The Summer Season at the Finborough Theatre continues with rediscoveries of EVENTS WHILE GUARDING THE BOFORS GUN and MERRIE ENGLAND. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of playwright John McGrath, and unseen in a professional production in London since 1966, John McGrath's Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a limited four-week season from Tuesday, 22 May 2012 directed by Robert Hastie. Merrie England plays at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of nine Sunday and Monday evening performances and Tuesday matinees, opening on Sunday, 27 May 2012.
The Old Vic will bring the critically acclaimed Sheffield Theatres' production of Michael Frayn's cold-war drama Democracy to London with previews from 15 June and press night on 20 June. Associate Director of Sheffield Theatres Paul Miller directs.
Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Chocolate Factory Productions are have announced the transfer of Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party to Wyndham's Theatre from Tuesday, 15th May.
In his solo show entitled DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT to be performed at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Peter Michael Marino tells the warts 'n all story of how the much anticipated musical featuring the music of Blondie opened on London's West End in 2007… and closed a month later.
The 2012 BBC Proms is officially launched today, revealing details of the broad-ranging programme of events planned for its 118th season. Opening at the Royal Albert Hall on 13 July 2012 the festival promises two months of the world's greatest artists, composers, orchestras and ensembles across 92 concerts, including four Last Night celebrations around the UK.
Edward Hall's Hampstead Theatre production of Chariots of Fire will transfer to the Gielgud Theatre from 22 June 2012, following its run at the North London venue. Award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett's new adaptation, inspired by Colin Welland's original screenplay, is now booking in the West End until 10 November 2012.
There's much to love in this collection of musical theatre pieces written by Richard Beadle, whose musical direction credits include Betty Blue Eyes (Novello Theatre), Hair! (Gielgud Theatre), Priscilla, Queen Of the Desert (Palace Theatre) and Grease (Piccadilly Theatre).
The Hampstead Theatre has announced the world premiere of CHARIOTS OF FIRE. Award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett brings the Olympic story to the stage for the first time in a new adaptation inspired by Colin Welland's original screenplay. Directed by Hampstead Theatre's Artistic Director Edward Hall, CHARIOTS OF FIRE will be performed on a spectacular set by award-winning designer Miriam Buether, which transforms Hampstead Theatre into a stadium, making an immersive experience that evokes the 1924 Paris games. The production will also feature the legendary music of the Vangelis score with additional live music and arrangements by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Carr.
Hampstead Theatre Production announces casting for the World Premiere of CHARIOTS OF FIRE, Wednesday, 9 May to Saturday 16 June 2012. For tickets and more information, visit: www.hampsteadtheatre.com.
It is fifty years since THE BEATLES released their first single 'Love Me Do' in October 1962. To celebrate, London's Prince of Wales Theatre will welcome LET IT BE, a new West End production featuring more than twenty of The Beatles' greatest hits for a limited season from September 2012.
The Public Theater has announced additional casting today for the 50th Anniversary season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. David Furr (Orlando) and Stephen Spinella (Jaques) join the previously announced MacIntyre Dixon (Adam), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Celia), Omar Metwally (Oliver), and Lily Rabe (Rosalind) in Shakespeare's comedy AS YOU LIKE IT, directed by Daniel Sullivan.
The Old Vic's production of Michael Frayn's comedy Noises Off will transfer to the Novello Theatre from March 24. Lindsay Posner directs a cast currently including Celia Imrie, Janie Dee and Robert Glenister
Sondheim is the winner of an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards, including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award. Described by Frank Rich of the New York Times as 'the greatest, and perhaps best-known artist working in musical theatre', his most famous scores include (as composer/lyricist) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins. He also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy.
Lloyd Webber has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of variations, two film scores, and a Latin Requiem Mass. He has also gained a number of honours, including a knighthood in 1992, followed by a peerage from the British Government for services to Music, seven Tony Awards, three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, fourteen Ivor Novello Awards, seven Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006. Several of his songs, notably 'The Music of the Night', 'I Don't Know How to Love Him', 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina' and 'You Must Love Me', 'Any Dream Will Do' and 'Memory' have been widely recorded and were hits outside of their parent musicals.
Derren Brown's 2012 Olivier-nominated show, Svengali, will take up residence at London's Novello Theatre for 27 performances only, from July 12 - Aug 11. This is the last chance to see the sell-out live show that has mesmerized the nation, performing in over 150 venues.
Matilda the Musical, produced by the RSC and running at the Cambridge Theatre, leads the way with ten nominations - the maximum number of eligible awards for a musical this year. These notably include a collective nomination for Best Actress for all four young actresses who play the title role. Amongst other musical theatre productions Ghost The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre and the National Theatre's London Road have five and four nominations respectively.
Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen take the lead roles of Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont in Top Hat which receives its West End stage premiere at the Aldwych Theatre previewing from 19 April, with press night on 9 May 2012. The show is currently booking at the Aldwych Theatre until 26 January 2013. Tonight (13 March 2012) Top Hat opens at the New Victoria Theatre Woking where it will play until 17 March 2012 before visiting Bristol Hippodrome (21 - 31 March 2012) prior to its West End run.
Gary Wilmot and Clare Buckfield are to star in the world premiere of A Bowl of Cherries, a new Off West End musical that looks at life through a cycle of plays and songs.
Dan Aykroyd and Judith Belushi have announced a special star-studded performance of The Official Blues Brothers Revue to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the passing of John Belushi a/k/a 'Joliet Jake'.
