Joanna Woodward News

BWW Reviewers Reflect On Why We Return To Long-running Shows

Director and actor Frank Corsaro has just been reported dead. He was 92. Corsaro was best known as the director of the 1961 production of The Night of the Iguana starring Bette Davis.

The Life is the story of two women living in New York in the 70s, one keen to get out of the sex workers' life, the other keen to get on, told through wonderful songs, beautifully sung.

The hit Broadway musical The Life makes its long awaited London debut, directed by the show's original Broadway director, Michael Blakemore, at Southwark Playhouse for a strictly limited season now through 29 April 2017, with press night on 29 March. Scroll down for exclusive, close-up stills from the show!

The hit Broadway musical The Life makes its long awaited London debut, directed by the show's original Broadway director, Michael Blakemore, at Southwark Playhouse for a strictly limited season now through 29 April 2017, with press night on 29 March. Watch  T'Shan Williams and Sharon D. Clarke perform 'My Friend' in the recording studio below!

The hit Broadway musical The Life makes its long awaited London debut, directed by the show's original Broadway director, Michael Blakemore, at Southwark Playhouse for a strictly limited season now through 29 April 2017, with press night on 29 March. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Life, which makes its long awaited London debut, directed by the show's original Broadway director, Michael Blakemore, will run at Southwark Playhouse for a strictly limited season from 25 March - 29 April 2017, with press night on 29 March. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Full casting of the hit Broadway musical, The Life, includes John Addison (Jojo), David Albury (Fleetwood), Jalisa Andrews (Chichi), Matthew Caputo (Oddjob), Lawrence Carmichael (Snickers), Omari Douglas (Slick), Aisha Jawando (Carmen), Thomas-Lee Kidd (Bobby), Charlotte Reavey (April), Jo Servi (Lacy), Lucinda Shaw (Tracy), Johnathan Tweedie (Theodore), T'Shan Williams (Queen) and Joanna Woodward (Mary). They join the previously announced musical theatre stars Sharon D. Clarke (Sonja), who was recently appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 Queen's New Year Honours for services to drama, and Cornell S. John (Memphis).

Today, the producers of BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL release for sale a further 200,000 tickets taking booking at the Aldwych Theatre to 22 July 2017. The performance schedule is Monday at 7.30pm, Tuesday at 2.30pm, Wednesday at 7.30pm, Thursday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Friday at 7.30pm and Saturday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Last night (23 February 2016) at the Aldwych Theatre the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning Beautiful - The Carole King Musical celebrated its first birthday in the West End.  Celebrations included marking the February birthdays of Carole King, Barry Mann and the late Gerry Goffin, as well as the 45th anniversary of when King's Grammy- award winning album Tapestry was released.  Check out the pics of the bash below!

Today, 24 February 2016, the producers of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning Beautiful - The Carole King Musical announce the show will be extending booking in the West End to 18 February 2017.

Cassidy Janson has recently joined the West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical to play the title role alongside Diane Keen as Genie Klein, King's mother.   Alan Morrissey continues as King's husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin alongside Ian McIntosh as song-writer Barry Mann and Gary Trainor as music publisher and producer Don Kirshner.  Lorna Want continues as song-writer Cynthia Weil, a role for which she won the 2015 Olivier for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.  Check out the new production shots below!

Cassidy Janson will join the West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical to play the title role from30 November 2015.   Also joining the cast will be Diane Keen as Genie Klein, King's mother.

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!

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.

A stirring, controversial and unexpected opening to a year commemorating the centenary of the Great War, the world premiere of a new British musical from Phil Willmott - following the huge success of his musical Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi, in Liverpool, London and the USA -Lost Boy opens at the Finborough Theatre where it will now play for two weeks, premiering on New Year's Eve Tuesday, 31 December 2013, before moving on to Charing Cross Theatre for a further five week run, opening on Monday, 13 January 2014.

Gary Naylor sees a salute to lost innocence, one hundred years on.