Menier Chocolate Factory News

From 12 November 2012 Killian Donnelly will join the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical to play Billy's brother Tony. He will perform alongside Gillian Bevan (Mrs. Wilkinson), Deka Walmsley (Dad), Ann Emery (Grandma), Sean Kearns (George), Kay Milbourne (Dead Mum), Simon Ray Harvey (Mr. Braithwaite), Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy) and new ensemble members Matthew Dale, David Muscat, Nic Greenshields, Ruri James and Spencer Stafford who join Craig Armstrong, David Bardsley, Paul Basleigh, Dawn Buckland, James Butcher, Spencer Cartwright, Lucinda Collins, Gillian Elisa, Helen French, Sergio Giacomelli, Ian Gareth Jones, Connor McAllister, Steve Paget, Steph Parry and Mike Scott.

Written from his own experience, Jonathan Lewis's Our Boys is a wonderfully funny yet searingly honest account of the tribulations, tedium and terror that young soldiers face when recovering from injuries incurred in the line of duty. It opens for a limited 12-week season at the Duchess Theatre on Wednesday 3 October, with previews from tonight, Wednesday 26 September. The cast features Arthur Darvill (Rory in Doctor Who) and Laurence Fox (James in Lewis).

Simon Chandler (Bernard/Terence), Rachel Finnegan (Halina/Betty/Margaret), Natasha Gordon (Connie), Ryan Kiggell (Charles), Ferdinand Kingsley (Casmir/Henry), Charlotte Lucas (Ellen), and Eugene O'Hare (Pierre) join the previously announced Adrian Lester (Ira Aldridge) to complete the cast for Red Velvet. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti, and directed by theTricycle's Artistic Director, Indhu Rubasingham, Red Velvet runs from 11 October - 24 November, with press night on 16 October. Check out photos of the cast and creative team in rehearsal below!

As rehearsals started today, final casting is confirmed for the major London production of the Broadway musical comedy, Victor/Victoria. Directed by Thom Southerland and produced by Danielle Tarento, it will run for an 8-week season in The Vault at Southwark Playhouse, from Thursday October 25 - Saturday December 15. Press night is Thursday 1 November at 7.30pm.

The world premiere of Anya Reiss's adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull, directed by Russell Bolam and starring Matthew Kelly, opens at the Main House, Southwark Playhouse, for a four week run on 12 November with previews from 8 November, 2012.

Today, we bring you a list of the most-read stories in our regional markets for the week of September 10 in another edition of 'Around BWW: Regional Highlights of the Week'. Browse over to your favorite far-away city/country to see what's making news, see what productions are playing around the country and overseas and get to know new performers! Enjoy this virtual trek around the globe and stay tuned for next week's recap of regional not-to-be-missed news!

In the season 4 finale of her local Colorado theatre show, Eden Lane visits with George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber, the stars of La Cage Aux Folles on tour. She also looks ahead to the Local Theater Company's production of Elijah: An Adventure by playwright Michael Mitnick. Watch the full epsiode below!

Simon Chandler (Bernard/Terence), Rachel Finnegan (Halina/Betty/Margaret), Natasha Gordon (Connie), Ryan Kiggell (Charles), Ferdinand Kingsley (Casmir/Henry), Charlotte Lucas (Ellen), and Eugene O'Hare (Pierre) join the previously announced Adrian Lester (Ira Aldridge) to complete the cast for Red Velvet. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti, and directed by the Tricycle's Artistic Director, Indhu Rubasingham, Red Velvet runs from 11 October - 24 November, with press night on 16 October.

Following its past sold-out Christmas musicals (Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music, Sweet Charity and Pippin), Menier Chocolate Factory announces the casting for its hugely anticipated revival of the Sondheim / Furth musical Merrily We Roll Along as its Christmas 2012 show.

Brian Friel's adaptation of Ibsen's seminal work, Hedda Gabler, will open at The Old Vic tonight, 12 September. Directed by Anna Mackmin, this major new production will star Olivier award-winning actress Sheridan Smith in the title role with Darrell D'Silva as Judge Brack, Buffy Davis as Bertha, Daniel Lapaine as Eilert Loevborg, Anne Reid as Juliana Tesman, Adrian Scarborough as George Tesman, and Fenella Woolgar as Thea Elvsted.

Adapted from Rapp's New York Times best-selling memoir, Without You tells the story of the early days of what became the Broadway phenomenon Rent, from the perspective of this original cast member, complete with songs from the show as well as fresh music coolly performed by a five-piece rock band.

A little over thirty years ago Gerard Alessandrini was just another struggling young musical theatre actor who enjoyed doing what a lot of struggling young musical theatre actors do in between summer stock and dinner theatre gigs; write parody lyrics of famous showtunes.

The creative team behind the recent acclaimed Southwark Playhouse musicals, Parade and Mack & Mabel, are returning to the Vault to present the Broadway musical comedy, Victor/Victoria.

Following its European premiere at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe, Without You, written and performed by Rent star Anthony Rapp, now transfers to the Menier Chocolate Factory, London from 29th August - 15th September 2012.

On Twitter Watch, Anthony Rapp wrote 'I honestly didn't expect such an amazing response to Without You here; I thought UK folks might not like emotional shows. Thx all 4 yr msgs. Ouch. A UK blogger: 'Rapp has the dazed look of a man who has just been punched in the side of the head and is still seeing stars.' I was expecting a less warm response to Without You over here. We've gotten a couple lukewarm reviews but most have been great. Case in point: for the same performance I was called a disaster by one critic and perfect by another. To each his (or her) own... I've always said that if you're allergic to RENT (& there are folks who are) then a part of you is a little dead inside. Following its European Premiere at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Without You, written and performed by Rent star Anthony Rapp, now transfers to the Menier Chocolate Factory, London from 29th August - 15th September 2012. Press Night Wednesday 5th September. Without You begins in 1994 with Anthony Rapp working at a Starbucks and about to audition for Rent, the new musical by a young Jonathan Larson. An inspiring story about friends and artists struggling in New York's Lower East Side, it was based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme. Anthony got the part, but Jonathan died suddenly the night before Rent's off-Broadway premiere.'

According to a report from whatsonstage.com, Daniel Lapaine and Darrel D'Silva will join previously cast Sheridan Smith in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic. Previews begin tonight, September 5, with an opening set on September 12, 2012.

Laura Carmichael joins Ken Stott, Anna Friel and Samuel West in Anton Chekhov's masterpiece, Uncle Vanya. Adapted by Christopher Hampton, Uncle Vanya uniquely blends sparkling wit and earthy humour to brilliant comic effect. Directed by Lindsay Posner with designs by Christopher Oram, this new production opens at the Vaudeville Theatre on 2 November 2012 with previews from 25 October.

ANGER MANAGEMENT, the sitcom starring Charlie Sheen and created by Executive Producer Bruce Helford, has received a 90-episode order from FX. The sitcom also features Broadway's Michael Arden as a series regular in the role of 'Patrick'.

Following its European Premiere at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Without You, written and performed by Rent star Anthony Rapp, now transfers to the Menier Chocolate Factory, London from tonight, 29th August - 15th September 2012. Press Night Wednesday 5th September.

The critically acclaimed touring production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber arrives in Kansas City at Starlight Theater tonight, August 28 for a limited engagement through September 2.