Charles Spencer News

Last Night, Tuesday 19 July, Ghost the Musical opened in the West End at the Piccadilly Theatre where guests included McFly, JLS, Kimberly Walsh, Rochelle Wiseman, Joe McElderry, Lord and Lady Archer, William Baker, Michael Ball, Karren Brady, James Dreyfus, Jennifer Ellison, Bob Geldof, Rupert Graves, Leanne Jones, Lorraine Kelly, Richard O'Brien, Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood, Frank Skinner, Denise Van Outen and Helen Worth.

Ghost The Musical makes its highly anticipated West End opening today, July 19, at the Piccadilly Theatre, after begining performances on June 24, 2011. Booking is open for performances through January 28, 2012.

The Finborough Theatre Announces two upcoming productions for August, 2011, Blue Surge and Portraits.

The final season of The Bridge Project, starring Kevin Spacey in the title role of Richard III and directed by Sam Mendes, began previews at The Old Vic on June 18 and runs through September 11. The company will then embark on an international tour including the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Spain's Centro Niemeyer, Hong Kong Arts Festival and Singapore Repertory Theatre, arriving at BAM's Harvey Theater in New York in January 2012. Further international tour dates to be announced shortly. For tickets, visit: http://www.oldvictheatre.com

Produced by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions, SHREK THE MUSICAL® is based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek! and the Oscar®-winning original Dreamworks Animation feature film Shrek, the first chapter in the series of irreverent fairy tales. Tickets for the new stage musical are on sale for performances until February 19, 2012. SHREK THE MUSICAL played on Broadway from December 2008 to January 2010 and was nominated for eight Tony Awards, winning Tim Hatley the Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical. The original creative team has now re-assembled to stage the production with new songs and additional scenes. SHREK THE MUSICAL is playing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and officially opens tonight, June 14, 2011. Did the critics feel the magic of this fairytale? Find out now!

Roundabout Theatre Company's (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) critically acclaimed Broadway production of Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by and starring Brian Bedford, was filmed live with multiple high definition cameras during public performances on March 11 and 12, 2011 at the American Airlines Theatre (227 West 42nd St.).

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in association with Roundabout Theatre Company, L.A. Theatre Works and BY Experience is thrilled to be presenting - direct from Broadway, the Roundabout Theatre Company's Tony Award-nominated production of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, directed by and starring Tony Award Nominated Best Actor Brian Bedford on SUNDAY, JUNE 26 at 2pm at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada.

Richard Bean's revised version of Carlo Goldini's A Servant of Two Masters, titled: ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS features James Corden in the title role.The production, directed by Nicolas Hynter, is scheduled to open in May 2011 at the National Theatre's Lyttleton Theatre.

Stage and screen star Patrick Stewart stars in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Rupert Goold. Set in Las Vegas, the production runs through October 4.

Roundabout Theatre Company, L.A. Theatre Works and BY Experience are thrilled to announce additional dates and venues for the upcoming screening of Roundabout's critically acclaimed & Tony Award nominated Broadway production of Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by and starring 2011 Tony nominee Brian Bedford.

JERUSALEM, the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning play by Jez Butterworth and starring Tony and Olivier Award-winner Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing, La Bête), began previews on April 2, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The production, directed by Ian Rickson, opened last night, April 21 and will play a limited 16-week engagement. Broadway Beat was there to capture the opening night fun!

JERUSALEM, the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning play by Jez Butterworth and starring Tony and Olivier Award-winner Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing, La Bête), began previews on April 2, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The production, directed by Ian Rickson, opened last night, April 21 and will play a limited 16-week engagement. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the cast on their way into the opening night party!

JERUSALEM, the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning play by Jez Butterworth and starring Tony and Olivier Award-winner Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing, La Bête), began previews on April 2, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The production, directed by Ian Rickson, opened last night, April 21 and will play a limited 16-week engagement. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the opening night red carpet!

JERUSALEM, the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning play by Jez Butterworth and starring Tony and Olivier Award-winner Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing, La Bête), began previews on April 2, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The production, directed by Ian Rickson, opened last night, April 21 and will play a limited 16-week engagement. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture the opening night curtain call!

JERUSALEM, the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning play by Jez Butterworth and starring Tony and Olivier Award-winner Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing, La Bête), began previews on April 2, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The production, directed by Ian Rickson, opens tonight, April 21 and will play a limited 16-week engagement. Click below for a performance preview!

JERUSALEM, the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning play by Jez Butterworth and starring Tony and Olivier Award-winner Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing, La Bête), began previews on April 2, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The production, directed by Ian Rickson, opens tonight, April 21 and will play a limited 16-week engagement.

AQUILA THEATRE (Peter Meineck, Artistic Director) is proud to announce their only NY appearances this season: four performances at NYU's Skirball Center (566 Laguardia Place). On Wednesday, April 20 at 8PM and Thursday, April 21 at 8PM, Aquila will present Luigi Pirandello's classic Six Characters In Search of An Author.

Everybody's been talking about the animatronic pig which cost a reported £100,000 and we've now got the first photos from Cameron Mackintosh's new musical comedy BETTY BLUE EYES, based on the Handmade Film 'A PRIVATE FUNCTION' by Alan Bennett and Malcolm Mowbray. BETTY BLUE EYES is the first original musical Cameron Mackintosh has produced in ten years. It started previews at the Novello Theatre in the West End on 19 March and opens on 13 April.