Ben Elton News

Cameron Mackintosh will present Rowan Atkinson as 'Fagin' in Lionel Bart's musical masterpiece 'OLIVER!' at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with performances commencing from 12 December 2008 and a press night on 14 January 2009.

The producers of WEST SIDE STORY have confirmed full casting for the new Broadway production.

Dublin's National Concert Hall will this week host a celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most famous musical work.

FRINGE ENCORE SERIES will present SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM: the return of Jackie Susann for five additional performances, September 11-16 at the SoHo Playhouse.

Available to U.S. audiences for the first time, Acorn Media announces the August 26, 2008 home video debut of Alfresco, a hilarious sketch comedy series that launched the careers of Oscar®-winner Emma Thompson, Golden Globe®-winner Hugh Laurie (House), BAFTA-winner Robbie Coltrane (Cracker, the Harry Potter films), Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, among others.

Canada is to stage the world premiere of The Boys in the Photograph, the latest musical collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton.

Manitoba Theatre Centre announces the playbill for the 2008/09 season.

Available to U.S. audiences for the first time, Acorn Media announces the August 26, 2008 home video debut of Alfresco, a hilarious sketch comedy series that launched the careers of Oscar®-winner Emma Thompson, Golden Globe®-winner Hugh Laurie (House), BAFTA-winner Robbie Coltrane (Cracker, the Harry Potter films), Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, among others.

WE WILL ROCK YOU READY TO ROCK THE STATE-OF-THE-ART PANASONIC THEATRE PERFORMANCES BEGIN JULY 16, 2008

Rachel Tucker of the BBC's 'I'd Do Anything' will star as Meat in the Queen musical We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre starting September 22nd.

KERRY ELLIS, the award-winning star of the London production of WICKED and Broadway's newest Elphaba, has recorded two songs from WICKED, Defying Gravity and I'm Not That Girl.

The first act of the new musical sequel to Phantom of the Opera, 'Phantom: Once Upon Another Time' is about to be performed privately for friends of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Cherwell, Oxford University's student newspaper reports that renowned UK singer and performer John Barrowman is mulling the choices to star as either P.T. Barnum in a late-2009 West End revival of the musical Barnum or join the upcoming 'Phantom 2', Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel to his mega hit, The Phantom of the Opera.

We Will Rock You will conclude its hugely successful Toronto run on May 11. A Canadian tour is being planned.

According to BBC News Online, Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed that a sequel to We Will Rock You- the rock musical based on Queen's songs- is in the works. While speaking at a formal ceremony to install him as the Chancellor of John Moores University May said, 'We are planning a sequel. It's a real challenge.'

According to The Stage News, writer Ben Elton will be teaming up with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the upcoming sequel to Phantom of the Opera. Elton teamed up with Webber in 2000 to write the book and lyrics for The Beautiful Game. He has recently worked as book writer for the musicals We Will Rock You and Tonight's The Night.

Cameron Mackintosh will present Rowan Atkinson as 'Fagin' in Lionel Bart's musical masterpiece 'OLIVER!' at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with performances commencing from 12 December 2008 and a press night on 14 January 2009.

After playing more than one year of performances at Toronto's Canon Theatre, We Will Rock You announces its final extension through May 11, 2008. The new and final block of tickets will go on sale Sunday March 16, 2008.

Kerry Ellis, currently starring as London's Elphaba in Wicked, is to recreate her award-winning performance on Broadway. Kerry will play her final performance in London on June 7, 2008 before beginning performances at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre on June 17, 2008. Following her Broadway engagement, Kerry will return to the London production at the end of the year.

David Mirvish is delighted to present a total of eight shows in the new 2008/2009 Mirvish Theatre Season. Six of the shows - five acclaimed musicals and one classic drama - will be available in a subscripton package. Two bonus shows, both musicals, round out the season.