Julian Bird News

Michael Xavier, twice an Olivier nominee himself, will be well and truly outside the ceremony this year. He'll be presenting alongside Claudia Winkleman on the stage in Covent Garden Piazza in what's becoming an annual free event for theatre fans, where people can watch a live stream of what's going on inside the Royal Opera House as well as enjoy live performances from Audience Award contenders Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot and Matilda.

According to the Daily Mail, The Book of Mormon opened last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre with ticket sales of £9 million. And as reported by Baz Bamigboye, the West End's 2013 season shows are drawing steady crowds across the board.

According to a report by Variety, the judging system at the Olivier Awards is soon in for a big change. Though no official announcement has yet been made, the new sytem will 'sideline the awards' small pool of famously impartial judges by adding the votes of members of the Society of London Theater, the org comprising some 170 theater owners, producers and general managers, in the final round of the complex voting system.'

ITV will be the official television broadcast partner for the 37th Olivier Awards with MasterCard, the UK's highest stage honours, which take place on Sunday 28 April 2013 at the prestigious Royal Opera House.

The Stage Newspaper's annual list, The Stage 100, now in its 16th year, has once again listed the top 100 most influential people in UK theatre.

Kids Week, London theatre's annual initiative for children, has broken all its own records in the year of its fifteenth birthday. As of today an extraordinary 74,187 tickets have been sold, with over seven weeks of booking left. In 2011 Kids Week sold 73,426 tickets over the entire booking period.

West End LIVE is back for its 8th year, playing this weekend 23-24th of June in Trafalgar Square. Check out the full programme below, which features Matilda, Wicked, Les Mis, and indeed every single West End musical currently running in London!

West End LIVE is back for its 8th year, playing this weekend 23-24th of June in Trafalgar Square. Check out the full programme below, which features Matilda, Wicked, Les Mis, and indeed every single West End musical currently running in London!

West End LIVE in association with MasterCard is back for its 8th year, and for the first time it features entertainment from every single West End musical London has to offer. The annual festival - organised by Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre, in association with MasterCard - is the largest of its type in the UK.

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) is reporting unprecedented demand for its fifth annual Touring Symposium, sponsored by W&P Longreach and Chubb Insurance. This event, which will take place at the Congress Centre in central London on March 1st, will focus on touring collaborations and international touring as well as funding within the industry.

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) is reporting unprecedented demand for its fifth annual Touring Symposium, sponsored by W&P Longreach and Chubb Insurance. This event, which will take place at the Congress Centre in central London on March 1st, will focus on touring collaborations and international touring as well as funding within the industry.

The most prestigious event in the UK's theatrical calendar, the presentation of the 36th Olivier Awards with MasterCard will take place for the first time in its entirety at the Royal Opera House, London on Sunday 15 April 2012 when distinguished guests from London's arts and cultural scene will join winners and celebrities at the glamorous red carpet event.

The Stage has today announced the winners of The STAGE 100, recognising the outstanding individuals working in theatre today.While The Stage 100 recognises the achievements of individuals, The Stage 100 Awards recognises performing arts organisations and the teams behind them.

The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and Transport for London (TfL) have today (30 November) released a special travel guide for theatre goers during next summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is available on the Official London Theatre website (www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/theatre2012) and on the TfL website (www.tfl.gov.uk/2012) and will be rolled out across the theatre industry.

The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and Transport for London (TfL) have today (30 November) released a special travel guide for theatre goers during next summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) has announced the nominations for its Theatre Awards UK 2011.

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA) has announced the nominations for its Theatre Awards UK 2011.

The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) has awarded seventeen talented final year drama students from across the UK with bursaries worth a combined total of £56,000.

As the West End recovers from the scare of the city's recent riots and prepares for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the two incoming heads of the Society of London Theaters (SOLT, Julian Bird and Mark Rubinstein), are optimistic about the coming year, according to Variety.

According to a report by the Telegraph, West End ticket sales have increased two percent compared to this time last summer. Overall, audiences for West End plays are up 13 percent compared to last year, most likely due to the incredible star-power featured on stage, including: Kevin Spacey, Rupert Everett, Kara Tointon, James Corden, David Tennant, Catherine Tate and many more.