Wicked celebrates 5th birthday plus other anniversaries coming up

Mega-hit musical Wicked celebrates 5 years at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

When it opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London on 27 September 2006 the reviews for Broadway musical Wicked were decidedly lukewarm, with Paul Taylor of the Independent declaring that “I enjoyed very little…”

Fast-forward five years and the show’s reign as one of the most successful musicals in London theatre history continues unabated, having taken over £145m at the box office and about to welcome its four millionth visitor in the next couple of months.

The show premiered on Broadway in 2003, where it also continues to pack them in and appear week after week at the top of the box office charts. Stephen Schwartz’s musical is based on Gregory Maguire’s best-selling novel, which in turn is inspired by L Frank Baum’s classic story Wizard of Oz, which is also running in the West End at the Palladium Theatre.

The book and musical tell the “untold” story behind Baum’s classic, envisioning the Wicked Witch starting life as a good, green-skinned girl who turns evil due to the prejudice of those around her, notably her spoilt sister Glinda, who later becomes the Good Witch.

The show enjoys enormous levels of support from a loyal fanbase, many of whom have seen the musical countless times.

A new cast will join the show from 12 December this year, including Gina Beck as Glinda and and Matt Willis as Fiyero, plus Desmond Barrit returning to the show to play The Wizard, alongside current Wicked stars Rachel Tucker as Elphaba and Julie Legrand as Madame Morrible.

Wicked recently played its 2000th performance at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and has won numerous awards including the 2010 Olivier Award for Most Popular Show. Long may the success continue.

Book tickets to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London

OTHER ANNIVERSARIES COMING UP

Autumn is always a big time for theatre anniversaries, being prime season for the opening of new shows. Already this month we’ve seen The 39 Steps celebrate its 5th birthday at the Criterion Theatre on 20 September and STOMP celebrate its 9th birthday on 25th September, having opened in the West End in 2002.

Coming up, Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre turns 26 on 8 October 1985 and is still riding on a massive high following its 25th anniversary celebrations last year and continuing news and gossip about the upcoming Hollywood movie version of the show.

Last year may have been all about Les Mis but this year it’s The Phantom of the Opera’s turn to bask in the spotlight as the show turns 25 on 9 October. The show, which has played continuously at Her Majesty’s Theatre since 1986, and subsequently all around the world, will celebrate with a special The Phantom of the Opera 25th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Also in October Disney’s The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre turns 12 on 19 October.

LINKS

Book tickets to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London

 

Photo Exclusive: The Baker’s Wife at the Union Theatre

Photo Exclusive: The Baker’s Wife at the Union Theatre

Lisa Stokke (Guys and Dolls, Mamma Mia!) and Michael Matus (Lend Me A Tenor) star in Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife at the Union Theatre in London, until 15 October 2011.

With a book by Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof), based on La Femme du Boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono, this musical love story is set in 1935 in a small French village and explores the nature of marriage and relationships.

Direction is by Michael Strassen.

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

Union Theatre website

Photo Exclusive: Justin Lee Collins and Shayne Ward in new West End musical Rock of Ages

Photo Exclusive: Justin Lee Collins and Shayne Ward in new West End musical Rock of Ages.

The smash-hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages has started to rock London, with preview shows now playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and an opening night set for 27 September 2011.

The show is headlined by Justin Lee Collins and Shayne Ward, joined by West End stars Amy Pemberton, Oliver Tompsett and Simon Lipkin.

The high-profile new show sees TV and radio personality Justin Lee Collins play bar owner and ageing hippy, Dennis Dupree, a role originally played in the LA stage show by Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass.

Rock of Ages celebrates (glam)rock music of the 80’s, featuring hit songs by Bon Jovi, Journey, Whitesnake, Poison, Pat Benatar and many more. Set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, a small town girl meets a big city rocker in LA’s most famous rock club and they fall in love, set against the greatest songs of the 80s. This arena-rock love story is told through a succession of rock hits including I Wanna Rock, We’re Not Gonna Take It, Come on Feel the Noize, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Don’t Stop Believin’, Dead or Alive, We Built This City, I Wanna Know What Love Is and The Final Countdown.

The musical features a book by Chris D’Arienzo, and a Hollywood movie version is currently in production starring Tom Cruise, Russell Brand and Paul Giamatti.

The roles of the small-town girl and boy Sherrie and Drew, who meet, fall in love, lose each other then struggle to fight for their love, are taken by West End stars Amy Pemberton (Footloose, Jersey Boys) and Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero in Wicked).

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

Book tickets to Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Open Air Theatre’s production of Crazy For You to transfer to the West End

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of Gershwin musical Crazy For You is to transfer to the West End next month, playing at the Novello Theatre from Friday 7 October.

Enjoyed by sell-out audiences this Summer at the open air venue, the show is directed by Timothy Sheader and choreographed by Stephen Mear, the team behind the Open Air’s award-winning production of Hello, Dolly!.

Crazy For You replaces Cameron Mackintosh show Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello, which closes on 24 September 2011.

The show has a book by Ken Ludwig and a score by the Gershwin brothers that features many of their most memorable songs, including I Got Rhythm, Someone to Watch Over Me, Embraceable You, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Shall We Dance, But Not For Me, and Nice Work If You Can Get It.

Crazy For You will feature stage veterans Harriet Thorpe and David Burt, alongside Broadway performer Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth and Michael McKell as Lank.

LINKS

Production photos of Crazy For You

BOOK NOW

Book tickets to Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre in London

Comedy Theatre to be renamed in honour of Harold Pinter

Major theatre owner Ambassador Theatre Group has announced that it will rename one of its London playhouses in honour of  playwright, screen writer and director Harold Pinter, who died in 2008.

The Comedy Theatre on Panton Street, which opened in 1881 as the Royal Comedy Theatre, will be called The Harold Pinter Theatre from 13 October 2011. Its first production will be a revival of Death and the Maiden starring Thandie Newton.

The renaming of a London theatre after a theatre professional follows theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh’s decision in the 90′s and 2000′s to rename the Albery, Strand and the Globe theatres after Noel Coward, Ivor Novello and John Gielgud respectively.

The Comedy Theatre, which was designed by Thomas Verity and built by J. H. Addison, has a long association with Pinter and has been home to seven Pinter productions in the last 21 years including The Homecoming, No Man’s Land, Moonlight, The Hothouse, The Caretaker with Michael Gambon, The Lover The Collection starring Gina McKee, and most recently Betrayal starring Kristin Scott Thomas. Pinter also directed at the venue, including Otherwise Engaged by Simon Gray, Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose and The Old Masters by Simon Gray.

The first show to open at the newly named Harold Pinter Theatre, on 13 October, will be Death and The Maiden by Ariel Dorfman starring Thandie Newton.

Ambassador Theatre Groups ’s Joint Chief Executive and Creative Director Howard Panter said that, “the re-naming of one of our most successful West End theatres is a fitting tribute to a man who made such a mark on British theatre who, over his 50 year career, became recognised as one of the most influential modern British dramatists.”

Harold Pinter wrote 32 plays, 22 screenplays and directed 36 theatre productions throughout his long career. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005.

LINKS

Book tickets to Death and the Maiden at the Comedy Theatre, soon to be called the Harold Pinter Theatre

Priscilla Queen of the Desert posts closing notices

Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical will end its run at the Palace Theatre in London after Christmas this year.

The show, which celebrated its 1,000th performance at the Palace Theatre last Saturday 3 September, will close on 31 December 2011 after over two and a half years in the West End.

Next month Ray Meagher, who is best known for playing Alf Stewart in Aussie soap Home and Away, will re-join the West End cast as mechanic Bob, performing alongside Don Gallagher as Bernadette, Richard Grieve as Tick and Oliver Thornton as Adam.

Based on the Oscar® winning movie, the production has won both Tony and Olivier awards and tells the story of three drag queens who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback, travelling there on battered old bus called Priscilla.

The show first premiered in Sydney, and opened in March on Broadway at the Palace Theatre in New York. Productions for Italy and Brazil are planned.

LINKS

SPECIAL OFFER: Book tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical at the Palace Theatre in London

Photo Exclusive: South Pacific at the Barbican Theatre starring Samantha Womack and Paulo Szot

Exclusive production photos of South Pacific at the Barbican Theatre starring Samantha Womack and Paulo Szot.

This month sees the London opening of the acclaimed Lincoln Center production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific. The show is directed by Bartlett Sher and plays at the Barbican Theatre until 1 October 2011.

TV and stage star Samantha Womack takes the lead role of Nellie Forbush in the production. Womack has starred in numerous stage and TV projects including Grease and Guys and Dolls in the West End and is currently playing Ronnie Branning in EastEnders.

The cast also includes a number of stars from Sher’s original Broadway production including Brazilian opera baritone Paulo Szot as plantation owner Emile De Becque and Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary. Daniel Koek, who has recently starred as Anatoly in Craig Revel Horwood’s touring production of Chess, will play Lt Cable.

The Lincoln Center Theater production is credited with breathing new life into this classic musical and won 7 Tony Awards and ran for 2 years on Broadway.

Set during World War II, South Pacific is the sweeping romantic story of two couples, threatened by the realities of war. Its portrayal of Americans stationed in an alien culture in wartime is as relevant today as when it first thrilled audiences. Songs include Some Enchanted Evening, I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair and There is Nothin’ Like a Dame.

With sets by Michael Yeargan and musical staging by Christopher Gattelli, the show feature a cast of 40 and a live orchestra of 25 and plays for only 7 weeks at the Barbican.

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

More News on South Pacific

Broadway News Round-up: Glee’s Darren Criss, Lauren Ambrose, Andrew Garfield, Hunter Parrish

A round-up of this month’s Broadway theatre news including new productions of Funny Girl, Godspell and Death of a Salesman, and featuring stars including Hunter Parrish, Andrew Garfield, Lauren Ambrose and Darren Criss.

HUNTER PARRISH
The Spring Awakening and Weeds star Hunter Parrish is set to play Jesus in a new Broadway production of Godspell this autumn. The show is scheduled to open at the Circle in the Square Theater on 7 November.

ANDREW GARFIELD
The British star of the new Spiderman movie, Andrew Garfield, is set to join the Broadway cast of a new production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. The revival, opening in March, will be directed by Mike Nichols and co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman and Linda Emond.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN – LITERALLY!
Big Broadway musical Catch Me If You Can, based on Steven Spielberg’s hit film, is to close at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York. The show, which will have played 170 performances, hasn’t caught on with the public and will close on 4 September. The musical was nominated for four Tonys but only won one – Norbert Leo Butz winning a Best Actor gong. Starring Broadway hunk Aaron Tveit, the show was put together by the Love Never Dies creative team of director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell… guess it ain’t their year.

LAUREN AMBROSE
Six Feet Under star Lauren Ambrose is set to play Fanny Brice in the new Broadway production of Funny Girl. Glee’s Lea Michele had been widely tipped to star in the revival of the show that made a star out of Barbra Streisand. Bartlett Sher, whose Tony award-winning production of South Pacific is currently playing at the Barbican Theatre, will direct the show.

DARREN CRISS
It has been confirmed that Glee’s Darren Criss will take over from Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch in the Broadway production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The Glee star will take over on 3 January but only for an initial three week run.

LINKS

Book tickets to Broadway Shows

Last few days for Chicago as it closes at the Cambridge Theatre

Chicago The Musical is making its final razzle dazzle at the Cambridge Theatre this month before closing on Saturday 27 August 2011.

There are still special offer tickets available for the final few performances at the Cambridge Theatre, currently starring Jonathan Wilkes.

Supermodel Christine Brinkley recently made her debut in the London show after wowing Broadway with her performance as Roxie Hart.

Chicago opened at the Adelphi Theatre on 18 November 1997 and won the 1998 Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Musical Production’. The show transferred from the Adelphi Theatre to the Cambridge Theatre in April 2006.

On the same day that the show closes in London, the original Broadway production will celebrate its 6,138 performance on the Great White Way, beating A Chorus Line’s record to make it the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history.

Chicago is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins and has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The show’s entire original Broadway creative team staged the West End production including choreography by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse and direction by Walter Bobbie.

LINKS

SPECIAL OFFER: Book tickets to Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre in London

VIDEO MEMORIES

Ute Lemper & Ruthie Henshall Perform ‘Hot Honey Rag’

Potted Panto returns for Christmas

CBBC’s Dan and Jeff are returning to the West End this Christmas for a second festive season of Potted Panto, following their Best Entertainment Olivier Award nomination for the show.

Potted Panto features eight classic pantomimes in just eighty minutes, in a dash through the biggest stories and best-loved characters from panto. The kid-friendly double act career through Cinderella in 3D, do Dick Whittington featuring Jeff as the Mayor of London: blond, posh and receiving just the treatment he deserves (with a large mallet and a custard pie), and give panto favourite Aladdin a whole new twist!

The show will run at the Vaudeville Theatre in London from Sunday 18 December 2011 to Sunday 8 January 2012. The show is written by Daniel Clarkson, Jefferson Turner and Richard Hurst and directed by Richard Hurst.

This year the show will also feature an eighth pantomime which will be decided by public vote from a shortlist drawn up by Dan and Jeff.

The boys are also coming to the West End this Summer, bringing their hit Edinburgh Festival show Potted Potter to the Garrick Theatre from 18 August 2011.

LINKS

Book tickets to Potted Potter at the Garrick Theatre in London