Menier Chocolate Factory News

Mike McShane talks to BWW:UK editor-in-chief Carrie Dunn about Sondheim, guns, and Fox News...

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: Audra McDonald hits the road, 54 Below welcomes Frank Wildhorn, Liza releases a new tune, INTO THE WOODS hits Blu-ray and more!

Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins is the kind of show that, with its precise historical reference points and barely pronounceable surnames, makes you feel smarter just for looking at it.

Menier Chocolate Factory Artistic Director David Babani welcomes Jamie Lloyd's major revival of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's ASSASSINS as part of the theatre's 10-year anniversary season. Joining Carly Bawden, Simon Lipkin, Mike McShane, Andy Nyman, David Roberts and Catherine Tate are Stewart Clarke, Harry Morrison, Aaron Tveit and Jamie Parker. The production opens tonight, 1 December 2014, and runs until 7 March 2015. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

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: ASSASSINS opens in London, CHICAGO welcomes a new 'Billy Flynn' and 'Mama Morton', Jim Parsons returns to Roundabout for its 'MERTON' benefit reading and more!

Tony Award-nominee Annaleigh Ashford will bring her unique brand of humor and talent back to 54 Below for three December shows of Annaleigh Ashford - Lost in the Stars, which will run consecutively on Monday nights beginning tonight, December 1, 2014 at 9:30pm.

With Fully Committed running at the Menier, and Forbidden Broadway at the Vaudeville Theatre, Artistic Director David Babani welcomes Jamie Lloyd's major revival of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins as part of Menier Chocolate Factory's 10-year anniversary season. The production opens tonight, 1 December 2014, with previews from 21 November, and runs until 7 March 2015.

Ron Cook (Mr Selfridge, Henry V, King Lear, Hot Fuzz) as Sir Charles Gurney, Kathryn Drysdale (Suspects, Love's Labour's Lost, Tripping Over, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) as Grace Shelley, Joshua McGuire (Privacy, Posh, About Time, Mr Turner) as Dinsdale Gurney and Anthony O'Donnell (The Captain of Kopenick, Skyfall, Matchpoint) as Daniel Tucker, join BAFTA winning James McAvoy, as Jack, the 14th Earl of Gurney, in the first West End revival of Peter Barnes' satirical comedy, The Ruling Class, directed by Jamie Lloyd, Artistic Director of Trafalgar Transformed.

Ron Cook (Mr Selfridge, Henry V, King Lear, Hot Fuzz) as Sir Charles Gurney, Kathryn Drysdale (Suspects, Love's Labour's Lost, Tripping Over, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) as Grace Shelley, Joshua McGuire (Privacy, Posh, About Time, Mr Turner) as Dinsdale Gurney and Anthony O'Donnell (The Captain of Kopenick, Skyfall, Matchpoint) as Daniel Tucker, join BAFTA winning James McAvoy, as Jack, the 14thEarl of Gurney, in the first West End revival of Peter Barnes' satirical comedy, The Ruling Class, directed by Jamie Lloyd, Artistic Director of Trafalgar Transformed.

The 2015 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting today announced its judging panel ahead of this year's official launch on 29 January 2015, which will also mark the Prize's 10th anniversary. The competition, a unique partnership between the Royal Exchange Theatre and property company Bruntwood, will accept entries from 30 January 2015.

Check out these snaps from the S&S Awards Gala, hosted by David Bedella and with special guest presenter Nigel Harman!

Hampstead Theatre has announced its two main stage plays for New Year 2015. HELLO/GOODBYE by Peter Souter tranfers to the Main Stage from Downstairs, starring Shaun Evans and Miranda Raison, and STEVIE by Hugh Whitemore, will star Zoe Wanamaker. Details below!

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include Christine Andreas's return to 54 Below, opening nights of SIDE SHOW, A DELICATE BALANCE, and THE RIVER, Aaron Tveit in ASSASSINS, and more!

Cole Porter's classic feel-good musical High Society comes to The Old Vic in a glittering new production staged in the round.

Jamie Parker and Aaron Tveit are in rehearsals for ASSASSINS, which opens at the Menier Chocolate Factory this week!

Alastair Brookshaw, Nic Kyle and Zoë Doano are to head the cast for the European première of Jerry Herman's 1979 Broadway musical, The Grand Tour, directed by Thom Southerland, at the Finborough Theatre as part of the 20 Premières Season.

The Old Globe teams with the University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program to present William Shakespeare's Pericles, Prince of Tyre, directed by Ray Chambers and running tonight, November 15 - November 23 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

On Twitter Watch, Baz Bamigboye wrote 'KILLER bunch @MenChocFactory #Assassins @lloydjamie #AaronTveit @carlybawden #MikeMcShane & @andynyman.Previews Nov21 '

John Gordon Sinclair returns to the stage in Scotland and will for the first time perform in a Glasgow theatre as one half of the iconic duo Jeeves and Wooster. John had West End audiences rolling in the aisles with laughter as the unflappable valet Jeeves in the Olivier Award-winning hit Perfect Nonsense. Starring alongside James Lance as the charmingly incompetent Bertie Wooster and co-writer Robert Goodale as Seppings, the trio will be serving up the laughs at the Theatre Royal Glasgow on Monday 24 November for one week only.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: Bradley Cooper brings THE ELEPHANT MAN to life on Broadway, ELF kicks off two tours today, stars gather this Sunday at BEST IN SHOWS to benefit the Humane Society and more!