Menier Chocolate Factory News

Roundabout Theatre Company presents The Winslow Boy, starring Tony nominee Michael Cumpsty as 'Desmond Curry', Academy & Tony Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as 'Grace Winslow', Alessandro Nivola as 'Sir Robert Morton' and Tony Award winner Roger Rees as 'Arthur Winslow'.

Audiences in the UK can see the West End production of Merrily We Roll Along in cinemas nationwide on Thursday 24th October as part of the West End Theatre Series brought to you by CinemaLive and Digital Theatre.

The cast for URINETOWN The Musical includes Katie Bernstein (Little Becky Two Shoes/Mrs Millennium), Cory English (Old Man Strong/Hot Blades Harry), Richard Fleeshman (Bobby Strong), Madeleine Harland (Soupy Sue/Cladwell's Secretary), Rosanna Hyland (Hope Cladwell), Julie Jupp (Old Woman/Josephine Strong), Mark Meadows (Senator Fipp), Joel Montague (Male Swing 1), Jo Napthine (Female Swing 2), Jenna Russell (Penelope Pennywise), Matthew Seadon-Young (Robbie The Stockfish/UGC Executive 1) and Jonathan Slinger (Officer Lockstock).

Jackie Clune is to play the Old Lady and James Dreyfus is to play Dr Pangloss in the Menier Chocolate Factory's upcoming production of Candide.

This Christmas, actors from West End Shows as diverse as Merrily We Roll Along, Avenue Q, Les Miserables, Spamalot, and Reduced Shakespeare will join forces in DICKENS ABRIDGED, a fast-paced musical comedy from the co-creator of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged), which will open in the West End for a limited Christmas Season at The Arts Theatre from Wednesday 27 November 2013 toSunday 5 January 2014 (press night Monday 2 December).

The world premiere of Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson's new stage musical From Here to Eternity begins previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre tonight, 30 September.

A dark comedy about a dying breed.

Producers of SHREK THE MUSICAL today announced that the larger-than-life production will coming to the King's Theatre on 29 April Sunday 17 May 2015, direct from London, where it was seen live on stage by nearly a million people. SHREK THE MUSICAL will be directing by Nigel Harman who starred as Lord Farquaad in the west end production, winning him the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

New York City's historic Ziegfeld Theater will host an additional screening of Maria Friedman's award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 'Merrily We Roll Along' - presented by NCM Fathom Events, CinemaLive, and Digital Theatre - at 7:00pm on October 23. The Ziegfeld screening adds 1,000 tickets to the nearly-sold-out New York market, which may now be purchased in person only at the Ziegfeld box office.

Broadway's master songman, Mandy Patinkin, accompanied by Paul Ford on piano, will bring his critically acclaimed theatre concert to Merrill Auditorium thanks to Portland Ovations for one performance only on Friday, October 18 at 8pm. Tickets are on-sale now at PortTIX, the box office at Merrill Auditorium,207.842.0800 or by visiting portlandovations.org.

A new trailer for Maria Friedman's award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 'Merrily We Roll Along' has been released. The production is set to screen in 460 select movie theaters around the country on October 23rd. Get a sneak peek below!

Sheffield Theatres today announces that Tom Edden will play Fagin in Artistic Director Daniel Evans' production of Lionel Bart's Oliver!. The production runs from Friday 29 November 2013 until Saturday 25 January 2014 at the Crucible Theatre.

Hackney Empire announced today on its website that the producers of MOLLY WOBBLY'S TIT FACTORY, originally scheduled to run tonight, Sept 20, through October 5, 2013, have been forced to cancel the show 'due to their unforseen financial difficulties.'

Roundabout Theatre Company presents The Winslow Boy, starring Tony nominee Michael Cumpsty as 'Desmond Curry', Academy & Tony Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as 'Grace Winslow', Alessandro Nivola as 'Sir Robert Morton' and Tony Award winner Roger Rees as 'Arthur Winslow'.

The London premiere of a musical comedy by Paul Boyd --? Molly Wobbly's Tit Factory -- will be at Hackney Empire from tonight 20 September to Saturday 5 October 2013. The Press performance will be on Sunday 22 September at 5.00pm.

The Menier Chocolate Factory presents the European premiere of The Lyons by Nicky Silver & directed by Mark Brokaw.

Bringing London's renowned West End theater culture to select U.S. cinemas this fall, NCM Fathom Events, CinemaLive and Digital Theatre present Maria Friedman's award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 'Merrily We Roll Along' on Wednesday, October 23 at 7:00 p.m. This one-night cinema event will also feature 20 minutes of exclusive backstage content including interviews with cast, crew and special guests.

The full cast for To Sir With Love, joining the previously announced Olivier Award winning actor Matthew Kelly (Florian), is Mykola Allen (Denham), Harriet Ballard (Monica), Peta Cornish (Gillian), Kerron Darby (Seales), Ansu Kabia(Ricky), Paul Kemp (Weston), Heather Nicol (Pamela) and Nicola Reynolds(Clinty).

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning performer known around the world for her iconic original performance as Eponine in both the West End and Broadway editions of international stage sensation LES MISERABLES, copiously convivial chanteuse Frances Ruffelle. Discussing her legacy with the iconic mega-musical and her relationship with the show's director, John Caird, Ruffelle opens up about a life in the theatre, telling tales of her time spent treading the boards in the various incarnations of LES MISERABLES - winning the Tony for her Broadway performance - as well as working on the original London production of Stephen Schwartz's CHILDREN OF EDEN with Caird and fellow InDepth InterView participants Matthew Bourne and Ruthie Henshall in addition to shedding light on fascinating workshop experiences - STARLIGHT EXPRESS, SUNSET BOULEVARD and WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND among them - and her more recent roles, such as her run as the title character in PIAF and featured part making up the intricate ensemble of William Finn's entertaining revue MAKE ME A SONG. Ruffelle also discusses her solo album work and future recording plans and also comments upon the pop success of her daughter, UK star Eliza Doolittle. Most importantly, Ruffelle peels back the layers of the return engagement of her successful solo show BENEATH THE DRESS and clues us in on what we can expect from her upcoming dates at celebrated cabaret venue 54 Below. Plus, Ruffelle fills us in on her next cabaret piece and its inspiration, as well as shares the 411 about her new films coming out in the next couple of months. All of that, thoughts on Broadway versus the West End, sharing the screen with Anne Hathaway in the mega-hit big screen edition of LES MISERABLES, thoughts on some of her recent TV roles as well as much, much more in this all-access pass with a particularly lovely and lively star.

The critically acclaimed London tangent of New York's award-winning concert series If It Only Even Runs a Minute will return for two performances only on Sunday October 20th. This, London's third edition of the series, also marks the concert's move from the Landor to the Hippodrome Casino in the heart of the West End.