Ray Meagher joins Priscilla
September 30, 2010
Home and Away’s Alf Stewart, aka Australian actor Ray Meagher, has joined the London cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert this week at the Palace Theatre.
Ray Meagher in the Sydney production of Priscilla
Ray plays ocker mechanic Bob who falls for Bernadette, one of the three Sydney drag queens who go bush across Australia in the fun show based on the hit movie.
Ray has already played the role of Bob in the Sydney run of the show, and will play London for a strictly limited time.
Other cast in the long-running show include The Bill’s Ben Richards as Tick, Oliver Thornton as Adam and Don Gallagher as Berndaette.
Book tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre
Casting: Sister Act, Priscilla, Les Mis
July 15, 2010
Whoopi Goldberg to make her West End debut in Sister Act; Alf from Home and Away joins the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert; Ramin Karimloo and Samantha Barks to appear in Les Mis at the O2.
Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act The Musical
SISTER ACT
Whoopi Goldberg will join the cast of Sister Act next month. The Hollywood movie star makes her West End debut in the show that she has co-produced, based on the 1990s film in which she starred.
The Oscar-winner will take over from Sheila Hancock in the role of Mother Superior for 23 performances only from 10 to 31 August at the London Palladium. The show also stars Patina Miller as Deloris van Cartier, in the role that Whoopi originated in the hit movie.
The actress, singer-songwriter, political activist and talk show host won an oscar in 1990 for her part in Ghost, and has appeared in numerous films including The Color Purple, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Soapdish, as well as her comedy stand-up work and appearance on US TV’s The View.
Book tickets to Sister Act at the London Palladium
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT
Ray Meagher
Home and Away’s Alf Stewart, aka Australian actor Ray Meagher, will join the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre from 30 September.
Sadly Ray will not be donning fishnets and stilettos to play one of the three Sydney drag queens who go bush on an epic journey across Australia in the fun show based on the hit movie. Rather Ray will play ocker mechanic Bob, who falls for Les Girls drag queen Bernadette, played in the show by Don Gallagher.
Other cast in the long-running show include The Bill’s Ben Richards as Tick and Oliver Thornton as Adam.
In a West End first, the whole show will take a break in September for essential maintenance work on Priscilla the bus, allowing the cast and crew to enjoy a holiday from 6 to 19 September.
Book tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre
LES MISERABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess in Love Never Dies
More casting has been announced for the O2 Arena concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of Les Miserables on 3 October 2010.
Current star of Love Never Dies, Ramin Karimloo, will take on the role of Enjolras in the musical. He will be joined by current Les Mis cast member Samantha Barks as Eponine. Samantha was a finalist on the BBC One talent show I’d Do Anything and is currently playing Eponine in the West End production of Les Miserables alongside Nick Jonas.
The special concert will play on 3 October 2010 at 1.30pm and 7pm.
The concert will see stars from the original London cast come together with current casts and major celebrities to celebrate the birthday, including Nick Jonas, Alfie Boe, Norm Lewis, Matt Lucas, Lea Salonga, Jenny Galloway, Camilla Kerslake and 300 performers and musicians.
Les Miserables will also make theatrical history with three different productions running simultaneously in London: the original production at the Queen’s Theatre, the new 25th anniversary UK tour of Les Miserables which will come to the Barbican for a short season, and the exclusive concert at the O2 Arena.
Book tickets to Les Miserables 25th Anniversary concert at the O2 Arena
Priscilla – Save £28.50 on tickets
June 18, 2010
Save £28.50 on tickets to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre in London
Valid all performances except Saturdays until the 11th July
Enjoy our best offer yet on the smash-hit musical Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical at the Palace Theatre.
Ben Richards (The Bill) now stars in this fabulous show based on the hit Oscar-winning film. Follow three friends who hop aboard a battered old bus (nicknamed Priscilla) searching for love and friendship but end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed. With a dazzling array of outrageous costumes and featuring a score of dance-floor classics, this new musical follows a journey to the middle of the Australian outback and to the heart of fabulous.
The production of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical at the Palace Theatre features nearly 500 costumes, and boasts over 100 wigs, 160 masks, more than 150 pairs of shoes and almost 200 hats and headdresses per performance.
Valid all performances except Saturdays until the 11th July
Donovan and Swenson bow out of West End
May 31, 2010
Two West End stars left their roles in major shows this weekend. On Saturday night (29 May) Jason Donovan left Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre and Broadway star Will Swenson left Hair at the Gielgud Theatre.
JASON DONOVAN
Jason Donovan in Priscilla
Fans and cast members paid tribute to Jason Donovan on Saturday 29 May as he shimmied in his fabulous shoes and frocks for the final time in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre in London, after 14 months and over 450 performances.
On Jason’s Facebook page, fan Laura Harvey said: “So sad that it’s your last Priscilla…. you will be greatly missed”. Cast mate Amy Edwards posted on Twitter that, “am going to miss him loads! He’s a fantastic performer and an amazing person”, and Oliver Thornton, who plays Adam in the show said: “So sad to lose my playmate and friend from the show”.
Ben Richards from ITV’s The Bill takes over Donovan’s role from 1 July. Richards is an accomplished musicals actor having played numerous roles in high-profile West End shows including Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Danny Zuko in Grease, Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever and Jerry Lukowski in The Full Monty.
Book tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert starring Ben Richards at the Palace Theatre in London
WILL SWENSON
Will Swenson in Hair
In a theatrical circle of life, Saturday also saw Broadway star Will Swenson leave Hair The Musical in the West End – in order to take on Jason Donovan’s role of Tick in a new Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Swenson, who was Tony Award-nominated for his performance as Berger in Hair, will open in Priscilla in Toronto in October for 12 weeks before moving the show to Broadway.
The Broadway production will also see Tony Sheldon, who played Bernadette in the Australian and London productions of Priscilla, reprise his role.
Steel Burkhardt, a company member in the original Broadway production and the West End transfer, has taken over Swenson’s role as Berger. Hair marked Burkhardt’s Broadway and West End debuts.
Hair will close at the Gielgud Theatre on 4 September 2010.
In other HAIR news, Gavin Creel, fellow Broadway and now London cast member of the show, will make his solo debut in London this summer. He will play one night only at the Pigalle Club in London’s West End on 20 July. See Facebook for further information.
Book tickets to see Hair starring Gavin Creel at the Gielgud Theatre in London
BEN RICHARDS in Priscilla Queen of the Desert
April 23, 2010
The Bill star Ben Richards to premiere in Priscilla
Best known for his TV roles, BEN RICHARDS is to take over from Jason Donovan in June this year to play the lead role in Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Richards is most famous for playing PC Nathaniel Roberts in Britain’s longest-running police drama, The Bill, as well as a long stint on racy series Footballer’s Wives.
He is also an accomplished musicals actor having played numerous roles in high-profile West End shows including Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Danny Zuko in Grease, Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever and Jerry Lukowski in The Full Monty.
Book tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre in London.
FACT FILE:
DATE OF BIRTH : 27th March 1972
PLACE OF BIRTH : Born in Rustington, West Sussex.
LIVES : South East London.
WIFE : Helen, Married in May 2003.
TRAINING : Laine Theatre Arts, Epsom
PREVIOUS JOBS : Working on a battery farm.
TELEVISION CREDITS : Dad; Love in the Afternoon; Doctors; Holby City; Footballer’s Wives; The Bill
FILM CREDITS : Bring Me the Head of Mavis Davis; Julie and the Cadillac’s
THEATRE CREDITS : Time Flies; Robin Hood & Babes in the Wood; The All New Jimmy Cricket Show; Radio Times; The Joe Longthorne Summer Show; The Magic of the Musicals Tour; The Golden Songs of the Silver Screen Tour; Tribute to Rudolf Nuryev; Meet the Boys; Up on the Roof; Hot Mikado; Grease; Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ Saturday Night Fever; The Full Monty; Guys and Dolls; Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Book tickets to Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre in London.
Jason Donovan to leave Priscilla
April 23, 2010
Jason Donovan to leave hit musical Priscilla. The Bill star Ben Richards to take over as Tick.
Ben Richards as Tick in Priscilla
Jason Donovan, the star of Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre in London, is to leave the show this June. Donovan, who led the first UK cast of the show in the starring role of Tick, has appeared in the musical since March 2009.
The role of Tick will be taken over by Ben Richards, best known for playing hunky PC Nathaniel Roberts in ITV drama The Bill. Britain’s longest-running police drama, The Bill was recently axed by ITV in a prime-time shakeup that sees the drama end its run on UK screens this autumn.
As well as his high-profile TV work in shows including Footballer’s Wives, Ben Richards is also a musical theatre star having played numerous roles including Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, Danny Zuko in Grease, Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever and Jerry Lukowski in The Full Monty.
Richards told the Daily Mail, “If I’m scared, I’m happy. It’s a challenge… And it’s a gay character and I want to play it right. Hopefully, I can nail it.’
Ben Richards as himself!
The Olivier award-winning show has also extended its booking period to May 2011. The other main cast members remain the same including Don Gallagher as Bernadette, Oliver Thornton as Adam and John Bowe as Bob.
SPECIAL OFFER: SAVE £13.50 ON TICKETS TO PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT
