West Yorkshire Playhouse News

Interval Productions present new musical Muted, described by Stephen Fry as 'stunning' and Mark Shenton (The Stage) as the British equivalent to Rent.

English Touring Theatre today announces a casting update for the world premiere of Sandi Toksvig's new comedy Silver Lining, a co-production with Rose Theatre Kingston. Sheila Reid plays Gloria, with Rachel Davies as Maureen, Keziah Joseph as Hope, Maggie McCarthy as May, Joanna Munro as June and Amanda Walker as St Michael in the production directed by Rebecca Gatward. It opens at Rose Theatre Kingston on 8 February, before touring to Portsmouth, Oxford, Cambridge, Ipswich, Keswick, York and Salford.  

Choreographer Drew McOnie's recent work includes Jekyll & Hyde at the Old Vic, Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, Bugsy Malone at Lyric Hammersmith, and In the Heights at King's Cross Theatre, for which he won an Olivier Award. He's currently directing and choreographing the UK premiere of Strictly Ballroom The Musical, which begins previews at West Yorkshire Playhouse on 30 November.

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment is delighted to announce the West End debut of new family musical - Mr Popper's Penguins, which will open at the Criterion Theatre for a magical Christmas season from the 15 December to 31 December. Mr & Mrs Popper and their remarkable family of performing penguin puppets come to London direct from a UK tour and US premiere at New York's renowned New Victory Theatre.

A new theatre show called 21,000 Miles of Rail is inviting rail users to think about how they interact with others on the daily commute.

New work by Inua Ellams, Ya?l Farber, DC Moore, Lindsey Ferrentino and Nina Raine is announced today by Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre. Four world premieres and two European premieres are further announced as forthcoming productions for the National Theatre in 2017.  

Casting has been announced for Park Theatre's new dark comedy Saving Jason, created by the two-time Olivier Award nominated writer of the West End/Broadway hits Glorious! and End of the Rainbow, Peter Quilter. Directed by Steven Dexter, the cast includes Jacques Miche, Tor Clark, Cory Peterson, William Oxborrow, Julie Armstrong and Paddy Navin. Saving Jason will play at Park90, from 2 November until 3 December 2016, with a press night on Monday 7 November, 7pm. 

Strawberry Blonde Curls Theatre Company in partnership with City of Sanctuary presents 'TANJA.' Emily Ntshangase-Wood will play the lead role, a former Yarl's Wood detainee, whose inspiring story and similar stories of those who have been detained are at the heart of it.

Dinner at the Twits, the gloriously gruesome interactive theatrical dining experience from the award-winning team behind the Olivier Award-nominated smash hit Alice's Adventures Underground, in association with gastronomic wunderkinds Bompas & Parr, must end its run at the Vaults on Sunday 30 October.

New York, New York: National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the first round of casting for the 28th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 27 and Friday, October 28, 2016 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival will kick off on Wednesday, October 26 with its celebrated concert, The 46th Minute, which features songs from Festival shows you will not get to hear in the 45-minute presentation.

Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network are delighted to announce that Harry Blake will be The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer at West Yorkshire Playhouse, commencing October 2016.

Kenny Wax Ltd in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre & Bristol Old Vic present  The Belgrade Theatre Coventry's Production  Based on the subject and script work by Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano and Tullio Pinelli Directed by Sally Cookson, Composed by Benji Bower.

As Michael John LaChiusa's The Wild Party will receive its first major London production at The Other Palace, playing from Saturday 11 February to Saturday 1 April 2017, with a press night on Monday 20 February. Directed and choreographed by 2016 Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie and starring Tony Award winner Frances Ruffelle, The Wild Party will be the inaugural production at The Other Palace, formerly St. James Theatre, when it reopens in February 2017 as the newest addition to The Really Useful Theatres Group and a home for new musical theatre.

A woman arrives in a rural village in pre-industrial England. Her desire is to sew and learn from their simple way of life. But the group soon begins to suspect she is not who they thought she was. 'There's no point in just making quilts. They have to serve the village. They have to DO something.'

???????The King's Head Theatre today announces a new production of Paul Boakye's Boy with Beer, directed by Harry Mackrill, 25 years after the original production at the Man in the Moon Theatre.  Enyi Okoronkwo plays Donovan and Chin Nyenwe plays Karl in the production, which also features new music from Taurean Antoine Chagar, regular collaborator of acclaimed drum and bass group Rudimental.  It opens at the King's Head Theatre, on 11 November, with previews from 8 November, running until 26 November. 

Paines Plough and Live Theatre present the world premiere of Tom Wells' new coming-of-age comedy Broken Biscuits.

???????A new theatre show called 21,000 Miles of Rail is inviting rail users to think about how they interact with others on the daily commute.

Atar Hadari's penetrating new play, Merciful Father will open UP Theater's seventh season. The World Premiere of Merciful Father will runNovember 1st through November 12th in Northern Manhattan. Merciful Father is a provocative new take on Sholem Asch's scandalous Yiddish play God of Vengeance:

Due to gloriumptious audience demand, Curve has not only announced an additional five performances of Roald Dahl's The Twits, but the classic tale of the most spiteful and revolting couple you could ever meet will also go on a national tour in 2017.

As the leader of the free world ends his eight years in office, a black middle class family risk losing their beloved hotel and cherry orchard, where Martin Luther King once rested and Miles Davis played.