creatives: Jeanine Tesori (Music), Brian Crawley (Book & Lyrics), Steven M Levy (Producer), Vaughan Williams (for Charing Cross Theatre Productions Ltd) (Producer), Umeda Arts Theater Co Ltd (Osaka Japan) (Producer), Shuntaro Fujita (Director), Cressida Carre (Choreographer), Morgan Large (Design), Jonathan Lipman (Costume), Howard Hudson (Lighting), Andrew Johnson (Sound) & Dan Jackson (Musical Director)

1964. Somewhere between North Carolina and Oklahoma, we find Violet, a young woman who was facially disfigured as a child. She hopes her life savings will bring her a miracle halfway across the country. Reflecting on her childhood, and shaped by the reactions of the people she encounters, Violet embarks on a life-changing personal journey.

Based on The Ugliest Pilgrim by Doris Betts.


Another Opening Of Another Show

  • The War of The Worlds (The New Diorama Theatre, 8 Jan to 9 Feb)
  • Anomaly (Old Red Lion, 8 Jan to 2 Feb)
  • Franz Kafka – Apparatus (White Bear, 8 to 26 Jan)
  • In Lipstick (Pleasance, 8 to 27 Jan)
  • In Conversation with Graham Norton (The Hope Theatre, 8 to 26 Jan)
  • Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses, 8 to 12 Jan)
  • Salt (Theatre503, 9 to 10 Jan)
  • Rosenbaum’s Rescue (Park Theatre, 9 Jan)
  • Approaching Empty (The Kiln, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
  • Stop and Search (Arcola, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
  • Outlying Islands (The King’s Head Theatre, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
  • Original Death Rabbit (Jermyn Street Theatre, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
  • Valhalla (White Bear, 9 Jan to 10 Jan)
  • The Daughter-In-Law (Arcola, 10 Jan to 2 Feb)
  • Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre, 10 to 11 Jan)
  • The Murder Express (Pedley Street Station, 11 Jan to 31 Mar)
  • Gone (Theatre503, 11 to 13 Jan)
  • Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 12 Jan)
  • Murder, She Didn’t Write (Leicester Square Theatre, 13 Jan to 19 May)
  • Extra Virgin (Above the Stag Theatre, 13 Jan to 10 Feb)
  • I’m Sorry But… (Bread and Roses, 13 to 14 Jan)
  • Waiting for Curry (The King’s Head Theatre, 13 to 14 Jan)

Happy Trails!

Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls & The Band are a few of the shows that are closing this week.

8 Jan

  • Cuttings (Theatre503)

9 Jan

  • The Tell-Tale Heart (Dorfman Theatre (National Theatre))

10 Jan

  • Salt (Theatre503)
  • Valhalla (White Bear)

11 Jan

  • Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre)

12 Jan

  • A Christmas Carol (Arts)
  • Dreamgirls (Savoy)
  • Hole (Royal Court – Jerwood Theatre)
  • Kinky Boots (Adelphi)
  • Mother Goose Cracks One Out! (Above the Stag Theatre)
  • Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre)
  • The Band (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
  • The Hound of the Baskervilles (Drayton Arms Theatre)
  • Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses)
  • Uncle Vanya (Hampstead Theatre)

13 Jan

  • Gone (Theatre503)
  • Murder For Two (The Other Palace)
  • Room on the Broom (Lyric)
  • Sherlock Homeless – The Anatomy of Rubbish (Barons Court Theatre)
  • Snow White at The London Palladium (London Palladium)
  • Swan Lake (London Coliseum)

It is going to be a crazy week with a lot of long-running shows leaving the West End this weekend. With last weekend’s closings of Bat Out Of Hell, Chicago and 42nd Street, followed by this weekend’s closings of A Christmas Carol, Dreamgirls, Kinky Boots, The Band and Snow White…well, the West End is going to look a lot different!

This will also mean that the West End will start to see signs of new shows arriving with new marquees for shows such as Come From Away at the Phoenix, 9 to 5 at the Savoy, Six at the Arts, Waitress at the Adelphi and Only Fools and Horses at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.