Jason Manford News

It's been a busy lockdown for comedian Laura Lexx who has seen her infamous Jürgen Klopp Twitter thread (5.6 million views, 55K likes and celebrity fans including Gary Lineker, Kathy Burke, Marian Keyes and Seth Meyers) now become a book - Klopp Actually.

The winners of the Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard were announced last night in a special ITV programme filmed at The London Palladium, and on Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel.

Sara Baras fue galardonada por su coreografía e interpretación en el Ballet Flamenco SOMBRAS en el Sadler’s Wells.

The announcement of this year's Olivier winners will be broadcast on ITV this Sunday, the 25th October at 10.20pm.

Even coronavirus can't stop the Olivier Awards ceremony - today is the day we've all been waiting for since its postponement back in April, as all the winners are finally revealed to the world.

Today's top stories: a date has been set for a special programme announcing the 2020 Olivier Awards, Alex Brightman returns as Beetlejuice in cartoon form, Ellen's Stardust Diner will reopen this week, and more!

The winners of this year's Oliver Awards 2020 with Mastercard will be announced on Sunday 25 October in a special programme hosted by Jason Manford and broadcast on ITV and Magic Radio. 

The prop car from the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang recently sold at auction for £19,000, and was purchased by Derbyshire-based Bowden Theatre Works

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, one of the most famous cars in the world, is coming up for auction. The celebrated car, together with more than 100 props used in the 2015-2017 UK/Ireland touring musical stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, are set to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on Father's Day, June 21.

Following the festive family pantomime, Cinderella, which runs up to Sunday 3 January, the year kicks off with a bang as Steve Steinman brings his fuel-injected stage show Anything For Love to Darlington celebrating the music of Meatloaf.

Joe Stilgoe is a well-known pianist, singer and songwriter. Over the past few years, he's turned his hand to composing musicals such as The Jungle Book and The Midnight Gang. The Midnight Gang, based on David Walliams' novel of the same name is currently available online as part of the Chichester Festival Theatre at Home series. We spoke to Joe about his career and how he is spending lockdown.

Stage star Alistair Brammer has launched Lockdown Duets, a new Instagram series 'connecting Broadway stars and West End stars in solidarity to sing duets during this time of theatre darkness.'

According to Deadline, Audible is launching a new free podcast, Locked Together. The podcast will feature comedy duos, talking about how they are handling the lockdown, and sharing anecdotes from their respective experiences.

Perhaps one of Kander & Ebb's lesser-known works, musical comedy Curtains opened to mixed reviews on Broadway back in 2007, where it starred David Hyde Pierce as Lieutenant Cioffi. The first UK tour has been touring the country since last year before running in the West End and we have been lucky enough to have this stage version streamed for our viewing pleasure during 'lockdown'.

We caught up with composer and comedian Vikki Stone to chat about the release of her concept album #ZoologicalSociety.

ITV will broadcast a special Olivier Awards with Mastercard programme on Sunday 5 April at 10:15pm, in place of the 2020 Royal Albert Hall awards show which was cancelled due to coronavirus.

#Zoological Society is a concept album set in a zoo and the story is told from the perspective of the animals. With music and lyrics by Vikki Stone, book by Vikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew and the orchestrations by Vikki Stone and Simon Nathan with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra.

BroadwayWorld has learned that the 2020 Olivier Awards have been cancelled.

Royal & Derngate today announced that it is releasing a concept album on 27 March for a new digital musical commissioned for online and social media distribution called #ZoologicalSociety and written by multi-award-winners Vikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew. The release will be launched with a live concert performance at BEAM 2020, the UK's leading showcase of new British musical theatre, taking place at Royal & Derngate. In line with the announcement, a short film by award-winning animator Tim Wheatley has been released to introduce each of the musical's characters and the album will be available to stream or to download from all leading streaming services including Spotify, Amazon and Apple alongside Royal & Derngate's website.

Starring Jason Manford (The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Guys and Dolls) and Carley Stenson (Les Miserables, Legally Blonde, Shrek, Spamalot and Hollyoaks), this hilarious whodunnit is packed full of catchy songs, unforgettable characters and plot twists galore! From creators of Cabaret and Chicago, this Tony award-winning backstage murder mystery musical will have audiences laughing and guessing right to the final curtain.