Menier Chocolate Factory News

As Michael John LaChiusa's The Wild Party will receive its first major London production at The Other Palace, playing from Saturday 11 February to Saturday 1 April 2017, with a press night on Monday 20 February. Directed and choreographed by 2016 Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie and starring Tony Award winner Frances Ruffelle, The Wild Party will be the inaugural production at The Other Palace, formerly St. James Theatre, when it reopens in February 2017 as the newest addition to The Really Useful Theatres Group and a home for new musical theatre.

Today's big news: The U.S. premiere of COMMUNION bows tonight at Urban Stages, the casts of RIDE THE CYCLONE and IN TRANSIT meet the press, and Roundabout's HOLIDAY INN opens on Broadway!

Wilde, Joyce, Shakespeare, Lenin, memory, the morality of war, social systems, and the meaning and purpose of art: Stoppard's dazzlingly intellectual 1974 play really is a life, the universe and everything affair. Thankfully, Patrick Marber's fleet-footed revival is equally attuned to its wit and skittish strangeness, offering a lifeline to audience members who may be nodding fervently at the line 'I'm finding this conversation extremely hard to follow'.

Last night, Patrick Marber's highly anticipated revival of Tom Stoppard's TRAVESTIES opened at Menier Chocolate Factory. The cast features Tom Hollander, Freddie Fox, Clare Foster, Peter McDonald, Amy Morgan, Forbes Masson, Tim Wallers and Sarah Quist, and the play runs until 19 November.

Tony Award winners Leslie Odom, Jr. (Hamilton) and Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), and Grammy Award-nominated singer and songwriter Kenny Lattimore will bring their powerful voices and dynamic stage presence to NJPAC's 21st Annual Spotlight Gala of the Women's Association of NJPAC today, October 1.

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From Amadeus and a starry Stoppard revival to exciting new musicals, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews…

Patrick Marber directs Clare Foster (Cecily), Freddie Fox (Tristan Tzara), Tom Hollander (Henry Carr), Forbes Masson (Lenin), Peter McDonald (James Joyce), Amy Morgan (Gwendolen), Sarah Quist (Nadya) and Tim Wallers (Bennett). The production - which opens on 4 October, with previews from 22 September and runs until 19 November - completely sold out, breaking Menier box office records by becoming the first play to sell out ahead of its opening in the theatre's history.

ice&fire today announces the full company for the world premiere of The Island Nation, written by its Artistic Director Christine Bacon.  Ria Parry directs Claire Dargo, Ayesha Dharker, Bally Gill, Clive Hayward, Nikki Patel and Neran Persaud in the production which opens at the Arcola Theatre on 28 October, with previews from the 26 October, and runs until 19 November 2016. 

Ghostlight Records has announced that Close to You: Bacharach Reimagined from KYLE RIABKO is now available from Spotify and other streaming services.

The St. James Studio is delighted to announce that its first ever drag week will take place from 1 - 5 November. Three shows from some of the country's most acclaimed drag performers will take to the studio stage: super-group Denim, androgynous signer Jessica Walker and West End star Ian Stroughair as alter ego Velma Celli.

Due to demand, The New Group has announced an additional week for Sweet Charity, the production launching the company's 2016-2017 Season. This twice-extended engagement, originally set to play through December 11, now runs through Friday, December 30.

Following critically acclaimed and record-breaking sold-out runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Savoy Theatre, Sheridan Smith will reprise her highly praised performance of Fanny Brice at selected venues for the UK tour of Funny Girl - she is set to perform in Manchester, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Southampton, Bradford, Southend, Cardiff and Dublin. Further casting will be announced shortly, and patrons should check with venues for the performance playing schedule.

Page Seventy-Three Productions (Page 73) has announced casting for the world premiere of ULTIMATE BEAUTY BIBLE, a new play by Page 73's 2016 Tow Foundation Playwright-in-Residence Caroline V. McGraw.

Tony Award winner, Cynthia Erivo, took a moment from designing Miss Celie's Pants to take in the sights at The Blonds presentation at New York Fashion week. The star joined Orange is the New Black actress, Dascha Polanco, at the show and looked smashing in a slinky, metallic ensemble. 

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment today announced Mr Popper's Penguins will be visiting 6 venues in the UK from the 27 September to 11 December prior to a West End Christmas season. The Penguins will also be sailing across the Atlantic for their US premiere at New York's renowned New Victory Theatre this autumn. 

Sheffield Theatres today announces the cast for its major new revival of Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun. Paul Foster directs Anna-Jane Casey 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). The production opens on 14 December, with previews from 8 December, and runs until 14 January.  

This September, MISSED CONNECTIONS: A CRAIGSLIST MUSICAL will have its U.S. debut at the New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street, NYC), opening tonight, September 15 and will run through September 25. The musical is directed by Phillip George (Forbidden Broadway), choreographed by Amy Hall Garner.

Last night, Tony Award-Winner Cynthia Erivo and Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry just starred in a special one-night-only benefit concert version of Jason Robert Brown's seminal musical, The Last Five Years, with the composer himself leading the orchestra. Below, watch Erivo and Henry perform 'Still Hurting' and 'Moving Too Fast':

Last night, Tony Award-Winner Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple) and Tony Award nomineeJoshua Henry (Shuffle Along, Violet) just starred in a special one-night-only benefit concert version of Jason Robert Brown's seminal musical, The Last Five Years, with the composer himself leading the orchestra.

Patrick Marber directs Tom Hollander as he returns to the stage to play Henry Carr in the Menier Chocolate Factory's revival of Tom Stoppard's TRAVESTIES. The production opens on 4 October, with previews from 22 September and runs until 19 November.