Michael Ball News

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City will produce the hilarious, topsy-turvy Gilbert and Sullivan tale of love, rank and birthright, H.M.S. Pinafore, November 6, 8, 11 & 14, 2009.

THE NEW YORK NEW MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and Bryan Putnam INK are pleased to announce the world premiere production of THE TOYMAKER, directed by Lawrence Edelson. THE TOYMAKER will play a limited engagement at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036.) Performances begin Monday, October 5 and continue through Sunday, October 18.

THE NEW YORK NEW MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and BRYAN PUTNAM INK are pleased to announce the world premiere production of THE TOYMAKER, directed by Lawrence Edelson. THE TOYMAKER will play a limited engagement at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036.) Performances begin Monday, October 5 and continue through Sunday, October 18.

THE NEW YORK NEW MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and BRYAN PUTNAM INK are pleased to announce the world premiere production of THE TOYMAKER, directed by Lawrence Edelson. THE TOYMAKER will play a limited engagement at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036.) Performances begin Monday, October 5 and continue through Sunday, October 18.

THE NEW YORK NEW MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and BRYAN PUTNAM INK are pleased to announce the world premiere production of THE TOYMAKER, directed by Lawrence Edelson. THE TOYMAKER will play a limited engagement at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036.) Performances begin Monday, October 5 and continue through Sunday, October 18.

Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre will turn to the fertile landscape of dreams and the dark underworld of nightmares next year with a world premier musical, Shakespeare, a blow-out festival of the works of Harold Pinter, a holiday comedy, and the popular Storytellers Series. The 2010 season runs April-August, with a special family-friendly December production in time for the holidays. PICT begins its 'Dreams and Nightmares' season with a World Premier music drama by local star Martin Giles. Beautiful Dreamers features the songs of a local who became an international legend - Stephen Foster. The season continues with an intense, intimate production of Shakespeare's masterful Othello in the Henry Heymann Theatre; Hearing Noise in the Silence: A celebration of the life and theatre of Harold Pinter, featuring the hilariously dark comedy The Hothouse and the resonant, haunting No Man's Land, as well as The Room, Celebration, The Dumb Waiter and Betrayal; and wraps up with Harold Brighouse's Victorian comedy Hobson's Choice. The Storytellers Series continues this year with Pinteresque, featuring works by some of the top American and British playwrights who were inspired by the great Harold Pinter. Pinteresque will include directed readings of Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange, Jez Butterworth's The Night Heron, Sam Shepard's Geography of a Horse Dreamer, and Joe Orton's The Ruffian on the Stair.

Before he dons Edna Turnblad's dress again, Michael Ball is out on the road in September and October

Before he dons Edna Turnblad's dress again, Michael Ball is out on the road in September and October

The producers of 'HAIRSPRAY' have announced that Phill Jupitus, Belinda Carlisle and Sharon D Clarke have all signed to join the cast of the hit musical, currently running at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. The new cast open on Monday 26 October, with Sunday performances beginning on Sunday 8 November.

The producers of 'HAIRSPRAY' have announced that Phill Jupitus, Belinda Carlisle and Sharon D Clarke have all signed to join the cast of the hit musical, currently running at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. The new cast open on Monday 26 October, with Sunday performances beginning on Sunday 8 November.

THE NEW YORK NEW MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and BRYAN PUTNAM INK are pleased to announce the world premiere production of THE TOYMAKER, directed by Lawrence Edelson. THE TOYMAKER will play a limited engagement at Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036.) Performances begin Monday, October 5 and continue through Sunday, October 18.

Ways of the Heart, the final trio in the Shaw Festival's historic presentation of Noel Coward's Tonight at 8:30 collection, opened at the Court House Theatre on Saturday, August 1, 2009.

Hairspray announces extensive touring plans, the Tricycle reveals its black playwright season and Gary Wilmot sticks with Chicago. Miriam Zendle reports

ROYAL ALBERT HALL September 2009 Listings Box Office: +44 (0)20 7589 8212 Open 7 days a week 9:00am - 9:00pm Online booking is available for most events. Please visit the website: www.royalalberthall.com

WhatsOnStage.com is reporting that the smash musical 'HAIRSPRAY' will launch its first-ever UK tour in 2010, with Michael Ball reprising his acclaimed role as big mama Edna Turnblad, for which he won both the Whatsonstage.com and Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Musical.

For its 2009 season, The Shaw takes on a monumental and historic project with full productions of each play in Noel Coward?s famous Tonight at 8:30 collection. The Shaw?s 2009 productions represent the first time all ten short plays have been performed in repertory by a professional company since they were first produced by London?s Phoenix Theatre in 1935-36. The plays will be performed in sets of three, one on each of the Festival?s Niagara-on-the-Lake stages, with the tenth, the rarely produced Star Chamber, being the lunchtime production in the Royal George. And to celebrate this idea for the event that it is, on two separate occasions, we will present all ten in one day ? an event we are appropriately naming ?Mad Dogs and Englishmen?.

The West End leading man talks to Carrie Dunn about becoming a West End leading lady...

Current and original lead performers Michael Ball, Leanne Jones and Ben James-Ellis play their final performances in the UK hit tonight, Saturday, July 25th, 2009. The role of ?Edna Turnblad' is the longest continuing part that Michael has ever played in the West End.

As previously announced, the producers of 'HAIRSPRAY' are delighted to welcome Brian Conley to the role of larger-than-life 'Edna Turnblad' in the hit musical, currently playing at London's Shaftesbury Theatre. Brian is joined by Chloe Hart, taking over as big-haired big-hearted 'Tracy Turnblad' and Liam Tamne as heart-throb 'Link Larkin'. The trio join the production on July 27th.

Executive Producer Louis G. Spisto today announced the appointment of Adrian Noble as Artistic Director of The Old Globe's 2010 Shakespeare Festival celebrating the theater's 75th anniversary season. One of the theater's most respected and sought-after directors, Noble will oversee the Festival and direct two of the three productions presented in repertory. Noble succeeds Resident Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak who will leave his post in September to pursue independent directing opportunities. The annual festival will run from June 12 through September 26, 2010.