Joan Littlewood News

Birmingham Repertory Theatre announces a new season of work today for Spring and Summer 2015 including major revivals of the Pulitzer prize-winning HARVEY, THE KING'S SPEECH plus the world premieres of six very different, but equally original plays.

Following a sold-out run in spring 2014, Terry Johnson's hit revival of Oh What A Lovely War will return to its spiritual home - Theatre Royal Stratford East - in January 2015, before embarking on a national tour. It will be produced by Judy Lloyd and Matthew Mitchell.

The first season with the Everyman and Playhouse back together has been extraordinary; thousands flocked to the opening weekend and the Everyman has since earned a national RIBA award and North West building of the year. Now the theatres look ahead to an autumn season featuring three ambitious new productions, full of invention and humanity.

Mark Arden as Fred, Ryan Molloy as Horace, Stefan Booth as Tosher, Christopher Ryan as Red Hot, Vivian Carter as Myrtle, Stevie Hutchinson as Ted/PC 2, John Olohan as Paddy, Gary Watson as Norman/PC 1 and Joanna Woodward as Margaret join BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil, Gary Kemp (The Krays/ The Bodyguard/Spandau Ballet) as PC Collins, Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy and Suzie Chard as Betty in Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. Check out photos of the cast in action at Stratford East below!

Mark Arden as Fred, Ryan Molloy as Horace, Stefan Booth as Tosher, Christopher Ryan as Red Hot, Vivian Carter as Myrtle, Stevie Hutchinson as Ted/PC 2, John Olohan as Paddy, Gary Watson as Norman/PC 1 and Joanna Woodward as Margaret join the previously announced BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil, Gary Kemp (The Krays/ The Bodyguard/Spandau Ballet) as PC Collins, Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy, and Suzie Chard as Betty to complete the cast of Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. Scroll down to see some photos of the cast in action!

Mark Arden as Fred, Ryan Molloy as Horace, Stefan Booth as Tosher, Christopher Ryan as Red Hot, Vivian Carter as Myrtle, Stevie Hutchinson as Ted/PC 2, John Olohan as Paddy, Gary Watson as Norman/PC 1 and Joanna Woodward as Margaret join the previously announced BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil, Gary Kemp (The Krays/ The Bodyguard/Spandau Ballet) as PC Collins, Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy and Suzie Chard as Betty to complete the cast of Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Mark Arden as Fred, Ryan Molloy as Horace, Stefan Booth as Tosher, Christopher Ryan as Red Hot, Vivian Carter as Myrtle, Stevie Hutchinson as Ted/PC 2, John Olohan as Paddy, Gary Watson as Norman/PC 1 and Joanna Woodward as Margaret join the previously announced BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil, Gary Kemp (The Krays/ The Bodyguard/Spandau Ballet) as PC Collins, Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy and Suzie Chard as Betty to complete the cast of Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

According to the Daily Mail, Geoffrey Rush will once again bridge the stage-screen gap by playing OLIVER! composer Lionel Bart in an upcoming biopic, directed by Vadim Jean. Filming is set to begin this fall.

The Colony Theatre is thrilled to present Ian Buchanan and Mariette Hartley starring in THE LION IN WINTER, written by James Goldman and directed by Stephanie Vlahos. THE LION IN WINTER will preview tonight, April 16; Thursday, April 17; and Friday, April 18 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, April 19 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, May 18 at The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center Mall.

The Colony Theatre is thrilled to present Ian Buchanan and Mariette Hartley starring in THE LION IN WINTER, written by James Goldman and directed by Stephanie Vlahos. THE LION IN WINTER will preview on Wednesday, April 16; Thursday, April 17; and Friday, April 18 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, April 19 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, May 18 at The Colony Theatre, 555 N. Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center Mall.

Norm Lewis - the Tony Award nominated leading man who will soon make history as the first African-American Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway- will play the title role in a special industry reading of Mandela: A New Musical with book, music and lyrics by Steven M. Fisher on Monday, March 31 at 3:00 PM. It will be directed by David Glenn Armstrong with Music Direction by Micah Young.

Mark Arden as Fred, Ryan Molloy as Horace, Stefan Booth as Tosher, Christopher Ryan as Red Hot, Vivian Carter as Myrtle, Stevie Hutchinson as Ted/PC 2, John Olohan as Paddy, Gary Watson as Norman/PC 1 andJoanna Woodward as Margaret join the previously announced BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil, Gary Kemp (The Krays/ The Bodyguard/Spandau Ballet) as PC Collins, Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy and Suzie Chard as Betty to complete the cast of Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be.

BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil and Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet, The Krays, The Bodyguard) as PC Collins will lead the cast in Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be, with Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy and Suzie Chard as Betty, with further casting to be announced shortly.

Barbara Windsor has joined Theatre Royal Stratford East's fundraising campaign to build a sculpture of the legendary director, Joan Littlewood. The theatre launches a public appeal to raise the final 40% needed for the sculpture International artist Philip Jackson has been commissioned to create the bronze sculpture. The sculpture is due to be installed in spring 2014 in Theatre Square and will coincide with theatre's staging of Oh What A Lovely War.

The Young Vic and Catherine Schreiber opened the UK premiere of The Scottsboro Boys, directed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. The production stars original Broadway cast members Colman Domingo, who reprises his Tony Award nominated role of Mr. Bones, and Forrest McClendon, who plays Mr. Tambo. Also in the Young Vic cast fresh from Broadway are Christian Dante-White (Charles Weems) and Clinton Roane (Roy Wright).

Casting is announced for OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR, a Theatre Royal Stratford East Production:

Where things go wild, lives are lost or won, and we never know who is really in control. Expectations is a game show like no other, pitting the chaos of what dreams may come, against the realities of life. And everyone is playing for the Big Prize.

On Her Shoulders is pleased to present a staged reading of Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney on Sept. 16, directed by Ludovica Villar-Hauser. The Play in Context, a special component contextualizing the script in its time and place, is presented by Elizabeth Whitney in pre- and post-performance discussions.. Doors open at 6:30pm for a 6:45pm curtain; tickets are free to the public. The performance is at the New School for Drama, Wollman Hall, 66 West 12th Street. R.S.V.P to OnHerShouldersReservations@gmail.com

Theatre Royal Stratford East announces it will produce Oh What A Lovely War in 2014, directed by Terry Johnson and designed by Lez Brotherston, with tickets going on sale from 9th January 2013. The musical, which premiered at Theatre Royal Stratford East on 19th March 1963, will also coincide with the 100th Anniversary of World War I.