Anna Wood News

tells the story of an ordinary family struggling to live an ordinary life during difficult times

The hit Broadway musical The Life makes its long awaited London debut, directed by the show's original Broadway director, Michael Blakemore, at Southwark Playhouse for a strictly limited season now through 29 April 2017, with press night on 29 March. Scroll down for exclusive, close-up stills from the show!

The cast for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, the third production in the partnership between The GradeLinnit Company and English National Opera (ENO), comprises Katherine Jenkins (Julie Jordan), Alfie Boe (Billy Bigelow), Nicholas Lyndhurst (Star Keeper), Derek Hagen (Jigger Craigin), Alex Young (Carrie Pipperidge), Brenda Edwards (Nettie Fowler), Gavin Spokes (Enoch Snow), Susan Kyd (Mrs Mullin), Amy Everett (Louise), Davide Fienauri (Carnival Boy) and Martyn Ellis (Mr Bascombe).

The Life, which makes its long awaited London debut, directed by the show's original Broadway director, Michael Blakemore, will run at Southwark Playhouse for a strictly limited season from 25 March - 29 April 2017, with press night on 29 March. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Full casting of the hit Broadway musical, The Life, includes John Addison (Jojo), David Albury (Fleetwood), Jalisa Andrews (Chichi), Matthew Caputo (Oddjob), Lawrence Carmichael (Snickers), Omari Douglas (Slick), Aisha Jawando (Carmen), Thomas-Lee Kidd (Bobby), Charlotte Reavey (April), Jo Servi (Lacy), Lucinda Shaw (Tracy), Johnathan Tweedie (Theodore), T'Shan Williams (Queen) and Joanna Woodward (Mary). They join the previously announced musical theatre stars Sharon D. Clarke (Sonja), who was recently appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 Queen's New Year Honours for services to drama, and Cornell S. John (Memphis).

Nicholas Lyndhurst (Star Keeper) joins the previously announced Alfie Boe (Billy Bigelow) and Katherine Jenkins (Julie Jordan) in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, the third production in the partnership between The GradeLinnit Company and English National Opera (ENO).

SPACE on Ryder Farm, a non-profit artist residency program located an hour north of New York City, hosted their first annual Farm in the City gala on October 24, 2016. The event featured a farm-to-table dinner, performances from six seasons of SPACE-developed work, and a live auction. BroadwayWorld has photos from the starry event below!

SPACE on Ryder Farm, a non-profit artist residency program located an hour north of New York City, is hosting their first annual Farm in the City gala. The event features a farm-to-table dinner, performances from six seasons of SPACE-developed work, and a live auction. The gala will take place on Monday, October 24th at 7 p.m. at Sun West Studios, 450 W. 31st Street, NYC.

Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) ONE BK Unite raised over $47,000 for BCS programs and clients at the Prospect Park walk-a-thon on Sunday, September 25. The walk included participants like Brooklyn's Hollywood couple Dane DeHaan(“The Amazing Spider-Man 2”) and Anna Wood (USA's “Falling Water”), the ONE BK Unite Ambassadors, and writer-image activist Michaela Angela Davis, a member of the BCS Board of Directors.

Today, the producers of BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL release for sale a further 200,000 tickets taking booking at the Aldwych Theatre to 22 July 2017. The performance schedule is Monday at 7.30pm, Tuesday at 2.30pm, Wednesday at 7.30pm, Thursday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Friday at 7.30pm and Saturday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's SUNSET BOULEVARD, with Glenn Close reprising her role as 'Norma Desmond', opened to all-around favorable reviews this week at the London Coliseum. With all of the hype surrounding the English National Opera's stripped-down production, lyricist Don Black told the New York Post: 'But of course there is talk of doing it somewhere else. I think there is a very good chance of it going to New York.'

Glenn Close (Norma Desmond),Michael Xavier (Joe Gillis), Siobhan Dillon (Betty Shaefer) and Fred Johanson (Max Von Mayerling) were joined by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Christopher Hampton and Dan Black on stage following the opening night performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard (4 April 2016).  BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

Still not over Sara Bareilles coming to the rescue during a Waitress technical glitch? Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.' Highlights from this week include THE CRUCIBLE opening on Broadway, 1776 comes to Encores!, Alfie Boe takes his opening night bow in FINDING NEVERLAND and SO much more!

Just in! Glenn Close (Norma Desmond), Michael Xavier (Joe Gillis), Siobhan Dillon (Betty Shaefer) and Fred Johanson (Max Von Mayerling) star in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard with Anna Woodside as Hedda Hopper, Emily Bull as Hedy Lamarr, Julian Forsyth as Cecil B DeMille, Mark Goldthorp as Sheldrake, Fenton Gray as Manfred, Haydn Oakley as Artie Green and James Patersonas Jonesy. Further company members include Carly Anderson, Michelle Bishop, Jacob Chapman, Nadeem Crowe, Cornelia Farnsworth, Ria Jones, Katie Kerr, Aaron Lee Lambert, Matthew McKenna, Jo Morris, Tanya Robb, Ashley Robinson, Vicki Lee Taylor, Gary Tushaw, Adam Vaughan and Stuart Winter.  BroadwayWorld has a first look below!

Rehearsals began just last month for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard at the English National Opera. Since then, star Glenn Close stopped by Graham Norton to chat about the production and revealed her hopes that it will lead into something more. She said, 'I'm hoping very much that this will lead directly to making a movie... this like a revving up. It's a very elaborate rehearsal.' Check out the full interview below!

Today (22 February 2016) rehearsals for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard begin at the English National Opera Rehearsal Studios as the full cast is announced. Check out a sneak peek at the cast preparing for rehearsals below!

Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical Cats, starring Beverley Knight as Grizabella, will complete its strictly limited 11 week season at the London Palladium on 2 January 2016 as previously announced.  Check out the photos below!

Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical Cats, starring Beverley Knight as Grizabella, will complete its strictly limited 11 week season at the London Palladium on 2 January 2016 as previously announced.  Check out the photos below!

The sold-out benefit evening of 'BRIDGING THE GAP AND OTHER SHORT PLAYS BY WESLEY TAYLOR' -- an evening of readings of a collection of six new short plays by actor and playwright WESLEY TAYLOR to benefit The Actors Fund -- was just last night, October 26, at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Maryland Ensemble Theatre's (MET) family theatre The Fun Company will present, 'Stellaluna', the first show of its 2014-2015 season.