Luke Bateman News

'PUBLIC DOMAIN' by Francesca Forristal & Jordan Paul Clarke, a dark, funny, verbatim musical about the internet: those who own it; those who live in it; and you, which was due to debut this weekend, has been postponed to January 15-16 due to a cast member's need to self-isolate following government guidelines.

In this world premiere conceived entirely for multi-camera streaming, the role of Kate will be played by Michael Conley who also wrote the book and lyrics. This won’t be the first time he’s played to an empty room, though it will be the first time it’s intentional!

Southwark Playhouse today announced Nick Payne's Constellations as the next show to follow the current run of The Last Five Years and Philip Ridley's The Poltergeist in its new socially distanced auditorium. The production will play for three weeks from 26 November - 19 December 2020 to a live socially distanced audience of 110.

Before COVID-19, Adam Lenson was producing SIGNAL, a quarterly concert series in association with H Club London that showcased the best new artist-driven musical theatre. But when forced to cancel their March event, he decided to take the concert online. Fortunately this presented the opportunity to showcase writers from all over the world.

Today, Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network, in partnership with Royal & Derngate Northampton, are delighted to announce the line-up for their upcoming BEAM2020 showcase. BEAM2020 is the UK's leading showcase for new British musical theatre writing and will take place on Thursday 26th March and Friday 27th March 2020 at Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Several special guests joined FROG, DOG and CAT at the West End premiere of Oi Frog & Friends! this week at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, with Matt Henry, Hannah Waddingham, MC Grammar and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, as well as author Kes Gray and illustrator Jim Field, amongst those attending the brand new family show.

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment shared production shots of its new family stage show Oi Frog & Friends!. As previously announced, the musical production will make its West End premiere at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue for a strictly limited season from 29 November 2019 to 5 January 2020, as part of a national UK Tour.

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment has announced the full cast and creative team of its new family stage show Oi Frog & Friends!. As previously announced, the musical production will make its West End premiere at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue for a strictly limited season from 29 November 2019 to 5 January 2020, as part of a national UK Tour.

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment presents the premiere of Oi Frog & Friends! the highly anticipated stage show which brings together Kes Gray and Jim Field's bestselling and award-winning picture books Oi Frog!, Oi Dog! and Oi Cat! published by the Hachette Children's Group, into one action-packed musical production.

In the depths of Minnesota's January cold, Children's Theatre Company (CTC) presents a story based on a town in England, with a name similar to one outside of Minneapolis, Stillwater. Here, the musical adapted from the 1938 Newbury Honor Book 'Mr. Popper's Penguins.' comes to life under Director Emma Earle. While the entire musical originally premiered through Pins and Needles Productions, Bristol, UK, CTC transports its cast and crew to the Minneapolis stage though numerous charming evenings and afternoons to savor.

Children's Theatre Company presents Mr. Popper's Penguins in association with Kenny Wax Family Entertainment and TC Beech.

Ground-breaking new musical theatre event SIGNAL is taking over The Hospital Club's Oak Room for the fourth time. This free concert showcases some of the best and boldest new British musical theatre and since its first incarnation last December has presented over fifty world premieres of new musical theatre songs. Helped by a selection of West End performers and accompanied by a live house band, SIGNAL looks to showcase the breadth and talent of those currently developing new British musical theatre.

Jenny Topper and Theatre Royal Bath Productions today announce full casting for the world premiere of The Nightingales which will see Steven Pacey, Stefan Adegbola, Sarah Earnshaw, Philip McGinley and Mary Stockley join previously announced BAFTA Award-winning television star and writer Ruth Jones in her highly anticipated return to the stage. The production, directed by RSC Associate Artist Christopher Luscombe and written by William Gaminara, will run at Theatre Royal Bath from Wednesday 31 October to Saturday 10 November, with opening night for press on Wednesday 7 November. The Nightingales will then tour to Cambridge, Cardiff, Chichester and Malvern prior to a West End transfer, with venue and dates to be announced.

Christian James (The Commitments, UK Tour; NewsRevue, Canal Cafe Theatre; Princess Caraboo, Finborough Theatre), Emily Jane Kerr (Tomorrow, Maybe, Union Theatre; What Is Love?, Southwark Playhouse; NewsRevue, Canal Cafe Theatre), Andrea Miller (Billy Elliot, UK and Ireland Tour; Pass The Porter, The Spa Bridlington; Fables and Fairytales, The Spa Bridlington), Christopher Lyne (Romeo and Juliet, Wilde Theatre; Robin Hood The Pantomime, Peepul Centre; The Hired Man, Union Theatre) and Prince Plockey (Future Voices, Southwark Playhouse; You Forgot The Mince, Edinburgh Fringe 2017 and UK Tour; Tis Pity She's A Whore, Tristan Bates Theatre) will join Tori Allen-Martin in H.R.Haitch - a hilarious and charming new musical for princesses and paupers alike.

Following a highly successful concert version as part of Iris Theatre's Workin Process scheme, H.R.Haitch opens at the Union Theatre as a freshly re-imagined full-length production. Featuring original music composed by Luke Bateman (Mr. Poppers Penguins) and lyrics written by children's author and Carnegie Medal recipient Maz Evans, H.R.Haitch is a hilarious and charming new musical for princesses and paupers alike.

Children's Theatre Company is proud to announce its 2018-2019 Season, which includes eight productions, four commissioned premieres, three musicals, and one preschool production. The season consists of 3 ½ more weeks of performances over last year's schedule and includes summer programming.

See the newly announced lineup of events for this February at the Kimmel Center! Listings below!

Following a target-smashing Kickstarter campaign this October, Iris Theatre's Xmas Factor All Stars album drops this Friday, just in time for the festive season.

This December, a ground-breaking new event, SIGNAL, takes over The Hospital Club's Oak Room. This free concert the first in a planned series of SIGNAL events showcases some of the best and boldest new British musical theatre. A curated selection of composers, lyricists and songwriters, present songs from shows that are currently being written. Helped by a selection of West End performers and accompanied by a live house band, SIGNAL looks to showcase the breadth and talent of those currently developing new British musical theatre.

President and Executive Producer Wally Jones is thrilled to announce that Mr. Popper's Penguins will kick off the 2017-2018 Children's Theatre season, presented by Regions and sponsored by Frank Kent Cadillac.