Frances Ruffelle News

2014 sees some new names and some returns to The Crazy Coqs. January starts with the London debut of the sizzling cabaret performer Carole J .Bufford and her show Body and Soul (tonight, January 7 - 11) followed by the popular Broadway star Brent Barrett and his show Night Songs (January 14 -18) and then actress and singer Linda Purl with her show Midnight Caravan: Celebrating the Great Ladies of the Glamorous Nightclub Era of the 40s & 50s (January 21 - 25).

A star-studded concert featuring many of the most familiar faces from the West End stage are on hand for a spectacular new special spotlighting famed lyricist Don Black titled DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER: THE DON BLACK STORY.

The Great White Way is beginning to light up red and green and the massive sign of seasonal merriment represented by the several-story-tall tree in Rockefeller Center further cements the celebration with a brilliant blaze of light in New York City, signaling the season on Broadway and beyond - Christmastime is here again! Yes, indeed! Taking from the vast theatrical canon, today we are looking at some of the most memorable musical theatre moments pertaining to the holiday season with some of Broadway's brightest stars and some of the season's best selections, both old and new.

Click below to watch the second official teaser video for Anderson & Petty's new album You Are Home: The Songs of Anderson & Petty! This video contains snippets of We Stand Together (Frances Ruffelle), This Time I Know (Jen Burleigh-Bentz), A New Star Tonight (Kieran Brown), The Rain It Falls (Natalie Gallo), Christmas Eve (Jonathan Rayson), Forever Child (Gina Beck), River, Slow Down (Debbie Kurup) and Stand Up (Sophia Ragavelas). Album recorded in association with Dennis Michael Keefe at Great White Wax Inc. Scroll down to watch!

Barry Anderson and Mark Petty, the transatlantic songwriting duo known as Anderson & Petty, have releasd their debut songbook album entitled 'You Are Home: The Songs of Anderson & Petty' today, December 16th. Anderson & Petty co-produced the album with Dennis Michael Keefe of the record label Great White Wax. The album is available digitally worldwide via Amazon and iTunes and as a physical release via Amazon.com.

The brand new musical fable THE A-Z OF MRS P opens at SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE on FRIDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2014 (Press night Monday 24 February 2014): starring ISY SUTTIE (Peep Show / Shameless) in her first musical, as the pioneering Mrs P; with Tony Award winner FRANCES RUFFELLE (Les Miserables, Pippin, Piaf) as her emotionally fragile mother; and Olivier Award winner MICHAEL MATUS (Martin Guerre, The Baker's Wife, The Sound Of Music) as Phyllis's beloved and impossible father, the map publisher Alexander (Sandor) Gross.

Click below to watch the first official teaser video for Anderson & Petty's new album You Are Home: The Songs of Anderson & Petty! The video contains snippets of Beautiful Day (Brent Michael DiRoma), Suddenly (Cynthia Erivo), Take Me Away (Josh Franklin), Love Will Find Its Way (Lucia Spina), Tell Me (Jason Kappus), Superman (Autumn Hurlbert), Only Me (Matthew Barrow) and You Are Home (Coleen Sexton). It was recorded in association with Dennis Michael Keefe at Great White Wax Inc. Scroll down to watch!

Barry Anderson and Mark Petty, the transatlantic songwriting duo known as Anderson & Petty, will be releasing their debut songbook album entitled 'You Are Home: The Songs of Anderson & Petty' on December 16th. Anderson & Petty co-produced the album with Dennis Michael Keefe of the record label Great White Wax. The album will be available digitally worldwide via Amazon and iTunes and as a physical release via Amazon.com.

2014 sees some new names and some returns to The Crazy Coqs. January starts with the London debut of the sizzling cabaret performer Carole J .Bufford and her show Body and Soul (January 7 - 11) followed by the popular Broadway star Brent Barrett and his show Night Songs (January 14 -18) and then actress and singer Linda Purl with her show Midnight Caravan: Celebrating the Great Ladies of the Glamorous Nightclub Era of the 40s & 50s (January 21 - 25).

The Daily Mail reports that comedian and actress Isy Suttie (Shameless) is set to star as Phyllis Pearsall in a new musical titled THE A-Z OF MRS P, conceived by Neil Marcus with book by Diane Samuels and music and lyrics by Gwyneth Herbert.

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) has announced the winners of the 2013 UK Theatre Awards - the only nationwide awards to honour creative excellence and the outstanding achievement seen on and off stage throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

According to the Daily Mail, the upcoming musical adaptation of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM held a developmental workshop last Saturday, October 5. Stage and screen star Samantha Barks played 'Jules' -- who was portrayed by Keira Knightley in the 2002 movie -- alongside Tara Divina as 'Jess' (originated by Parminder Nagra on screen) in the starring role.

Acclaimed actor, writer and theatre director Simon Callow, CBE, will receive The Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre at the ceremony for the 2013 UK Theatre Awards on Sunday 20 October at London's historic Guildhall.

Musical theatre royalty paid tribute to lyricist Don Black at the Royal Festival Hall last night as he celebrated 50 years in showbiz.

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) has announced the nominations for the 2013 UK Theatre Awards published below and available online at www.tmauk.org.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. 54 Below also launched its series of late night events. Joining Tuesday nights' popular 'Backstage' with Susie Mosher is 15:54, and more:

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning performer known around the world for her iconic original performance as Eponine in both the West End and Broadway editions of international stage sensation LES MISERABLES, copiously convivial chanteuse Frances Ruffelle. Discussing her legacy with the iconic mega-musical and her relationship with the show's director, John Caird, Ruffelle opens up about a life in the theatre, telling tales of her time spent treading the boards in the various incarnations of LES MISERABLES - winning the Tony for her Broadway performance - as well as working on the original London production of Stephen Schwartz's CHILDREN OF EDEN with Caird and fellow InDepth InterView participants Matthew Bourne and Ruthie Henshall in addition to shedding light on fascinating workshop experiences - STARLIGHT EXPRESS, SUNSET BOULEVARD and WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND among them - and her more recent roles, such as her run as the title character in PIAF and featured part making up the intricate ensemble of William Finn's entertaining revue MAKE ME A SONG. Ruffelle also discusses her solo album work and future recording plans and also comments upon the pop success of her daughter, UK star Eliza Doolittle. Most importantly, Ruffelle peels back the layers of the return engagement of her successful solo show BENEATH THE DRESS and clues us in on what we can expect from her upcoming dates at celebrated cabaret venue 54 Below. Plus, Ruffelle fills us in on her next cabaret piece and its inspiration, as well as shares the 411 about her new films coming out in the next couple of months. All of that, thoughts on Broadway versus the West End, sharing the screen with Anne Hathaway in the mega-hit big screen edition of LES MISERABLES, thoughts on some of her recent TV roles as well as much, much more in this all-access pass with a particularly lovely and lively star.

The Crazy Coqs October schedule begins with Steven Brinberg, who returns following his sell-out show earlier this year with Simply Barbra (October 1- 5), followed by Les Miserables actress and singer Frances Ruffelle and her show Paris Original (October 8 - 12). New York singer-pianist Billy Stritch performs his show I've Got Your Number - The Jazz of Cy Coleman (October 15- 19). As part of the London Festival of Cabaret, Karen Kohler and KT Sullivan will duet together in their show Vienna to Weimar (October 22- 26) followed by KT Sullivan with Rhyme, Women and Song (October 29 - November 2).