Menier Chocolate Factory News

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a landmark musical and Caryl Churchill to Wall Street and ABBA immersion, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, will open their 24th Anniversary season with BARNUM, the Tony Award-winning musical by Cy Coleman, Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. The one-night-only concert will take place at Glendale's historic Alex Theatre on Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 7:00 PM.

The forthcoming UK premiere of Falsettos was met with criticism this week when a group of Jewish actors and theatremakers spoke out over a lack of Jewish representation in the show's casting.

From the award-winning Anna Jordan (Killing Eve, Sid Gentle Films Ltd; Succession, HBO), written between the Brexit vote and Trump's Presidential victory, We Anchor in Hope captures a moment of deep uncertainty in recent history and the characters' lives when local pub, The Anchor, closes for good. Chaos is in the air, and yet life goes on. For the duration of the play's run The Bunker will become The Anchor - transformed into a functioning pub with post-show events including pub quizzes, karaoke nights and music.

Audiences have just two weeks left to catch the world's biggest selling magic spectacular, The Illusionists a?" Direct From Broadway, which returned to London's West End this summer with a brand new show. The strictly limited season runs until Sunday 1st September at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Chichester Festival Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory today announce the full cast for the London première of Olivier Award-winner Laura Wade's The Watsons at the Menier. Samuel West directs original cast members Sam Alexander (Robert Watson), Sally Bankes (Nanny), Joe Bannister (Lord Osborne), Jane Booker (Lady Osborne), Elaine Claxton (Mrs Edwards), Tim Delap (Mr Howard), Sophie Duval (Mrs Robert), Louise Ford (Laura), John Wilson Goddard (Mr Watson), Grace Molony (Emma Watson), Elander Moore (Bertie), Paksie Vernon (Elizabeth Watson), Cat White (Miss Osborne) and Laurence Ubong Williams (Tom Musgrave), who are joined by Rhianna McGreevy (Margaret Watson), with Isaac Forward, Sonny Fowler and Teddy Probets sharing the role of Charles Howard for the run at the Menier. The Watsons played to critical acclaim at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2018. The production opens at the Menier on 30 September, with previews from 20 September, and runs until 16 November.

Gemma Maclean and Ben Morris will star in the new production of the 1966 Tony Award-Winning musical I Do! I Do! which will run at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in London this Autumn.

Producers announced today the 2019-2020 North American tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of THE COLOR PURPLE.  The tour will visit more than 30 cities, including New Orleans at the Mahalia Jackson Theater from Oct. 25-27, 2019.

The UK première of the hit Off-Broadway musical SHIDA, written and performed by Jeannette Bayardelle, is today announced. The award-winning production, directed by Andy Sandberg, opens at The Vaults on 13 September, with previews from 11 September, and runs until 13 October.

The entirety of cult sitcom Friends – all 10 seasons and 236 episodes – in just one hour! The Edinburgh Fringe will host the world premiere of this new solo show from acclaimed comic actor Brendan Murphy, reimagining the TV classic through the eyes of barista Gunther, who will welcome audiences to a specially created coffee shop venue at Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

The 2019-2020 North American tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of THE COLOR PURPLE will play two performances December 29 and 30 at the Majestic Theatre. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, August 9.

Broadway's Golden Age of Theatre comes alive next month when New York's Feinstein's/54 Below presents legendary two-time Tony Award winning actor John Cullum in his first ever one man show, John Cullum: An Accidental Star.  Performances will be Sept. 2 nd and Sept. 4th through 7th, at the 254 W. 54th St. supper club, each night at 7.

The Illusionists a?' Magic Of The Holidays will return to Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52nd Street) for a record fifth holiday season, playing from Friday, November 29, 2019 through Sunday, January 5, 2020.

Full casting has been announced for The Watermill Theatre's / Nottingham Playhouse forthcoming co-production of Assassins.

Lambert Jackson Productions today announce full casting for Dr Zhivago a?" The UK Concert Première. Joining the previously announced Ramin Karimloo (Yurii Andreyevich Zhivago) and Celinde Schoenmaker (Lara Guishar) are Rhys Bailey (Young Yurii, Sasha), Maisey Bawden (Olya), Isabella Djuve-Wood (Young Lara), Emma De-Anne Edwards (Anna Gromeko), Darcy Jacobs (Young Tonia), Kelly Mathieson (Tonia Gromeko), Charlie McCullagh (Pasha Antipov, Strelnikov), Matthew Woodyatt (Viktor Komarovksy), and Trinity Laban Musical Theatre as the ensemble. The production takes place at Cadogan Hall, on Sunday 1 September, 2pm and 6.30pm.

Steven Pasquale may be returning to the stage in an upcoming production of the musical Assassins at Classic Stage Company

Headlong today announce the full cast for Hedda Tesman which will receive its world premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre before playing at The Lowry, Salford.

The Menier Chocolate Factory presents the UK premiere of the musical of Robert James Waller's bestselling novel The Bridges of Madison County in a new staging by Trevor Nunn. The production opened last night 23 July, and runs until 14 September. What did the critics think?

While the beginning of a heatwave raged outside the Menier Chocolate Factory, attendees of the UK premiere production of The Bridges of Madison County, directed by Trevor Nunn, were transported to a hot summer of a different kind in Iowa in the 1960s.

Focus Features has released the first trailer for HARRIET, starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., and Janelle Monae. Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, HARRIET tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.