West Yorkshire Playhouse News

The world premiere of GROUNDHOG DAY has been delayed because of the 'technical requirements' involved in the production.  Previews are now postponed until 15 July with an opening night of 16 August.

After months of anticipation, the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child finally begins previews at the Palace Theatre in the West End this week. The new play is a collaboration between Potter creator J.K. Rowling, playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, and stars Jamie Parker as Harry Potter, Poppy Miller as Ginny Potter, Sam Clemmett as Albus Potter, Paul Thornley as Ron Weasley, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger, Cherrelle Skeete as Rose Granger-Weasley, Alex Price as Draco Malfoy, Anthony Boyle as Scorpius Malfoy.

Jamie Wilson is delighted to announce casting for the national tour of Curve's all new production of the hit musical comedy SISTER ACT, directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood and opening at Curve on Saturday 30 July 2016. Tour schedule below with further casting to be announced.

The highly-anticipated professional productions at the Kenneth More Theatre begin this September with Paul Ritchie Tomkinson's musical hit BOORSKALE. 

Following successful tours of Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot in 2015, London Classic Theatre return to the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, with their new production of Harold Pinter's THE BIRTHDAY PARTY from Tues 14 to Sat 18 June. It's directed by Michael Cabot, with design by Bek Palmer and lighting by Andy Grange.

The full cast has been announced for Exposure The Musical - Life Through A Lens. It runs at St. James Theatre, for a limited season, from 16 July until 27 August 2016, with press night on Thursday 28 July 2016. 

The European premiere of Rex Pickett's acclaimed comedy SIDEWAYS opens tonight at St James Theatre, directed by David Grindley, for a limited run until July 9. The cast features Daniel Weyman (Miles), Simon Harrison (Jack), Ellie Piercy (Maya), Beth Cordingly (Terra), Anne Kavanagh(Phyllis/Evelyn), Kirsten Hazel Smith (Rosie/Victoria) and Daniel Barry (Chris/Daryl).

Following sell-out performances in 2013, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's acclaimed production of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, adapted for the stage by Simon Reade, returns this year to close the 2016 Summer Season ahead of a major UK Tour in September. Opening at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, the tour will then visit Norwich, Cambridge, Salford, Leicester, Woking, Truro, Birmingham and Richmond, with further dates in 2017. There will be a press night at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Thursday 22 September at 7.30pm.

In Theatr Clwyd's 40th anniversary year, Artistic Director Tamara Harvey, today announces full casting for her Theatr Clwyd directorial debut production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Harvey directs Lisa Palfrey in the role of Beatrice and John Ramm as Benedict. They are joined by David Bark-Jones, Jonathan Harden, Sian Howard, Nakay Kpaka, Steven Meo, Catherin Morris, Lowri Palfrey, Kerry Peers, and Sion Pritchard.

? Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This 2-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by a ridiculously talented cast of 4), an on-stage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers and some good old-fashioned romance!

The world premiere of Philip Ridley's KARAGULA is one of the largest productions ever staged Off-West End. PIGDOG's experimental and formally playful work aims to help transform how the industry interprets accessibility, equality and gender politics. With this in mind, Karagula has been cast with true diversity -- in terms of age, gender, race and ability.

The Trustees of the JMK Trust are happy to announce today that the winner of the 19th annual James Menzies-Kitchin Young Director Award is Roy Alexander Weise.

With its UK premiere earlier this year at The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth's fast-paced, hilarious and (slightly) bonkers Monster Raving Loony brings its party fun and punkish anarchy to Soho Theatre next month.  Opening tonight 17 May, Monster Raving Loony by James Graham will run until 18 June.

Casting has been confirmed for the world premiere of a new version of Maxim Gorky's Vassa Zheleznova, coming to Southwark Playhouse. The production will run Wednesday 15 June - Saturday 9 July 2016, with an official opening scheduled for Friday, 17 June 2016 at 8pm.

Laila: The Musical, presented by Rifco, will be at the Queens Theatre in Hornchurch from May 17-21 as part of its UK tour.  Preview a song from the show below!

Theatre Royal Plymouth presents The War Has Not Yet Started, Mikhail Durnenkov's funny, eye-opening and surreal dark comedy about everyday people fighting everyday wars, opening in The Drum.

59E59 Theaters will welcome Dillie Keane (from Fascinating Aida) back to Brits Off Broadway with the US premiere of HELLO DILLIE, written by Ms. Keane and Adele Anderson, and directed by Simon Green and featuring Michael Roulston on piano. Produced by Pleasance Theatre Trust Ltd, HELLO DILLIE begins performances on Tuesday June 7 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 3.  Press opening is Tuesday, June 14 at 7:30 PM.  The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org. 

Full casting is today announced for the world premiere of the new musical GROUNDHOG DAY, which previews at the Old Vic from July 11 with a press night on August 16. Carlyss Peer will play Rita Hanson, alongside the previously announced Andy Karl in the role of Phil Connors. Eugene McCoy plays cameraman Larry, and the ensemble cast includes Leo Andrew, David Birch, Ste Clough, Roger Dipper, Georgina Hagen, Kieran Jae, Julie Jupp, Andrew Langtree, Vicki Lee Taylor, Emma Lindars, Antonio Magro, Carolyn Maitland, Kirsty Malpass, Lisa Mathieson,  Jenny O'Leary, Leanne Pinder, Mark Pollard, Damien Poole, Jack Shalloo, Andrew Spillett and Spencer Stafford.

Bill Kenwright's production of one of the greatest family musicals of all time, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, will tour to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 4 - Saturday 8 October 2016.

BBC1's The Voice star Lucy O'Byrne to play Maria and Coronation Street's Andrew Lancel to play Captain Von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music' at Birmingham Hippodrome this May.