Trevor Nunn News

Sunset Boulevard, Minneapolis Musical Theatre's (MMT) production of the Broadway hit based on the 1950 Oscar-winning movie about faded glory and unfulfilled ambition, debuts May 31-June 23, 2013 at Hennepin Theatre Trust's New Century Theatre (Street Level of City Center in downtown Minneapolis). Directed by Steven Meerdink, MMT's artistic director, this is the second production in the partnership between Hennepin Theatre Trust and Minneapolis Musical Theatre. The original Broadway musical, directed by Trevor Nunn with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, won seven 1995 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Single tickets are on sale now. For tickets or more information, visit www.HennepinTheatreTrust.org or call 1.800.982.2787.

Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Boublil and Schonberg's Les Miserables has music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. The original Les Miserables orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker. The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft, and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions.

Red carpet interviews with Idina Menzel, Trevor Nunn, Summer Strallen and many more discuss the current West End season and their participation in it - as well as much, much more - in a new highlights video focused on last weekend's 2013 Olivier Awards.

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director), Barry Grove (Executive Producer), and Mandy Greenfield (Artistic Producer) have announced full casting for the world premiere of THE EXPLORERS CLUB, the new play by Tony Award nominee Nell Benjamin, directed by Marc Bruni.

59E59 Theaters will welcome the Finborough Theatre production of J.B. Priestley's CORNELIUS, directed by Sam Yates, to Brits Off Broadway. Produced by Jagged Fence, Handsome Dog and 31 Productions, CORNELIUS begins performances on Saturday, June 1 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 30. Press opening is Tuesday, June 11 at 7 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7 PM; Friday at 8 PM; Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM; Sunday at 3 PM & 7 PM. Single tickets are $70 ($49 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org. For more information, visit www.britsoffbroadway.com.

Distinguished director Richard Eyre returns to Chichester to open Festival 2013 with THE PAJAMA GAME. The production is at the Minerva Theatre, now through 8 June. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This week, we're thrilled to feature Broadway vet Stephen R. Buntrock who is currently playing the role of 'Emile De Becque' in SOUTH PACIFIC at The Marriott Theatre in Chicago.

Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents Broadway Encore on Saturday, May 4 at 6 p.m. at the Putnam Club, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. FPAC's Gala fundraiser features Broadway headliners Sara Jean Ford, Tyrick Wiltez Jones and NaTasha Yvette Williams in an exclusive one-night-only show that brings the magic of 42nd Street to Boston's MetroWest suburbs. The evening also features silent and live auctions, performances by Electric Youth and the Franklin Performing Arts Company, special guests and dancing until midnight with Boston's popular R&B band, Soul Kitchen.

From 9 July - 9 August 2013, the Almeida Festival returns with a packed programme of fresh collaborations, award-winning artists and brand new shows. The most ambitious and extensive Almeida Festival to date, the line-up features ground-breaking artists presenting shows at different stages of progression, commissioned, co-commissioned, developed and supported by the Almeida.

Richard Eyre returns to the Almeida Theatre to adapt and direct Ibsen's Ghosts. Ghosts will run from 26 September - 23 November 2013, with Press Night on 3 October. Members of the production team and cast will be announced shortly. Priority booking for Ghosts for Almeida Theatre members opens on 9 April 2013, with public booking opening on 23 April.

A new production of Cats is set to open at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto on May 28, and is being produced by the same producers as the now famous 1985 production, which played the Elgin Theatre.

Following a successful UK tour last year Less Than Kind will be at the Oxford Playhouse from Tuesday May 14 for one week and will tour the UK for a further 7 weeks to Saturday 29 June 2013.

Jermyn Street Theatre presents ON APPROVAL by Frederick Lonsdale, directed by Anthony Biggs with designs by Cherry Truluck and lighting design by David W Kidd. The production will run tonight, 9 April - 4 May 2013 at Jermyn Street Theatre. Press Night 11 April 7.30pm.

Leading Suffolk theatre company Red Rose Chain bring Fallen in Love, the story of Anne Boleyn's incestuous relationship with her brother to the site of Anne's trial, execution and final resting place, the Tower of London. This unique theatrical event runs from May 17 to June 16 and will be performed in the Banqueting Suite of the New Armouries. Written and directed by Red Rose Chain's founder and director, Joanna Carrick, this is a story of love, betrayal, jealousy and treason.

Today we are talking to the originator of Jean Valjean in LES MISERABLES onstage and a preeminent Phantom (and the first to actually play the role) in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA who has clearly made a major mark with his performances in the theatre - not to mention his work on the original concept albums of EVITA and JEKYLL & HYDE - who now makes the leap to the big screen in his featured role in the super-successful feature film iteration of the Claude-Michel Schonberg/Alain Boublil musical based on the Victor Hugo novel - the titanically talented Colm Wilkinson. Opening up about his work in the original Royal Shakespeare Company production of LES MISERABLES and his collaboration with the creative team and cast of actors as well as his association with producer Cameron Mackintosh, director Trevor Nunn and more, Wilkinson details the finer points of creating one of the modern musical theatre's most memorable characters, from his first audition through to the West End, Broadway and beyond. Additionally, Wilkinson reveals all about shooting the feature film version, with Broadway/Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman taking over the leading role and whether he would consider taking on another character in the show after having essaying Jean Valjean onstage and the Monsignor onscreen - maybe Javert? Plus, Wilkinson shares backstage stories involving fellow theatrical luminaries like Trevor Nunn, Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more in this career-spanning conversation with one of the mega-musical era's most major of stars - - all of that and much, much more awaits!

According to the Daily Mail, Rafe Spall is in final talks to join Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig in Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL, directed by Mike Nichols (Death of a Salesman), for a limited run on Broadway beginning in October 2013 at the Barrymore Theatre. BETRAYAL will begin rehearsals in August.

D'Ysquiths are dropping like flies in The Old Globe's world premiere musical, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, and each time one dies, Monty Navarro moves one step closer to becoming the ninth Earl of Highhurst.

Now one of the most successful movie musicals of all time, LES MISERABLES triumphantly arrives on DVD and Blu-ray today, so it is an exceptionally apropos time to assess the many vaunted virtues and the legendary history of this spectacular mega musical and pay tribute to some of the best versions of some of its famous anthems now that we can, well, bring it home.

Happy Birthday, Glenn Close! Close made her professional theater and Broadway debut in Love for Love. Other early stage credits include The Crucifer of Blood and The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs, for which she won an Obie Award. Close's first Tony Award nomination came for her role in the musical Barnum, and she subsequently won Tony Awards for her performances in The Real Thing and Death and the Maiden. For her portrayal of Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Sunset Boulevard, Close won a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and a Dramalogue Award. She would later reteam with the show's director, Trevor Nunn, in London for his Royal National Theatre revival of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Jermyn Street Theatre has announced the cast for the first major revival in nearly twenty years of Frederick Lonsdale's On Approval. The Olivier Award winning actress Sarah Crowe, who was last seen at the theatre in the UK premiere of Henrik Ibsen's St John's Night will play Maria Wislake alongside Louise Calf, who was also part of the Ibsen cast, as Helen Hayle. Daniel Hill will play Richard Halton whilst Peter Sandys-Clarke will play George, The Duke of Bristol.