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Sheffield’s Annie Get Your Gun Casting Announced

News, Regional
Anna Jane Casey is to star in Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun at Sheffield Theatres

Sheffield Theatres have announced casting for Paul Foster’s new revival of Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun. Sharp shootin’, smart talkin’ Annie Oakley is a force to be reckoned with. But when she’s pitched against the charming, fiercely competitive Frank Butler, has she finally met her match? Anna-Jane Casey stars as Annie Oakley and Ben Lewis as Frank Butler, with Nicolas Colicos (Buffalo Bill), Mike Denman (Pawnee Bill), Lauren Hall (Winnie Tate), Matthew Malthouse (Foster Wilson), Timothy Quinlan (Charlie Davenport), Cleve September (Tommy Keeler), Maggie Service (Dolly Tate), Karl Seth (Chief Sitting Bull), and completing the ensemble, Josh Andrews, Ronan Burns, Emma Caffrey, Matthew Croke, Omari Douglas, Rosie Fletcher, Melissa James, Jasmine Kerr, Natasha Mould, Jak Skelly, Leah West and Emma Woods (ensemble and Dance Captain). Originally written for Broadway legend Ethel Merman, Irving Berlin’s score is considered a classic, featuring songs including There’s No Business Like Show Business, Anything … Read more

New British Musical The Girls To Open in January 2017

Features, News, West End

Producers have announced that Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s new British Musical The Girls will begin performances at London’s Phoenix Theatre on 28 January 2017. Tickets are now on sale. The musical is based on the true story, the film and the award-winning play by Tim Firth Calendar Girls. The West End premiere follows sold-out runs at the Grand Theatre Leeds and the Lowry Salford late 2015/early 2016. See the great video with Gary and Tim below. Unlike most other West End musicals, Producers have made a commitment to there being no Premium Rated seats, no booking fees and reduced priced previews. The ‘Girls’ will be played by Debbie Chazen (Topsy Turvy, Psychoville) as Ruth, Sophie-Louise Dann (Bend It Like Beckham, Made In Dagenham) as Celia, Michele Dotrice (Some Mother’s Do Ave Em) as Jessie, Claire Machin (Mary Poppins, Titanic, Mary Poppins) as Cora, Claire Moore (Miss Saigon, The Phantom … Read more

Elton John – Wonderful Crazy Night Tour – Now On Sale

Concerts, Events, News
Elton John's Wonderful Crazy Night Tour

Elton John has announced that he will perform a series of Summer Concerts as part of his Wonderful Crazy Night Tour. The concerts will take place in Birmingham, Derby, Leeds and Airdrie. Elton will perform songs from his career as well as songs from Wonderful Crazy Night – his latest studio album. Known for more hit songs than most of us could ever remember, Elton John is also well known for providing the music for The Lion King and Billy Elliot, the multi award-winning international hit musicals. The Lion King is still currently playing in London, whilst Billy Elliot is currently on tour across the UK. Concert dates are as follows:- 4 June 2017 – 3aaa County Ground, Derby 7 June 2017 – Genting Arena, Birmingham 8 June 2017 – First Direct Arena, Leeds 24 June 2017 – Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie BUY TICKETS FOR ELTON JOHN. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST … Read more

Cameron Mackintosh Stops Understudies From Tweeting Their Schedules

Les Miserables musical West End - Les Miserables London tickets, News, Touring, West End
Sir Cameron Mackintosh Stops Understudies Tweeting Their Schedules

The Stage newspaper has reported that Cameron Mackintosh has restricted performers from using social media to publicise information about their performance schedules. The matter was brought to public attention when the Twitter group @westendcovers were advised on August 30, that Les Miserables covers would no longer be allowed to share their cover dates. Cameron Mackintosh managing director Nicholas Allott told the Stage: – “We see [social media] as a very important way of promoting our shows, through our own efforts and through our associates, however there is information that could be commercially sensitive that we believe needs to be controlled by the management. We don’t feel it’s right that an understudy should let the rest of the world know when a principal is going to be off. Once we have announced it, they are completely at liberty to use that as much as they like but it needs to come … Read more

Casting Announced For All My Sons At Rose Kingston

News, Off West End
All My Sons Rose Theatre Kingston

Casting has today been announced for Michael Rudman’s new production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons being produced at the Rose Theatre, Kingston from 28 October to 19 November 2016. The production will feature David Horovitch as Joe Keller and Penny Downie as Kate Keller with Alex Waldmann (Chris Keller), Grace Carter (Lydia Lubey), Edward Harrison (George Deever), William Meredith (Frank Lubey), Alison Pargeter (Sue Bayliss), David Partridge (Jim Bayliss) and Francesca Zoutewelle (Ann Deever). Joe Keller is a thriving businessman who, during World War II, knowingly supplied the American airforce with defective engines, leading to the deaths of innocent pilots. To avoid the blame, he let his business partner take the fall, but during a sunny afternoon Joe is confronted by the consequences of his moral actions as a visitor arrives to reveal a secret that will rip his family apart. All My Sons will have set and costume … Read more

Willemijn Verkaik Returns To Wicked in January 2017

News, West End, Wicked the musical
Willemijn Verkaik returns to Wicked London

Producers have today announced that Willemijn Verkaik will return to the role of Elphaba in Wicked on January 30, 2017. Sue Kelvin will return as Madame Morrible and Sarah McNicholas will join the cast as Nessarose on the same date. Willemijn Verkaik has previously played Elphaba on Broadway, Germany (Stuttgart and Oberhausen), in Holland and in the West End. Willemijn is is the only actor in the show’s history to perform the show in more than one language. She returns to the London production as part of the shows 10th Birthday celebrations. Sue Kelvin returns to the show having starred in her own one-woman show Bette Middler…and Me, whilst Sarah McNicholas comes to the show having recently played the Mistress in Evita at the Dominion Theatre. From Monday 30 January 2017, Wicked will star Willemijn Verkaik, (Elphaba), Suzie Mathers (Glinda), Oliver Savile (Fiyero), Sue Kelvin (Madame Morrible), Mark Curry (The … Read more

It Is Easy To Be Dead Comes To Trafalgar 2

News, West End
It Is Easy To Be Dead At Trafalgar Studios 2

Following an acclaimed sell-out run earlier this year at the Finborough Theatre, producers have announced that It Is Easy To Be Dead will transfer to Trafalgar Studios 2 for a limited season from 9 November to 3 December 2016. When twenty-year-old Charles Sorley is killed in action during the First World War, his devastated parents are left with only his letters and poems to remember him by. Using his extraordinary writings, together with music and songs of the period, It Is Easy To Be Dead is a tender portrait of a brief life filled with promise, cut short by the futility of war. Charles Sorley was a witty, intelligent and spirited young man from Aberdeen, with a talent for poetry and dreams of escaping his privileged background. Studying in Germany in 1914 – where he was briefly imprisoned as an enemy alien – his life, like those of millions of … Read more