Theatre Now New York has revealed the creative teams for the 10 short musicals to be presented in its SOUND BITES XII Festival of 10-Minute Musicals. Learn more about the festival here!
The West End production of hit Broadway musical Memphis, directed by Christopher Ashley, opens tonight, October 23, 2014, at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Memphis has an Award-winning original score by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan and book by Joe DiPietro. Let's see what the critics had to say...
Faust meets Baseball in the FRINGE PREMIERE of the classic Broadway musical. As middle-aged baseball fan Joe Boyd trades his soul to the Devil in order to help his favourite baseball team beat the New York Yankees, hell literally breaks loose. Transformed into baseball sensation Joe Hardy, he takes the Washington Senators to new heights whilst discovering the true worth of the life he was so quick to leave behind.
Faust meets Baseball in the FRINGE PREMIERE of the classic Broadway musical. As middle-aged baseball fan Joe Boyd trades his soul to the Devil in order to help his favourite baseball team beat the New York Yankees, hell literally breaks loose. Transformed into baseball sensation Joe Hardy, he takes the Washington Senators to new heights whilst discovering the true worth of the life he was so quick to leave behind.
Douglas Hodge stars as Willy Wonka in the brand-new production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes, the story is brought to life with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Grammy winners for Hairspray; Smash), with a book by award-winning playwright and adaptor David Greig (The Bacchae; Tintin In Tibet). The show opens tonight, June 25. Let's see what the critics had to say...
AMERICAN IDIOT, Green DAy's explosive, award-winning Broadway rock musical, opened their UK Tour at the legendary HMV Hammersmith Apollo from December 4 - 16.
Menzel is back in London for a week of shows at the Apollo Theatre, and it's clear from the opening number, 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow', that her voice - accompanied by a sublime 25-piece orchestra - is on top form.
Done to death by companies up and down the country over the past few years, Jonathan Larson's RENT can't quite be accused of being underexposed. As a result, it's a bit of a struggle to summon much enthusiasm about a new London production (particularly when there's another one waiting to open shortly after this one closes) but unless you've attended the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock opera at its peak on Broadway, you're unlikely to have seen it done as well as it currently is being at the Greenwich Theatre.
Having not particularly enjoyed last year's Sunday In The Park With George, my friend and I were somewhat wary when the time came to attend the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's centrepiece of their 2012 Fringe season. It's another Sondheim show, but a more palatable, melodic one, so I was expecting a more enjoyable experience.
It's not often one gets to see a live performance by an actor who originated a role on Broadway so conclusively that every other take on the part (in this case, Mark Cohen in RENT) seems like an imitation. Visitors to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe can do just that this year by attending Without You, a one-man show starring Anthony Rapp, from the original cast of Jonathan Larson's groundbreaking, Pulitzer Prize-winning rock opera.
Having whipped Fringe audiences into something of a big gay frenzy last year with their enormously charming and very much sold-out offering 'Little Shop of Homos', the London Gay Men's Chorus Ensemble - a new name; last year they were known as Far From Kansas - are back. 'Hi-De-Homo', their holiday camp-set new show, may not offer much to please fans of subtlety and nuance but those who fancy an hour of musical comedy glee in the company of a varied and talented group of gay men will find it delightful. Or at least I did.
This week on BWW:UK, we've been looking back at 2011 - and looking ahead to a very exciting 2012 in the West End and UK theatre!
After an award-winning debut run in 2010, Fresher the Musical returns to the Edinburgh Fringe, chest puffed and with a confident swagger, its flyer announcing a cast recording and the release of the amateur rights to perform it. And it has every right to be cocky - it's a highly entertaining romp through five students' early time living together at university and it's uniquely and refreshingly British, standing out in an unmistakably America-focused musical theatre landscape.
All smiles, wide eyes and key changes, the high school glee club is an all-too-familiar concept thanks to a certain hugely popular and equally irritating, inescapable television show. And so, One Academy Productions' ‘Show Choir! The Musical' doesn't have to work too hard to introduce itself. Even so, the expository opening number is a wonderfully over-the-top, sparkling treat. It's part of a dream sequence though, and what follows doesn't quite ever reach the same histrionic heights.
The setting of John and Gerry Kielty's Wasted Love - a group therapy session - immediately brings to my mind the 2009 Fringe production of Conor Mitchell's Have A Nice Life, my favourite of all the shows I've seen in my three years attending the Fringe. It seems an unfair comparison to make, given how much I enjoyed that, although it soon becomes clear that this show can more than hold its own.
I attended Flawless' latest Fringe show with what I imagine were standard expectations: that I was about to see a production featuring dazzling, pin-sharp choreography performed by extremely talented young men. And talented they undoubtedly are, but this hour is stuffed with superfluous and unnecessary narrative devices which do little more than waste time that could be better spent dancing, if you wouldn't mind, lads.
Filthy double entendres? There are plenty of those. Gayed-up versions of popular songs? Absolutely. Gratuitous displays of male flesh? There's some of that too. What you might not expect is singing of an exceptionally high standard, but that's what you'll get.
Our reviewer reports back from the Royal Gala night
Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, March 13, 2011 - Sunday, March 13, 2011.
Kevin Sherwin talks about his favourite new musical...and the Oliviers ceremony
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