Matthew Bourne News

MEMPHIS, the 2010 Tony Winning Best Musical is preparing to launch the national tour in Appleton, WI at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, October 15th. MEMPHIS is in Boise, ID for technical rehearsal at the Morrison Center with three performances beginning October 9th - 11th.

Blood-sucking Vampires take to the stage of New York City Center on Halloween, October 31, in Matthew Bourne's SLEEPING BEAUTY. As a special Halloween treat (or trick), the audience is invited to a free pre-show Halloween party at The Dream New York, completewith Vampire-inspired Blood-tini cocktails and complimentary Bloody Good Bubbly champagne cocktails for anyone in costume.'

MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL will kick off the 2013-14 Broadway Series at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester, Nov 1-3, for five performances. Tickets are on sale now.

Ballet is not a dance style often featured on a Broadway stage, but Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty may change that. His production of Sleeping Beauty is as imaginative, expansive, and stunning as the best productions offered on Broadway. In its' North American premiere at the Des Moines Civic Center this past weekend, Sleeping Beauty won over audiences with virtuosity and spectacle.

Organisers of the Autism & Theatre - Inspiration Day 2013 on Monday 2 September at the Lyceum Theatre, London, attended by over 170 delegates from theatres and arts organisations across the UK, have reported the event to be a huge success.

New Adventures and Re:Bourne have announced a national tour of a thrilling new production of LORD OF THE FLIES, choreographed by Olivier nominated Scott Ambler, adapted and directed by Matthew Bourne and Scott Ambler, based on the classic novel by William Golding. LORD OF THE FLIES will open at the Lowry Theatre, Salford on 2 April 2014.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce the upcoming 2014 spring season line-up. Supporting Broadway In Chicago's commitment to Chicagoans seeing shows first, the season features four premieres. Coming to Chicago first is the World Premiere Pre-Broadway production of THE LAST SHIP, the U.S. Tour Premiere of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL and the North American Premiere ofHEARTBEAT OF HOME, as well as the U.S. Tour Premiere of BUYER AND CELLAR as an off-season special. Also included in the season is GHOST THE MUSICAL, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, PETER & THE STARCATCHERand THE WIZARD OF OZ. The 2014 spring off-season includes: ONCE UPON A DREAM STARRING THE RASCALS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, ALTON BROWN LIVE!, CHICAGO, ROCK OF AGES, ERTH'S DINOSAUR ZOO and MAMMA MIA!.

Matthew Bourne's NEW ADVENTURES has produced some of the most successful dance theatre productions of the last 25 years including Swan Lake, Nutcracker!, Cinderella and last year's sell out hit Sleeping Beauty.

In the centenary anniversary of the outbreak of World War 1, the play The Two Worlds of Charlie F, which was first performed in January 2012 at two charity fund-raising evenings at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, will start a new UK tour in 2014, preceded by a two-week run at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, Canada. The tour, which will be supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, will be supporting The Royal British Legion by raising funds at each performance. It will be performed by medically discharged military personnel, as well as professional actors.

Birmingham Hippodrome has announced details of a spectacular new season of outstanding live entertainment. The 2013/14 season features a host of new productions, an outdoor event transforming the Southside district, and the return of a much-loved favourite with priority booking for Hippodrome Friends.

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.

Tickets are now available for the New York premiere of the final installment in internationally celebrated choreographer and director Matthew Bourne's Tchaikovsky trilogy, SLEEPING BEAUTY, set to run October 23 through November 3 at New York's City Center.

New York City Center has announced full casting for the New York premiere of Matthew Bourne's SLEEPING BEAUTY, which runs October 23 - November 3, 2013 at City Center (West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Following on from Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity, Pippinand Merrily We Roll Along, the Menier Chocolate Factory is delighted to announce that its Christmas musical will be Candide with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, lyrics by Richard Wilbur and additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Park and Leonard Bernstein.

Just as summer is transitioning to fall, September is also the month in which the slower summer theater season shifts into the busier fall and winter season. Several shows will open in September, including a show making its' North American Premiere.

'Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty', a gothic romance with music composed by Tchaikovsky in A New Adventures Production will be presented by Center Theatre Group and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.

A new season rich with laughter and compelling drama was announced today for the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum by Michael Ritchie, CTG Artistic Director.