Michael Simkins News

The shortlist is announced today for the eighth annual Sheridan Morley Prize for Theatre Biography - the nominees are Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh by John Lahr, Our Time of Day: My Life with Corin Redgrave by Kika Markham, What do I Know?: People, Politics and the Arts by Richard Eyre, Covering Shakespeare by David Weston and I Know Nothing: The Autobiography by Andrew Sachs.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents HAY FEVER, directed by Lindsay Posner, which transfers from the Theatre Royal Bath to London's Duke of York's Theatre for a limited run, 29th April - 1st August 2015.

The eighth annual Sheridan Morley Prize for Theatre Biography ceremony will be held on 19 March 2015 at The Garrick Club. The prize awarded for the best biography, autobiography or diary in theatre or show business was last year won by Michael Blakemore for Stage Blood.

Noel Coward's Hay Fever finds us in the 1920s at the very desirable home of the Bliss family.

FELICITY Kendal stars in Noel Coward's Hay Fever, at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, next month (September). This new production of the hilarious tale of bad manners also stars Simon Shepherd.

Barbara Windsor has joined Theatre Royal Stratford East's fundraising campaign to build a sculpture of the legendary director, Joan Littlewood. The theatre launches a public appeal to raise the final 40% needed for the sculpture International artist Philip Jackson has been commissioned to create the bronze sculpture. The sculpture is due to be installed in spring 2014 in Theatre Square and will coincide with theatre's staging of Oh What A Lovely War.

Casting is announced for OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR, a Theatre Royal Stratford East Production:

Mark Goucher, Wimpole Theatre and Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions present the award-winning comedy YES, PRIME MINISTER which will extends its 3rd West End season at Trafalgar Studios to 30 March 2013! Also, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lyn film six new television episodes, to air in early 2013!

Celebrated British songwriting duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe will be joining Tim McArthur live on Resonance 104.4FM today at 12pm for a very special edition of The Curtain Up Show.

Celebrated British songwriting duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe will be joining Tim McArthur live on Resonance 104.4FM this Friday at 12pm for a very special edition of The Curtain Up Show.

Robert Daws will play Prime Minister Jim Hacker alongside Michael Simkins as Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby in the triumphant return of Yes, Prime Minister to the West End. Bringing politics back to Whitehall, the popular political comedy will begin an open-ended run at Trafalgar Studios - formerly the Whitehall Theatre, on 6 June 2012.

The smash hit production of Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay's play Yes, Prime Minister will tour again from January 23, starting at Chichester Festival Theatre.

As BroadwayWorld has previously reported, The Donmar Warehouse will play special tribute to Stephen Sondheim in honor of his 80th birthday this year with a host of special events, including a production of Passion starring Elena Roger and directed by Jamie Lloyd opening September 10, Michael Grandage and Sam Mendes in conversation about staging Sondheim at the Donmar on September 16, and Stephen Sondheim in conversation about his life and career on October 11. Today, Baz Bamigboye reveals in the UK Daily Mail that concert versions of Company and Merrily We Roll Along presented by the Donmar will play the West End at the Queen's Theatre. Merrily will play two performances on October 31, with evening and matiness shows. Company will play the same schedule on November 7. The concerts were initially scheduled to be performed at the Donmar's own space, but have been moved to accommodate more patrons.

Theatre and TV star Maxwell Caulfield will be London's next Billy Flynn in Chicago