Ambassador Theatre Group News

Following a sell out run at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival, Maurice's Jubilee will go on a national tour from this month, January 2013. This is Olivier Award winning Nichola McAuliffe's most recent play and she will reprise her role as Katie, alongside Olivier Award winning Julian Glover (Maurice) and SheiLA Reid* (Helena). Maurice's Jubilee is directed by multiple Fringe First winner Hannah Eidinow and has design by Christopher Richardson.

Gay Soper will take over from Sheila Reid, playing Helena, for the latter part of the National Tour of Maurice's Jubilee. Gay will join previously announced Olivier Award winning cast members Nichola McAuliffe (Katie) and Julian Glover (Maurice) playing at Bromley Churchill Theatre (26-30 March),Cambridge Arts Theatre (2-6 April) Theatre Royal, Windsor (8-13 April) and Oxford Playhouse (15-20 April).

Gay Soper will take over from Sheila Reid, playing Helena, for the latter part of the National Tour of Maurice's Jubilee. Gay will join previously announced Olivier Award winning cast members Nichola McAuliffe (Katie) and Julian Glover (Maurice) playing at Bromley Churchill Theatre (26-30 March), Cambridge Arts Theatre (2-6 April) Theatre Royal, Windsor (8-13 April) and Oxford Playhouse (15-20 April).

Gay Soper will take over from Sheila Reid, playing Helena, for the latter part of the National Tour of Maurice's Jubilee.

Claire Foy (White Heat, Little Dorrit, The Promise) will play Lady Macbeth, alongside the previously announced BAFTA winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Atonement, X-Men) as Macbeth. Joining them, to complete the cast, are Jamie Ballard (Macduff), Graeme Dalling (Donalbain), Lisa Gardner (Witch), Kevin Guthrie (Lennox), Richard Hansell (Ross), Forbes Masson (Banquo), Allison McKenzie (Witch), Olivia Morgan (Witch), Catherine Murray (Caithness), Callum O'Neill (Angus), Mark Quartley (Malcolm) and Hugh Ross (Duncan/Doctor).

The Stage Newspaper's annual list, The Stage 100, now in its 16th year, has once again listed the top 100 most influential people in UK theatre.

BroadwayWorld brings you the Best of National Tours in the year 2012. Check out the Top Theatre Stories from each month during in the year 2012. We look forward to another exciting year of theatre in 2013!

As we move into the last days of December, we asked our team of reviewers to give us their highlights - and lowlights - of 2012. Here are the thoughts of two of our team - Jenny Antill and Becky Brewis!

The international award-winning hit LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL is coming to the Princess Theatre, Melbourne in May 2013 for a strictly limited season (tickets on sale today, 17 December). It was a smash hit musical in New York for 2 years and for 3 years in London where it won the coveted Best New Musical Olivier Award.

The international award-winning hit LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL is coming to the Princess Theatre, Melbourne in May 2013 for a strictly limited season (tickets on sale 17 December). It was a smash hit musical in New York for 2 years and for 3 years in London where it won the coveted Best New Musical Olivier Award.

The smash hit West End musical GHOST the Musical, based on the Academy Award winning film, is to tour throughout the UK opening at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff in April 2013. GHOST the Musical is directed by the Tony award winning Matthew Warchus (Matilda, Art) and has music and lyrics by Grammy® award winning Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard and features the iconic song Unchained Melody. Set and costume designs are by Rob Howell, musical supervision and arrangements by Christopher Nightingale, illusions are by Paul Kieve, choreography is by Ashley Wallen, video and projection designs by Jon Driscoll, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and sound by Bobby Aitken. The UK tour is being produced by David Ian Productions, The Ambassador Theatre Group, Colin Ingram, and Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle. Full casting for the tour will be announced later this year.

The Old Globe will open its 2013-14 Season with the world premiere of The Honeymooners, a new musical based on the legendary CBS television series. 2012 Tony Award winner Michael McGrath (Nice Work If You Can Get It) will star as Ralph Kramden, the small-time bus driver with big-time dreams. Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde) will direct and choreograph the musical comedy, with book by Dusty Kay and Bill Nuss, music by Stephen Weiner and lyrics by Peter Mills.

Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), the UK's largest theatre owner/operator and producing group, has today announced that Tim McFarlane has agreed to join ATG in the newly created role of CEO for ATG Asia/Pacific.

Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) has successfully bid to continue operating the Regent Theatre and Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent for the next ten years following a comprehensive tender process. The contract will be awarded by Stoke-On-Trent City Council following a ten day period required under contract law.

David Ian Productions and the Ambassador Theatre Group are delighted to announce the UK tour of the international smash hit musical PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT opening at the Manchester Opera House on Saturday 9 February 2013 where it will play until Saturday 23 February 2013. Full tour schedule is below.

Following a sell out run at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival, Maurice's Jubilee will go on a national tour from January 2013. This is Olivier Award winning Nichola McAuliffe's most recent play and she will reprise her role as Katie, alongside Olivier Award winning Julian Glover (Maurice) and Sheila Reid* (Helena). Maurice's Jubilee is directed by multiple Fringe First winner Hannah Eidinow and has design by Christopher Richardson.

Spring 2013 sees multi Olivier Award-winner Zoe Wanamaker make her return to the West End in Passion Play, Peter Nichols' celebrated black comedy about love and infidelity. Directed by David Leveaux, Passion Play opens on 7 May at the Duke of York's Theatre with previews from 1 May.

Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and Bob Bartner are delighted to announce that 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL will have its UK Premiere at the Manchester Opera House on Friday 12 October 2012. Tickets will go on sale in all venues at 4.51pm (nine to five!) on Tuesday 27 March.

EMG Media & Marketing Ltd has announced the appointment of Kym Bartlett in a new senior role of Communications Director.

Gerard McCarthy (Bruce) and Oliver Wilson (Christopher) join the previously announced, Robert Bathurst (Robert), to complete the cast of Blue/Orange. The second show in Theatre Royal Brighton Productions inaugural season, directed by Christopher Luscombe, Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange will tour nationally from 13 September 2012, before transferring to the West End. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!