Lisa Spirling

Cast and Creative Tea Set For ROBIN HOOD AND THE MERRY MANDEM at Stratford East
by Stephi Wild - Sep 25, 2026

Stratford East announced cast and creative team for its 2026 holiday pantomime ROBIN HOOD AND THE MERRY MANDEM, running November 21, 2026–January 2, 2027. The production is written by Yolanda Mercy and directed by Olivier Award winner Jade Lewis.

ROBIN HOOD AND THE MERRY MANDEM to Open at Stratford East
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 25, 2026

Stratford East announced the casting and creative team for its 2026 pantomime ROBIN HOOD AND THE MERRY MANDEM, written by BAFTA-nominated writer Yolanda Mercy and directed by Olivier Award-winning director Jade Lewis.

25 Theater Books for Your Fall 2026 Reading List
by Nicole Rosky - Oct 4, 2026

We're falling into fall with a great Broadway read! This season, Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 25 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's Fall 2026 reading list.

Review: BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY, Starring Michelle Dockery, Stratford East
by Cindy Marcolina - Sep 11, 2026

After discussing gossip and patriarchy with Anne Boleyn in 1536, Ava Pickett keeps exploring the female spheres through the figure of Helen of Troy in Bloodsport. The war is over, and Helen has returned home. She has been brought back home, to be specific. Her husband is ecstatic, but her former best friend and confidante, Cee, doesn’t take the news well. Pickett reframes the Trojan War, setting it in contemporary Essex, in a play that raises a multitude of intersectionally feminist questions. 

Wake Up With BroadwayWorld August 29, 2026- JERSEY BOYS Prepares To Hit the Road and More
by - Aug 31, 2026

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is August 31, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed over the weekend.

Video: Watch the New Trailer For BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY
by Stephi Wild - Aug 28, 2026

A new trailer has been released for writer Ava Pickett’s Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy, directed by Stratford East Artistic Director Lisa Spirling. Check out the video here!

Photos: Michelle Dockery and Laura Aikman in Rehearsal For BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY
by Stephi Wild - Aug 21, 2026

New rehearsal photos have been released, giving a first look at award-winning writer Ava Pickett’s Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy, ahead of its world premiere at Stratford East. Check out the photos here!

Photos: Michelle Dockery, Laura Aikman and More in Rehearsal for BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 21, 2026

See rehearsal photos of Michelle Dockery, Laura Aikman and the cast of Ava Pickett's Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy, making its world premiere at Stratford East in September 2026.

APPLICATION 39 Will Embark on UK Tour in September
by Stephi Wild - Aug 5, 2026

Ahmed Masoud's APPLICATION 39 will begin previews at Bristol Old Vic on September 24, 2026, before touring to Newcastle, Ipswich, Manchester and London's Stratford East.

Cast Set For BLOODSPORT at Stratford East
by Stephi Wild - Jul 29, 2026

Full casting has been announced for Ava Pickett's BLOODSPORT, set to run at Stratford East this autumn. Learn more about the show and the cast for the production here.

Michelle Dockery Will Return To The Stage In BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY
by Marissa Faith Curley - Jul 3, 2026

Michelle Dockery, best known for her role in Downtown Abbey as Lady Mary Crawley, will return to the stage at Statford East in Bloodsport: Before Helen of Troy, a new play written by Ava Pickett.

Tickets On Sale For World Premiere Of BLOODSPORT
by Stephi Wild - Mar 3, 2026

The highly anticipated world premiere of BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY by Ava Pickett will open in March 2026. This new play explores the aftermath of the Trojan War through a modern lens, promising a fresh perspective on a classic tale.

Review Roundups: HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES Opens at Stratford East
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 13, 2026

UK premiere of Here There Are Blueberries, a co-production between Tectonic Theater Project and Stratford East is now running at Stratford East. See what the critics are saying in BroadwayWorld's Review Roundup.

Review: HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES, Stratford East
by Cindy Marcolina - Feb 12, 2026

Sometimes a play is far more valuable than what the four walls of a theatre can hold. 2007: history will never be the same after the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum gets a hold of a photo album from 1940s Germany. As the archivists leaf through the pages, the day-to-day routine of Nazi officers stationed in Auschwitz unfolds before their eyes.

THE HARDER THEY COME To Return To Stratford East In 2026
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 2, 2026

THE HARDER THEY COME will return to Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2026 following its 2025 run. The reggae musical is adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Matthew Xia, with performances scheduled from May 16 through July 4.

HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES Announces Initial UK Cast at Stratford East
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 26, 2025

HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES will make its UK premiere at Stratford East in early 2026, marking a major new collaboration with Tectonic Theater Project. The production brings Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich’s acclaimed work to London following celebrated runs in the U.S.

Interview: 'Come. Be A Part of The Conversation': Artistic Director Lisa Spirling And Executive Director Hanna Streeter on Their Big Plans For Stratford East
by Kat Mokrynski - Dec 3, 2025

Artistic Director Lisa Spirling and Executive Director Hanna Streeter have announced their first season at Stratford East, with exciting plans for the venue as a whole. The new season includes Here There Are Blueberries by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich, BLOODSPORT: After Helen of Troy by Ava Pickett and Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney. We had the opportunity to talk with both Spirling and Streeter about their first season at the theatre. We discussed what made each of them want to join Stratford East, some of their favourite shows they’ve seen at the venue and all about about the upcoming season!

HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES and More Set for Lisa Spirling's Inaugural Season at Stratford East
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 1, 2025

Lisa Spirling has announced her first season as Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Stratford East, alongside new Executive Director Hanna Streeter and Associate Artistic Director Jade Lewis.

Bindi Karia Appointed Chair Of Trustees Of Stratford East
by Stephi Wild - Sep 4, 2025

Stratford East has announced that Bindi Karia has been appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees. This appointment is a natural extension of Bindi's two-decade career at the intersection of innovation, technology, community, connectivity and advisory.

Cast Set For MAMA GOOSE Panto at Stratford East
by Stephi Wild - Jul 25, 2025

Stratford East has announced this year’s cast and creative team for MAMA GOOSE, with book by Vikki Stone & Tonderai Munyevu, who also co-direct, music by Robert Hyman, and lyrics by Robert Hyman & Vikki Stone.