Bill Kenwright News

Jonathan Ansell, who won the heart of the nation as lead vocalist in X-Factor runners-up G4, has been cast in his musical debut, starring in Bill Kenwright's production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down The Wind. The show embarks on a national tour in 2010, opening at the Liverpool Empire from Wednesday January 20.

Whatsonstage.com is reporting that the latest music icon to receive musical treatment will be Neil Sedaka in the upcoming Laughter in the Rain, titled from his 1975 hit. The musical will be a biopic, showcasing the highs and lows of the pop performer's career.

Fierce passions flood through Phyllis Nagy's award-winning play, a visionary love story set in a remote, rain-swept village in the South of France. NEVER LAND'S exploration of love, loss, cultural dispossession and the abiding power of the human imagination moves from scabrous wit to heart-breaking tenderness as it charts the course of three fateful days in the lives of a singular French family that yearns to be English.

Absurd Person Singular hits the New Theatre, Cardiff Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 October.

Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer present the world premiere of TIMING by Alistair McGowan, directed by Tamara Harvey

Casting for the UK premiere includes Jackie Marks, who after three months in the original company of Les Miserables took over from Patti Lupone as Fantine, and recently returned to the show as Madame Thernadier.

Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer present the world premiere of TIMING by Alistair McGowan, directed by Tamara Harvey

To coincide with their Autumn tour of Kes, The Touring Consortium is pleased to announce that Matthew Kelly will join Annabel Arden, Bryony Lavery, Paul Miller and Don Warrington, the Consortium's Artistic Panel, who with Producer Jenny King, are dedicated to satisfying a venue driven need for quality drama tailored to large theatre venues.

Previewing at Wimbledon Theatre on 17 September 2009 followed by an extensive national tour, Richard O'Brien's outrageous classic The Rocky Horror Show will thrust its way through the UK featuring Olivier Award winner David Bedella starring as the celebrated Frank ?n' Furter.

It is difficult to imagine a greater fan of the recent Tony Award-winning Passing Strange than Spike Lee. After seeing the show twice in the same weekend during its stint at The Public Theater, Lee's 'nightmare,' he tells Blackbook.com was that 'at some point it was going to close and that it was just all going to all go away.' Hence the inspiration for his new documentary, 'Passing Strange,' which documents the stage show he filmed in July just prior to the show's closing. After winning several awards at Sundance, 'Passing Strange' is now playing at the IFC in New York, on the IFC channel and will soon be broadcast on PBS. Lee sat down this week with original creators Stew and Heidi Rodewald and Blackbook.com to discuss of 'Strange.'

Fierce passions flood through Phyllis Nagy's award-winning play, a visionary love story set in a remote, rain-swept village in the South of France. NEVER LAND'S exploration of love, loss, cultural dispossession and the abiding power of the human imagination moves from scabrous wit to heart-breaking tenderness as it charts the course of three fateful days in the lives of a singular French family that yearns to be English.

To coincide with their Autumn tour of Kes, The Touring Consortium is pleased to announce that Matthew Kelly will join Annabel Arden, Bryony Lavery, Paul Miller and Don Warrington, the Consortium's Artistic Panel, who with Producer Jenny King, are dedicated to satisfying a venue driven need for quality drama tailored to large theatre venues.

Nica Burns and Max Weitzenhoffer present the world premiere of TIMING by Alistair McGowan, directed by Tamara Harvey

Carrie Dunn talks to the Any Dream Will Do? alumnus about his long run in the tour and his plans for the future...

Gossip from Thriller Live, Joseph, Hairspray, Sister Act and The Rocky Horror Show. Carrie Dunn reports

PASSING STRANGE is coming to the big screen in Spike Lee's new film adaptation. The official trailer has been released and we are excited to show it to BroadwayWorld.com Visitors!

Previewing at Wimbledon Theatre on 17 September 2009 followed by an extensive national tour, Richard O'Brien's outrageous classic The Rocky Horror Show will thrust its way through the UK featuring Olivier Award winner David Bedella starring as the celebrated Frank ?n' Furter.

Blood Brothers, one of the West End's longest-running shows, has opened a new eight-month booking period and is now taking bookings through to 31 July 2010.

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director; Stephen Eich, Executive Director; and Tom Ware, Producing Director) today announced the theatre's 2010 Season. The season will include two world premiere musicals, a world premiere play, a fresh look at a favorite musical, a revival of a sultry farce and an award-winning contemporary play.

Several online sources including the UK Daily Mirror and WhatsOnStage are revealing that Mariah Carey is hoping to star in a play in London's West End next spring.