Menier Chocolate Factory News

In the first of our London Theatre Guides, we gave you all the info you need to travel to - and navigate - the West End. Now, here are some transport tips for London's South Bank.

Christina Bianco, the 'girl of a thousand voices,' returns to Los Angeles with her hit show, Me, Myself And Everyone Else on Friday, June 7 (doors 6:30pm, show 8:00pm) at Upstairs at Vitello's, 4349 Tujunga Avenue in Studio City, California. 

Christina Bianco, the 'girl of a thousand voices,' will make her San Diego debut with her hit show, Me, Myself And Everyone Else on Wednesday, June 5 at 8pm at Martinis Above Fourth, 3940 Fourth Avenue, San Diego, CA. The internationally acclaimed performer will celebrate the world's most iconic vocalists and pop culture personalities through her soaring vocals and spot-on celebrity impressions. Tickets are now on sale at https://www.ma4sd.com/service/christina-bianco-in-me-myself-and-everyone-else/

Musical Theatre Guild, the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in the theatre, has announced an exciting quartet of shows for their 24th season of Broadway in Concert musicals. The MTG 2019-2020 season includes: BARNUM, THE GOODBYE GIRL, IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU and KISMET.

With The Bay at Nice currently running at the Menier and Fiddler on the Roof playing at the Playhouse Theatre, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces the European 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 opens on 23 July, with previews from 12 July, and runs until 14 September. Booking opens for supporters of the Menier today - 7 May, with public booking on 13 May at 9am.

With their production of Orpheus Descending about to transfer to the Menier, Wave Me Goodbye running at the company's home base, and the Olivier Award-winning Home I'm Darling completing its tour back home in Wales where it began, Theatr Clwyd today announces their new season for Autumn 2019.

Maria Friedman and Anita Dobson join the company of Trevor Nunn's critically acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof, which is currently running at the reconfigured Playhouse Theatre until 28 September. Friedman plays Golde, and Dobson plays Yente from 18 June, taking over from Judy Kuhn and Louise Gold respectively. They join Andy Nyman (Tevye), Nicola Brown (Chava), Harriet Bunton (Hodel), Dermot Canavan (Lazar Wolf), Stewart Clarke (Perchik), Joshua Gannon (Motel), Matthew Hawksley (Fyedka), and Molly Osborne (Tzeitel), as well as Miles Barrow, Sofia Bennett, Philip Bertioli, Lottie Casserley, Elena Cervesi, Lia Cohen, Talia Etherington, Shoshana Ezequiel, Isabella Foat, Fenton Gray, James Hameed, Adam Linstead, Adam Margilewski, Robert Maskell, Benny Maslov, Robyn McIntyre, Gaynor Miles, Ellie Mullane, Tania Newton, Craig Pinder, Valentina Theodoulou and Ed Wade.

Casting has been announced for Pittsburgh CLO's exclusive engagement of the hit musical comedy SPAMILTON: An American Parody at the Greer Cabaret Theater May 16 August 25, 2019. Don't miss this convulsively funny (NY Times) parody from the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway. After tearing it up in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Spamilton: An American Parody will stage a singing, dancing, comedy revolution in Pittsburgh for a limited time only. The Huffington Post raves you don't have to see Hamilton to have side-splitting fun at Spamilton.

BroadwayWorld UK reporter Jamie Body went backstage at the Playhouse Theatre to talk to some of the cast from Trevor Nunn's critically acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof.

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From timely plays to the beginning of open-air theatre season, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

Full casting has been announced for the world premiere production of the spine-chilling stage play The House on Cold Hill, adapted from the best-selling 2015 novel of multi-million selling author Peter James. Touring to Worthing's Connaught Theatre from Monday 3 to Saturday 8 June; an extra matinee has just been added due to overwhelming demand.

Andy Mientus, Declan Bennett, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Cedric Neal and John Partridge will star as Patrick, Dale, Inez, Willie and Buddy respectively in the European premiere of new LGBTQ+ musical THE VIEW UPSTAIRS, which runs from 18 July to 24 August at Soho Theatre, with a press night on Tuesday 23 July.

Alex Parker has been the Musical Director for productions such as Barnum at the Menier Chocolate Factory and the UK Tour of Wonderland. His latest project is a concert version of Carousel at Cadogan Hall. Alex spoke to BroadwayWorld about his career and conducting the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic.

Shakespeare's Globe announced the full cast for William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by Elle While, and Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, directed by Blanche McIntyre.

Cynthia Erivo appeared on last night's American Idol to perform with one of the show's contestants.

Following two highly acclaimed runs at Leicester's Curve theatre in 2015 and the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2017, Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ - The Musical, will open at the Ambassadors Theatre for a limited season from 15 June until 12 October 2019, with a Gala Night on Tuesday 2 July. Tickets on sale from 5 April. The musical has book and lyrics by Jake Brunger, music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary and direction by Luke Sheppard. Casting to be announced.

Theatr Clwyd and Menier Chocolate Factory present a co-production of Tennessee Williams' Orpheus Descending. Theatr Clwyd's Artistic Director Tamara Harvey directs Catrin Aaron (Beulah Binnings), Michael Geary (Pee Wee Binnings), Valentine Hanson (Uncle Pleasant), Jenny Livsey (Eva Temple / Woman), Laura Jane Matthewson (Dolly Hamma), Mark Meadows (Jabe Torrance), Ifan Meredith (David Cutrere / Dog Hamma), Hattie Morahan (Lady Torrance), Seth Numrich (Val Xavier), Ian Porter (Sheriff Talbott), Jemima Rooper (Carol Cutrere), Carol Royle (Vee Talbott) and Carrie Quinlan (Sister / Nurse Porter). Public booking for the Menier Chocolate Factory dates opens at 9am today.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, present the fourth and final show of its 2018-2019 season, the Los Angeles premiere of AT THE TABLE, written by Michael Perlman and directed by Judith Moreland. AT THE TABLE will preview on Saturday, May 11 at 8pm; Sunday, May 12 at 2pm; Tuesday, May 14; Wednesday, May 15 & Thursday, May 16 at 8pm and will open on Friday, May 17 at 8pm and run through Sunday, July 7 at the Road Theatre on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. (in the Historic Lankershim Arts Center) in North Hollywood.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 presents pint-sized powerhouse Christina Bianco in her new show Diva on Demand on Saturday, March 30 at 9:30 PM. The Girl of a Thousand Voices debuts at the club with a set-list entirely up to the audience. Watch below as she blows the crowd away with her rendition of 'All By Myself'!

The new comedy musical, Tootsie begins performances on Broadway tonight, March 29th, with an opening night of Tuesday, April 23rd. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!