Menier Chocolate Factory News

English Touring Theatre today announces its spring season which features the world premiere of Silver Lining, a new comedy written by Sandi Toksvig, and a tour of the critically acclaimed Olivier Award winning Shakespeare's Globe production of Nell Gwynn, starring Laura Pitt-Pulford in the title role.  It is the final season under the stewardship of Director Rachel Tackley who is leaving the company to become Executive Director of Chichester Festival Theatre.  Richard Tywman takes over, having been Associate Director (International) of the Royal Court Theatre since 2013.

A watercolour collection of caricatures by Christine Jimenez. This exhibition features the actors from The Entertainer, Funny Girl, Doctor Faustus, The Spoils, A View From The Bridge, Hamlet, Made In Dagenham, The Ruling Class, Kinky Boots, Book of Mormon, Urinetown, Guys and Dolls, Aladdin, Miss Saigon and Les Miserables.??

Directed by world renowned director/choreographer Arlene Phillips,"27" is an intoxicating modern fable of our time, a dark interpretation of one of humanity's oldest stories. It has music, book and lyrics and is co-directed by Sam Cassidy.

It just might be the most anticipated concert event of the year; the tickets for Tony Winner Cynthia Erivo and two-time Tony Nominee Joshua Henry's one-night-only performance of The Last Five Years sold out in less than an hour on the first day of the evening's pre-sale. With the concert, which will be performed at Town Hall, only two days away, the entire team is hard at work perfecting the piece before sharing it with the lucky few who nabbed tickets. This afternoon, Jason Robert Brown, the composer of The Last Five Years, took to Facebook to share a sneak peak of one of the orchestra's final rehearsals before the big night. Check it out below!

This September, MISSED CONNECTIONS: A CRAIGSLIST MUSICAL will have its U.S. debut at the New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street, NYC) beginning tonight, September 10, opening on September 15 and will run through September 25. The musical is directed by Phillip George (Forbidden Broadway), choreographed by Amy Hall Garner.

Full casting is announced for Christopher Wheeldon's stunning reinvention of the Oscar winning film (that starred Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron). An American in Paris features the sublime music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and a new book by Craig Lucas. Directly following celebrated engagements in Paris and New York, this critically acclaimed and multi award-winning new musical bursts into life in the West End from Saturday 4 March 2017 with the official opening night on Tuesday 21 March 2017 at the Dominion Theatre. 

Terry Johnson's "Painfully funny and funnily painful" (The Times) comedy, DEAD FUNNY, returns for a strictly limited season at the Vaudeville Theatre this autumn with Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd, In The Club, Humans), Steve Pemberton (The League of Gentleman, Benidorm, Whitechapel), Ralf Little (The Royle Family, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, The Cafe), Emily Berrington (The Inbetweeners 2, Humans, 24) and Rufus Jones (W1A, Hunderby, The Casual Vacancy). 

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 on Saturday, October 1.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley brings U.S. audiences their first look a London hit with the American Premiere of the joyous musical revue The Life of the Party. Directed and co-created byDavid Babani, the Artistic Director of London's Menier Chocolate Factory, this rollicking musical journey celebrates the songs of Tony Award-nominated composer Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, The Addams Family, Big Fish) who takes the stage as a featured performer, along with a cast of Broadway and West End veterans, bringing to life a hilarious, uplifting, memorable evening. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This September, MISSED CONNECTIONS: A CRAIGSLIST MUSICAL will have its U.S. debut at the New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street, NYC) beginning September 10, opening on September 15 and will run through September 25. The musical is directed by Phillip George (Forbidden Broadway), choreographed by Amy Hall Garner.

Easter Rising: Voice of a Rebel, a BBC Learning virtual reality (VR) experience, is available for the public in a free installation at the National Theatre's Lyttelton Lounge from today. Available until Saturday 22 October, the experience - jointly created by BBC Learning, Crossover Labs and VRTOV, two pioneering companies in the field of VR - is watched using an Oculus Rift headset.

United Theatrical, Aria Entertainment and Music & Lyrics Limited are delighted to present, in association with the Festival Theatre Edinburgh, the UK & Irish premiere of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a musical comedy, with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, the creators of multi award-winning Jersey Boys, and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on the characters created by Charles Addams. The UK & Ireland Tour, which will open at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on 20 April 2017, will be directed by Matthew White.

Scarlett Strallen will return to the Menier Chocolate Factory to lead the company of SHE LOVES ME this Christmas. The production reunites Strallen with director Matthew White, following their previous collaboration at the Menier on Candide. The production opens on 7 December, with previews from 25 November, and runs until 5 March 2017.

Natasha J Barnes who will play the title role of Cinderella, Suzie Chard and Wendy Sommerville who will play The Wicked Stepsisters complete the casting for the London Palladium Pantomime this Christmas. They join the previously announced Paul O'Grady (The Wicked Stepmother), Julian Clary (Dandini), Amanda Holden (The Fairy Godmother), Lee Mead (Prince Charming), Paul Zerdin (Buttons), Nigel Havers (Lord Chamberlain) and Count Arthur Strong (Baron Hardup).

Complete casting has been announced for the new musical NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, featuring the Broadway debuts of 24 cast and creative team members, including Josh Groban* as 'Pierre' and Denee Benton* as 'Natasha.'

Today is the birthday of British actress Lara Pulver. Though she's now better known for her television work, having starred in the BBC's 'Robin Hood' and alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Sherlock', Pulver made a name for herself in the West End's musical theatre scene.

Full casting is announced today for the UK premiere of the hit Off Broadway musical ADDING MACHINE: A MUSICAL, composed by Joshua Schmidt, with libretto by Jason Loewith and Joshua Schmidt, and based on the classic play by Elmer Rice. Josh Seymour directs Joseph Alessi (Mr Zero), Kate Milner-Evans (Mrs Zero), Joanna Kirkland (Daisy Dorothea Devore) and Edd Campbell Bird (Shrdlu), with James Dinsmore (Mr One and as cast), Helen Walsh (Mrs One and as cast), George Rae (Mr Two and as cast), and Sue Appleby (Mrs Two and as cast). The production opens at the Finborough Theatre on Wednesday 28 September 2016 (Press Nights: Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October 2016 at 7.30pm).

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley brings U.S. audiences their first look a London hit with the American Premiere of the joyous musical revue The Life of the Party. Directed and co-created by David Babani, the Artistic Director of London's Menier Chocolate Factory, this rollicking musical journey celebrates the songs of Tony Award-nominated composer Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party, The Addams Family, Big Fish) who takes the stage as a featured performer, along with a cast of Broadway and West End veterans, bringing to life a hilarious, uplifting, memorable evening. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley was the star of the show for a change - receiving proclamations on Monday, August 22 from both the City of Palo Alto's Mayor Pat Burt, and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, acknowledging his significant contributions to the community.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's 47th season will feature American Premiere of the surprise London hit, THE LIFE OF THE PARTY, running tonight, August 24, through September 18, starring Tony Award-nominated composer Andrew Lippa.