Chris Bennett News

Renowned comedian Phill Jupitus (Never Mind The Buzzc*cks, QI, Hairspray, Monty Python's Spamalot) will join the cast of Jamie Lloyd's ground breaking, splash hit production of Urinetown The Musical from 1 December 2014.

The splash hit and multi Tony award-winning musical Urinetown directed by Jamie Lloyd has announced a special charity performance gala to support Water.org on Monday 20 October in London. In conjunction with Urinetown's West End transfer, the gala will introduce this new collaboration with Water.org to raise awareness of the global water crisis.

Simon Paisley Day (Musketeers, Doctor Who, Titanic, Sherlock, Spartacus, Being Human) will be reprising his critically-acclaimed role as the tyrannical Caldwell B. Cladwell, the machiavellian Head of UGC (Urine Good Company) in the West End transfer of Jamie Lloyd's ground breaking, splash hit production of URINETOWN The Musical.

The splash hit and multi Tony award-winning musical Urinetown directed by Jamie Lloyd is proud to announce a special charity performance gala to support Water.org on Monday 20 October in London. In conjunction with Urinetown's West End transfer, the gala will introduce this new collaboration with Water.org to raise awareness of the global water crisis.

Simon Paisley Day (Musketeers, Doctor Who, Titanic, Sherlock, Spartacus, Being Human) will be reprising his critically-acclaimed role as the tyrannical Caldwell B. Cladwell, the machiavellian Head of UGC (Urine Good Company) in the West End transfer of Jamie Lloyd's ground breaking, splash hit production of URINETOWN The Musical.

Olivier Award winning Jenna Russell, star of the RSC, Jonathan Slinger, and EastEnders' Marc Elliott, reprise their acclaimed roles, Penelope Pennywise, Officer Lockstock and Mr. McQueen respectively, in the West End transfer of Jamie Lloyd's ground breaking, splash hit production of Urinetown The Musical.

Urinetown, the musical, runs at The St James Theatre until 3 May 2014, with press night on 11 March 2014. Urinetown stars Marc Elliott (EastEnders/The History Boys/Tape) as Mr. McQueen, Richard Fleeshman (Ghost/Legally Blonde/Coronation Street) as Bobby Strong, Simon Paisley Day (Sherlock/Musketeers/Timon Of Athens) as Caldwell B. Cladwell, Jenna Russell (Merrily We Roll Along/Sunday In The Park With George/Guys And Dolls) as Penelope Pennywise, Jonathan Slinger (Hamlet/The Tempest/Yes, Prime Minister) as Officer Lockstock and is directed by Jamie Lloyd (The Commitments, Macbeth, The Hothouse, The Pride) at the St James Theatre. Check out a first look at the cast in action below!

Urinetown, the musical, will begin its limited season run at The St James Theatre from this Saturday, 22 February 2014, running until 3 May 2014, with press night on 11 March 2014. Check out a first look at the cast in reherasal below!

Simon Paisley Day joins Richard Fleeshman and Jenna Russell in the cast of Urinetown, opening at St James Theatre this spring.

Marc Elliot, playing Mr. McQueen, joins the previously announced Richard Fleeshman as Bobby Strong, Jenna Russell as Penelope Pennywise and Jonathan Slinger as Officer Lockstock in the multi Tony Award-winning URINETOWN The Musical, directed by Jamie Lloyd (Macbeth, The Hothouse, The Pride) at the St James Theatre.

Tonight, September 24, 2013, The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) will present the fifth annual Broadway Salutes, a celebration -- free and open to the public - which honors the countless professionals who have made Broadway great for decades. In this industry-wide event, which will take place at the Times Square Visitor Center (1560 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets) in the heart of the theatre district, theater professionals will receive special recognition for having worked 25, 35, and 50 years in their respective theatrical craft. The event will begin at 3:30PM with red carpet arrivals, and the public ceremony will begin at 4:00PM.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2013, The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) will present the fifth annual Broadway Salutes, a celebration -- free and open to the public - which honors the countless professionals who have made Broadway great for decades. In this industry-wide event, which will take place at the Times Square Visitor Center (1560 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets) in the heart of the theatre district, theater professionals will receive special recognition for having worked 25, 35, and 50 years in their respective theatrical craft. The event will begin at 3:30PM with red carpet arrivals, and the public ceremony will begin at 4:00PM.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2013, The Broadway League and The Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) will present the fifth annual Broadway Salutes, a public celebration honoring the countless professionals who have made Broadway great for decades. In this industry-wide celebration, theater professionals will receive special recognition for having worked 25, 35, and 50 years in their respective theatrical craft. This year's event, hosted by Emmy Award winning actress Holland Taylor (a recent Tony Award nominee for her role in Ann) and directed by Marc Bruni (Old Jews Telling Jokes), will take place in the Times Square Visitor Center (1560 Broadway), located in the heart of the theatre district on Seventh Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets. The event will begin at 3:30PM with red carpet arrivals, and the public ceremony begins at 4:00PM. Special guests and other participants will be announced shortly.

Conceptual photographer, Brooke Shaden, has a book in the works titled Inspiration in Photography. It will be released later this year through Ilex press in the UK and Focal Press in the United States, but I've gotten an inside peek at some of the images that has me anxiously waiting for its release.

Daniel Evans' crowd-pleasing take on the musical opens in Sheffield

Artistic Director Daniel Evans today unveils Sheffield Theatres' spring season for 2013, which includes two world premieres - Bull, a new play by Mike Bartlett, and This Is My Family, a new musical comedy by Tim Firth; major revivals of D.H. Lawrence's masterpiece The Daughter-in-Law and Alan Bennett's The History Boys, and Sheffield People's Theatre present their second production, 20 Tiny Plays about Sheffield. Full casting for My Fair Lady, the Crucible Christmas musical is also announced today.

Since last October 2011, the most acclaimed production ever of Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC has been thrilling audiences and breaking records in theatres across the UK, playing to well over half a million people, becoming the best-selling show of the Season in venues including Wimbledon and Stoke-on-Trent, and the best-selling two-week musical ever to play in Glasgow and Milton Keynes.

Samantha Womack is now confirmed to be playing Nellie Forbush for additional cities in 2012 on the current nationwide tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical SOUTH PACIFIC. Originally, she was going to finish in Oxford, but it is now confirmed that she will continue in the tour in Southampton, Birmingham and Liverpool.

The most acclaimed production ever of Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC comes to the end of its seven-week season at London's Barbican Theatre this Saturday 1 October. SOUTH PACIFIC is currently playing to over 85% financial capacity at the Barbican and is already sold out several dates across the UK tour, where extra performances have had to be added.

Oliver took in £3 million more than Dirty Dancing did in 2006, a stunning feat in these tough economic times. The production now has sound clips from its upcoming cast album available on the official Oliver! website. You can find them by going here!