Gareth Valentine News

New images of Amara Okereke as Eliza Dootlitte and Harry Hadden-Paton as Henry Higgins have been released today along with a behind the scenes video captured at the photoshoot.

Stephen K Amos will play the role of Alfred P. Doolittle. Stephen is a BAFTA award-winning comedian whose stage work includes My Night With Reg and One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Malcolm Sinclair will play the role of Colonel Pickering. Malcolm has performed in more than 50 theatrical productions and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2019 Olivier Awards for his performance in Pressure at The Ambassador's Theatre. 

Today it has been announced that New York's Lincoln Center Theater's critically acclaimed and multi award-winning production of Lerner & Loewe's much loved MY FAIR LADY will embark on a UK and Ireland tour from September 2022 following a limited engagement at the London Coliseum this summer.

Pam Gems' Piaf – a Nottingham Playhouse and Leeds Playhouse co-production, reopened the theatre this summer, after an extended period of closure due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.  Garnering rave reviews, Adam Penford's production tells the extraordinary life story of the sensational, world-renowned singer Edith Piaf, who began her career singing on the streets of Paris.  

London Theatre Runway has announced that they will be returning to Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre for another jam-packed programme! LTR is a non-competitive programme, where participants are encouraged to enhance their current talents, build on confidence and learn new skills, all whilst working with top industry professionals.

Pam Gems' Piaf – a Nottingham Playhouse and Leeds Playhouse co-production – tells the extraordinary life story of the sensational, world-renowned singer Edith Piaf. Her most famous songs include La Vie en Rose and Je Ne Regrette Rien, though the international star began her life singing on the streets of Paris.

London Theatre Runway is a bespoke training and connectivity programme for performing arts graduates which will be based at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. With new Government advice allowing dance studios to open this month, the programme is due to begin in September with applications open until 27th July.

London Theatre Runway is a bespoke training and connectivity programme for performing arts graduates which will be based at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.  The first term is due to begin in September and the application process opens today.

Produced by Sam Young, Musical Marathon is an online concert performed by over twenty of theatre's leading musical directors to raise money for NHS Charities Together and Acting For Others.

Lyric has announced full casting for its production of 42nd Street, to be presented May 29 - June 21, 2020, at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Previously announced Broadway stars Norm Lewis (Julian Marsh) and Faith Prince (Dorothy Brock) are joined by Isabelle McCalla (Peggy Sawyer), who recently starred in Broadway's The Prom and Aladdin, and Ashley Day (Billy Lawlor), who reprises his role from the West End revival of 42nd Street.

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced today that single tickets are on sale for its company premiere of the new-to-Chicago production of Singin' in the Rain in the 2020/21 season.

On 19a?"20 July 2020 the Royal Academy of Music in London will host the inaugural International Musical Director Symposium. This exciting event will be the first of its kind in the world, bringing together Musical Directors and leading theatre practitioners to explore the interdisciplinary facets of this unique art form. The keynote speaker will be the renowned Broadway Musical Director, Conductor and Orchestrator Larry Blank. 

Live At Zédel, Soho's unique live entertainment concept at Crazy Coqs and Brasserie Zédel, announces their new 2020 spring season produced in partnership with Fane.

Broadway stars Norm Lewis and Faith Prince will headline Lyric Opera of Chicago's premiere of Harry Warren and Al Dubin's song-and-dance spectacular 42nd Street, presented from May 29 a?" June 21, 2020 at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago (press opening May 30, 2020).

Winners of the 13th annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY) and the 12th annual Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize were announced last night at a gala held at Theatre Royal Haymarket, hosted by Joanna Riding. The gala saw twelve student competitors each perform a Stephen Sondheim song, and a Best New Song Prize entrant written by members of Mercury Musical Developments. The winner of this year's SSSSPOTY award was Stuart Thompson from LAMDA, who performed Franklin Shepard, Inc and My Thing. Theo Jamieson was awarded the Stiles + Drewe Prize for his original song Words/Amazing.

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments today announce West End Musical Director Gareth Valentine as the final judge for the 2019 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY), alongside the previously announced Julia McKenzie, Peter Polycarpou, and Edward Seckerson. Lyricist Charles Hart and Olivier Award-winner Jenna Russell join Nkeki Obi-Melekwe and Stiles + Drewe to complete the judging panel for the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize. Winners will be announced at Theatre Royal Haymarket on Sunday 9 June.

Nigel Lilley serves as Music Director, part of a team who have worked alongside Stephen Sondheim and Jonathan Tunick on this production. Taking us back to his early experiences of Sondheim, Nigel also shares what it means to work with him and Jonathan today.

Debbie Kurup's extensive musical theatre experience ranges from Chicago, West Side Story and Sister Act to originating roles in Girl from the North Country and The Bodyguard. She's currently playing taxi dancer Helene in Cy Coleman, Neil Simon and Dorothy Fields' Sweet Charity - the farewell production of Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Josie Rourke, opening early next month.

Mother doesn't always know best as we see from the latest hit theater production to come to BroadwayHD.  The 2018 West End production of the award-winning, darkly funny hit, Ruthless! The Musical, will be arriving exclusively on BroadwayHD, the premier streaming service for live theater, on February 14th. The show stars  Jason Gardiner (Dancing on Ice), Tony-nominated, Two-Time Olivier Winner, Best Actress Tracie Bennett (End of the Rainbow) and Kim Maresca (Ruthless! The Musical, Off-Broadway), who deliver a fun and engrossing performance that will appeal to a new generation of viewers. The 2018 production of Marvin Laird and Joel Paley's smartly written and lyrically funny Ruthless! The Musical is directed by Richard Fitch and choreographed by Rebecca Howell, with music supervision by Gareth Valentine. As part of this twisty tale about a mother and daughter, the cult classic features spoofs of Broadway shows turned into iconic films such as The Bad Seed,  Gypsy and The Women, as well as Hollywood's most famous iconic film, All About Eve later turned into the Broadway musicalApplause. It was originally performed 27 years ago in an off-Broadway production, and the 2018 West End production was updated with  today's audience in mind.

Voting continues for the 2018 BroadwayWorld UK Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favourites.