Menier Chocolate Factory News

Following the sell-out success of its workshop as part of Vibrant 2012 - A Festival of Finborough Playwrights, and as part of the Finborough Theatre's acclaimed Celebrating British Music Theatre series, the world premiere of a new musical adaptation of the classic French novel Therese Raquin opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a four week run, opening tonight, 25 March 2014 (Press Night: Thursday, 27 March 2014 at 7.30pm), starring Julie Atherton and Olivier Award nominee Tara Hugo.

Chichester's Festival 2014 opens with a major revival of Hugh Whitemore's award-winning glimpse into the unconventional life of celebrated English poet and novelist Stevie Smith.

Five years after Simon Gray's death, Hampstead Theatre is delighted to present this extraordinary cycle of his work: premieres of three unperformed plays alongside a revival of Japes, the play that started it all off. The plays will be performed in repertory over 9 weeks, featuring four stories based on the same characters, in the same situation but all telling a different story with opposite conclusions.

Trevor Nunn directs a cast led by Natascha McElhone as Alex Forrest with Mark Bazeley as Dan Gallagher and Kristin Davis as his wife Beth, in the world stage premiere of Fatal Attraction written by James Dearden, opening at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on 25 March 2014, with previews from 11 March.

Sinead Cusack and Clare Higgins are to play sisters Polly Wyeth and Silda Grauman respectively, in The Old Vic's UK premiere of Jon Robin Baitz's acclaimed play, Other Desert Cities, directed by Lindsay Posner. Further casting will be announced shortly.

Gerard Alessandrini's Forbidden Broadway returned to New York in February at the newly refurbished Davenport Theatre (354 W. 45th Street, Between 8th and 9th Avenues) with Forbidden Broadway: Alive and STILL Kicking. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, over the course of the spring, Alessandrini had planned on adding new material to reflect the season's openings. Now, the time as come to unveil the new edition, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY COMES OUT SWINGING! According to The New York Times, this version will begin performances March 17.

Best known for his recurring role as DI Mike Burden in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, accomplished stage, TV and film actor Christopher Ravenscroft teams up with Rhiannon Sommers, acclaimed for her portrayal of Mary Shelley in Bloody Poetry at Jermyn Street Theatre in 2012, for the first ever revival of Arthur Wing Pinero's The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith.

Barry James, Josefina Gabrielle, Richard Dempsey and Kirsty Malpass will join the previously announced Alex Jennings (Willy Wonka) in the cast of the record-breaking West End production of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Five years after Simon Gray's death, Hampstead Theatre is delighted to present this extraordinary cycle of his work: premieres of three unperformed plays alongside a revival of Japes, the play that started it all off. The plays will be performed in repertory over 9 weeks, featuring four stories based on the same characters, in the same situation but all telling a different story with opposite conclusions.

Tracie Bennett, Michael Matus, Katie Rowley Jones and Gareth Snook complete the all-star cast for West End Recast.

On Monday, March 10, 2014, the League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW), a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting visibility and increasing opportunities for women in the professional theatre, is pleased to recognize the talents of six outstanding women: Zoe Caldwell, Judith Dolan, Joanna Sherman, Sondra Gorney, Meiyin Wang and Katherine Kovner. The awards will be presented at the League's 2014 Awards Celebration & Big Mingle Reception to be held at 6:30 pm on Monday, March 10 at The Irene Diamond Stage (The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street) featuring emcee Tamara Tunie.

The cast has been announced for Simon Stephens' new play Birdland at the Royal Court Theatre in London (3 April to 31 May - press night 9 April), which looks at fame, money and an out-of-control front man. The full cast is Nikki Amuka-Bird, Daniel Cerqueira, Yolanda Kettle, Alex Price, Charlotte Randle and Andrew Scott.

Harry Burton will direct a new production of I Found My Horn, a play by Jasper Rees and Jonathan Guy Lewis, at the Trafalgar Studios (Studio 2) from 1 April - 3rd May, with the press night on Wednesday 2 April, 7pm.

Over 12 years after it was seen in the West End, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton's The Beautiful Game will receive its first London revival at the Union Theatre from Wednesday 3 April (press night Tuesday 8 April, 7.30pm) to Saturday 3 May 2014, it was announced today. On sale now.

Mark Arden as Fred, Ryan Molloy as Horace, Stefan Booth as Tosher, Christopher Ryan as Red Hot, Vivian Carter as Myrtle, Stevie Hutchinson as Ted/PC 2, John Olohan as Paddy, Gary Watson as Norman/PC 1 andJoanna Woodward as Margaret join the previously announced BAFTA nominated Jessie Wallace (EastEnders) as Lil, Gary Kemp (The Krays/ The Bodyguard/Spandau Ballet) as PC Collins, Sarah Middleton as Rosie, Ruth Alfie Adams as Brenda, Will Barton as Percy and Suzie Chard as Betty to complete the cast of Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be.

After a 10-month hiatus, Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, one of NYC's best-loved and highly anticipated productions, happily returns to New York, beginning tonight, February 22nd at 8PM at the newly refurbished Davenport Theatre (354 W. 45th Street, Between 8th and 9th Avenues) with FORBIDDEN BROADWAY; Alive and STILL Kicking, featuring brand new takes on the shows that opened in Forbidden Broadway's absence: Pippin, Kinky Boots, Matilda and Motown along with highlights from last season's acclaimed and very popular edition: Once, Evita, Newsies, Book of Mormon, among others. Over the course of the spring, Alessandrini will continue to add new material to reflect the season's openings, and unveil the new edition around the time of the Tony Awards.

Jamie Lloyd is directing the UK premiere of URINETOWN The Musical, with music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis. The musical runs at the St James Theatre from tonight, 22 February until 3 May 2014, with opening night on 11 March 2014.

Leigh Zimmerman will join the cast of Theatre Royal Bath Productions' Relative Values as it transfers to the Harold Pinter Theatre, Wednesday 19th March to Saturday 21st June 2014, in the role of Miranda Frayle. Leigh is known all over the world for her leading roles on stage, in the West End and on Broadway, and in TV and film. Most recently she won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her performance as Sheila in A Chorus Line (Palladium) and appeared with Domenick Allen in A Love Affair from A2Z (St. James Theatre).

After a 10-month hiatus, Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, one of NYC's best-loved and highly anticipated productions, happily returns to New York, beginning February 22nd at 8PM at the newly refurbished Davenport Theatre (354 W. 45th Street, Between 8th and 9th Avenues) with FORBIDDEN BROADWAY; Alive and STILL Kicking, featuring brand new takes on the shows that opened in Forbidden Broadway's absence: Pippin, Kinky Boots, Matilda and Motown along with highlights from last season's acclaimed and very popular edition: Once, Evita, Newsies, Book of Mormon, among others. Over the course of the spring, Alessandrini will continue to add new material to reflect the season's openings, and unveil the new edition around the time of the Tony Awards.

West End and Musical theatre star Warren Sollars (Mamma Mia!, From Here To Eternity) will lead the cast of the musical 20th Century Boy, playing the Glam Rock legend Marc Bolan. He will be joined by TV stars Sue Jenkins (Brookside, Coronation Street) and Luke Bailey (Waterloo Road, Casualty).