Douglas Mayo

Douglas Mayo has had a life long love affair with musical theatre. He has authored several books on publicity and marketing for amateur theatre groups. He is in the process of developing a musical based on his original story concept.

Nigel Lindsay Joins The West End Cast Of Guys And Dolls

News, West End
Nigel Lindsay joins the cast of Guys And Dolls at the Phoenix Theatre

The producers of Guys and Dolls have announced that Nigel Lindsay will join the West End company of Guys And Dolls for a limited period in the role of Nathan Detroit. Lindsay will play Nathan Detroit from 26 May – 26 June 2016, taking over from Richard Kind who plays his last performance on 22 May 2016. Nigel Lindsay will join Samantha Spiro as Miss Adelaide, Oliver Tompsett as Sky Masterson, Siubhan Harrison as Sarah Brown, Gavin Spokes as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Billy Boyle as Arvide and Jason Pennycooke as Benny. A joyous and vibrant celebration of Prohibition-era New York, Guys and Dolls first premiered on Broadway in 1950 and captured the optimism and energy of post-World War Two America. This hugely popular and multi award-winning musical, based on the colourful stories by American journalist Damon Runyon renowned for his vivid fictional depictions of the gamblers, hustlers and nightclub singers … Read more

Lisa Spirling Appointed Artistic Director At Theatre503

News, Off West End
Lisa Spirling is announced Artistic Director of Theatre503

Lisa Spirling has been announced as the new Artistic Director of Theatre503, taking up the post in August 2016. Lisa comments, I am over the moon to be joining Theatre503 as their next Artistic Director. This extraordinary theatre, with its focus on emerging voices and the best in new writing played a vital role in my own theatrical journey and I cannot wait to be a part of its future. I identify wholeheartedly with Theatre503’s commitment to inclusion, creativity and excellence and hope to build on all that Paul and his brilliant team have achieved. Lisa was the Education Project Manager for the National Theatre’s ground breaking Art of Regeneration program. In 2008 Lisa set up Buckle for Dust Theatre Company with producers Claire Birch and Juliette Rawlins and writers Ali Taylor and Lou Ramsden. With a commitment to creating opportunities for theatre’s most distinctive voices. Buckle for Dust’s inaugural … Read more

Bugsy Malone Returns To Lyric Hammersmith

News, Off West End
Book now for Bugsy Malone at Lyric Hammersmith

Following its critically acclaimed run in 2015, Bugsy Malone returns to the Lyric Hammersmith for a limited 12 week run from 11 June 2016. Bugsy Malone is set in Prohibition era New York with rival gangsters Fat Sam and Dandy Dan at logger heads. As custard pies fly and Dan’s destructive ‘splurge guns’ wreak havoc, Bugsy Malone, a penniless ex-boxer and all round nice guy, falls for Blousey Brown, an aspiring singer. Will Bugsy be able to resist seductive songstress Tallulah, Fat Sam’s moll and Bugsy’s old flame, and stay out of trouble while helping Fat Sam to defend his business? Starring a diverse range of talented young performers aged 9 and over, the lead roles will be performed by three different casts in rotation. The 2016 Bugsy Malone cast sees the return of young performers from the 2015 production, alongside new faces including several talented youngsters making their professional … Read more

Jamie Muscato To Star In John Osborn Drama

News, Off West End
Jamie Muscato will lead the cast of A Subject Of Scandal and Concern at London's Finborough Theatre.

Following his appearance in Bend It Like Beckham, Jamie Muscato will star in The Finborough Theatre’s new production of John Osborne’s A Subject Of Scandal and Concern from 22 May – 7 June 2016. This new production will be the first theatrical staging for over 40 years and will mark the plays London premiere. Based on the true story of the last man to stand trial for blasphemy in England, A Subject Of Scandal and Concern was originally written for television in 1960 starring Richard Burton and Rachel Roberts, and directed by Tony Richardson, and was first seen onstage in Nottingham in the early 1960s. Cheltenham, 1842. George Jacob Holyoake is a poor young teacher, making his way from Birmingham to Bristol to visit a friend who has been imprisoned for publishing a journal that criticises the establishment. When he makes a stop in Cheltenham to address a lecture, his … Read more

A Filthy Take On Hamlet Comes To TheatreN16

News, Off West End
Book now for Gertrude The Cray at Theatre N16

Howard Barker’s Gertrude – The Cry is to be presented at Theatre N16 in a co-production with LWL Entertainment Ltd from 12-30 June 2016. Combining feminism, sex and objectification into his own take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Howard Barker’s Gertrude is a complicated, challenging and utterly filthy play. The titular Gertrude will be played by Izabella Urbanowicz (Truth and Reconciliation, Royal Court Theatre; The Session, Soho Theatre; Hamlet Peckham, The Bussey Building; What You Will: Pop Up Shakespeare, Shakespeare’s Globe; and The Crimson Petal and the White (BBC/Origin Pictures)). She also currently stars in I’m Not Jesus Christ at Theatre N16. The cast will also include Alexander Hulme (Abominations, Etcetera Theatre, and The Glass Protégé, Park Theatre) as Claudius, Jamie Hutchins (Hello Norma Jeane, Park Theatre) as Hamlet, Stephen Oswald (Nobody’s Business, King’s Head Theatre) as Cascan, LJ Reeves (Antigone, The Hope Theatre) as Ragusa, David Zachary (The Kissing Dance, Ye … Read more

Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year and Stiles And Drewe Prize Winners Announced.

News, West End
Courtney Bowman winner of the Stephen Sondheim Strudent Performer Of The Year Award

The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performers Of The Year Award and the Stiles And Drewe Prize for Best New Song were held yesterday at London’s Novello Theatre. Clustered inside the theatre on a sunny London afternoon, the programme was hosted by Julian Ovenden and with performances from Ovenden, Sophie Louise Dann, Natasha Cottriall and former winners of the Performer Of The Year Award. Courtney Bowman won the Student Performer Of the Year Award (£1000 prize) with her performances of Me And My Town from Anyone Can Whistle and The Driving Lesson from the musical Heart Of Winter written by Tim O’Connor. Speaking to BritishTheatre.com after the event Courtney said: “I’m so surprised to have won, because everyone involved was so brilliant. There are no two people who are the same out of the twelve of us, and it’s so refreshing to watch and learn from other performers. Being thrown together … Read more

REVIEW: Jack And Louisa ✭✭✭✭

Book, Broadway, Reviews
Jack and Louisa - for Musical Theatre Nerds everywhere.

It’s incredibly exciting that two of Broadway’s youngest performers – Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead, are encouraging the world’s MTN’s (Musical Theatre Nerds) with their great book series Jack and Louisa, aimed at 8 – 13 year olds. Jack and Louisa are two fabulous kids, whose passion just happens to be musical theatre. Jack is 12 with two Broadway musicals to his credit. When his voice changes, he loses a role in a major new Broadway show. His parents take the opportunity to move to Shaker Heights in Ohio, where he meets new neighbour Louisa. They become fast friends and adventures in musical theatre ensue. Thus far there are two books in the series Act One and Act Two, the first focusing around a community production of Into The Woods, and the second their school production of Guys And Dolls. Told from the point of view of Jack and Louisa … Read more

Dearman and Pitt-Pulford Join Together for Side Show The Musical

News, Off West End
Side Show at Southwark Playhouse

Producers have announced that Louise Dearman and Laura Pitt-Pulford will play conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton in the much anticipated UK premiere of the Broadway musical Side Show at Southwark Playhouse. Inspired by the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, Side Show is a remarkable musical about love, acceptance and embracing the unique. Louise Dearman (Daisy) is best known for being the first actress to star as both Glinda and Elphaba in the hit musical Wicked, playing both roles to great acclaim in the West End. Her many other theatre credits include Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls (UK Tour), Bianca in Kiss Me Kate (Royal Albert Hall), Mrs D in The Water Babies (Leicester Curve), Eva Peron in Evita (UK Tour) and Jan in Grease (West End). Laura Pitt-Pulford (Violet) received a 2016 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance … Read more