Marianka Swain - Page 37

Michael Head's new play THE GREATER GAME tells the fascinating true story of the 41 men who swapped the football fields of London for the battlefields of the Somme in 1916. East London football club Leyton Orient, then known as Clapton Orient, was the first team to sign up its players, staff and supporters to fight in the Great War. Forty-one men volunteered in all. Three of them never returned.

Full casting and creative team are announced today for the eagerly awaited professional European premiere of Rodgers & Hammerstein's ALLEGRO, which opened on Broadway in 1947, and was their third collaboration for the stage following Oklahoma! and Carousel.

In a new production commissioned by the Finborough Theatre, the European premiere of controversial Canadian play PROUD by Michael Healey runs at the Finborough Theatre, playing Sunday and Monday evenings and Tuesday matinees from Sunday, 17 July 2016 (Press Night: Monday, 18 July 2016 at 7.30pm).

Northern Broadsides and York Theatre Royal will be joining forces in September to stage J.B.Priestley's much loved and rarely toured classic comedy WHEN WE ARE MARRIED. Directed by and featuring Northern Broadsides artistic director Barrie Rutter, the production will open at York Theatre Royal from the 9-24 September and then go on a national tour until 10 December 2016.

English Touring Theatre today announces the appointment of Richard Twyman as the company's new Artistic Director. Twyman takes up the position in November 2016, taking over from Rachel Tackley who leaves the company to join Chichester Festival Theatre.

The cast has been announced for the European premiere of heart-warming chamber musical THE BURNT PART BOYS at Park Theatre, which runs from 10 August to 3 September. This is the first musical to be staged in PARK90, and British director Matthew Illife directs a brand new cast in this premiere. Press Night is Thursday 11 August, 7pm.  

Wilton's Music Hall today announces its exciting new season programme, which sees the world's oldest surviving grand music hall welcome a diverse range of work, shining a spotlight on live music and bespoke theatre productions. Highlights include Sadie Frost starring as Gypsy Rose Lee in world premiere BRITTEN IN BROOKLYN and musical FLOYD COLLINS, which tells the story of a 1920s Kentucky cave explorer.

The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces a major new revival of Tom Stoppard's TRAVESTIES - the first London revival in over 20 years. Patrick Marber directs Tom Hollander as he returns to the stage to play Henry Carr. The production opens on 4 October, with previews from 22 September and runs until 19 November.

Tall Stories Theatre Company today announce that they are to offer free tickets for THE GRUFFALO LIVE to primary school teachers across London in a bid to encourage schools to bring schoolchildren back to the theatre. In recent years, the company have noticed a fall in weekday term time attendance across a range of their family productions.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre presents HENRY V, starring Olivier Award-winning actress Michelle Terry in the title role. The production is now in previews, with press night tomorrow, and runs until 9 July.

Today, West End Bake Off, in aid of Acting for Others, announces that Dame Barbara Windsor and Christopher Biggins will return to the judging panel for a second year, and they will be joined by musical theatre star Michael Ball OBE. The second West End Bake Off takes place at St Anne's Church Courtyard from 11am to 1pm on 16 July, with all money raised going to theatrical charity Acting for Others.

David Ian, producer of the international award-winning musical CHICAGO is delighted to announce that one of Britain's most-loved soap stars, Jessie Wallace, will play Mama Morton in the musical's touring production.

Carrie Cracknell's acclaimed National Theatre production of Terence Rattigan's, THE DEEP BLUE SEA will be broadcast live to cinemas around the world from the National's Lyttelton Theatre on 1 September at 7pm.

Featuring world-class performers from across the globe, get ready to be enticed once more by the truly unique and irresistible world of LA SOIREE, in a Spiegeltent in Leicester Square. The jaw-dropping, Olivier Award-winning cabaret sensation returns to London for its seventh season in the capital this Christmas, from 11 November 2016 until 8 January 2017.  

Director/choreographer Arlene Phillips is to helm the world premiere of new British rock musical, written and co-directed by Sam Cassidy. The show runs 8 September-22 October at London's Cockpit Theatre, with press night on 12 September.

Step back in time and get ready for the biggest party in town! A sparkling new production of THE WEDDING SINGER will tour the UK in 2017 opening on Monday 6 February at Leicester Curve. Jon Robyns, Ray Quinn, Cassie Compton, Roxanne Pallett and Ruth Madoc will star in the hilarious musical based on the hit film.

Ralph Fiennes plays the villainous title role in Rupert Goold's new production of Shakespeare's RICHARD III at the Almeida, opening tonight. Vanessa Redgrave is Queen Margaret, and the cast also features David Annen, Joseph Arkley, Osman Baig, Benedict Barker, Tom Canton, Daniel Cerqueira, Simon Coates, Josh Collins, Susan Engel, James Garnon, Mark Hadfield, Scott Handy, Lev Levermore, Finbar Lynch, Aislin McGuckin, Joseph Mydell, Lukas Parish, Joshua Riley, Lukas Rolfe , Joanna Vanderham, Baxter Westby and Oliver Whitehouse.

Michael Bakkensen, who delighted audiences on Broadway in Noises Off and The Man Who Came to Dinner, and Jenna Ushkowitz, the award-winning actress known for playing Tina Cohen-Chang on the Fox television series Glee and for her roles in numerous Broadway musicals, including The King and I and Spring Awakening, will star in a private, industry-only reading of Jeff Stolzer's POWER PLAYS, a new comedy-drama.

In collaboration with New York's Music-Theatre Group, Opera Philadelphia is proud to announce that Rene Orth has been selected as its sixth Composer-in-Residence. Orth, whose music is 'whimsical, spiky, sometimes show-bizy, always dramatic, reflective, rarely predictable, and often electronic' (Musical America), was chosen for the three-season position from a national field of applicants, and now has the opportunity to follow a personalized development track focused on the advancement of her skills as an operatic composer.

The Drama Book Shop is pleased to welcome Jack Viertel for a discussion and signing of his new book, The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built, on Wednesday, June 15th at 5:00PM. The event is free to the public, but priority admission is granted to those who purchase a copy of the book. Mr. Viertel will sign copies of his book, which will be available for purchase, following the discussion.