Stephen Mear News

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce additional dates for the UK and Ireland tour of their multi award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, starring Zizi Strallen as 'Mary Poppins' and Matt Lee as 'Bert'.  In addition to the previously announced dates, MARY POPPINS will also play the Alhambra Theatre Bradford from 2 November - 10 December 2016 and Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff from 14 December 2016 - 14 January 2017. Full tour schedule below.

The musical plays at the Bristol Hippodrome from Thursday 29 October, before flying on to Dublin, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Southampton, Norwich, Plymouth and Newcastle throughout 2015/16.

As previously reported, Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, Chicago) will direct a new Disney film based on their classic 1964 movie, MARY POPPINS. Speaking to Vulture, the helmer revealed more about the project, which will take place in 1934, when the original P.L. Travers books -- about the magical nanny's continued adventures with the Banks family -- were written and could include a cameo (or more, please!) by the original film's legendary star.

At last, some of the cast has been revealed for the upcoming UK tour of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG! The Daily Mail writes that Martin Kemp (as the Childcatcher), Jason Manford (as Caractacus Potts thru April 24), Lee Mead (as Potts beginning May 4), Phill Jupitus and Michelle Collins will star in the show.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, plans have been underway for the BBC to film the London production of Gypsy this month, and now the news is official. According to the theatre's official Facebook page, equipment is in place to record the show for a later broadcast . 

The glitter and shimmer of show business underscores the 'American Dream' at Milwaukee Rep this October. The mulit-award winning  Broadway production Dreamgirls, floods the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater with showstopping light, song and an equally award-winning cast to dazzle Milwaukee audiences.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater welcomes accomplished actor Cedric Neal in the role of James 'Thunder' Early in DREAMGIRLS, the Tony Award-winning musical which opens tonight, September 26 and runs from September 22 - November 1, 2015 in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse mainstage theater.

Jonathan Kent's five-star production of Gypsy starring Imelda Staunton as Rose will have its final performance on 28 November 2015 as previously announced.   Having smashed the all time box office record at the Savoy Theatre and subsequently recouped, Kent's production originally opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre in October last year.  Following a second set of five-star reviews, producers Michael Harrison and David Ian announced an extension to the West End run in April.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater welcomes accomplished actor Cedric Neal in the role of James 'Thunder' Early in their upcoming production of DREAMGIRLS, the Tony Award-winning musical which opens Saturday, September 26 and runs from tonight, September 22 - November 1, 2015 in The Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse mainstage theater.

BoyleSports, an Ireland-based online betting firm, announced this week that Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway leads the race as favorite actress to take on the role of the iconic nanny, with 6/4 odds.

According to an email sent to a ticket buyer and alerted to BroadwayWorld.com, plans are underway for the BBC to film the London production during the first week of October for potential broadcast and release. At this time no official announcement of either has been made, and the Savoy Theatre's Twitter account has long denied filming being planned, but stay tuned to BroadwayWorld.com for the latest.

It's Mary that we love, and Mary's coming back! According to Variety, Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, Chicago) will direct a Disney reboot of their classic 1964 film, Mary Poppins. The project will be produced by John DeLuca and Marc Platt. The film will reportedly take place 20 years after the events of the original movie, and will include 'storylines from the P.L. Travers' children books focusing on the magical nanny's continued adventures with the Banks family.' Casting has not yet been announced. 

Casting has been announced for the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Music & Lyrics Limited production of the much-loved Sherman Brothers musical CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, opening at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds on 2 December, with a national press night on Thursday 10 December, for a nine-week season finishing on 30 January 2016. 

Casting has been announced for the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Music & Lyrics Limited production of the much-loved Sherman Brothers musical CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, opening at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds on 2 December, with a national press night on Thursday 10 December, for a nine-week season finishing on 30 January 2016. 

The first production to be seen in London for forty years in a strictly limited season, Gypsy opened at the Savoy Theatre 15 April 2015.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater launches the Quadracci Powerhouse season with its highly anticipated production of the Tony Award-winning musical DREAMGIRLS.

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce the full cast for the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of their multi award-winning musical MARY POPPINS, opening at Leicester Curve on 12 October 2015.

MACK & MABEL, currently playing Chichester Festival Theatre before heading out on a UK & Ireland Tour this autumn, is transferring to the West End later this year. And, according to the New York Post, if the musical -- starring Michael Ball and Rebecca LaChance -- does well in London, it could be moving to Broadway next season.

Mack & Mabel, which will embark on a UK & Ireland Tour in Autumn 2015 following its premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre, stars double Oliver award-winning Michael Ball and Rebecca LaChance. Based on the real-life romance between Hollywood legends Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand, it tells the story of a group of pioneering filmmakers who changed the world surrounded by the great fun of the silent screen: heroes in capes, girls tied to the tracks, glamorous Bathing Beauties and the chaos of the Keystone Kops.

'Mack and Mabel' could possibly be Jerry Herman's greatest score. It's certainly the score with the most resonance for a British audience (the programme notes for this Chichester production even highlight how fondly the music is thought of in the UK thanks to Torvill and Dean's adoption of it). And however good this production turned out to be, its forthcoming UK tour is bound to be a hit simply on the name of Michael Ball, its leading man.