Top 100 Greatest Musicals Results: 60 – 51

Top 100 Musicals of All Time Poll Results

Welcome to our latest instalment of results from our Top 100 Greatest Musicals of all time poll. There are a few new entries and some bona fide classics in this part of the list. Congratulations to all those who are listed in our roll call of truly great musicals. Did your favourites make the Top 100? Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below. 60. Parade Parade is a musical by Jason Robert Brown (music and lyrics) and Alfred Uhry (book). Premiering on Broadway in 1998, it won the Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score and won six Drama Desk Awards. Based on the trial in 1913 of a Jewish factory manager accused of raping and murdering a thirteen-year-old employee, the project was brought to Jason Robert Brown by Harold Prince. There have been several successful productions of Parade in the UK … Read more

FIRST LOOK: Ragtime, Charing Cross Theatre

Book tickets for Ragtime at Charing Cross Theatre

We are pleased to bring you these great first look images of the new production of Ragtime which is about to open at London’s Charing Cross Theatre. Tickets for Ragtime are on sale now. Ragtime led the 1998 Tony Awards with 12 nominations, winning 4 including Best Book by Terrence McNally and Best Original Score by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. The full cast are: Simon Anthony, Bernadette Bangura, Anthony Cable, Earl Carpenter, Anita Louise Combe, Valerie Cutko, Christopher Dickins, Nolan Frederick, Tom Giles, Joanna Hickman, Lemuel Knights, Martin Ludenbach, James Mack, Ako Mitchell, Sufia Manya, Seyi Omooba, Jess Ryan, Kate Robson-Stuart, Jennifer Saayeng, Jonathan Stewart, Gary Tushaw, and child actors Alana Hinge, Samuel Peterson, Ethan Quinn, Riya Vyas. This new production follows critically acclaimed Titanic as the second in-house production at Charing Cross Theatre, directed by Artistic Director Thom Southerland and produced by Danielle Tarento, Steven M. Levy, Sean … Read more

Phantom Celebrates 30 Years in Style

The Phantom Of The Opera London 30th Birthday celebration

Last night, The Phantom Of The Opera London celebrated its 30th Anniversary at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London. At the end of the performance held in aid of The Music In Secondary Schools Trust, a special finale took place that included the current Phantom Ben Forster,  Celinde Schoenmaker (Christine Daae and Raoul (Nadim Naaman). Joining them on stage were producer Cameron Mackintosh, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, choreographer Gillian Lynne and members of the original company including original Phantom Michael Crawford, alongside Michael Ball, Sierra Boggess and John Owen Jones. Sierra’s bilingual rendition of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again proved a highlight of the proceedings. The special finale was streamed last night via Facebook with over 530,000 people watching. You can still watch the event on Facebook until the end of today. We hope that you enjoy these wonderful images from photographer Dan Wooller. BOOK TICKETS FOR PHANTOM LONDON BOOK TICKETS … Read more

FIRST LOOK: Moby Dick Rehearsals at the Union Theatre

Book tickets for Moby Dick at the Union Theatre

Originally produced by Cameron Mackintosh. Moby Dick the musical is coming back to the Union Theatre in a few short days. With a book by Robert Longden and music and lyrics by Robert Longden and Hereward Kaye, Moby Dick is directed and choreographed by double Olivier Award nominee Andrew Wright. The cast of Moby Dick is led by Anton Stephans (Porgy and Bess, Smokey Joe’s Cafe) and Brenda Edwards (Hairspray, We Will Rock You). Check out these great rehearsal photographs from Pamela Raith Photography. Moby Dick runs at the Union Theatre from 12 October – 12 November 2016. BOOK TICKETS FOR MOBY DICK AT THE UNION THEATRE

FIRST LOOK: Cinderella at the London Palladium – Character Portraits

Book tickets for Cinderella at the London Palladium

Producers of this year’s GINORMOUS, Glittering, Glamorous pantomime Cinderella at the London Palladium have just released this first look character portrait of the cast. The cast of Cinderella are – back row l-r Count Arthur Strong (Baron Hardup), Amanda Holden (The Fairy Godmother), Paul O’Grady (The Wicked Stepmother), Julian Clary (Dandini), Lee Mead (Prince Charming) and Nigel Havers (Lord Chamberlain). Front Row l-r Paul Zerdin (Buttons) and Natasha J Barnes (Cinderella). Cinderella remains the most popular pantomime for families around the country, and this new production from QDOS promises to be one that families will adore. BOOK NOW FOR CINDERELLA AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

What’s New In October – Editor’s Pick

October is going to be a busy month in theatreland with new exciting productions opening all over the place. Here are just a few of the shows we are looking forward to this month. WEST END – The Dresser – Duke Of York’s Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser comes to the West End in a revival starring Ken Stott and Reece Shearsmith at London’s Duke Of York’s Theatre. First seen in 1980 in the West End and on Broadway, this much-loved play tells the heart-breaking story of an ageing actor-manager and his long-suffering dresser as they struggle to keep the show on the road against the backdrop of a down-at-heel regional theatre in wartime. BOOK TICKETS FOR THE DRESSER WEST END- Murder Ballad – Arts Theatre Starring West End and Broadway legends Kerry Ellis (Wicked, Cats), Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables), Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Flashdance, In the Heights) … Read more

Top 100 Greatest Musicals Results: 70 – 61

Top 100 Musicals of All Time Poll Results

Welcome to our latest instalment of results from our Top 100 Greatest Musicals of all time poll. There are a few new entries and some bona fide classics in this part of the list. Congratulations to all those who are listed in our roll call of truly great musicals. Did your favourites make the Top 100? Don’t forget to let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below. 70. Shrek https://youtu.be/rETYrQz-KeE Based on the 2001 Dreamworks film, which in turn was based on the 1990 Book by William Steig, Shrek is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. The original Broadway production opened in 2088 running for twelve months and a re-vamped West End production ran from June 2011 to February 2013 before touring. The Broadway production was nominated for 8 Tony Awards winning one for Best Costume Design. 69. A Chorus … Read more