Reece Shearsmith News

Some people call Grease 2 a guilty pleasure. Many more consider it to simply be a bad film. And then there's the rest of us: people who come across it at an early age (often too young to understand what the 'Reproduction' lyrics we like to sing at the dinner table mean), genuinely love it to pieces and never let it go, who at various points in our lives come across fellow fans - there is no quicker bond - with whom we can recite the dialogue and sing the songs, fuelling our shared fervour, and on and on it goes.

Full casting is announced today for COOL RIDER, the cult musical sequel in concert, which will play two performances only on Monday 27 January2014 at the West End's Lyric Theatre. Due to popular demand, 100 additional seats have also been released for the 11.00pm performance, with the7.30pm performance sold out. First-look images are also released today of Reece Shearsmith as Mr Stuart, Ashleigh Gray as Stephanie and Aaron Sidwell as Michael.

Joining the previously announced Reece Shearsmith as biology teacher Mr Stuart are Ashleigh Gray as Stephanie, Aaron Sidwell as Michael, Hannah Levane as Paulette and Niall Sheehy as Johnny.

Perhaps the greatest sequel ever told, COOL RIDER (formerly entitled Grease 2 in Concert) has added a second performance at 11.00pm on Monday 27 January 2014 due to phenomenal demand. Reece Shearsmith will also star as biology teacher Mr Stuart, it was announced today. Second performance on sale now.

The genesis story is retold in a new BBC AMERICA co-production film celebrating the 50th anniversary of the franchise, AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME, premiering Friday, November 22, 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA.

The Book of Mormon creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are in the West End tonight for the show's opening - and so are dozens of other stars!

The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Competition (SSSSPOTY), now in its seventh year, was created to give musical theatre students a platform to showcase their work before graduation.

FEARnet.com is premiering over 30 genre-centric short films in 2013, treating viewers to an eclectic blend of festival favorites, international picks, rarely-seen gems, and more.

All the winners, updated as it happens.

ABSENT FRIENDS, Alan Ayckbourn's classic comedy of manners and social embarrassment, will complete its run at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 14 April 2012.

Matilda the Musical, produced by the RSC and running at the Cambridge Theatre, leads the way with ten nominations - the maximum number of eligible awards for a musical this year. These notably include a collective nomination for Best Actress for all four young actresses who play the title role. Amongst other musical theatre productions Ghost The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre and the National Theatre's London Road have five and four nominations respectively.

The nominees for this year's Olivier Awards will be announced today from 12 noon - follow it right here on BWW:UK.

Missed out on last night's Whatsonstage.com awards? Check out our photo coverage from the red carpet and the press room!

Jeremy Herrin will direct David Armand, Elizabeth Berrington, Katherine Parkinson, Steffan Rhodri, Reece Shearsmith and Kara Tointon in Alan Ayckbourn's classic comedy of manners and social embarrassment Absent Friends, previewing at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly the Comedy Theatre).

Jeremy Herrin will direct David Armand, Elizabeth Berrington, Katherine Parkinson, Steffan Rhodri, Reece Shearsmith and Kara Tointon in Alan Ayckbourn's classic comedy of manners and social embarrassment Absent Friends, previewing at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly the Comedy Theatre) from 26 January 2012. With press night on 9 February Absent Friends, produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions and Bob Bartner, is currently booking until 14 April. Designs are by Tom Scutt with lighting by Peter Mumford and sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph.

Jeremy Herrin will direct David Armand, Elizabeth Berrington, Katherine Parkinson, Steffan Rhodri, Reece Shearsmith and Kara Tointon in Alan Ayckbourn's classic comedy of manners and social embarrassment Absent Friends, previewing at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly the Comedy Theatre) from 26 January 2012. With press night on 9 February Absent Friends, produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions and Bob Bartner, is currently booking until 14 April. Designs are by Tom Scutt with lighting by Peter Mumford and sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph.

Jeremy Herrin will direct David Armand, Elizabeth Berrington, Katherine Parkinson, Steffan Rhodri, Reece Shearsmith and Kara Tointon in Alan Ayckbourn's classic comedy of manners and social embarrassment Absent Friends, previewing at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly the Comedy Theatre) from 26 January 2012.

Voting in the 2011 BWW:UK Awards has been open for over a week now - and The Wizard of Oz and Much Ado About Nothing are leading the pack for the big prizes! Betty Blue Eyes is pushing the Palladium's spectacular hard in the musicals categories, though, and the National's much-acclaimed Frankenstein may yet overtake the Josie Rourke-directed Shakespeare revival.

On Sunday 9 October 2011, for one night only, there will be a special one-off concert performance of Stiles and Drewe's new musical SOHO CINDERS at the Novello Theatre, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. The concert will feature an all-star cast, including Kerry Ellis, Hannah Waddingham, Beverly Rudd, David Bedella, and Sandi Toksvig

The nominations have been tallied up - now have your say!