Paul Arditti News

Today, 6 February 2013, 13 year old Tade Biesinger from Bountiful, Utah, US will become the thirty second boy to play Billy Elliot in the West End. Having performed the title role on Broadway, Tade will become the second boy to have performed the role in the US and the UK when he makes his West End debut at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

The Audience will preview at the Gielgud Theatre from 15 February 2013, with press night on 5 March 2013 and is currently booking to 15 June 2013. Designs are by Bob Crowley with lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Paul Arditti, music by Paul Englishby and video by Ian William Galloway. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at rehearsals below.

According to the Daily Mail, Helen Mirren has begun rehearsals for Peter Morgan's The Audience, about Elizabeth II. The play has already drawn a box office advance of £2 million, but regardless of popularity, The Audience must end its engagement on June 15 due to the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Private Lives, set to begin at the Gielgud Theatre on June 22.

From 4 February Rufus Hound leads the new cast in Nicholas Hytner's five star West End production of Richard Bean's One Man, Two Guvnors as loveable chancer Francis Henshall, he is joined by Sam Alexander (Stanley Stubbers), Ian Burfield (Charlie Clench), Amy Cudden (Rachel Crabbe), Harry Kershaw (Alan Dangle), Kelly Price (Dolly) and Hugh Sachs (Harry Dangle). Martin Barrass (Alfie), David Benson (Gareth), Rhona Croker (Pauline) and Derek Elroy (Lloyd Boateng) continue in the production and Mensah Bediako, Owen Brazendale, Gillian Budd, Max Hutchinson, Tom Lorcan, Aimee Parkes and Claire Sundin complete the ensemble. Check out the photos below!

Two further preview matinee performances (16 and 27 February 2013 at 2.30pm) have been scheduled for Stephen Daldry's production of Peter Morgan's The Audience.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC bring the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to Segerstrom Center for the Arts from April 16 - 28, 2013. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim around the world and was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Based on the Oscar nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story of one boy's dream to realise his ambitions against the odds. Set in the North East of England against the background of the historic 1984/85 miners' strike, Billy pursues his passion for dance in secret to avoid disapproval of his struggling family.

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films, Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC announced that Drew Minard and Mitchell Tobin will join the national touring cast of the 10-time Tony Award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical, in the role of ‘Billy.' They will rotate playing the role with Ben Cook and Noah Parets who joined the tour earlier this year. Minard and Tobin have become the 12th and 13th young actors to perform as ‘Billy' in the national tour; their debuts also marked the 67th and 68th boys to play ‘Billy' on stage worldwide and the 28th and 29th boys to play ‘Billy' in North America since the show opened on Broadway. Minard's first performance was December 15, and Tobin's was December 16, both in Austin, TX.

When a show is as acclaimed as BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL, the worldwide megahit that won 10 Tony Awards, audience expectations are high to say the least. Mine were. And no matter how high my expectations can get, many a show surpasses them with ease. BILLY ELLIOT isn't one of those shows. Despite the incredibly talented cast of the national tour, now playing Austin's Bass Concert Hall, BILLY ELLIOT is wobbly on its feet due to the numerous missteps of its creative team.

From 4 February 2013 a new cast will perform in Nicholas Hytner's five star West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors. As previously announced, Rufus Hound will take the lead as loveable chancer Francis Henshall. He will join new cast members Sam Alexander, Ian Burfield, Amy Cudden, Harry Kershaw, Kelly Price and Hugh Sachs. Martin Barrass will return to the production to play Alfie, and current cast members David Benson, Rhona Croker and Derek Elroy will continue. Mensah Bediako, Owen Brazendale, Gillian Budd, Max Hutchinson, Tom Lorcan, Aimee Parkes and Claire Sundin complete the ensemble.

From 4 February 2013 a new cast will perform in Nicholas Hytner's five star West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors. As previously announced, Rufus Hound will take the lead as loveable chancer Francis Henshall. He will join new cast members Sam Alexander, Ian Burfield, Amy Cudden, Harry Kershaw, Kelly Price and Hugh Sachs. Martin Barrass will return to the production to play Alfie, and current cast members David Benson, Rhona Croker and Derek Elroy will continue. Mensah Bediako, Owen Brazendale, Gillian Budd, Max Hutchinson, Tom Lorcan, Aimee Parkes and Claire Sundin complete the ensemble. Check out the headshots of the cast below!

Joining Helen Mirren as The Queen in the world premiere of Peter Morgan's The Audience are Michael Elwyn as Anthony Eden, Nathaniel Parker as Gordon Brown and Rufus Wright as David Cameron, alongside the previously announced Haydn Gwynne as Margaret Thatcher, Robert Hardy as Winston Churchill and Paul Ritter as John Major. Final casting will be announced shortly.

Tickets for Billy Elliot the Musical go on sale to the public this Friday, November 16th at 10:00AM! The 2009 Tony Award-Winning Best Musical electrifies the Times-Union Center's Moran Theater this spring. NETworks Presentations, LLC, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions bring the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to Jacksonville for 8 performances from February 26 - March 3.

Actor, stand-up comic and presenter Rufus Hound will join the cast of Nicholas Hytner's five star West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors to play lovable chancer Frances Henshall in Richard Bean's award-winning version of Carlo Goldoni's classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters.

Actor, stand-up comic and presenter Rufus Hound will join the cast of Nicholas Hytner's five star West End production of One Man, Two Guvnors to play lovable chancer Francis Henshall in Richard Bean's award-winning version of Carlo Goldoni's classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters.

Simon Chandler (Bernard/Terence), Rachel Finnegan (Halina/Betty/Margaret), Natasha Gordon (Connie), Ryan Kiggell (Charles), Ferdinand Kingsley (Casmir/Henry), Charlotte Lucas (Ellen), and Eugene O'Hare (Pierre) join Adrian Lester (Ira Aldridge) to complete the cast for Red Velvet. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti, and directed by theTricycle's Artistic Director, Indhu Rubasingham, Red Velvet runs from tonight, 11 October - 24 November, with press night on 16 October. Check out photos of the cast and creative team in rehearsal below!

Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films Old Vic Productions and NETworks Presentations, LLC bring the multi-award-winning "Billy Elliot the Musical" to the Ordway stage in Saint Paul for a one-week run opening tonight, October 9.

From 12 November 2012 Killian Donnelly will join the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical to play Billy's brother Tony. He will perform alongside Gillian Bevan (Mrs. Wilkinson), Deka Walmsley (Dad), Ann Emery (Grandma), Sean Kearns (George), Kay Milbourne (Dead Mum), Simon Ray Harvey (Mr. Braithwaite), Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy) and new ensemble members Matthew Dale, David Muscat, Nic Greenshields, Ruri James and Spencer Stafford who join Craig Armstrong, David Bardsley, Paul Basleigh, Dawn Buckland, James Butcher, Spencer Cartwright, Lucinda Collins, Gillian Elisa, Helen French, Sergio Giacomelli, Ian Gareth Jones, Connor McAllister, Steve Paget, Steph Parry and Mike Scott.

Nicholas Hytner's five star National Theatre production of One Man, Two Guvnors announces a further new booking period releasing over 200,000 new tickets for sale in the West End, taking bookings at the Theatre Royal Haymarket to 31 August 2013.

Simon Chandler (Bernard/Terence), Rachel Finnegan (Halina/Betty/Margaret), Natasha Gordon (Connie), Ryan Kiggell (Charles), Ferdinand Kingsley (Casmir/Henry), Charlotte Lucas (Ellen), and Eugene O'Hare (Pierre) join the previously announced Adrian Lester (Ira Aldridge) to complete the cast for Red Velvet. Written by Lolita Chakrabarti, and directed by theTricycle's Artistic Director, Indhu Rubasingham, Red Velvet runs from 11 October - 24 November, with press night on 16 October. Check out photos of the cast and creative team in rehearsal below!