News….29th April 2024

• Fun At The Beach Romp-Bomp-a-Lomp!! – the new musical by Brandon Lambert and Martin Landry –will have its world premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough Theatre on 29 May and will run until 22 June. Billed as a blend between Squid Game and Grease, the show unfolds on a scorching beach day, where participants gather for the legendary “Beach Romp-Bomp-a-Lomp!!” competition. As they battle for the coveted title of King or Queen of the Beach, the stakes get higher and the events more perilous, with a series of increasingly deadly beach challenges. Set to appear will be Bradley Adams (ensemble), Tom Babbage (Joe), Ellie Clayton (MaryJoe), Damien James (Dickie), Janice Landry (Chastity), Dixie Newman (ensemble), Katie Oxman (Chickie) and Jack Whittle (Dude). Landry completes the cast as the Announcer. The creative team led by director Mark Bell, includes Emily Bestow (set and costume design), Andy Graham (sound design), Francesca Jaynes (choreography) and Adam King (lighting design).
• Here & Now – the Steps musical has extended its world premiere run at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham. It opens on 9^th November and will now run until 30^th November. The story follows the workers and patrons of a seaside superstore (full of shocks, surprises and thrills). Penned by Shaun Kitchener and directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, it is produced by the band, theatre company ROYO and music mogul Pete Waterman. First announced in February, the musical became the venue’s fastest selling show, with 50 per cent of seats sold within 24 hours. Choreography is by Matt Cole, musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design by Tom Rogers, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, associate direction by Matt Hassall, associate choreography by Jane McMurtrie with associate sound design by Ollie Durrant. The band, composed of Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee, have number one singles including “Tragedy”/”Heartbeat” and “Stomp”, as well as the likes of “One For Sorrow”, “Better Best Forgotten”, “5,6,7,8”, “Last Thing On My Mind”, “Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart” and “Chain Reaction” are all set to appear in the show.
• Dorian: The Musical – will have its world premiere at Southwark Playhouse Borough from 4 July to 10 August. The modern adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is directed by Linnie Reedman, with music and lyrics by Joe Evans. In this new vision, the piece follows the journey of Dorian Gray, a young musician who experiences overnight success only to confront the dark side of his desires. Taking on the role of Dorian is Alfie Friedman (The Undeclared War, The Witches of Eastwick). Further casting for the production is yet to be announced. After facing a cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic, an earlier version of Dorian: The Musical was made available for streaming in 2021. The creative team includes musical director Aaron Clingham, production manager and lighting designer Toby Darvill, set and costume designer Isabella Van Braeckel, and sound designer Mike Thacker, with general management by Carter Dixon McGill.
• Sister Act – Lee Mead is set to join the West End cast of Sister Act at the Dominion Theatre. Mead will star opposite Alexandra Burke (as Deloris Van Cartier) in the role of Eddie Souther (currently played by Clive Rowe), beginning performances on 10 June. In addition, Ruth Jones (Gavin and Stacey) has extended her run as Mother Superior through to 3 August. Lesley Joseph (who stars as Sister Mary Lazarus in the production) will assume the role of Mother Superior from 5 to 31 August. Also extending their current runs in the production are Lemar (as Curtis Jackson), Alison Jiear (as Sister Mary Patrick), and Carl Mullaney (as Monsignor O’Hara). Beverley Knight and Clive Rowe’s final performance in Sister Act will take place on 8 June. The company is completed by Lizzie Bea (as Sister Mary Robert), alongside Caroline Bateson, Natalia Brown, Damian Buhagiar, Tricia Deighton, Lori Haley Fox, Lauren Hall, Chloe Hopcroft, Tom Hopcroft, Bradley Judge, Claudia Kariuki, Graham MacDuff, Castell Parker, Emma Ralston, Anne Smith, Michael Ward and Jermaine Woods.
• Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile – is set to receive its London premiere at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre on 17^th May and is set to run until 8^th June 2024. Co-produced by The Roald Dahl Story Company, Leeds Playhouse (where it received its world premiere staging last December) and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, the family-friendly musical features a score by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab (who performs under the band name Sinkane), book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, and additional music and lyrics, orchestrations, arrangements and musical supervision by Tom Brady. It tells the tale of a hungry crocodile searching for a delicious child to snap up for dinner. Appearing at Regent’s Park will be Joanna Adaran (marking her professional stage debut) as Trunky, Audrey Brisson (Into the Woods, Amélie The Musical) as Roly Poly Bird, Laura Buhagiar (Seize the Cheese: A New Musical) as Swing, Malinda Parris (The Little Big Things, & Juliet) as The Enormous Crocodile, Nuwan Hugh Perera (The Lord of the Rings, Life of Pi) as Humpy Rumpy, and Elise Zavou (Heathers, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World) as Muggle Wump/Teacher. The show includes a “menagerie of mischievous puppets” by leading designer Toby Olié (who previously worked on 101 Dalmatians at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and also co-directs). The production features set and costumes by Fly Davis, choreography by Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound design by Tom Gibbons, musical direction by Màth Roberts, associate direction by Tash Holway, and associate puppet design and puppet supervision by Daisy Beattie. Phij Adams serves as music technologist and ambleton programmer, with Johnny Edwards as associate sound designer, James Hasset as season associate sound designer, Aundrea Fudge as voice coach, Avye Leventis as associate puppetry director, Emily Lim as developer and director, and Bryony Jarvis Taylor as casting director.
• Carousel – is to be performed in concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 13^th July 2024. Jamie Muscato (Moulin Rouge! the Musical, Heathers) will star as Billy Bigelow and he will be joined on stage by Christine Allado (Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, The Prince of Egypt) as Julie Jordan and Rebecca Caine (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera) as Nettie Fowler. The production will be directed by Emma Butler (Side Show in Concert) with musical direction by Adam Hoskins (Once: in Concert). The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical originally premiered on Broadway in 1945 and has been named as Time magazine’s ‘Best Musical of the 20th Century’.
• Robin Hood – will be this year’s pantomime at the iconic London Palladium, opening on the 7th December and running until 12^th January 2025. Starring Jane McDonald as Maid Marion and Palladium panto regular Julian Clary as Robin Hood, the show will feature a number of familiar faces including Paul Zerdin (Will Scarlet), Nigel Havers (Friar Tuck), Charlie Stemp (Alan-A-Dale) and Rob Madge (The Spirit of Sherwood). Also in the Palladium production will be Marisha Wallace (Guys and Dolls) and Tosh Wanogho-Maud (Ain’t Too Proud), as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Little John respectively. Michael Harrison, producer and director of all current London Palladium pantomimes will lead the production which has set designs by Mark Walters and costume designs by Hugh Durrant created especially for The London Palladium, choreography by Karen Bruce, visual special effects by The Twins FX, lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Matt Peploe for Gareth Owen Sound and composition and orchestrations by Gary Hind.

News….22nd April 2024

• A Chorus Line – is to return to the stage this year. The Made at Curve production will be directed by the venue’s artistic director, Nikolai Foster, and choreographed by Ellen Kane. It will open at Curve on 28 June, running until 13 July 2024 before heading to the Lowry in Salford from 23 to 27 July and then it’s on to Sadler’s Wells from 31 July to 25 August, 2024. It will then call at Norwich Theatre Royal from 27 to 31 August, the Marlowe in Canterbury from 2 to 7 September, Birmingham Hippodrome from 10 to 14 September, New Theatre in Cardiff from 16 to 21 September, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 24 to 28 September, and Wycombe Swan from 30 September to 5 October. The production will see the return of musical theatre performer, dancer, and choreographer Adam Cooper, who will reprise his role as Zach. Mercedes Dyer will also return as Cassie, an auditionee and Zach’s former lover. Joining them will be Jocasta Almgill as Diana Morales, Lydia Bannister as Bebe Benzenheimer, Bradley Delarosbel as Gregory Gardner, Archie Durrant as Mark Anthony, Joshua Lay as Al Deluca, Katie Lee as Kristine Urich, Mireia Mambo as Richie Walters, Kanako Nakano as Judy Turner (and cover Connie Wong), Manuel Pacific as Paul San Marco, Ashley-Jordon Packer as Larry (and cover Paul San Marco), Kate Parr as Maggie Winslow, Rachel Jayne Picar as Connie Wong, Redmand Rance as Mike Costa, Chloe Saunders as Val Clarke, Toby Seddon as Bobby Mills, Amy Thornton as Shelia Bryant and Louie Wood as Don Kerr. The cast is completed by ensemble members Yuki Abe (cover Kristine Urich and Judy Turner), Fin Adams (cover Mark Anthony and Mike Costa), Katrina Dix (cover Sheila Bryant and Bebe Benzenheimer), Imogen Rose Hart (cover Diana Morales, Maggie Winslow and Richie Walters), Laura Hills (cover Cassie and Val Clarke), Josh Kiernan (cover Bobby Mills and Gregory Gardner) and Joshua Steel (cover Don Kerr and Al Deluca). It features set design by Grace Smart (Hamlet), costume design by Edd Lindley (Billy Elliot the Musical), musical supervision by David Shrubsole (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), lighting design by Howard Hudson (& Juliet) and sound design by Tom Marshall (Grease), with musical direction by Matthew Spalding (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
• 101 Dalmatians – the musical is setting out on tour later this year. The production is based on the show that played at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in the summer of 2022 the piece is written by Douglas Hodge (music and lyrics) and Johnny McKnight (book), from a stage adaptation by Zinnie Harris. It tells the story of a couple who find themselves surrounded by a tidal wave of dogs – only for the canines in question to be then coveted by the notorious fashionista Cruella de Vil. Taking on the role of de Vil will be Kym Marsh who will star in the show in Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast, Newcastle, Southend, Dublin, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Woking, Cardiff, Southampton, Aberdeen and York. Marsh will not be appearing in Norwich, Canterbury, Leicester, Wolverhampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Oxford and Brighton and her alternative will be announced shortly. The director is Bill Buckhurst, with sets designed by David Woodhead, costumes designed by Sarah Mercadé and choreography by Lucy Hind. Musical supervision is from Alfonso Casado Trigo, orchestration by Jack Hopkins, the puppets are designed by Jimmy Grimes, with lighting by James Whiteside and sound design from Chris Whybrow. The musical director is Leigh Thompson, and casting director is Lucy Casson.
• Oliver! – the brand new production which opens at the Chichester Festival Theatre in July is set to move into the West End opening on 14^th December at the Gielgud Theatre. Under the direction and choreography of Matthew Bourne, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, the production is expected to more closely match the original as perceived by Lionel Bart and remembered by Cameron Mackintosh. The company for the West End features Simon Lipkin (Elf) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (The Lord of the Rings) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Dodger) as the Artful Dodger, and Philip Franks (Art) as Mr Brownlow. Further cast is to be announced.
• Moulin Rouge! The Musical – a new touring production will launch in 2025 in the UK before travelling internationally. The West End staging will simultaneously continue its run at the Piccadilly Theatre. Directed by Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical has a book by John Logan, choreography by Sonya Tayeh, and music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Justin Levine. The design team includes Derek McLane (sets), Catherine Zuber (costumes), Justin Townsend (lighting), Peter Hylenski (sound), David Brian Brown (wig and hair design), and Sarah Cimino (make-up design). Casting is by Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher.
• Mrs. Doubtfire – is set to continue its West End run at the Shaftesbury Theatre with some cast changes. Gabriel Vick will continue in his role as Daniel Hillard, joined by Laura Tebbutt (School of Rock) as Miranda Hillard, Cameron Blakely (Newsies) as Frank Hillard, Marcus Collins (Kinky Boots) as Andre, and Micha Richardson (Come From Away) who will now play Wanda Sellner. From Tuesday 14 May 2024, they will be joined by Charlotte Fleming making her West End debut as Lydia Hillard, Matthew Goodgame (Chicago) as Stuart Dunmire, and Ross Dawes (The Phantom of the Opera) as Mr Jolly. The full cast, some of whom are also joining on 14 May, include Michael Afemaré, Alex Bowen, Nicole Carlisle, Joshua Dever, Joseph Dockree, Autumn Draper, Maria Garrett, Cristina Hoey, Peter Houston, Jodie Knight, Ryan Lay, Adam Lyons, Lisa Mathieson, Ellie Mitchell, Perry O’Dea, Rhys Owen, Bleu Woodward, and Tom Woollaston. Younger company members are Thommy Bailey Vine, Herbie Byers, and Parker Newman, who alternate the role of Christopher Hillard and Rachelle Bonfield-Bell, Ellemie Shivers, and Felicity Walton, who alternate the role of Natalie Hillard. The musical is now scheduled to run until 16 February 2025.
• Julie: The Musical – returns to London’s The Other Palace Theatre on 13^th June and will run until the 30^th June in the Studio. Nominated at the Offies for Best New Musical 2024, it is based on the exceptional and non-conforming life of queer icon, Julie D’Augbigny. This hilarious and witty celebration features live music, comedy, tap dancing, sword fights, twerking nuns and kazoo choruses. An original musical from Le Gasp! Productions, the show is directed and produced by Conor Dye with book, lyric and music by Abey Bradbury.

News….15th April 2024

• ATG Entertainment – is the new name for the Ambassador Theatre Group – who oversee 65 venues across the UK, Germany and North America while also producing a variety of major stage productions. The organisation will utilise a new logo (projected onto the side of the Manchester Opera House above) as part of the commitment to modernise the look and strengthen the brand proposition. Over the past few years ATG Entertainment have grown quickly and, with 64 venues and over 11,500 people across Europe and North America, they will strengthen the unification of the group with a brand that reflects the breadth of their business. The name reflects the fact that ATG also presents music, comedy and other forms of entertainment beyond theatre. The company sells close to 18 million tickets every year, while its in-house productions include the likes of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Moulin Rouge!, The Lion King, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
• Here You Come Again – the new Dolly Parton musical will now star alongside Tricia Paoluccio and Stephen Webb as Dolly and die-hard fan Kevin, Aidan Cutler (Back to the Future the Musical) as backing vocalist and Cover Kevin and Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke (Pretty Woman) as backing vocalist and Cover Dolly. Originally written by two-time Emmy award-winning comedy and songwriter Bruce Vilanch with Gabriel Barre (who also directs) and Tricia Paoluccio, it has now been adapted for the UK by acclaimed British playwright Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Coronation Street). The full creative team includes set and costume designer Paul Wills, choreographer Lizzie Gee, lighting designer Tim Deiling, sound designer Tom Marshall, associate director/assistant choreographer Teenie MacLeod, illusion designer Richard Pinner, orchestrator Eugene Gwozdz, orchestra manager Maurice Cambridge, production manager Ben Arkell and casting director Stuart Burt. Richard John is musical supervisor and Jordan Li-Smith is musical director, while Kevin Oliver Jones joins the band on bass, Alex Crawford on guitar and Ben Scott on drums. A co-production with Simon Friend Entertainment, it premieres on Saturday 11 May in Leeds beofre moving on to Leicester, Newcastle, Canterbury, Cambridge, Nottingham, Malvern, Edinburgh, Southend, Cardiff, Brighton,Birmingham, Sheffield. Richmond, Glasgow, Norwich, Woking, Cheltenham, Salford, Milton Keynes, Blackpool and Liverpool.
• Guys and Dolls – at the Bridge Theatre has set its closing date. It will now complete its run at the Bridge Theatre on 4 January 2025. With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, the comedic piece tells a tale of love, gambling and faith in New York. Nick Hytner’s revival earned critical acclaim for its immersive production design when it first opened at the Bridge Theatre in spring 2023. Last night, it won the Olivier Award for Best Choreography. Directed by Hytner, it has choreography by Arlene Phillips with James Cousins, musical supervision and arrangements by Tom Brady, set by Bunny Christie, costumes by Christie and Deborah Andrews, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Arditti, orchestrations by Charlie Rosen, associate direction by James Cousins and Lily Dyble, casting by Charlotte Sutton, fight direction by Kate Waters and wigs, hair and make-up by Campbell Young Associates.
• Heathers the Musical – will return to the West End for a limited run this summer. Produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd and Paul Taylor-Mills, the new London run will take place at @sohoplace from 22 May to 6 July 2024, before embarking on its third UK tour, opening at Theatre Royal Windsor on 24 July. It will then visit Bath (from 30 July), Portsmouth (from 6 August), Cardiff (from 13 August), Newcastle (from 3 September), Milton Keynes (from 10 September), Chester (from 17 September), Sheffield (from 1 October), Stockton (from 15 October) and Torquay (from 5 November) with further dates to be announced. It previously ran at The Other Palace and in the West End in 2018 and 2021. The show was then re-staged from 2021 to 2023 back at The Other Palace, and it has also mounted two UK tours. The WhatsOnStage Award-winning musical features a book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, and is based on the 1989 cult film of the same name, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. The production is directed by Andy Fickman, with choreography by associate director Gary Lloyd, designs by David Shields, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Dan Samson.
• My Fair Lady – the Leeds Playhouse and Opera North co-production of Lerner and Loewe’s iconic musical will star Soprano Katie Bird and Poldark star John Hopkins as Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins, respectively. Directed by James Brining, the production will grace Leeds Playhouse’s Quarry Theatre stage from 31 May to 29 June. The principal cast includes performers from Opera North’s chorus, with the additions of Mark Burghagen (The Passing Bells) as Professor Zoltan Karpathy and Ahmed Hamad (Sunset Boulevard) as Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Richard Mosley-Evans, a long-standing member of Opera North’s chorus, takes on the role of Eliza’s father, Alfred P Doolittle, while Molly Barker, another member of Opera North, portrays Mrs Eynsford-Hill. Miranda Bevin, seen previously at Leeds Playhouse in A Little Night Music, assumes the role of Mrs Higgins, and Helen Évora (Into the Woods) will play Mrs Pearce. Dean Robinson (A Little Night Music) will play Colonel Pickering. The creative team features set and costume designer Madeleine Boyd, choreographer Lucy Hind, musical director/conductor Oliver Rundell, lighting designer Guy Hoare and sound designer Seb Frost. The dialect coach is Eleanor Manners, associate choreographer Llandyll Gove, Rosie Kat assistant director, with Daniel Hogan as assistant conductor and Annette Saunders as chief repetiteur.
• Marie Curie – the English-language premiere of new musical Marie Curie is set to run at London’s Charing Cross Theatre this summer, playing from 1 June until 28 July, with a press night set for 7 June. Featuring a book and lyrics by Seeun Choun and music by Jongyoon Choi, the piece debuted at the Chungmu Art Center in South Korea in 2020, before a second mounting at the Hongik Art Center Grand Theater. It went on to win the Grand Prize, Best Book, Best Music, Best Director, and Best Producer at the Fifth Korea Musical Awards. In 2023, it also began a tour to six cities across South Korea. The musical follows the moral dilemma of the Nobel Prize winner as she discovers the lifesaving potential of radium to cure cancer, while the factory workers handling the glowing substance are succumbing to the grip of radium poisoning. The cast will be led by Ailsa Davidson (Heathers) as Marie Curie, Chrissie Bhima (The Witches) as Anne Kowalska, Thomas Josling (Scandaltown) as Pierre Curie and Richard Meek (The Rocky Horror Show) as Ruben Dupont, Christopher Killik, Dean Makowski-Clayton, Rio Maye, Yujin Park, Isabel Snaas, Maya Kristal Tenenbaum and Lucy Young. Directed by Sarah Meadows (Ride) and produced by Byungwon Kang and LIVE Corp., the English-language premiere features an English book adaptation by Tom Ramsay, English lyrics adaptation and musical direction by Emma Fraser, literal translation by Ahreumbi Rew, choreography by Joanna Goodwin, set and costume design by Rose Montgomery, costume supervision by Evelien van Camp, lighting design by Prema Mehta, sound design by Andrew Johnson, casting direction by Jane Deitch, production management by James Anderton and general management by Ollie Hancock and Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment. The associate director is Olivia Munk.
• Kinky Boots – a new production of the musical Kinky Boots is set to tour the UK and Ireland in 2025. Johannes Radebe (Strictly Come Dancing) and Dan Partridge (Grease) will lead the cast as Lola and Charlie Price, respectively, with Nikolai Foster (Billy Elliot) directing the show. This is a story of British industrial heritage, told through Michael Fierstein’s fiercely intelligent words, and Cyndie Lauper’s explosive songs, in a truly joyful musical about overcoming adversity, celebrating individuality, the power of a good pair of heels and community spirit. Alongside Foster, Hill and Jones, the creative team also includes lighting designer Ben Cracknell, sound designer Adam Fisher and casting director Harry Blumenau. The tour launches at Leicester Curve (17 to 25 January 2025), before heading to New Victoria Theatre, Working (28 January to 1 February), Manchester Palace Theatre (4 to 8 February), Glasgow Kings Theatre (11 to 15 February), Edinburgh Playhouse (18 to 22 February), Truro Hall for Cornwall (25 February to 1 March), Norwich Theatre Royal (4 to 8 March), Milton Keynes Theatre (11 to 15 March), Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (18 to 22 March), Brighton Theatre Royal (25 to 29 March), Birmingham Hippodrome (15 to 19 April), Plymouth Theatre Royal (22 to 26 April), Stockton Globe (29 April to 3 May), Newcastle Theatre Royal (6 to 10 May), Bristol Hippodrome (13 to 17 May), Leeds Grand Theatre (20 to 24 May), Southampton Mayflower Theatre (27 to 31 May), Cliffs Pavilion, Southend (3 to 7 June), Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (10 to 14 June), Belfast Grand Opera House (17 to 21 June), Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (24 to 28 June), Nottingham Theatre Royal (1 to 5 July), Liverpool Empire (8 to 12 July), Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin (15 to 19 July), and Oxford New Theatre (22 to 26 July).
• Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Pitlochry Festival Theatre are set to premiere a new production of the show to be directed by Sam Hardie (To the Bone) and will run from 7^th June until 28^th September 2024. The cast will be led by Olivier Award nominee Kirsty Findlay (Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour) in the titular role, alongside Lola Aluko (The Demon Headmaster) as Cynthia, Chris Coxon (The Wizard of Oz) as Neil Sedaka, Theo Diedrick (Sleeping Beauty) as Barry, Connor Going (Sunshine on Leith) as Gerry Goffin, Charlotte Grayson (The Lord of the Rings) as Shirelle, Nina Kristofferson (Medea) as Janelle, Signe Larsson (The Wizard of Oz) as Lucille, Myles Miller (Alice In Wonderland) as Drifter, Wendy Paver (Summer Holiday) as Genie, Elizabeth Rowe (Made in Dagenham) as Marilyn, Robin Simpson (The Railway Children) as Donnie Kirshner, Luke Thornton (The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole the Musical) as Nick, and Luke Wilson (Much Ado About Nothing) as Lou Adler. The production is designed by Jessica Worrall, with music direction by Richard Reeday, lighting by Jeanine Byrne, movement direction and choreography by Sundeep Saini and sound design by Hugh Barbour and Toby McFarlane.
• Cable Street – the five-star musical will return to Southwark Playhouse Elephant for a new run this autumn from 6^th September to 10^th October. The piece, written by composer and lyricist Tim Gilvin and playwright Alex Kanefsky, tells the story of the people of London’s East End in 1936, focusing on three young workers: Sammy, a Polish Jew; Mairead, an Irish Catholic; and Ron, a Lancastrian Brit. The pivotal moment in their lives occurs on Sunday 4 October 1936, during the Battle of Cable Street, with the musical raising the question of which side the young protagonists and their families will be fighting for. The creative team behind Cable Street includes director Adam Lenson, associate director Jamie Buller, choreographer Jevan-Howard Jones, musical supervisor Tamara Saringer, orchestrator and arrangor Tim Gilvin, set designer Yoav Segal, costume designer Lu Herbert, lighting designer Sam Waddington, dramaturg Olivia Mace, casting director Sarah Leung, and producers Dylan Schlosberg’s 10 to 4 Productions and Neil Marcus.
• Lizzie – the musical will return for a fresh run in Manchester later this year. The musical explores the life of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in the late summer of 1892. With music by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt, lyrics by Cheslik-DeMeyer and Tim Maner, and a book by Maner, Lizzie delves into the character’s complex psyche and speculates on the motivations she may have had. The production will return for a three-week spell from 17 October to 11 November at the Hope Mill Theatre. Directed and choreographed by William Whelton, the production features musical supervision by Katy Richardson, musical direction by Honor Halford-Macleod, set and lighting design by Andrew Exeter, costume design by Rachel Tansey, dialect coaching by Manny Crooks, sound design by Adam Fisher, associate choreography by Yandass Ndlovu, video design by Dan Light and casting by Pearson Casting. After such the successful run of Lizzie last autumn in Manchester and across the UK, including a run at London’s Southwark Playhouse Elephant, the show returns back home to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, where it was rehearsed and created.
• Jerry’s Girls – the Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of the revue celebrating multi-award-winner Jerry Herman’s works is directed by Hannah Chissick, with choreography by Matt Cole and musical supervision and arrangements by Sarah Travis, which will include numbers from Mame, Hello Dolly!, Milk and Honey, Mack and Mabel, and La Cage aux Folles. The set and costume designer is Paul Farnsworth, while the lighting designer is Philip Gladwell. It runs from 18 May to 29 June in a limited season, with a cast set to feature Cassidy Janson (& Juliet), Lyn Paul (Blood Brothers) and Julie Yammanee (Clueless).

News….8th April 2024

• Chicago – will embark on a brand new tour later this year. The iconic show follows Roxie, a woman who murders her lover but tries to escape the wrath of the law. The piece is the winner of six Tony Awards, and has played in 36 countries worldwide. Numbers in Kander and Ebb’s musical include “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango”, and “All That Jazz”. It will run from Saturday 12 October to Saturday 19 October 2024 at the Milton Keynes Theatre, followed by the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford (21 October to 26 October 2024), the Theatre Royal in Newcastle (28 October to 2 November 2024), the Palace Theatre in Manchester (4 November to 9 November 2024), the Orchard Theatre in Dartford (11 November to 16 November 2024), the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton (19 November to 23 November 2024), and Stoke Regent Theatre (25 November to 30 November 2024). Into 2025, the show will visit His Majesty’s Aberdeen (14 to 18 January), Cheltenham Everyman (20 to 25 January), Sheffield Lyceum (28 January to 1 February), Edinburgh Playhouse (4 to 8 February), Liverpool Empire (10 to 15 February), Oxford New Theatre (24 February to 1 March), Southend Cliffs Pavilion (3 to 8 March), Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin (11 to 15 March), Grand Opera House Belfast (17 to 22 March), Bournemouth Pavilion (31 March to 5 April), Nottingham Royal Concert Hall (7 to 12 April), Birmingham Alexandra (14 to 19 April), Hall for Cornwall Truro (21 to 26 April), Venue Cymru Llandudno (29 April to 3 May), Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff (5 to 10 May), Bristol Hippodrome (19 to 24 May), New Wimbledon Theatre (9 to 14 June), Curve, Leicester (16 to 21 June), Wolverhampton Grand (23 to 28 June), Hull New Theatre (30 June to 5 July), Congress Theatre Eastbourne (7 to 12 July), Norwich Theatre Royal (14 to 19 July), Blackpool Winter Gardens (21 to 26 July), New Victoria Woking (28 July to 2 August), Sunderland Empire (4 to 9 August), the Hawth Crawley (11 to 16 August) and King’s Theatre Glasgow (18 to 23 August).
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – the new production which is set to premiere at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton on 30^th April will star Adam Garcia in the role of Caractacus Potts. Joining him will be Emmerdale star Liam Fox, taking on the role of Grandpa Potts, while playing Truly Scrumptious will be Ellie Nunn, alongside Martin Callaghan as Baron, Jenny Gayner as Baroness, Adam Staffordas Boris, Michael Joseph as Goran and John Macaulay as The Toymaker. The cast also includes Charlie Bishop, Ruaraidh Blackwood, Hadrian Delacey, Belle Kizzy Green, Tia Gyngell, Kirsty Ingram, Bibi Jay, Isabella Mason, Joe Press, Theo UK Rose, Molly Rees Howe, Callum Train and Luke Woollaston. Jemima Potts will be played by Gracie Cochrane, Isla Ithier, Isabella Manning and Jasmine Nyenya, while Jeremy Potts will be played by Ayrton English, Charlie McGuire, Roshan Thomson and Louis Wilkins. This week it was announced that Charlie Brooks (The Ocean at the End of the Lane, EastEnders, Broken News) will play the Childcatcher in Southampton and a number of dates. Tour stops include Woking, Wimbledon, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Bromley, Milton Keynes, Belfast, Torquay, Llandudo, Glasgow, Inverness, Norwich, Oxford, Liverpool, Stoke, Hull, Leicester, Southend, Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Blackpool, Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, Sunderland, Bristol and Plymouth. The production will be under the direction of Thom Southerland, Artistic Director Mayflower Theatre Southampton (Titanic, Parade) and choreographed by Karen Bruce (Strictly Come Dancing, The Bodyguard). It includes set and costume design by Morgan Large (Newsies, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat), lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Gareth Tucker, and musical supervision by George Dyer (The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Billy Elliot). Casting is handled by Debbie O’Brien.
• I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical – will return for its first tour this summer. The award-winning revue, penned by Alexander S Bermange, is to be directed and choreographed by Matthew Parker. It pokes fun at all the most well-known musical theatre tropes, and has picked up a raft of five-star reviews over its many previous runs. The show will open for a new tour at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester, where it plays from 2 to 6 July, before moving to the King’s Head Theatre in London (9 to 20 July), Everyman Cork (25 to 27 July), Gilded Balloon Museum at the Edinburgh Fringe (1 to 25 August), Corn Exchange Newbury (29 August), the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton (30 August) and Theatre Royal Winchester (31 August).
• The Jingleclaw – will be the first show for the New Musical Theatre department at Birmingham Hippodrome which was launched to champion and support the development of original work. The show will be Robyn Grant and Tim Gilvin’s festive family show aimed for those aged three to seven. It will run in the venue’s Patrick Studio from 12 December to 4 January, telling the story of a young musician, Astrid, and the mischievous forest being known as the Jingleclaw. The venue’s New Musical Theatre department is overseen by Deirdre O’Halloran, who joined Birmingham Hippodrome from the Bush Theatre. The department has also been hosting workshop productions of developing shows, while also offering a developmental programme which offers five writing teams the opportunity to develop a new musical over the course of 12 months.
• Jerry’s Girls – the celebration of Broadway composer Jerry Herman, will run at the Menier Chocolate Factory this summer. The production, directed by Hannah Chissick, with choreography by WhatsOnStage Award-winner Matt Cole and musical supervision and arrangements by Sarah Travis, will celebrate multi-award-winner Herman’s works, including numbers from Mame, Hello Dolly!, Milk and Honey, Mack and Mabel, and La Cage Aux Folles. An all-female cast and band will present the revival, which runs from 18 May to 29 June in a limited season at the Southwark venue. Jerry’s Girls was first created by Herman and collaborator Larry Alford in 1981, opening Off-Broadway to critical acclaim, and going on to have a national tour and a Tony-nominated run on Broadway, directed and choreographed by Wayne Cilento. It was previously presented in London in 2015, running at the St James Theatre (now the Other Palace) studio, and the Jermyn Street Theatre.
• Oklahoma! – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical will return to Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 19^th and 20^th August celebrating its 80th anniversary year. Leading the concert staging will be Ted Lasso star and Emmy nominee Phil Dunster (who was last seen in the West End in The Entertainer at the Garrick Theatre) as Curly, alongside WhatsOnStage Award nominee Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins, Cake) as Laurey. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s seminal piece was first seen on UK shores at Manchester’s Palace Theatre ahead of opening in London at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1947, where it ran for 1,543 performances. The concert is to be directed and choreographed by Bill Deamer, and will feature Robert Russell Bennett’s full original 28-piece orchestrations performed by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Ben Glassberg. It is produced by JAS Theatricals, Fourth Wall Live and the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, the team behind the WhatsOnStage Award-winning concert of Love Never Dies.

News….2nd April 2024

Footloose – will open the 2024 season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre main house on 31 May and will run until 26 September, before transferring to co-producing house, the New Wolsey Theatre from 3 to 26 October. Adapted for the stage by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, it features a score by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford with additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar,  Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman. The production is designed by Adrian Rees, with music directed by Richard Reeday, lighting by Jeanine Byrne, sound by James Cook, choreography by Kally Lloyd-Jones, fight direction by Robin Hellier and the voice dialect coach is Charmian Hoare. Casting was completed by the creative team following an open call. Forming the cast are Lola Aluko (Medea), Chris Coxon (The Wizard of Oz) as Coach Roger Dunbar, Theo Diedrick (Sleeping Beauty) as Lyle, Kirsty Findlay (Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour) as Ariel Moore, Connor Going (Sunshine on Leith) as Chuck Cranston, Charlotte Grayson (The Lord of the Rings) as Wendy Jo, Nina Kristofferson (Medea) as Ethel McCormack, Signe Larsson (The Wizard of Oz) as Urleen and Myles Miller (Alice In Wonderland) as Travis. Joining them are Wendy Paver (The Blonde Bombshells of 1943) as Vi Moore, Elizabeth Rowe (Made in Dagenham) as Rusty, Robin Simpson (The Railway Children) as the Reverend Shaw Moore, Luke Thornton (The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole the Musical) as Willard and Luke Wilson (Much Ado About Nothing) as Ren McCormack. They form the already announced season company, also featuring Irene Allan (Wilf), Fiona Bruce (Once), Oliver Cookson (A Streetcar Named Desire), David Douglas (The Descent O’ Orpheus Tae the Underwal), soprano Emma Morwood, baritone Colin Murray, soprano Colleen Nicoll, David Rankine (The Fair Maid of the West), and mezzo-soprano Ulrike Wutscher.

The Rocky Horror Show – starring Jason Donovan will open the inaugural season of Fareham Live, a new venue operated by Trafalgar Theatres. The 800-seat venue is currently under construction and will launch as a multi-purpose facility in September 2024. It forms part of Fareham council’s multi-million-pound plans to regenerate the town centre. Donovan, whose stage credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Grease, stars as Dr Frank N Furter in the cult classic musical, a role he also played in Sydney last year. Christopher Luscombe’s production runs from 1 to 5 October as part of a wider tour. The opening season also includes visiting shows from Jimmy Carr, Jane McDonald, Anton du Beke, Adam Kay and Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Fareham Live’s pantomime, Cinderella, will star AJ and Curtis Pritchard.

• Cool Rider – the tenth anniversary concert of Cool Rider will be held at The London Palladium on 14^th April 2024. The cult musical sequel, an unofficial parody of Grease 2, initially played to sold-out audiences with spells at the Duchess Theatre and the Lyric Theatre. Fans of the show also funded an original studio cast recording through a Kickstarter campaign. The cast will include Aaron Sidwell (The Lord of the Rings, Wicked) and Ashleigh Gray (Wicked, Only Fools and Horses The Musical) reprising their roles as Michael Carrington and Stephanie Zinone, respectively, alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus (Death Drop) as The French One and Grease 2 star Maxwell Caulfield (Chicago, Guys and Dolls), the original Michael Carrington, as Mr Stuart. Joining them will be Tom Senior (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, School of Rock) as Johnny, Hannah Levane (We Will Rock You, Flashdance) as Paulette, Jacob Fowler (Heathers, Before After) as Louis, Courtney Bowman (Legally Blonde, Six) as Sharon, Kyle Cox (Ain’t Too Proud, Crazy for You) as Goose, Harry Francis (Mary Poppins, Cats) as Davey and Lucinda Lawrence (9 to 5, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as Rhonda. Levane, Francis and Lawrence will all be reprising their roles from previous runs of Cool Rider. Completing the company will be Selena Barron (Grease), Pamela Blair (Curtains), Angus Good (Mamma Mia!), David McIntosh (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Ashley-Jordon Packer (Cats) and Emily Ann Potter (Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat). The creative team includes Christopher D Clegg as director, Lee Freeman handling musical direction and orchestrations, Matt Krzan as choreographer, and Guy Unsworth, the original director. Lighting design is by Toby Darvill, with costumes by Ryan Webster and sound design by Will Thompson. Cool Rider was originally conceived and co-produced by Clegg and James DP Drury.
• Starlight Express – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, about a child’s train set that comes to life and competes to become the fastest engine in the world, is being revived in an all-new production at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, where it opens on 8^th June 2024. The production will introduce Jeevan Braich as Rusty, Kayna Montecillo as Pearl, Jade Marvin as Momma McCoy, Al Knott as Greaseball, Eve Humphrey as Dinah and Tom Pigram as Electra. The cast also includes Ollie Augustin, Charles Butcher, Renz Cardenas, Catherine Cornwall, Jamie Cruttenden, Kelly Downing, Asher Forth, Sam Gallacher, Lucy Glover, Pablo Gómez Jones, Scott Hayward, Lilianna Hendy, Lewis Kidd, Hannah Kiss, Oscar Kong, Emily Martinez, Deearna Mclean, Marianthe Panas, David Peter-Brown, RED, Bethany Rose Lythgoe, Ashley Rowe, Gary Sheridan, Elly Shaw, Jessica Vaux, Jaydon Vijn, Lara Vina Uzcatia, Sharon Wattis and Ashlyn Weekes. Starlight Express premiered at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in 1984, and ran until 2002. It has been running in Bochum, Germany for over 30 years, and has been seen by more than 20 million people. It has music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, and famously sees the cast perform on rollerskates. Luke Sheppard directs the new production, while Tim Hatley is designing the sets, with Gabriella Slade on costume design and Phillips part of the creative team, alongside video designer Andrzej Goulding, lighting designer Howard Hudson and sound designer Gareth Owen, with new orchestrations and musical supervision by Matthew Brind. It has new choreography by Ashley Nottingham, musical supervision by Brind and David Wilson, musical direction by Laura Bangay and casting by Pearson Casting. The production is set to “whizz around and above” the audience. Spectators are able to sit either around and inside the “racing track”, or behind the performance space on a more conventional rake.
• Mean Girls – casting has been revealed for the musical ahead of its West End premiere at the Savoy Theatre. Based on the Lindsay Lohan-led film about a girl who moves back to the US where she realises just how savage high school can be, the stage musical was first seen in Washington in 2017 before a Broadway transfer in 2018. It’s penned by Tina Fey, with music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Featuring many of the original film’s much-loved quotes, it has songs including “Meet the Plastics”, “Apex Predator” and “Revenge Party”. The stage show is directed by Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Aladdin). Set to star in the West End are Charlie Burn (Les Misérables) as Cady, Georgina Castle (Dirty Dancing, Elf the Musical) as Regina, Elèna Gyasi (Six, UK tour) as Gretchen, Grace Mouat (The Great British Bake Off Musical) as Karen, Elena Skye (Les Misérables, Kinky Boots) as Janis and Tom Xander (The Book of Mormon) as Damian. Daniel Bravo takes on the role of Aaron Samuels, with Lucca Chadwick-Patel as Kevin Ganatra, Ako Mitchell as North Shore Principal Mr Duvall, while Ms Norbury – the role originated in the 2004 film by its creator Fey – will be played by Zoë Rainey, who also plays the roles of Mrs George and Ms Heron. They are joined by Tia Antoine-Charles, Georgia Arron, Liam Buckland, Shonah Buwu, Baylie Carson, Freddie Clements, Siobhan Diffin, Clíona Flynn, Fergie Fraser, Angus Good, Jenny Huxley-Golden, Holly Liburd, Corey Mitchell, Mervin Noronha, Aharon Rayner, Trézel Sergeant, Josh Singleton, Annie Southall, Lillia Squires, Tommy Wade-Smith and Holly Willock. The show will begin previews on 5 June 2024, with an opening night on 19 June 2024 and will run until 16 February 2025.
• The Devil Wears Prada – Matt Henry has joined the cast of the musical based on the film which has its UK premiere later this year. Henry, whose stage credits include Kinky Boots, Saturday Night Fever and The Drifters Girls, will play Nigel – the role created on screen by Stanley Tucci – alongside the previously announced Vanessa Williams as the fearsome Miranda Priestly. The musical has a score by Elton John (music) and Shaina Taub (lyrics) and book by Kate Wetherhead – with direction and choreography by Jerry Mitchell (who also directed Henry in Kinky Boots). The show will open first at Theatre Royal Plymouth for a preliminary run from 9 July 2024, with a transfer to the West End on 24 October 2024 at the Dominion Theatre. A special gala event will raise money for World Aids Day and the Elton John Aids Foundation on 1 December 2024. The production features set design by Tim Hatley (Life of Pi, Back to the Future), costume design by Gregg Barnes (Some Like It Hot, Legally Blonde), lighting design by Bruno Poet (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Frankenstein), sound design by Gareth Owen (Come From Away, & Juliet) and casting by WhatsOnStage Award-winner Jill Green CDG.
• Kiss Me Kate – Peter Davison has joined the cast of the upcoming revival led by Stephanie J Block and Adrian Dunbar. Hailed as Cole Porter’s greatest musical comedy, the production is set for a 15-week run at the Barbican Theatre starting on 4 June 2024, with a press night scheduled for 18 June, concluding on 14 September. Also appearing are Charlie Stemp (Crazy for You) as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio, while Georgina Onuorah (The Wizard of Oz) will play Lois Lane/Bianca, alongside two WhatsOnStage Award-winners – Nigel Lindsay (An Enemy of the People) and Hammed Animashaun (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) who play the famous gangster pairing in the show. Peter Davison (Dr Who) will take on the role of the General. Directed in a new production by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher and featuring a company of 50 (including a full-scale orchestra), the musical showcases the work of Cole Porter, with the book by Sam and Bella Spewack. Notably, this revival reunites producing team members behind successful shows such as Anything Goes and A Strange Loop, both at the Barbican. The creative team includes Sher as the director, Anthony Van Laast as the choreographer, Michael Yeargan as the set designer, Catherine Zuber as the costume designer, Donald Holder as the lighting designer, Adam Fisher as the sound designer, and Stephen Ridley as the music supervisor. Casting is by Serena Hill.
• Fangirls – the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, in collaboration with Sonia Friedman Productions, has announced casting for the UK premiere of the musical. Written and composed by Yve Blake and directed by Paige Rattray, the show is set to run for six weeks from 13 July to 24 August at the Lyric Hammersmith. It follows Edna, a 14-year-old misfit in love with Harry, a member of the world’s biggest boy band. The creative team includes David Fleischer as the production designer, Ebony Williams as the choreographer, Ash J Woodward as the video designer, Jessica Hung Han Yun as the lighting designer, Tony Gayle as the sound designer, Zara Stanton as the vocal arranger and orchestrator, David Muratore as the music producer, Alex Sarmiento as the associate choreographer, Laurence Stannard as the associate musical director and Bobbie Chatt as casting associate. Making her musical theatre debut in the role of Edna, is recent graduate Jasmine Elcock – currently performing in Sheffield Theatres’ The Crucible, she is known for her Golden Buzzer performance on Britain’s Got Talent in 2016. Joining her are Miracle Chance (Starter for Ten, The Witches) as Brianna, Mary Malone (Burnt at the Stake) as Jules, Gracie McGonigal (The Little Big Things) as Lily, and Terique Jarrett (Daddy) plays Salty. Eve De Leon Allen (The House with Chicken) joins the company as Dom/Ensemble, Max Gill (Bugsy Malone) plays Greta/Ensemble, Lena Pattie Jones makes her professional debut as Ash/Ensemble, alongside Nicky Wong Rush (The Wedding Singer) as Dancer.
• & Juliet – casting for the UK tour of the musical is being set ahead of its opening at Manchester’s Opera House on 8^th July. The musical, directed by Luke Sheppard, offers a twist on the classic love story, asking what might have happened if Juliet hadn’t chosen the tragic ending over Romeo. It is set to a pop-infused soundtrack featuring iconic hits penned by Max Martin, like Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” and Katy Perry’s “Roar”. With a book by David West Read, the production has choreography by Jennifer Weber and set design by Soutra Gilmour. The musical’s tunes are crafted by Martin and his collaborators, while costume design is by Paloma Young, and musical supervision, orchestration, and arrangements by Bill Sherman. The production also includes lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Gareth Owen, video and projection design by Andrzej Goulding, hair, wig and makeup design by Suzy Barrett, musical direction, additional arrangements and orchestrations by Dominic Fallacaro, and casting direction by Stuart Burt. Set to star as the title role in the show are Gerardine Sacdalan, who graduated from Urdang performing arts academy this year and recently made an appearance in the concert revival of Made in Dagenham alongside Pixie Lott. Joining the already announced Sandra Marvin (Waitress, Sister Act, Hairspray) as Angélique, and Lara Denning (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Matilda the Musical, Sunset Boulevard) as Anne Hathaway will be Matt Cardle (The X Factor, Memphis, Strictly Ballroom) as Shakespeare. In addition, Jack Danson (Mamma Mia) will play Romeo, alongside Kyle Cox (Crazy For You) as Francois, Jordan Broatch (42 Balloons) as May, Michael Nelson (Dirty Dancing) as Henry, and Liam Morris (The Bodyguard) as Richard. They are joined by Jade Johnson (Book of Mormon) as Nell / Lady C, Rosie Singha (Love Never Dies concert) as Judith, Nia Stephen (Cinderella) as Imogen, and Psalms-Nissi Myers-Reid (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as Lucy/Alternate Juliet. Andilé Mabhena (Shrek The Musical) will play Augustine/Dance Team, Harriet Caplan-Dean (SIX), will play Eleanor, Alexander Kranz (To Wong Foo) will play Lennox, Aaron Shales (& Juliet) will play Gregory/Dance Team, Toni Paise (theatrical debut) will play Violet and Samuel Wilson-Freeman (Mrs Doubtfire) will play Fletcher and act as Resident Director and Dance Captain. Further casting is to be revealed. After Manchester the production will visit Blackpool’s Winter Gardens (23 to 27 July), Norwich Theatre Royal (30 July to 3 August), Glasgow Kings Theatre (13 to 24 August), Oxford New Theatre (2 to 7 September), Sunderland Empire (9 to 21 September), Hull New Theatre (23 to 28 September), Plymouth Theatre Royal (30 September to 5 October), Wolverhampton Grand (7 to 12 October), Marlowe Theatre Canterbury (14 to 19 October), Liverpool Empire (28 October to 2 November), Southampton Mayflower (5 to 9 November), Edinburgh Playhouse (12 to 16 November) and Leeds Grand (18 to 30 November). Into 2025, the show will visit Bristol Hippodrome (14 to 25 January), New Wimbledon Theatre (27 January to 1 February), His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen (4 to 8 February), Curve Leicester (17 to 22 February), Woking New Victoria (11 to 15 March), Bradford Alhambra (24 to 29 March), Milton Keynes Theatre (31 March to 12 April), Nottingham Theatre Royal (14 to 19 April), Birmingham Hippodrome (21 April to 3 May), Southend Cliffs Pavilion (5 to 10 May), Stoke Regent (12 tto 17 May), Sheffield Lyceum (20 to 31 May), Newcastle Theatre Royal (2 to 7 June), Truro Hall for Cornwall (10 to 14 June) and Cardiff Millenium Centre (16 to 28 June), with further dates to be confirmed.
• Rent – casting has been confirmed for the new revival of Rent, the first production for the newly formed Landmark Theatres. It ran on Broadway for 12 years from 1996 and premiered in London’s West End in 1998 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, where it ran for 18 months. Paul Jepson, CEO and creative director of Landmark Theatres, will direct the brand new revival, while the production has musical direction by Mark Crossland. Lucie Pankhurst is the choreographer and movement director, with set and costume design by Amanda Studley, and lighting design from Andy Purves. Set to appear are Alicia Corrales (Six the Musical) as Maureen, Athena Collins (Get Up, Stand Up!) as Joanne, Cameron Bernard Jones (Ain’t Too Proud) as Collins, Evita Khrime (Flashdance the Musical) as Mimi, Jack Reitman (Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror) as Mark, Kellianna Jay (Dreamgirls) as a swing, Kyle Richardson (The Lion King) as Angel, Luke Friend (Mamma Mia! The Party) as Roger and Myles Hart (The Book Of Mormon) as Benny. The ensemble also includes Alexandra Brighouse, Dylan Andrews, Edward Bullingham and Max Mirza. The show runs at Peterborough New Theatre from 20 to 29 June, before transferring to the Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple for a second run from 3 to 7 July. Tickets for both stops are on sale now.
• No Love Songs – Dundee Rep’s hit production of the musical is set to transfer to London this June. Written by Kyle Falconer of Mercury Prize-nominated Scottish indie band The View, along with his partner Laura Wilde and Johnny McKnight, the gig-theatre musical offers a fresh and urgent perspective on love and new parenthood. Following a successful run at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the show will now play at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from Tuesday 4 June to Saturday 15 June 2024. Co-directed by Dundee Rep’s artistic director, Andrew Panton, and associate director Tashi Gore, it has musical direction and arrangements by Gavin Whitworth, lighting design by Grant Anderson, sound design by Ritchie Young, set design by Leila Kalbassi and costume design by Cate Mackie.

News….25th March 2024

• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Adam Garcia is set to take on the role of Caractacus Potts in the new production, which is scheduled to open at Mayflower Theatre in Southampton on 30 April 2024, before commencing a UK tour. Joining him will be Emmerdale star Liam Fox, taking on the role of Grandpa Potts. Playing Truly Scrumptious will be Ellie Nunn, while also in the company are Martin Callaghan as the Baron / Sid, Jenny Gayner as the Baroness / Violet, Adam Stafford as Boris, Michael Joseph as Goran and John Macaulay as the Toymaker. In additional Elaine C Smith will play the role of the Childcatcher in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Inverness. Also Charlie Bishop, Ruaraidh Blackwood, Hadrian Delacey, Belle Kizzy Green, Kirsty Ingram, Bibi Jay, Isabella Mason, Theo UK Rose and Callum Train, form the ensemble, as well as Tia Gyngell, Joe Press, Molly Rees Howe and Luke Woollaston as swings. Jemima Potts will be played by Gracie Cochrane, Isla Ithier, Isabella Manning and Jasmine Nyenya, while Jeremy Potts will be played by Ayrton English, Charlie McGuire, Roshan Thomson and Louis Wilkins. The production will be under the direction of Thom Southerland, Artistic Director of Mayflower Theatre (Titanic, Parade) and choreographed by Karen Bruce (Strictly Come Dancing, The Bodyguard). It includes set and costume design by Morgan Large (Newsies, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat), lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Gareth Tucker, and musical supervision by George Dyer (The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Billy Elliot). Tour stops include Woking, Wimbledon, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Bromley, Milton Keynes, Belfast, Torquay, Llandudo, Glasgow, Inverness, Norwich, Oxford, Liverpool, Stoke, Leicester, Eastbourne and Bournemouth.
• Tammy Faye – having opened in London at the Almeida Theatre in 2022 the musical is heading for Broadway. The musical will be the first full production to play Broadway’s Palace Theatre since its renovation. Previews will begin on 19 October in advance of a 14 November opening. Katie Brayben and Andrew Rannells reprise their performances as televangelists Tammy Faye Bakker and Jim Bakker, which they originated in London and for which Bryaben received an Olivier Award and Rannells earned a nomination. Tammy Faye has a score by Elton John (music) and Jake Shears (lyrics), a book by James Graham, choreography by Lynne Page, and direction by Rupert Goold. The creative team also includes Tom Deering (orchestrations/arrangements/additional music), Mark Dickman (orchestrations), Bunny Christie (sets), Katrina Lindsay (costumes), Neil Austin (lighting), Nick Lidster for Autograph (sound), and Finn Ross (video). Casting is by C12 Casting/Carrie Gardner and Jullian Cimini.
• Babies – a musical about a group of year 11 school kids tasked with looking after fake babies as part of a school sex education project that played three sold-out concerts in the West End late last year, will now be making its fully staged premiere at The Other Palace in May. Set to appear in the show, will be Ashley Goh (Fury and Elysium) as Alex, Bradley Riches (James in Heartstopper) as Toby, Grace Towning (making her professional debut) as cover Leah/Grace/Becky), Jaina Brock-Patel (Six) as Becky, Lauren Conroy (Bear Snores On) as Jasmine, Lucy Carter (Babies concert) as Lulu, Max Mulrenan (making his professional stage debut) as Ben, Morgan Phillips (Babies concert) as alternate Toby, cover Jacob/Ben), Nathan Johnston (The Voice Kids) as Jacob, Rowan MacPherson (making a professional stage debut as cover Jasmine/Alex/Lulu, Viola Maisey (making her professional stage debut) as Grace, and Zoe Athena (The Trials) as Leah. Goh, Brock-Patel, Conroy, Phillips and Carter all appeared in the show’s concert run at the Lyric Theatre in November. Produced by Indigo Productions and Crossroads Live with original commissioning by BYMT.
• My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert – will be shown on Sky Arts on Easter Sunday. Directed by five-time BAFTA winner Julia Knowles, the filmed performance includes appearances by Joanna Ampil, Michael Ball, Daniel Dae Kim, Maria Friedman, Audra McDonald, Julian Ovenden, Lucy St. Louis, Aaron Tveit, Marisha Wallace and Patrick Wilson. The concert took place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in December 2023, the same venue where a variety of Rodgers and Hammerstein shows first premiered.
• The Wizard Of Oz – Producer Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group have announced that the current touring production of the musical will return to the West End this summer. The production will play at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, currently home to Standing at the Sky’s Edge, from 15 August to 8 September 2024. Set to appear are The Vivienne as The Wicked Witch of the West, and Aston Merrygold as the Tin Man. Other principal cast members appearing during the run include Aviva Tulley (The Book of Mormon) as Dorothy, Benjamin Yates (Jersey Boys) as The Scarecrow, Nic Greenshields (Les Misérables) as The Cowardly Lion and Abigail Matthews (War Horse) as Toto. Further cast is to be revealed, with Femi Akinfolarin to play all dates that Merrygold can’t appear. Directed by Nikolai Foster (Billy Elliot The Musical, A Chorus Line), The Wizard of Oz has choreography by Shay Barclay, set design by Colin Richmond, projection design by Douglas O’Connell, costume and puppet design by Rachael Canning, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher, creative consultancy by Mark Kaufman, musical direction and supervision by George Dyer, casting by Debbie O’Brien, props supervision by Marcus Hall Props, and wigs, hair and make-up design by Elizabeth Marini.
• Ushers: The Front of House Musical – will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a new season at the Other Palace. Penned by Yiannis Koutsakos (music and lyrics), James Oban (lyrics) and BBC comedy actor James Rottger (book), the show follows a motley group of front of house workers at a West End theatre, attempting to grapple with their various individual hiccups. It has direction by Max Reynolds, choreography by Adam Haigh and musical direction by Dean Austin. The show will run from 10 April to 19 May 2024, with the cast set to include Cleve September (Hamilton, The Little Big Things), Danielle Rose (Six), Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Christopher Foley (Mamma Mia!), Daniel Page (Billy Elliot) and Bethany Amber Perrins (Something Rotten!).
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – the musical is set to open at the Ambassadors Theatre in London’s West End from 10^th October 2024. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story, the musical takes place in a sleepy fishing harbor on the north coast of Cornwall and tells the story of Benjamin Button, born as an old man in rather unusual circumstances. The production is brought to the stage by a group of theatrical production companies, including ATG Productions, GBA, Gavin Kalin Productions, Eilene Davidson Productions, and Jethro Compton Productions. The show had a sold-out run at the Southwark Playhouse last year. Penned by Compton and Darren Clark, the full cast and creative team are to be announced.
• Hello Dolly! – casting is set for the new production which will run at The London Palladium from 6^th July until 14^th September 2024. As already announced, joining Imelda Staunton, set to lead Dominic Cooke’s production when it opens will be Andy Nyman (Fiddler on the Roof) as Horace Vandergelder, Jenna Russell (Flowers for Mrs Harris) as Irene Molloy, Tyrone Huntley (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Barnaby Tucker and Harry Hepple (Follies) as Cornelius Hackl. They will be joined by Emily Lane (Frozen, Starter for Ten) who will play Minnie Fay, while the full company includes: Leo Abad, Craig Armstrong, Lindsay Atherton, Gemma Atkins, Alan Bradshaw, Jabari Braham, Kevin Brewis, Jenni Bowden, Daisy Boyles, Samara Casteallo, Olly Christopher, Brendan Cull, Hayley Diamond, Jacqueline Hughes, Ashlee Irish, Jodie Jacobs, Shirley Jameson, Paul Kemble, Emily Langham, Michael Lin, Amira Matthews, Laura Medforth, Matt Overfield, Tom Partridge, Wendy-Lee Purdy, Edwin Ray, Phil Snowden, Kraig Thornber, Gavin Wilkinson and Liam Wrate. The show will have set and costume design by Rae Smith, choreography by Bill Deamer, lighting by Jon Clark, sound by Paul Groothuis, video by Finn Ross and musical supervision by Nick Skilbeck. Casting is by Pippa Ailion.

• 42 Balloons – theupcoming musical has released a cast recording ahead of the show’s premiere next month at the the Lowry, Salford. Running from 18 April to 19 May, the musical is inspired by the true story of truck driver Larry Walters, who used a lawn chair and 42 helium-filled weather balloons to fly 16,000 feet above Los Angeles in 1982. It previously played a series of sold-out concerts in the West End. The 80s-inspired songs are produced by Grammy-nominated duo Sam Featherstone and Joe Beighton (the orchestrator, arranger and music supervisor on the show), along with the show’s writer and composer Jack Godfrey. The cast and crew came together on Monday (18 March) for a special ‘first listen’ party and silent disco at Maggie’s Club – an 80s themed London bar. The EP was recorded in Miloco Studios and features cast members Evelyn Hoskins, Charlie McCullagh, Gillian Hardie, Lejaun Sheppard, Simon Anthony, Jordan Broatch, Maddison Bulleyment, Athena Collins, Morgan Gregory, Luke Latchman, Laura Dawn Pyatt, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, and Natasha Wilde.

News….18th March 2024

• SuperYou – the Leicester Curve theatre has announced the arrival of the musical on 22 October where it will run until 9 November. Lourds Lane’s musical has been seen on both sides of the Atlantic, including a concert in the West End led by Lucie Jones. Casting and creatives for the Leicester run are to be revealed.
• Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – is set to open at the Criterion Theatre in the West End next month, following a ten week run at the north London Kiln Theatre. Directed by Tim Jackson, written by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan, and designed by Soutra Gilmour, the musical tells the story of Dougal (Tutty) and Robin (Gift) – the former a young naive Brit who travels over to New York for his father’s second wedding – where he encounters Robin, the sister of the bride. Joining Dujonna Gift and SamTutty as understudies will be Rose Bruford graduate and multi-disciplinary artist Tanasha Chege (understudy Robin), alongside Ellis Kirk (Heathers the Musical, Dear Evan Hansen) as understudy Dougal. The show will mark Barne and Buchan’s West End debuts. Barne and Buchan won The Stage Debut Award and the Stiles and Drewe prize for new musical theatre for an earlier version of the musical titled The Season, which played at Royal and Derngate and the New Wolsey Theatre. The full creative team also includes lighting designer Jack Knowles, sound designer Tony Gayle, orchestrator Lux Pyramid, casting director Julia Horan and associate director Claira Vaughan.
• Here You Caome Again – the new Dolly Parton musical will have its UK premiere this summer, at Leeds Playhouse. Originally written by two-time Emmy award-winning comedy and songwriter Bruce Vilanch with Gabriel Barre (who also directs) and Tricia Paoluccio (who also plays Dolly), it has now been adapted for the UK by acclaimed British playwright Jonathan Harvey (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Coronation Street). The musical, which tells the story of a diehard fan whose fantasy version of international icon Dolly Parton gets him through trying times, features numbers such as “Jolene”, “9 to 5”, “Islands in the Stream”, “I Will Always Love You”, “Here You Come Again”. Steven Webb (who has concluded a long stint in The Book of Mormon) will play die-hard fan Kevin. A co-production with Simon Friend Entertainment, the piece runs from Saturday 11 May to Saturday 8 June 2024 in Leeds, with tour dates at Curve Leicester from 11 June, Theatre Royal Newcastle from 18 June, Cambridge from 25 June, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury from 2 July, Theatre Royal Nottingham from 9 July, Liverpool Playhouse from 16 July, Malvern from 23 July, Edinburgh 30 July, Cliffs Pavilion Southend from 19 August, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff from 26 Auust, Theatre Royal Brighton from 3 September, Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre from 10 September, Sheffield Lyceum from 17 September, Richmond Theatre from 24 September, Glasgow King’s Theatre from 1 October, Theatre Royal Norwich from 8 October, Cheltenham Everyman from 14 October, New Victoria Theatre Woking from 22 October, the Lowry in Salford from 29 October, Bath Theatre Royal from 5 November, Milton Keynes Theatre from 19 November, Blackpool from 26 November and Liverpool Empire from 3 December. More dates will be announced for 2005 shortly.
• Passing Strange – the European premiere of the award-winning musical opens at the Young Vic in May. The musical, which has book and lyrics by Stew, and music by Stew Stewart and Heidi Rodewald, created in collaboration with Annie Dorsen, follows a young Black musician as he sets out on a musical odyssey, through 80s Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Berlin. The production marks the European premiere of Passing Strange, which was a major Broadway hit in 2008, receiving seven Tony Award nominations, winning for Best Book of a Musical, as well as seven Drama Desk Award nominations, winning for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Music; and it was named winner of the Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. A live Broadway cast recording is available to listen to now. Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed) will direct Olivier Award-winner Giles Terera (Hamilton) as the Narrator, Rachel Adedeji (Dreaming Whilst Black) as Mother and Keenan Munn-Francis (Black Dog) as Youth, with the company also including David Albury (Get Up, Stand Up!), Nadia Violet Johnson (School of Rock), Renée Lamb (Cake) and Caleb Roberts (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical). The band is Ikechukwu Onwuagbu (bass), Nick Pinchbeck (keyboards/guitar), James Taylor (drums) and Art Terry(keyboards/guitar). The creative team brings together set and costume designer Ben Stones, lighting designer Richard Howell, sound designer Tom Gibbons, video design by Will Duke, musical supervisor Brandon Michael Nase, musical director Art Terry, choreographer Dickson Mbi, voice and dialect coach Hazel Holder and casting director Heather Basten CDG.
• Ghost the Musical – will embark on a new tour later this year. The musical, based on the film of the same name that starred Patrick Swayze alongside Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, follows murdered boyfriend Sam as he tries to save his still-living girlfriend Molly from grave danger. It has book and lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin (who wrote the original film), with music and lyrics by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard. The production is directed by Bob Tomson, with choreography by Alistair David. Design is by Mark Bailey with lighting design by Nick Richings, sound design by Dan Samson and illusions by Richard Pinner. It will open at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on 22 August before visiting Sunderland Empire, Liverpool Empire, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, Darlington Hippodrome, Cheltenham Everyman Theatre, Curve Leicester, Princess Theatre Torquay, Belgrade Coventry, Alhambra Theatre Bradford, Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre, Stoke Regent Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath and concluding for the year at Blackpool Opera House.
• NOW That’s What I Call A Musical – a new British musical featuring iconic hits from the NOW music brand is set for a major UK tour. Directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, the production will premiere on September 6, 2024, at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre before embarking on a UK and Ireland tour. Penned by Pippa Evans (award-winning comedian and core member of the Showstoppers), the show will celebrate 40 years of NOW music with chart-topping hits and a heartfelt story set in Birmingham in 1989 and 2009. The musical’s numbers are based on the iconic recurring compilation album NOW That’s What I Call Music, and follows two schoolfriends in 1989, as well as their reunion 20 years later. Tunes by Whitney Houston, Wham!, Blondie, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet and more will feature. Nina Wadia will lead the cast and will be joined for select performances by guest stars including Sinitta, Sonia, Carol Decker, and Jay Osmond. Sinitta will perform in Aylesbury, Sheffield, Canterbury, Nottingham and Norwich with Sonia in Newcastle, Cardiff, Milton Keynes and Brighton, Decker in Truro, Belfast and Woking, and Osmond in Bradford and Dartford. The production includes set and costume design by Tom Rogers and Toots Butcher, musical supervision and arrangements by Mark Crossland, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs and hair design by Sam Cox, associate direction by Guy Woolf, associate choreography by Aaron Renfree, associate sound design by Ollie Durrant, and casting by Annelie Powell CDG.
• Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical – the hit new show currently playing at The Old Vic, is going to transfer into the West End. After a sell-out run at The Old Vic, where 10% of every ticket sold went to the Band Aid Trust the move was expected but details of the venue and dates are still to be released. The musical is about Live Aid, the global concert phenomenon that took place in 1985, organised by Rock stars Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the Ethiopian famine crisis. The songs in Just For One Day are many of the hits performed at the Live Aid event, including songs from Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The Cars, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Sade, The Boomtown Rats, Bryan Adams, Diana Ross, Ultravox and more. The Old Vic are producing the show with permission of The Band Aid Charitable Trust, and co-produced with an impressive range of high-profile West End and Broadway producers including Jamie Wilson Productions (Mrs Doubtfire, Sister Act), Kevin McCollum (The Notebook), Sonia Friedman Productions (The Hills of California, Stranger Things: The First Shadow), Gavin Kalin Productions (Cabaret, Plaza Suite, Player Kings), Kenny Wax Ltd (Six The Musical), the Ambassador Theatre Group (Cabaret, Pretty Woman, Harry Clarke), Canada’s Mirvish Productions, Broadway – and London – theatre owner Nederlander Theatres, No Guarantees (A Mirror, The Hills of California), Burnt Umber Productions (Stereophonic, Appropriate), and Stephen C Byrd (Cabaret, Sister Act).
• Riverdance 30 – The New Generation – global dance sensation Riverdance has revealed plans for a new world tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary, including a 30-venue tour of the UK. Riverdance’s fusion of Irish and international dance and music has proved a worldwide phenomenon, winning countless awards for its music, and the infectious energy of its choreography and performances. The new world tour will celebrate their 30th year milestone since they premiered at the Eurovision song contest in Dublin in 1994. The show promises to be spectacular production that will reimagine the original show with new choreography and costumes, plus state of the art lighting, projection and motion graphics. It will start its UK tour at Swansea Arena in August 2025, before heading to venues including Sheffield, Blackpool, Manchester, Southampton, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, ending at the Eventim Apollo Hammersmith in London in December 2025. For the first time Riverdance will be welcoming a new generation of performers, all of whom were not born when show began 30 years ago.

News….11th March 2024

• Me & Juliet – after its successful run at London’s West End Shaftesbury Theatre from 2019 to 2023 and its current Broadway residency at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, the show is gearing up to set out on its initial UK tour. Th musical, directed by Luke Sheppard, offers a twist on the classic love story, asking what might have happened if Juliet hadn’t chosen the tragic ending over Romeo. It is set to a pop-infused soundtrack featuring iconic hits penned by Max Martin, like Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” and Katy Perry’s “Roar”. Set to star as the title role in the show will be Gerardine Sacdalan, who graduated from Urdang performing arts academy this year and will shortly be making an appearance in the concert revival of Made in Dagenham alongside Pixie Lott. Joining Sacdalan will be Sandra Marvin (Waitress, Sister Act, Hairspray) as Angélique, with Lara Denning (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Matilda the Musical, Sunset Boulevard) as Anne Hathaway. He tour opens at Manchester Opear House on 8 July and then visits Blackpool’s Winter Gardens (23 to 27 July), Norwich Theatre Royal (30 July to 3 August), Glasgow Kings Theatre (13 to 24 August), Oxford New Theatre (2 to 7 September), Sunderland Empire (9 to 21 September), Hull New Theatre (23 to 28 September), Plymouth Theatre Royal (30 September to 5 October), Wolverhampton Grand (7 to 12 October), Marlowe Theatre Canterbury (14 to 19 October), Liverpool Empire (28 October to 2 November), Southampton Mayflower (5 to 9 November), Edinburgh Playhouse (12 to 16 November) and Leeds Grand (18 to 30 November). Into 2025, the tour will visit Bristol Hippodrome (14 to 25 January), New Wimbledon Theatre (27 January to 1 February), His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen (4 to 8 February), Curve Leicester (17 to 22 February), Woking New Victoria (11 to 15 March), Bradford Alhambra (24 to 29 March), Milton Keynes Theatre (31 March to 12 April), Nottingham Theatre Royal (14 to 19 April), Birmingham Hippodrome (21 April to 3 May), Southend Cliffs Pavilion (5 to 10 May), Stoke Regent (12 tto 17 May), Sheffield Lyceum (20 to 31 May), Newcastle Theatre Royal (2 to 7 June), Truro Hall for Cornwall (10 to 14 June) and Cardiff Millenium Centre (16 to 28 June), with further dates likely to be announced.
• Hairspray the Musical – will open a new tour in Manchester at the Palace Theatre on 16 July 2024 before heading to the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff (29 July to 3 August), Canterbury’s Marlowe (6 to 10 August), Cheltenham Everyman (13 to 17 August), Liverpool Empire (19 to 24 August), Belfast’s Grand Opera House (26 to 31 August), Milton Keynes Theatre (2 to 7 September), Southend Cliffs Pavilion (9 to 14 September), Birmingham Hippodrome (16 to 21 September), Curve Leicester (23 to 28 September), Theatre Royal Brighton (30 September to 5 October), Edinburgh Playhouse (7 to 12 October), Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (14 to 19 October), New Wimbledon Theatre (21 to 26 October), York Grand Opera House (28 October to 2 November), Nottingham Theatre Royal (4 to 9 November), Newcastle Theatre Royal (11 to 16 November), Hull New Theatre (18 to 23 November), and Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre (25 to 30 November). The tour will resume after the Christmas period in 2025 at Southampton Mayflower Theatre (6 to 11 January), Hall for Cornwall (13 to 18 January), His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (20 to 25 January), Glasgow’s Kings Theatre (27 January to 1 February 2024), Wolverhampton Grand (3 to 8 February), Norwich Theatre (10 to 15 February), Aylesbury Waterside (17 to 22 February), Bristol Hippodrome (24 February to 1 March), Woking New Victoria (31 March to 5 April), Venue Cymru (7 to 12 April) and Sunderland Empire (14 to 19 April). Hairspray alum Brenda Edwards (We Will Rock You) will make her directorial debut for the new production. Edwards, who has played the role of “Motormouth Maybelle” during three previous tours of Hairspray will co-direct alongside Paul Kerryson (Chicago), with Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s new artistic director Drew McOnie (In the Heights) serving as choreographer. The cast will feature Neil Hurst (Edna Turnblad), Joanne Clifton and Gina Murray (Velma Von Tussle – with Murray performing the role from 16 July to 7 September only), Michelle Ndegwa (Motormouth Maybelle), Soloman Davy (Link Larkin), Declan Egan (Corny Collins), Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby (making her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad), Katlo (Little Inez), Reece Richards (Seaweed) and Allana Taylor (Amber Von Tussle). The ensemble includes Ben Anderson, Grace Anyiam, Nina Bell, Joseph Bristow, Vanessa Dumatey, Rebecca French, Stuart Hickey, Jaiden Lodge, Olly Manley, Sasha Monique, Jacob Smith and Issy Wilman. Further casting will be announced soon. The creative team for the new tour includes set and costume designer Takis, lighting designer Philip Gladwell, sound designer Ben Harrison, musical supervisor and arranger Ben Atkinson, musical director and supervisor Richard Atkinson, video designer George Reeve and resident director Juliet Gough. Casting is by Grindrod Burton.
• Fun At The Beach Romp-Bomp-a-Lomp!! – this summer, Southwark Playhouse Borough will host the world premiere a new musical by Brandon Lambert and Martin Landry. Directed by Mark Bell, known for The Play That Goes Wrong, the musical is set to debut on 29 May, running until 22 June. Billed as a blend between Squid Game and Grease the show unfolds on a scorching beach day, where participants gather for the legendary “Beach Romp-Bomp-a-Lomp!!” competition. As they battle for the coveted title of King or Queen of the Beach, the stakes get higher and the events more perilous, with a series of increasingly deadly beach challenges. The creative team behind the production also includes Emily Bestow as the set and costume designer, and Brandon Lambert leading the musical direction.
• Little Shop Of Horrors – Sheffield Theatres will present the out-of-this-world rock musical, featuring book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken. Directed by Amy Hodge, at the Crucible Theatre from 7 December 2024 to 18 January 2025. It will be one of the final productions to be helmed by Sheffield Theatres’ artistic director, Robert Hastie in his final season.
• Mary Poppins – following its recently concluded spell in the West End, Mary Poppins will be flying around the nation on a new tour opening on 4 November 2024 at Bristol Hippodrome where before flying off to Dublin Bord Gais Theatre where it will open on 11 December and then its on to Edinburgh Playhouse on 22 January 2025, Plymouth Theatre Royal 26 February and Manchester 9 April. Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers will reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert, having played the parts in Australia in the show’s recent production Down Under. The tour opens in Bristol where the original production had its World Premiere ahead of its amazing record-breaking West End run.
• A Song Of Songs – casting has been revealed for the European premiere of the new musical which will have its World Premiere on 9^th May 2024 at the Park Theatre in north London where it will run until 15 June. Ofra Daniel has written, directed and composed the show and will sar alongside Joaquin Pedro Valdes (Pacific Overtures), Matthew Woodyatt (The Fair Maid of the West), Laurel Dougall (Singin’ in the Rain), Rebecca Giacopazzi (Wicked), graduate Ashleigh Schuman, and Shira Kravitz (The Band’s Visit). A Song of Songs follows a young wife in a loveless marriage, only for everything to be up-ended with the arrval of an unseen admirer. The musical supervisor is Jerome van den Berghe, while the associate director is Victoria Góngora (Maria, Vagina Monologues), with original direction and dramaturgy by Christopher Renshaw (We Will Rock You, Zorro: The Musical). Choreography is by Billy Mitchell (Cats), the lighting designer is Aaron J Dootson (The Night Larry Cramer Kissed Me), sound design is by Andrew Johnson (Titanic); set design is by visual artist Marina Paz, production manager is James Anderton (Little Women), casting is by Jane Deitch (The Addams Family) and the producer is John Gertz (Zorro: The Musical) while general managers are Aria Entertainment’s Katy Lipson and Ollie Hancock.
• Ushers: The Front of House Musical – will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a revival at the Other Palace opening on 10 April and running to 19 May 2024. Penned by Yiannis Koutsakos (music and lyrics), James Oban (lyrics) and BBC comedy actor James Rottger (book), the show follows a motley group of front of house workers at a West End theatre, attempting to grapple with their various individual hiccups.
• The Phantom of the Opera – has extended its run at His Majesty’s Theatre until 29 March 2025 and announced a new alternate Christine Daaé. Jon Robyns continues to star as the Phantom alongside Lily Kerhoas as Christine Daaé, Joe Griffiths-Brown as Raoul, Kelly Glyptis as Carlotta Giudicell, Matt Harrop as Monsieur Firmin, Adam Linstead as Monsieur André, David Kristopher-Brown as Ubaldo Piangi, Francesca Ellis as Madame Giry and Maiya Hikasa as Meg Giry. Chumisa Dornford-May (Evita, The Addams Family) will join the company as alternate Christine Daaé from Friday 15 March 2024. The cast is completed by Hollie Aires, Federica Basile, Corina Clark, Michael Colbourne, Leonard Cook, Colleen Rose Curran, Lily De-La-Haye, Hywel Dowsell, Connor Ewing, Serina Faull, Florence Fowler, James Gant, Eilish Harmon-Beglan, Yukina Hasebe, Samuel Haughton, Thomas Holdsworth, Jacob Hughes, Grace Hume, Janet Mooney, Tim Morgan, Eve Shanu-Wilson, Tim Southgate, Zoë Soleil Vallée, Jasmine Wallis, Victoria Ward, Ralph Watts, Simon Whitaker, and Andrew York.
• Les Misérables – has extended its run at the West End’s Sondheim Theatre until 29 March 2025. Currently starring in the London production are Milan an Waardenburg as Jean Valjean, Stewart Clarke as Javert, Katie Hall as Fantine, Will Callan as Marius, Amena El-Kindy as Éponine, Lulu-Mae Pears as Cosette, Luke Kempner as Thénardier, Claire Machin as Madame Thénardier and Djavan van de Fliert as Enjolras. The company is completed by Annabelle Aquino, Hazel Baldwin, Brad Barnley, Michael Baxter, Emily Olive Boyd, Rosy Church, Ben Culleton, Matthew Dale, Matt Dempsey, Sophie-May Feek, Matt Hayden, Tom Hext, Christopher Jacobsen, Jessica Johns-Parsons, Yazmin King, Sam Kipling, Anouk van Laake, Harry Lake, Sarah Lark, Ellie Ann Lowe, Ben Oatley, Adam Pearce, Jordan Simon Pollard, Jonathan Stevens, Phoebe Williams and Ollie Wray.
• Mamma Mia! – will celebrate its silver anniversary next month. The show, which opened in the West End in 1999, will mark 25 years on stage on 6 April 2024. The production has been presented in 16 different languages – grossing more than $4 billion at the box office over its quarter-century lifespan (not including its two titanic films). Opening first on 6 April 1999, the ABBA-laden musical ran at the Prince Edward Theatre, before moving to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004 and the Novello Theatre, which it currently calls home, in 2012.
• Wicked –the long-running West End and Broadway musical which is currently on its third UK and Ireland tour is again extending its WestEnd residency at London’s Victoria Apollo Theatre until 1 June 2025. It is currently, the 11th longest-running production in West End history – and shows no sign of slowing down. From 12 March, Michael Fenton Stevens will join as the Wizard, Graham Kent as Doctor Dillamond, and the return of Laura Harrison as the standby for Elphaba. The new cast will aalso feature Alexia Khadime, who continues in her role as Elphaba, alongside Lucy St. Louis as Glinda, Ryan Reid as Fiyero, Sophie-Louise Dann as Madame Morrible, Caitlin Anderson as Nessarose, Joe Thompson-Oubari as Boq, and Christine Tucker as the standby for Glinda (maternity cover for Lisa-Anne Wood). The ensemble will comprise Conor Ashman, Jessica Aubrey, Jeremy Batt, Felipe Bejarano, Asmara Cammock, Joshua Clemetson, Effie Rae Dyson, Aimee Hodnett, Kate Leiper, Jemima Loddy, Joshua Lovell, Rory Maguire, Paddy Joe Martin, Darnell Mathew-James, Millie Mayhew, Ayden Morgan, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Aston Neman Hannington, Aiesha Naomi Pease, Jeanie Ryan, Natalie Spriggs, Charlotte Anne Steen, James Titchener, Micaela Todd, Taela Yeomans-Brown, and Jacob Young.

News….4th March 2024

• Tina – The Tina Turner Musical – will embark on its first UK and Ireland tour, running alongside the West End production. Chronicling the life and career of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer and featuring such beloved hits as “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”, “Proud Mary”, “The Best” and many more, the jukebox musical is directed by Phyllida Lloyd with a book by Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins. The tour will be opening at Curve, Leicester, where it plays from Thursday 6 March 2025 to Saturday 22 March 2025. After that, it will visit Sunderland, Birstol, Belfast, Dublin, Birmingham, Plymouth, Nottingham, Liverpool, Southend, Sheffield, Glasgow, Southampton, Canterbury, Edinburgh, Manchester (where it will play the Christmas season into 2026), Norwich, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Newcastle and Leeds. Further dates will be revealed. The production also features choreography by Anthony van Laast, set and costume designs by Mark Thompson, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Nevin Steinberg, projection design by Jeff Sugg, orchestrations by Ethan Popp, wigs, hair and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates, casting by Pippa Ailion CDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG and fight direction by Kate Waters.
• Spirited Away – the stage version of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away is set to open at the London Coliseum on 30th April and is currently set to run until 24th August 2024. Presented by TOHO Co Ltd and co-produced by PW Productions in the original Japanese (with English captions), Spirited Away is based on the Oscar-winning animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. It is adapted for the stage by John Caird, co-adapted by Maoko Imai, and features the original score by Joe Hisaishi.Returning from the original Japanese production are Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi as Chihiro, Kotaro Daigo and Hiroki Miura as Haku, Fu Hinami as Lin and Chihiro’s mother, Tomorowo Taguchi and Satoshi Hashimoto as Kamaji, Mari Natsuki and Romi Park as Yubaba and Zeniba, Kenya Osumi as Aniyaku and Chihiro’s father, Sunao Yoshimura as Chichiyaku, Obata no Oniisan as Aogaeru, Yuya Igarashi as Kashira and Mayu Musha as Bo. Mari Natsuki returns to the role of Yubaba in this stage production, having voiced the role in Studio Ghibli’s 2001 Oscar-winning film. Joining the company for the London production are Rina Kawaei and Momoko Fukuchi as Chihiro, Atsuki Mashiko as Haku, Hikaru Yamano as Kaonashi or ‘No-Face’, Yuki Hana and Rion Misaki as Lin and Chihiro’s mother, Tomu Miyazaki as Kamaji, Hitomi Harukaze as Yubaba and Zeniba, Toshihiko Ito as Chichiyaku and Seiya Motoki as Aogaeru. Completing the company are Miyu Ayahashi, Kaito Arai, Yoko Ose, Wataru Oshige, Motoko Orii, Akino Konno, Ryo Sawamura, Mayu Suetomi, Rico Takahashi, Hayato Takehiro, Saya Chinen, Hanano Teshirogi, Ayame Nakagami, Yuuki Nishinomiya, Rei Hanashima, Yoshiki Fujioka, Norihide Mantani, Eiji Mizuno, Miffy, Maki Morita, Yuna Yasuno, Yamato, Kazuma Kimura, Annakanako Mohri, Marina Mori and Toshiki Hirose. It tells the story of Chihiro as she travels to a new home with her family and stumbles into a fantasy world of spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. When her parents are transformed into pigs, Chihiro must find a way to free them and escape back to the real world. Musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements are by Brad Haak, with associate music supervision, orchestrations and ableton programming by Conor Keelan. The creative team also includes set designer Jon Bausor, puppet designer Toby Olié, choreographer Shigehiro Ide, costume designer Sachiko Nakahara, lighting designer Jiro Katsushiba, sound designer Koichi Yamamoto, hair and make-up designer Hiroaki Miyauchi, projection designer Satoshi Kuriyama, stage manager Takashi Hojo, assistant to the director Maoko Imai, associate director Makoto Nagai, co-producer Iain Gillie and producer Haruka Ogi.
• Heathers the Musical – will return for a UK tour later this year. The musical features a book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, and is based on the 1989 film of the same name, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater.The production is directed by Andy Fickman, with choreography by Gary Lloyd, designs by David Shields, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Dan Samson. The assistant choreographer is Christopher Parkinson. The musical originally opened at The Other Palace and in the West End in 2018. It will open at Theatre Royal Windsor on 24 July 2024, before visiting Bath (from 30 July), Portsmouth (from 6 August), Cardiff (from 13 August), Newcastle (from 3 September), Milton Keynes (from 10 September), Chester (from 17 September), Sheffield (from 1 October), Stockton (from 15 October) and Torquay (from 5 November) with further dates to be revealed.
• The Artist – the world premiere stage adaptation of Michel Hazanavicius’ multi–Academy Award-winning film The Artist will take place at Theatre Royal Plymouth on 11^th May, where it will run until 25 May 2024. The musical, which follows a silent movie star who falls in love just as the Talkies come to town. Multi award-winning international dancer and actor Robbie Fairchild (An American in Paris) returns to the UK stage to play silent movie icon George Valentin, with West End favourite Gary Wilmot (The Wizard of Oz, Wicked, The Prince of Egypt) as Al Zimmer, and Briana Craig (42nd Street tour) as Peppy Miller. Joining them will be Nicole Alphonce (swing/dance captain), Alexander Bean (Clifton), Will Bozier (ensemble), Matthew Caputo (ensemble), Tiffany Graves (Gertie Gams), Tim Hodges (swing), Lukas Hunt (swing/dance captain), Lily Laight (ensemble), Deja Linton (ensemble), Tyler Lotzof (ensemble), Louis Mackrodt (ensemble), Shayna McPherson (swing), Ebony Molina (Doris Valentin), Rachel Muldoon (Constance), Mark Samaras (ensemble), Thomas Walton (Uggie) and Daisy West (ensemble). The new show is co-adapted for the stage by Lindsey Ferrentino and Drew McOnie and directed and choreographed by McOnie. The creative team includes set and costume designs by award winner Christopher Oram (Wolf Hall, Red, Disney’s Frozen), music by award winner Simon Hale (Girl From The North Country, Get Up Stand Up!), lighting by Zoe Spurr (Good, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World), sound by award winner Simon Baker (Matilda The Musical, A Christmas Carol), video by Ash J Woodward (The 47th, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), puppetry by Maia Kirkman-Richards (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) and casting by Will Burton. The associate director/choreographer is Molina and the musical director is Isaac McCullough. It is expected that a West End opening will be announced in the next few weeks.
• Only Fools And Horses – the musical is heading out on tour. Based on John Sullivan’s much-loved sitcom, the show is written by John’s son, Jim Sullivan, alongside star Paul Whitehouse. Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, Only Fools and Horses has musical supervision and arrangement by Stuart Morley. The show closed in the West End last April after four years at Theatre Royal Haymarket – with over 1000 performances, making it the longest-running production in the venue’s history. It will open on tour in Bromley on 23 September 2024 before visiting Southend, Bradford, York, Wolverhampton, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Sunderland, Stoke, Brighton, Ipswich, Norwich, Llandudno, Bristol, Newcastle, Northampton, Southampton, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Canterbury, Nottingham, Blackpool, Truro, Cardiff, Plymouth, Leeds, Liverpool, Belfast and its final destination, Dublin in June 2025. Paul Whitehouse will return to play the role of Grandpa in Bromley, Southend, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Brighton, Hammersmith (3 week Christmas season), Bristol, Leeds, Southampton, Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Sheffield, Liverpool and Dublin.
• Marie Curie – The Charing Cross Theatre will house the English-language premiere of the new musical this summer, opening on 1^st June and running through 28^th July. Featuring book an lyrics by Seeun Choun and music by Jongyoon Choi, the piece debuted at the Chungmu Art Center in South Korea in 2020, before a second mounting at the Hongik Art Center Grand Theater. It went on to win the Grand Prize, Best Book, Best Music, Best Director, and Best Producer at the Fifth Korea Musical Awards. In 2023, it also began a tour to six cities across South Korea. Marie Curie follows the moral dilemma of the Nobel Prize winner as she discovers the lifesaving potential of radium to cure cancer, while the factory workers handling the glowing substance are succumbing to the grip of radium poisoning. Directed by Sarah Meadows (Ride) and produced by Byungwon Kang and LIVE Corp., the English-language premiere features an English book adaptation by Tom Ramsay, English lyrics adaptation and musical direction by Emma Fraser, literal translation by Ahreumbi Rew, choreography by Joanna Goodwin, sound design by Andrew Johnson, casting direction by Jane Deitch, production management by James Anderton and general management by Aria Entertainment.
• Bonnie And Clyde – a familiar face is returning to the musical which has just embarked on its first UK and Ireland tour. Lauren Jones, who appeared in the show at the Arts Theatre and Garrick Theatre, will play the role of Trish / alternate Bonnie during Saturday matinees. She takes over from Hana Ichijo, who has had to withdraw from the production for personal reasons. The show is led by Danny Hatchard from EastEnders and Alex James-Hatton, known for his performances in Heathers and Newsies, who alternate in the role of Clyde Barrow during the tour. Katie Tonkinson (Bat Out of Hell) portrays Bonnie Parker. Catherine Tyldesley (Coronation Street and Strictly Come Dancing), makes her musical theatre debut as Blanche Barrow. She shares this role with Daisy Wood-Davis, best known for her work in Hollyoaks and Holby City, at specific venues.
• Pitlochry Festival Theatre – has announced its 24-strong company for the 2024 summer season. The company for the season includes Irene Allan (Wilf), Lola Aluko (Medea), Fiona Bruce (Once), Oliver Cookson (A Streetcar Named Desire), Chris Coxon (The Wizard of Oz), Theo Diedrick (Sleeping Beauty), David Douglas (The Descent O’ Orpheus Tae the Underwal), Kirsty Findlay (Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour), Connor Going (Sunshine on Leith), Charlotte Grayson (Sunshine on Leith), Nina Kristofferson (Medea), Signe Larsson (The Wizard of Oz), Myles Miller (Alice In Wonderland), soprano Emma Morwood, baritone Colin Murray, soprano Colleen Nicoll, Wendy Paver (Summer Holiday), David Rankine (The Fair Maid of the West), the aforementioned Reid, Elizabeth Rowe (Made in Dagenham), Robin Simpson (The Railway Children), Luke Thornton (The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole the Musical), Luke Wilson (Much Ado About Nothing), and mezzo-soprano Ulrike Wutscher. The season runs from 31 May until 26 September 2024, Footloose opens the season in the main house. A co-production with the New Wolsey Theatre, the show is based on the 1984 Oscar-nominated film starring Kevin Bacon, that tells the story of a teenage boy from Chicago, who moves to a small farming town with strict local laws that include a ban on dancing by the local preacher. In early June, there will be a new production of the award-winning West End and Broadway hit Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. The show tells the true story of King’s remarkable rise to fame as one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Whilst the venue’s outdoor amphitheatre will host a Gaelic and Scots language version of Purcell’s baroque masterpiece Dido and Aeneas, co-produced with Scots Opera Project, and featuring a number of their company.
• Rent – there will be a bilingual reinterpretation of the award-winning musical Rent that will feature as part of the Curve Leicester’s new work festival, the workshop production, playing early next month, will reappraise Jonathan Larson’s acclaimed rock opera through the lens of the isolation and prejudice faced by deaf and hearing communities during the 1980s AIDS crisis. Set to appear will be both deaf and hearing actors, who will present scenes and numbers from the musical in British Sign Language (BSL) and English. These include standards such as “La Vie Boheme” and “Seasons of Love”. The cast is composed of Nadeem Islam (The Father and The Assassin) as Mark, with Melad Hamidi (Les Misérables) singing the role. Mia Ward (Robin Hood) will play Maureen, with Annabelle Terry (The Owl Who Came For Christmas) singing the role. Cherie Gordon (Boat Story) will play Joanne, with Charlotte St. Croix (The Wizard of Oz) singing the role. Chris Fonseca (Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two) will play Collins, with Kofi Dennis (The Wiz) singing the role. Adam Jay Price (Grease the Musical) will play Roger and Alim Jadavji (EastEnders) will play Angel, Chaya Gupta (Hansel And Gretel) will play Mimi and Nitai Levi (Masters of the Air) will play Benjamin Coffin III. The show is to be directed by Lilac Yosiphon, with musical direction from Ben Garnett. Curve resident creative Stacey McCarthy is choreographer and movement director, while Deepa Shastri is BSL consultant and creative associate. Curve’s lighting technician Rhys Parker and assistant head of sound and video Angel Rossell De Pablos will provide lighting and sound design respectively. Visual/narrative support comes from Eleanor Field and creative captions are by Edalia Day. The show will run for a select of performances between 7 and 9 March 2024.