Menier Chocolate Factory News

Worldwide YouTube sensation Christina Bianco, who is currently starring off-Broadway in Application Pending, just released a new video, full of some of her finest diva impressions. Below, watch as she performs a different, dramatic arrangement of the Bruno Mars song, 'Grenade,' in her solo show 'Party Of One.'

Fra Fee and Laura Tebbutt are set to star in Jason Robert Brown's award-winning 'The Last Five Years' at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast from 24th June - 4th July 2015 in what has been one of their dream roles since the pair met at the Royal Academy of Music back in 2009.

Today, legit casting directors Duncan Stewart, C.S.A. and Benton Whitley, C.S.A. have announced the formation of Stewart/Whitley, a new casting firm borne out of the former auspices of Duncan Stewart and Company.

Erivo is relatively unknown to New York audiences, and BroadwayWorld wants you to get to know the star before she makes her big debut. Check out a collection of some of her recent performances below!

Producers Scott Sanders, Roy Furman, Oprah Winfrey, David Babani, Tom Siracusa just announced that CYNTHIA ERIVO, the breakout star of the Menier Chocolate Factory production of THE COLOR PURPLE, will make her Broadway debut this fall when she reprises her acclaimed performance as Celie in John Doyle's critically heralded production. THE COLOR PURPLE will begin preview performances on Monday, November 9th at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th street) and will officially open on Thursday, December 3.

Hampstead Theatre's critically acclaimed production Di and Viv and Rose opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on 29 January 2015 and will now close early tonight 14 March 2015, according to the show's website.

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company will present a one night only concert to benefit the company: Tony Award and Grammy Award-nominated composer and lyricist ANDREW LIPPA will be joined by Christina DeCicco (Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark, Evita), Adam Kantor (The Last Five Years, Rent, Avenue Q), and Christiane Noll (Ragtime, Jekyll & Hyde) and in a unique one night only concert, We're Keen on Andrew Lippa.

With the UK premiere of Buyer and Cellar about to open, The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces the first London revival of Alan Ayckbourn's comedy thriller Communicating Doors. The production, directed by Lindsay Posner, opens on 13 May, with previews from 7 May, and runs until 27 June.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE KING AND I and the NEW YORK SPRING SPECTACULAR start performances!

Broadway In Chicago will soon welcome Tony Award® nominee Annaleigh Ashford (Kinky Boots, Chicago production of WICKED, You Can't Take It With You and Masters of Sex) as she makes her solo Chicago premiere with an evening of song, story and sequin in her critically-acclaimed, Lost in the Stars, for one-night only on Saturday, March 21 at 8 PM at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut).

The Menier Chocolate Factory will present the UK premiere of Jonathan Tolins' critically-acclaimed, smash-hit comedy Buyer & Cellar which opens March, 19, 2015, with previews beginning March, 12, 2015, at the Menier Chocolate Factory (53 Southwark Street, London). Buyer & Cellar will play a strictly limited engagement through May, 2, 2015.

Celebrating 20 years since its first performance Off-Broadway, an all-new London production of triple-Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown's first musical, Songs for a New World is at the St. James Theatre for 3 weeks only, directed by Adam Lenson.

Featuring songs from classic musicals including Hello Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry's Girls brings together an all-female cast to celebrate Jerry's special gift for writing songs that capture the true spirit of the great American musical, honouring the legacy of the multi Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of some of the greatest Broadway musicals of all time.

Joining Imelda Staunton, who stars as the indomitable Momma Rose in the West End transfer of Jonathan Kent's production of Gypsy, are Lara Pulver and Gemma Sutton who reprise the roles of Louise and June respectively in the five star Chichester Festival Theatre production, while Peter Davison joins the cast to play Herbie. The cast also features Dan Burton as Tulsa, Billy Hartman as Uncle Jocko, Jack Chissick as Mr Goldstone, Anita Louise Combe as Tessie Tura, Harry Dickman as Pop, Lucinda Shaw as Mother, Roger Dipper as L.A., Louise Gold as Mazeppa, Clare Halse as Majorie May, Tom Hodgkins as Mr Weber, Kieran Jae as Yonkers, Julie Legrand as Electra, Danielle Morris as Geraldine, Luke Street as Little Rock, Damien Poole as Kansas, Lauren Hall as Delores and Natalie Woods as Agnes. Ensemble members include Liz Ewing, Lauren Ingram, Tom Murphy and Phillip Catchpole. The casting of the roles of Baby June and Baby Louise will be announced shortly.

Persuader, showman, thief... James Freedman will steal a whole lot more than you might expect and one member of the audience will lose the most valuable thing possible...

Iggy Azalea and Jennifer Hudson act out a game of cops and robbers in the hot, new music video for their joint single 'Trouble'!

Marty Thomas presents DIVA is a weekly show at Industry Bar in midtown Manhattan. Featuring a rotating cast of tremendous female vocalists, it is hosted and produced by Marty Thomas (XANADU, WICKED, THE SECRET GARDEN). DIVA celebrates fabulous female vocalists paying tribute to some of histories most over the top icons! The cast performs a brand new show every week with exciting new guests rotating. The weekly cast includes Ashley Betton, Samia Mounts and Marissa Rosen.

Rob Hinderliter and Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. of R&D Theatricals (All the Way, On The Town, An American In Paris) are presenting an invitation-only reading of WONDERFUL -- A NEW PLAY today, February 26. Directed by Andy Sandberg (Application Pending, The Last Smoker in America), WONDERFUL is written by playwrights Craig Ricks and John Olson.

Hampstead Theatre's critically acclaimed production Di and Viv and Rose opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on 29 January 2015 and will now close early on 14 March 2015, according to the show's website.

Rob Hinderliter and Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. of R&D Theatricals (All the Way, On The Town, An American In Paris) announced today that Carla Gugino (Desire Under the Elms, Watchmen) and Tony nominee Will Swenson (Hair, Les Miserables) complete the casting for an invitation-only reading of WONDERFUL - A NEW PLAY on February 26. Directed by Andy Sandberg (Application Pending, The Last Smoker in America), WONDERFUL is written by playwrights Craig Ricks and John Olson.