Louise Dear News

Big West End showstoppers Once, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Book of Mormon are leading the way, with the competition just as tight for the fringe categories - Chichester's The Pajama Game and Southwark Playhouse's Titanic are also garnering the votes at the moment.

Voting opened this week for the 2013 BWW:UK Awards - and we've already had a record number of votes in!

WICKED, the long-running hit West End musical that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, is pleased to announce that Savannah Stevenson (Glinda), Jeremy Taylor (Fiyero); Sue Kelvin (Madame Morrible) and Olivier award-winning actor Paul Clarkson (Doctor Dillamond) will join the previously announced international Wicked star Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba) in the new London cast at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from Monday 18 November 2013. Sam Kelly will return to play The Wizard, a role he previously played in 2009/2010. Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose) and Sam Lupton (Boq) will continue in their current starring roles. Emma Hatton will be Standby Elphaba and current ensemble cast member Sophie Linder-Lee will become Standby Glinda.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, June 23, 2013 - Sunday, June 23, 2013.

The annual festival West End LIVE - organised by Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre, in association with MasterCard - returned to Trafalgar Square yesterday, 22nd June and continues today, 23rd June 2013, for a weekend of free entertainment from some of London's top theatre productions and performers. Watch Wicked's Louise Dearman sing 'Defying Gravity', and Dearman and Gina Beck duet on 'For Good', below!

WICKED, the record-breaking hit West End musical that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, proudly welcomes Willemijn Verkaik to the role of 'Elphaba' from Monday 18 November 2013.

Widely recognised as one of the leading ladies of the West End, Kerry Ellis embarked on the biggest solo performance of her career at the London Palladium. The evening promised to showcase songs from her most famous roles, her personal favourites and some surprises along the way.

See the stars on the red carpet!

UK editor in chief Carrie Dunn follows the Oliviers Party in the Piazza, red carpet and the ceremony, and gives her opinions on the runners and riders...

WICKED, the record-breaking hit West End musical, will welcome back harriet thorpe to the role of 'Madame Morrible' from today 22 April until Saturday 16 November 2013. Louise Plowright has withdrawn from the role due to ill health and the entire company wish her a full and speedy recovery.

WICKED, the record-breaking hit West End musical, will welcome back Harriet Thorpe to the role of 'Madame Morrible' from Monday 22 April until Saturday 16 November 2013. Louise Plowright has withdrawn from the role due to ill health and the entire company wish her a full and speedy recovery.

According to whatsonstage.com, Harriet Thorpe is returning to the role of Madame Morrible in Wicked from 22 April 2013 until new cast changes are implemented on 16 November 2013.

Nominees for the Olivier Awards 2013 pose on stage at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket for a celebratory group photo.

ERIC WOOLFSON'S SOMEWHERE IN THE AUDIENCE is set for release today, 18th March 2013 on Limelight Records. The alumb will be released on the anniversary of what would have been the late Eric Woolfson's 68th birthday. 'Somewhere in the Audience' is a compilation of music from four of Eric's musicals 'GAUDI', 'GAMBLER', 'POE' and 'DANCING SHADOWS'.

The UK company of WICKED recently joined in the viral 'Harlem Shake' craze - view the video below!

ERIC WOOLFSON'S SOMEWHERE IN THE AUDIENCE is set for release 18th March 2013 on Limelight Records. The alumb will be released on the anniversary of what would have been the late Eric Woolfson's 68th birthday. 'Somewhere in the Audience' is a compilation of music from four of Eric's musicals 'GAUDI', 'GAMBLER', 'POE' and 'DANCING SHADOWS'.

WICKED, the record-breaking West End musical now in its 7th smash hit year at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, today announced the opening of its 15th new booking period, on Monday 11 February 2013, with tickets going on sale until Saturday 26 April 2014.

Somewhere In The Audience is a celebration of Gaudi, Gambler, Poe & Dancing Shadows; four of the late Eric Woolfson's musicals. This compilation is released on March 18th on what would have been his 68th birthday.