West End Live this weekend

A free event will be held in London this weekend, showcasing the best of West End theatre.

West End Live will feature the casts of some of London’s biggest shows, performing at a free event this weekend in Leicester Square. On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 June 2010, hundreds of West End performers will gather to showcase the best of London theatre. Careful juggling by the organisers has enabled the casts of over 25 shows to appear live on a stage in Leicester Square in between performing their matinee and evening performances.

Download and print the West End Live timetable of events.

The line-up for the celebration has now been confirmed, with Brazil! Brazil! launching the weekend at 11am on Saturday.

Shows which have agreed to participate in the family event include Thriller Live, Disney’s The Lion King, Legally Blonde, All The Fun Of The Fair, Tap Dogs, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Hair, Chicago, Love Never Dies, Avenue Q, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Burn the Floor, Grease, Mamma Mia!, Stomp, Dirty Dancing and Jersey Boys.

West End stars will be out in force to entertain audiences at the event,  including Daniel Boys (Wolfboy), who will be hosting proceedings from 12 noon to 6pm on Sunday 20 June, Sheridan Smith (Legally Blonde), Kerry Ellis (Oliver!), Patina Miller (Sister Act) and Hannah Waddingham (Into The Woods).

Saturday’s full line up* is as follows: 11.00am Brazil! Brazil!; 11.15am Dirty Dancing; 11.25am Burn the Floor; 11.35am Wicked; 11.45am We Will Rock You; 12.05pm Billy Elliot; 12.15pm Love Never Dies; 12.30pm Chicago; 12.45pm HAIR; 13.05pm Jersey Boys; 13.25pm Sweet Charity; 13.35pm Grease; 13.50pm Mamma Mia!; 14.00pm Sister Act; 14.10pm Thriller Live; 14.30pm Julie Atherton; 14.40pm Avenue Q; 15.00pm Into the Woods; 15.20pm Fireman Sam; 15.30pm Sylvia Young Theatre School; 15.50pm Burn the Floor; 16:00pm The Big Dance; 16:20pm London Gay Men’s Chorus; 16:35pm Burn The Floor; 16.45pm The Gleeks; 17.10pm Royal Albert Hall; 17.35pm All the Fun of the Fair; 17.45pm STOMP.

On Sunday* there’s more theatrical thrills and spills with: 12.00pm Tap Dogs; 12.15pm Stomp; 12.30pm Thriller Live; 12.55pm Jersey Boys; 13.10pm Priscilla Queen of the Deasert; 13.25pm Legally Blonde; 13.35pm Disney’s The Lion King; 13.50pm Mamma Mia!; 14.00pm West End Kids; 14.15pm Daniel Boys; 14.30pm National Youth Music Theatre; 14.45pm Into the Woods; 15.10pm Mark Jermin Stage School; 15.30pm Fireman Sam; 15.45pm Jack Day; 16.00pm T Mobile Big Dance; 16.20pm West End Gospel Choir; 16.40pm Burn the Floor; 16.50pm SOLT competition; 17.00pm 1916 the Musical; 17.15pm Burn the Floor; 17.25pm Dover Street.

* Timetable and acts subject to change – check West End Live site for details.

To get the party started early, the cast of Wicked will also be performing on Friday 18 June 2010 at Cardinal Place, Victoria between 12.30 and 1pm for a pre West End LIVE performance.

The weekend event will feature exhibits and activities including the London Film Museum, Science Museum, V&A Museum, Little Angel Puppet theatre and Forbidden Planet.

Over a quarter of a million people attended last year’s event in Leicester Square.  Running in a variety of formats for a number of years, including the Society of London Theatre’s Fair in the Square events in the 1990s, this year’s two-day event is organised by Westminster City Council.

Saturday 19 June, 11am-6pm and Sunday 20 June, 12noon to 6pm in Leicester Square.

Download and print the West End Live timetable of events.

LINKS: West End Live website

RAY QUINN in Dirty Dancing

From Dancing on Ice to Dirty Dancing

21 year old Ray Quinn came to prominence in ITV’s The X Factor, finishing second in the 2006 talent show. Not to be beaten, he went on to star in ITV’s Dancing on Ice in 2009 and won!

He started his theatrical career with a few small roles in his home town of Liverpool, namely Me and My Girl and Peter Pan. He’s gone on to star as Danny in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End.  He has also appeared in Pantomime.

Next up for Ray is Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre this summer, playing the role of Billy Kostecki, Johnny Castle’s cousin, for a limited season from 26 July to 27 November 2010. He gets to sing two iconic songs from the show – “Do You Love Me?” and “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life”.

Dirty Dancing is now in its fourth year at the Aldwych Theatre and brings the action and music of the iconic film to the stage.

Special offer: Save £22.50 on tickets to see Ray Quinn in Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre in London

CASTING: Wolfboy, Dirty Dancing, Oliver!

Emma Rigby and Daniel Boys in Wolfboy; Ray Quinn to strut his stuff in Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre; Russ Abbot takes over from Griff Rhys Jones in Oliver!

WOLFBOY

Former Hollyoaks star Emma Rigby and recent Avenue Q lead Daniel Boys will appear at the Trafalgar Studios this summer to star in the psycho-sexual musical thriller Wolfboy (6 – 31 July).

The new musical premiered at the Edinburgh Festival fringe last year and has a book by Russell Labey, music and lyrics by Leon Parris and is based on a play by Brad Fraser.

The musical is a dark and disturbing tale of two troubled teenage boys locked in an asylum for their own good. Bernie has attempted suicide; David may or may not have the powers of a wolf. For them the outside world is a frightening place of abuse and violence. Bernie’s brother Christian and Cherry the young nurse on the unit, also hide secrets that surface in the night, when the moon is full.

Emma Rigby won a Best Actress British Soap Award in 2008 for her role on TV’s Hollyoaks playing Hannah Ashworth.

Daniel Boys appeared on BBC talent show Any Dream Will Do in 2007  and has since performed in a number of concerts and events including a special guest artist on John Barowman’s UK tour, and is a regular on BBC Radio 2′s Friday Night is Music Night.

The cast also includes Paul Holowaty and Gregg Lowe.

Book tickets to see Wolfboy at the Trafalgar Studios in London

DIRTY DANCING

X Factor and Dancing on Ice star Ray Quinn is to join the cast of Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre this summer, from 26 July to 27 November 2010.

Quinn, who recently appeared as Danny in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre, will play the role of Billy Kostecki, Johnny Castle’s cousin, in the show for a limited season from 26 July. He will sing two iconic songs from the show – “Do You Love Me?” and “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life”.

Other cast includes Martin Harvey as Johnny Castle and Hannah Vassallo as Baby.

Dirty Dancing is now in its fourth year at the Aldwych Theatre and brings the action and music of the iconic film to the stage.

Special offer: Save £22.50 on tickets to Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre in London

OLIVER!

He stepped in for Rowan Atkinson last year and proved such a hit that Russ Abbot is to make his return to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in June, starring as Fagin in Cameron Mackintosh’s big-budget production of Oliver!

Taking over the role from Griff Rhys Jones from 14 June, Abbot will join Kerry Ellis as Nancy, Steven Hartley as Bill Sikes and Stephen Moore as Mr Brownlow.

No stranger to the role of Fagin, Abbot played the part in Mackintosh’s 1997 revival of the show at the London Palladium and then on tour.  The comedian and actor best known for his TV appearance including “The Russ Abbot Show” has also appeared in numerous musicals including My Fair Lady and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Doctor Dolittle and The Producers.

Special offer: Save £21 on tickets to see Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London

LEND ME A TENOR

Sally Ann Triplett and Matthew Kelly are to star in a new production of Lend Me a Tenor the Musical this autumn. The show will run at the Theatre Royal Plymouth from 24 September and then transfer to the West End (theatre to be announced).

Peter Sham and Brad Carroll’s musical, based on Ken Ludwig’s comedy, will be directed by Ian Talbot.

Other cast members include Damian Humbley and Michael Matus.

Links: Theatre Royal Plymouth

Free West End event scheduled

The casts of London’s biggest shows are being allowed out of their theatres again this year to perform at the West End’s annual live event in Leicester Square.

West End Live is a weekend of free entertainment on 19 and 20 June that promises to showcase the best of London’s Theatreland.

Running in a variety of formats for a number of years, including the Society of London Theatre’s Fair in the Square events in the 1990s, this year’s two-day event initiated by Westminster City Council will see 23 shows perform on a stage in Leicester Square.

Shows which have agreed to participate in the family event include Thriller Live, The Lion King, Legally Blonde, All The Fun Of The Fair, Tap Dogs, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Hair, Chicago, Love Never Dies, Avenue Q, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Burn the Floor, Grease, Mamma Mia!, Stomp, Dirty Dancing, The Fantasticks and Jersey Boys.

West End stars will be out in force to entertain audiences at the event,  including Sheridan Smith (Legally Blonde), Kerry Ellis (Oliver!), Patina Miller (Sister Act) and Hannah Waddingham (Into The Woods). More stars are expected to be announced shortly.

Last year’s event attracted around 250,000 people.

Saturday 19 June, 11am-6pm and Sunday 20 June, 12noon to 6pm in Leicester Square.

LINKS: West End Live website

Swayze honoured in West End

Hollywood star Patrick Swayze was honoured last night with one minute’s silence at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End.

Before the evening performance of Dirty Dancing at the theatre, a minute’s silence was held as a tribute to the star, who died on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Swayze starred in the hit 1987 film Dirty Dancing alongside Jennifer Grey, and became an international star.

This was followed by his role in blockbuster movie Ghost, which is also set to become a West End musical in 2010 with music and lyrics by Dave Stewart and direction by Matthew Warchus.

The creator and writer of both the movie and the stage show Eleanor Bergstein said in a statement: “The cast and crew of Dirty Dancing join the loving fans of Patrick Swayze all over the world in shock and sorrow at the loss of a great artist and a courageous man. We are grateful for the inspiration his great spirit has given to us. We send our deepest condolences to his family.”

His stage career included roles in Grease and Chicago on Broadway and as Nathan Detroit in 2006 West End production of Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre.

Patrick Wayne Swayze, August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009

Save £20 on tickets to Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre

Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre – Save £22.50

Save £22.50 on tickets to see Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre in London

Valid Monday to Thursday evenings and Friday matinees until the 31st May (excludes 3 May)

Enjoy Dirty Dancing, the classic story on stage, and save £22.50 on tickets.

The show is an unprecedented live experience, exploding with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion and sensationally sexy dancing.

Seen by millions across the globe, this worldwide smash-hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. featuring hit songs, including “Hungry Eyes”, “Hey Baby”, “Do You Love Me?” and the heart stopping “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life.”

Don’t miss your chance to see this truly spectacular musical theatre event. You’ll have the time of your life.

‘The live theatre phenomenon of our globalised age’ Sunday Times.

Save £22.50 on tickets to see Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre in London

Valid Monday to Thursday evenings and Friday matinees until the 31st May (excludes 3 May)

Special ticket offers

January means a host of special offers on London theatre tickets. This month westendtheatre.com features a range of discounted shows including £20 off Dirty Dancing, £16 off Joseph – featuring Gareth Gates, £20 off Sunset Boulevard, £26 off Carousel, £20 off Billy Elliot £26 off Woman in Mind starring Janie Dee – plus offers from the National Theatre.

For the latest special offers visit: www.westendtheatre.com/offers

« Previous Page