Alan Titchmarch celebrates West End musicals
May 5, 2011
All week on ITV1 in the UK, TV host Alan Titchmarsh has been celebrating West End musicals on his daytime show.
Alan Titchmarsh
His weekday The Alan Titchmarsh Show, running Mondays to Fridays at 3pm on ITV1, has seen the cast of Wicked (Monday 2 May), Grease (Tuesday), Les Miserables with Gareth Gates (Wednesday), Legally Blonde (today, Thursday 5 May at 3pm) and Billy Elliot (Friday) perform in front of a live studio audience.
LINKS
Watch Wicked perform on the Alan Titchmarsh Show
Last Chance To See Grease In The West End At The Piccadilly Theatre
March 23, 2011
MUST CLOSE ON SATURDAY 30 APRIL 2011
Following a triumphant run of nearly four years, the smash hit musical Grease will close in London at the end of its current West End run on Saturday 30 April 2011. Grease returned to London on 25 July 2007 and since its premiere the show has played over 1,500 performances and entertained audiences totalling more than 1 ½ million people at the Piccadilly Theatre where it opened to public acclaim and is now the longest running show in the venue’s history. Grease will begin a new tour this spring (the first in over five years) opening at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 6 May 2011.
Since breaking out on Broadway in 1972, Grease’s place has been firmly established in the cultural Hall of Fame having seduced the hearts of millions with its back-to-back sizzling tunes. The show features all the unforgettable songs from the hit film including ‘You’re The One That I Want’, ‘Grease Is The Word’, ‘Summer Nights’, ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’, ‘Sandy’, ‘Greased Lightnin’ and many more.
Voted the “No 1 Greatest Musical”*, Grease has proved that a musical love story, bursting with denim, cheerleaders, slick hairstyles, rock’n’roll, teenage angst and young romance is timeless and universal.
This production originally opened in the West End in 1993 (co-produced with Robert Stigwood) where it enjoyed a fantastic run of 6 years. The last international tour of Grease was a phenomenal success, playing to sell-out audiences and smashing records at many venues. Since 1993 the show has been seen by audiences totalling over 12 million people in the UK alone. Last year, a second production played internationally in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Auckland and Hong Kong.
Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, directed by David Gilmore (Daisy Pulls It Off, Happy Days, Song & Dance, Footloose) and choreographed by Arlene Phillips (Starlight Express, Saturday Night Fever, Flashdance The Musical & BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing), Grease is produced in the West End by Paul Nicholas and David Ian, by arrangement with Robert Stigwood.
Release issued by: Public Eye
LINKS
SPECIAL OFFER: Save on tickets to Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in London
Grease fans to be treated to free show
February 4, 2011
Show laid on for Grease fans to celebrate launch of new bagel range
The Piccadilly Theatre in London will host a 20 minute lightnin’ version of Grease The Musical on 24 March 2011. But it’s an early start – 8AM – timed to launch the New York Bagel Company’ s new breakfast bagels range.
The bagel brand has been on a PR offensive in the UK, having recently brought famous Times Square busker the Naked Cowboy over to London to promote its range.
To enter for two free tickets to see the breakfast performance of Grease, simply email musical@breakfastbagels.com. 450 tickets are up for grabs, and email entries will go into a hat to each win a pair of tickets for the show.
Carina Gillespie and Matthew Goodgame in Grease. Photo: Paul Coltas.
A new cast joined Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre on 24 January, with Carina Gillespie replacing Over The Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels as Sandy alongside Matthew Goodgame as Danny, and Michael Pickering, who recently starred in All The Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre, as Doody.
The hit show, which has run for four years at the Piccadilly Theatre, will end its run on 30 April.
SPECIAL OFFER: Save £23.50 on tickets to Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre
Natasha Hamilton in Blood Brothers tonight
January 24, 2011
This week in the West End two big shows see a change of stars as Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton joins the cast of Blood Brothers, and Carina Gillespie replaces Lauren Samuels as Sandy in Grease.
Natasha Hamilton in Blood Brothers
Natasha Hamilton to star in Blood Brothers
Former Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton is to follow Spice Girl Melanie C into the West End tonight playing the lead role in Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre.
Mel C scored a huge hit with the show, making the transition from pop star to stage star, and Hamilton will be hoping for more of the same.
Natasha said on her Twitter page last week that she “can’t begin to describe how tired I am” but that she had been loving every minute of the rehearsals and preparation for tonight’s first show.
Hamilton, 28, is the youngest actress to play the lead role of Mrs Johnstone at the Phoenix Theatre in London. She told the Liverpool Echo today that by the end of the show “I’ve been sobbing, crying my eyes out when my sons are dead on the floor. It’s just hard not to feel that emotion. The play’s so powerful and it tugs at those heart strings so much.”
Her husband Riad and sons Josh, Harry and baby Alfie will all be there tonight to support her in her first big acting role in the West End.
Natasha joins a roll call of famous theatrical ladies who have played the part of Mrs Johnstone including Mel C, Barbara Dickson, Petula Clark, Kiki Dee, X-Factor runner-up Nikki Evans and most recently Maureen Noaln.
SPECIAL OFFER: Half-price tickets to Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre
Carina Gillespie in Grease
Carina Gillespie and Matthew Goodgame in Grease. Photo: Paul Coltas.
Another West End debut is also made tonight by another Liverpudlian actress: Carina Gillespie will replace Over The Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels this evening as Sandy in Grease. She will be joined by Matthew Goodgame as Danny.
Carina Gillespie trained at the Liverpool Theatre School and has appeared in Buddy- The Buddy Holly Story, Bloodbath- The Musical and Jack in the Beanstalk.
Also joining the cast will be Michael Pickering as Doody, who recently starred in All The Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre.
SPECIAL OFFER: Save £23.50 on tickets to Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre
New cast for Grease The Musical
January 12, 2011
Lauren Samuels to leave Grease; New cast to join the show in its final months in London
A new cast will join Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre from 24 January 2011. The hit show, which has run for four years at the Piccadilly Theatre, will end its run on 30 April.
Carina Gillespie and Matthew Goodgame in Grease. Photo: Paul Coltas.
Replacing Over The Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels as Sandy will be Carina Gillespie, who will make her West End debut in the part alongside Matthew Goodgame as Danny.
Carina Gillespie trained at the Liverpool Theatre School and has appeared in Buddy- The Buddy Holly Story, Bloodbath- The Musical and Jack in the Beanstalk.
Also joining the cast will be Michael Pickering, who recently starred in All The Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre, as Doody, David O’Reilly as Roger, Zoe Doano as Frenchy, Matthew Russell-Jones as Eugene, Nancy Hill as Miss Lynch and Kristina MacMillan as Cha Cha.
Cast continuing in the show include Siubhan Harrison as Rizzo and Jason Capewell as Teen Angel/Vince Fontaine.
Grease is the longest running show at the Piccadilly Theatre.
SPECIAL OFFER: Save £23.50 on tickets to Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre
Free Hotel Rooms in London
January 10, 2011
Celebrate winter with our great new hotel and theatre promotion, with blockbuster shows including Love Never Dies, Legally Blonde, Priscilla, Jersey Boys and Billy Elliot.
Westendtheatre.com has partnered with 18 top London shows and a range of Central London hotels to offers visitors to the city a fabulous winter treat.
Running until the end of March 2011, you can book a free room in a central London hotel when buying a top-price theatre ticket to one of a selection of shows.
Prices start at just £45 ($70 USD / €55 Euros) per person for a three star hotel, continental breakfast and a best seat to a major West End show, based on two people sharing.
An amazing selection of big-budget West End musicals are featured in the promotion including: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to the Phantom of the Opera – Love Never Dies; Legally Blonde, based on the smash-hit movie; Tony award-winning Elton John musical Billy Elliot; a new musical adaptation of Love Story; fabulous, spectacular show Priscilla Queen of the Desert; Jersey Boys featuring the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons; Dirty Dancing; sexy, sassy Kander and Ebb show Chicago; joyous 1960s musical Dreamboats and Petticoats; Grease The Musical; Willy Russell’s powerful musical Blood Brothers; theatre, dance and percussion show Stomp; and Michael Jackson tribute show Thriller Live.
Comedy and drama included in the promotion ranges from a riotously funny adaptation of The 39 Steps, to Samantha Bond in Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, terrifying thriller The Woman in Black, and classic comedy When We Are Married.
BOOK NOW
See all shows in the promotion and book now
Terms and conditions of the promotion:
Prices are per person and based on two people sharing a twin or double room in one of our chosen Central London 3* hotels. Valid for select performances and subject to availability. Once booked, the package is non transferable and cannot be exchanged or refunded. All prices include VAT and all other transaction and booking fees. Selected shows are subject to a £5 supplement. For full terms and conditions visit www.westendtheatre.com/theatre-breaks
VIDEO: Grease the Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre
November 2, 2010
The smash-hit musical now starring Over The Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels and former Hear’Say singer Noel Sullivan. The one that you want!
Book tickets to Grease the Musical
More information about the show
More information about the Piccadilly Theatre
VIDEO
Grease the Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre
LINKS
Watch more videos on West End Theatre TV
Musicality star gets lead in Grease
September 20, 2010
The winner of a TV talent show is to take the lead in a West End musical.
Matthew Goodgame and Helen Anker in musical The Thorn Birds
Matthew Goodgame, a winner of Channel 4 show Musicality, will take the lead as Danny in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre from 27 September.
In 2004 Goodgame beat over 2000 musical hopefuls on Musicality, a talent show that aimed to find a new generation of musicals stars. Alongside four other winners, Goodgame won the chance to star in a special one-off performance of Chicago in the West End.
The former primary school teacher has gone on to forge a professional career in musical theatre, with recent roles including Father Ralph de Bricassart in a new musical based on The Thorn Birds, Munkustrap in the German tour of Cats and currently playing Kennickie in Grease.
He will star in Grease opposite Over the Rainbow finalist Lauren Samuels, who joined the cast in July playing Sandy. Noel Sullivan continues in the role of Danny until 25 September 2010.
The hit show will end its run at the Piccadilly Theatre next Spring, on 30 April 2011, before embarking on a UK tour. The show first opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on 25 July 2007 and is the longest running show in the venue’s history, having played over 1,300 performances and been seen by over 1.25 million people.
The cast of Grease also includes Siubhan Harrison, Lucas Rush, Hayley Gallivan, Faye Brookes, Bennett Andrews, Robyn Mellor, Michael Vinsen, Susannah Allman, Kerry Winter, Stephanie Powell, Jason Capewell, Jamie Capewell and Giovanni Spano.
Following the closure of Grease, new show Ghost The Musical will open at the Piccadilly Theatre directed by Matthew Warchus and with music and lyrics by the Eurythmics Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard.
Special Offer: Save £23.50 on tickets to see Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre in London
ITV’s This Morning – Musicals week
August 25, 2010
Whilst we desperately try to avoid turning on the TV before cocktail hour, sometimes the search for art and beauty (and a good show tune) prevails.
All this week, ITV’s This Morning has been celebrating the West End Musical, with Monday’s show featuring the cast of Mamma Mia! and Tuesday shaking things up with Sister Act.
Today, at 11am, Noel Sullivan, Lauren Samuels and the cast of Grease sang Summer Nights on the show.
And coming up next is the cast of Dirty Dancing tomorrow, Thursday 26 August, and the cast of We Will Rock You on Friday.
THE MICHAEL BALL SHOW
ITV’s The Michael Ball Show, on ITV1 weekdays from 3pm, will feature Cameron Mackintosh today. The theatre impresario will discuss celebrations for the 25th anniversary of Les Miserables, and will be joined by Gareth Gates who is playing Marius in the touring production – soon to come to the Barbican in London.
Lauren Samuels on This Morning
Grease's Noel Sullivan and Lauren Samuels interviewed on This Morning
Grease tickets at the Piccadilly Theatre
August 2, 2010
The smash-hit musical now starring Carina Gillespie and Matthew Goodgame. The one that you want!
