Haydn Gwynne News

Check out Johan Persson's snaps from the rehearsal room as Olivier-Award winner Tamsin Greig makes her musical theatre debut in the UK premiere of David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane's new musical comedy adaptation of Pedro Almodovar's Oscar-nominated film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

Seline Hizli completes the cast for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown joining the previously announced Tamsin Greig, Haydn Gwynne, Jerome Pradon, Anna Skellern, Ricardo Afonso, Haydn Oakley and Willemijn Verkaik. Additional cast includes Marianne Benedict, Holly James, Michael Matus, Rebecca McKinnis, Sarah Moyle, Alastair Natkiel, Nuno Queimado and Dale Rapley.

According to the Daily Mail, Pedro Almodovar's WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN has added more big names to its cast, including WICKED's Willemijn Verkaik and Haydn Oakley, WE WILL ROCK YOU's Ricardo Afonso, JERUSALEM's Sarah Moyle, THE WIZARD OF OZ's Marianne Benedict, and VIVA FOREVER's Rebecca McKinnis.

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier today, Academy Award winner Helen Mirren will return to Broadway this spring as Elizabeth II in Peter Morgan's The Audience, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Daldry. The limited engagement will play at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 West 45th Street. Previews forTHE AUDIENCE begin on February 17 and opening night is March 8. It will run through June 28 2015.

From the controversial and crass to the inspiring and romantic, the past decade's Tony winners for Best Musical delighted us then and continue to captivate us as they play in productions across the country and around the world. And what better way to refresh and prep for this year's big award than to relive the stand-outs from the last 10 years on Broadway? Scroll down to learn more about the winners since 2004, and be sure to tell us which musical gets your pick for 2014!

Last night I had the particular privilege of discussing the intricacies and intrigue of William Shakespeare's legendary history play RICHARD III with one of the greatest actors of our age and a true patron of the arts - two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey. Discussing the finer points of his characterization of the hunchback antihero, Spacey paints a vivid portrait of his experiences in reteaming with his AMERICAN BEAUTY collaborator, director Sam Mendes, on bringing a truly 21st century take on the classic play to the stage - and then bringing the production all the way from the hallowed ground of Spacey's own The Old Vic in London, to the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City to a whirlwind worldwide tour spanning the globe. NOW, a compelling new documentary following the project from rehearsal through to opening night and ensuing world tour is set to be released next month and is highlighted by the fly-on-the-wall intimacy and access it provides viewers, as well as offering copious performance footage of Spacey and company in action onstage. Additionally, Spacey and I address and analyze the undeniable connections between RICHARD III and his super-successful Netflix dramatic series HOUSE OF CARDS, touching upon not only the dramatic parallels, but the lucky sequence of events that made the entire endeavor possible in the first place. After all, Frank Underwood is the modern Richard III in many ways - bloodlust, ambition, ego, humor and darkness included; but, also, the humanity. Plus, Spacey expresses his enthusiasm for starting work on Season Three of the series now that they have been granted Maryland filming tax breaks once again, which was holding up production until this week. Besides all of that, Spacey also clues us in on his future endeavors of interest, mentioning his spate of recent musical performances and his desire to pursue a musical role once again sometime soon following his acclaimed turn as Bobby Darin in musical biopic BEYOND THE SEA. FOLLIES, perhaps?! A wide-ranging conversation with a stage and screen mega-star like none other awaits in today's special spotlight.

Moira Buffini's new play, HANDBAGGED, opened at the Tricycle Theatre this week. It stars Stella Gonet, Fenella Woolgar, Marion Bailey and Claire Holman, and runs thru 16 November.

National Center Performing Arts in Mumbai has announced its upcoming September 2013 events. Details below!

The Audience, which just began performances in the West End starring Helen Mirren, will be filmed and broadcast live from the Gielgud Theatre for National Theatre Live today, June 13, 2013. The production has already brought in nearly £4 million in ticket sales before its opening on March 5. The play is running through June 15.

The record breaking, sell-out production of Peter Morgan's multi Olivier award-winning The Audience, directed by Stephen Daldry, concludes its run at the Gielgud Theatre on 15 June 2013. Tomorrow, Thursday 13 June 2013, there will be an opportunity to watch the production as part of NT live - the National Theatre's ground-breaking project to broadcast the best of British Theatre live from the stage to cinemas across the UK and around the world. An extraordinary number of screenings have now been scheduled due to immense demand.

Almeida Theatre Cast members past and present were out in force to celebrate Michael Attenborough's 11 years as Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre. On Saturday 13 April, the Almeida Theatre hosted a party at Middle Temple Hall, the very place that saw the first performance of Twelfth Night, to give Michael an amazing send-off. Check out the photos below!

BWW:UK has learnt that the author of The Audience, Peter Morgan, will be making a short speech at the start of this evening's performance to mark the passing of former prime minister Lady Thatcher, who died today.

According to the Daily Mail, Helen Mirren will star as Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience when it transfers to Broadway this time next year.

Lizzy the corgi, the dog in West End's THE AUDIENCE, was replaced just days before opening night at London's Gielgud Theatre because she would not obey stage directions.

According to the Daily Mail, The Audience, starring Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II, has drawn an advance total ticket sales of nearly £5 million. The Mail is also reporting that there is 'chatter about it going to Broadway next spring for a limited run.'

Much of the furore surrounding Peter Morgan's The Audience concerns Helen Mirren's triumphant return to the role for which she won the Academy Award, in the movie The Queen (also scripted by Morgan), and rightly so; her performance is a tour de force, a master class of both voice and physicality

The Audience began previewing at the Gielgud Theatre on 15 February 2013, with press night on 5 March 2013 and is booking to 15 June 2013. Designs are by Bob Crowley with lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Paul Arditti, music by Paul Englishby and video by Ian William Galloway.

Helen Mirren returns to the stage as The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience, with Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major, Rufus Wright as David Cameron and Edward Fox as Winston Churchill. Mirren recently chatted with BBC News about returning to the role in the new piece and you can watch the full interview HERE.

Joining Helen Mirren who plays The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Richard McCabe as Harold Wilson, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown, Paul Ritter as John Major, Rufus Wright as David Cameron and Edward Fox as Winston Churchill. The Equerry is Geoffrey Beevers and the role of Young Elizabeth is played by Bebe Cave, Maya Gerber and Nell Williams. David Peart plays James Callaghan who is joined by ensemble members Jonathan Coote, Ian Houghton and Charlotte Moore. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.