Lee Mead News

With five days to go until voting closes in the 2010 BroadwayWorld:UK Awards, new musicals Legally Blonde and Love Never Dies are set to win all the major prizes.

Keith Jack, the hugely popular runner-up who finished just a hair's breadth behind winner Lee Mead in hit BBC series ‘Any Dream Will Do', takes on the title role, having won the hearts of the nation with his sparkling charisma and sensational singing voice.

Keith Jack, the hugely popular runner-up who finished just a hair's breadth behind winner Lee Mead in hit BBC series ‘Any Dream Will Do', takes on the title role, having won the hearts of the nation with his sparkling charisma and sensational singing voice.

WICKED, the long-running hit musical, made West End Theatre history last week with the highest ever recorded weekly gross.

Following on the heels of Arena Stage's wildly successful public opening with the Homecoming Grand Opening Celebration Saturday, October 23, 2010, the company celebrated the completion of a decade-long journey to reopen its new home in Southwest D.C. with an Opening Gala Celebration Monday, October 25, 2010. This black-tie gala kicks off the inaugural season at the breathtaking new Mead Center theater complex and supports all of Arena Stage's programs, including the exciting work on our stages, our investment in new play development and our wide range of community engagement activities.

As Arena Stage begins a new life in its renovated home at the Mead Center for American Theater in Southwest D.C., it opens its inaugural season with a classic American musical that similarly embraces life on a new frontier. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! is the first production at the Mead Center and features an all-star cast under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! runs October 22-December 26, 2010 in the Fichandler Stage.

According to a report by Baz Bamigboye for Uk Daily Mail, tenor opera singer Jonathan Ansell is being considered for the West End production of Jersey Boys. Ryan Molloy, who plays Frankie Valli in the show, will continue through 2011, however Stephen Ashfield will give his last performance this spring. Lee Mead and Ray Quinn are rumored to be joining the show as well.

UK musical theatre star Lee Mead is set to perform his best known and favourite songs in a special solo concert titled 'Christmas with Lee Mead' at the London Coliseum on Sunday, December 19.

As Arena Stage begins a new life in its renovated home at the Mead Center for American Theater in Southwest D.C., it opens its inaugural season with a classic American musical that similarly embraces life on a new frontier. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! is the first production at the Mead Center and features an all-star cast under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! runs October 22-December 26, 2010 in the Fichandler Stage.

Some of the West End's biggest stars have been nominated in BroadwayWorld UK's first-ever awards!

As previously reported and confirmed today by Whatsonstage.com, West End's 'Elle Woods' and 'Paulette,' Sheridan Smith and Jill Halfpenny, respectively, will be departing LEGALLY BLONDE on October 23, 2010. It has been rumored that Jennifer Ellison was in talks to take over the role of Elle, in addition to Broadway's original Elle Woods, Laura Bell Bundy.

Keith Jack, the hugely popular runner-up who finished just a hair's breadth behind winner Lee Mead in hit BBC series ‘Any Dream Will Do', takes on the title role, having won the hearts of the nation with his sparkling charisma and sensational singing voice.

Arena Stage's record-breaking and critically acclaimed production of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies will now continue its run at the historic Lincoln Theatre through June 27, 2010. The production, which is the highest grossing show in Arena Stage's 60 year history, was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and choreographed by its star, the legendary Broadway veteran Maurice Hines.

WICKED, London's 'hugely popular musical' (The Times) that tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, has reached a major new Box Office milestone with an incredible gross to date of £100 million at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. The production has played over 1500 performances since its West End premiere in September 2006.

Arena Stage has announced that its smash-hit production of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies will extend its run at the historic Lincoln Theatre with six additional performances through June 6, 2010. The production, choreographed by and starring the legendary Maurice Hines and directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, has broken several long-standing sales records, and is on track to become the highest grossing show in Arena's history, replacing the 2002 production of South Pacific directed by Molly Smith.

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Arena Stage's record-breaking and critically acclaimed production of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies will now continue its run at the historic Lincoln Theatre through June 27, 2010. The production, which is the highest grossing show in Arena Stage's 60 year history, was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and choreographed by its star, the legendary Broadway veteran Maurice Hines.

Arena Stage announced today that at 9:00 a.m. EST, Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and starring and choreographed by Maurice Hines, officially became the best selling show in company history based upon gross sales.

Catch up with Rachel Tucker, who came fourth in the search for Nancy.