Elaine Paige cast in USA Follies

Elaine Paige to sing I’m Still Here in new US production of Follies; new album Elaine Paige and Friends out Monday; new EP concert tour announced.

More news on the new American production of  Stephen Sondheim’s Follies (see our August piece, Fantasy Casting). Sadly, speculation that Kim Cattrall would be joining Bernadette Peters (who is playing Sally) to perform the role of Phyllis was just that, speculation! Instead Jan Maxwell will take the role at Washington’s Kennedy Center in May and June next year.

Jan is a Broadway stage regular whose recent turns in The Royal Family and Lend Me a Tenor in New York earned her Tony Award nominations for both parts.

Perhaps even more exciting is that First Lady of British Musical Theatre Elaine Paige (for that is her full name) is continuing her US offensive by taking the part of Carlotta Campion. She’s too OLD we hear you cry! But Elaine playing the seen-it-all-before ex-Follies girl and fading film star, who belts out show-stopper “I’m Still Here”, will be something to behold and follows a long line of gutsy broads who have played the part including the late Eartha Kitt in London.

Other cast include Terrence Currier as Theodore Whitman, Rosalind Elias as Heidi Schiller, Florence Lacey as Sandra Crane, Linda Lavin as Hattie Walker, Régine as Solange LaFitte, David Sabin as Dimitri Weismann, Susan Watson as Emily Whitman and Terri White as Stella Deems. The show will be directed by Eric Schaeffer with choreography by Warren Carlyle.

MORE ELAINE NEWS

Elaine has announced her UK concert tour to follow her new album, Elaine Paige and Friends.

The tour starts in February 2011 and covers much of the country’s A-list venues including Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre, the Royal Festival Hall in London, The Edinburgh Playhouse and Symphony Hall in Birmingham. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, 28 October.

Her album will be released this Monday, 1 November 2010 and features duets with a host of big stars. Watch videos with her duet stars John Barrowman, Olivia Newton John and Billy Ocean here.

Buy Elaine Paige and Friends here.

ELAINE PAIGE CONCERT DATES

IPSWICH: Regent Theatre – 23 Feb, www.ipswichregent.com
BLACKPOOL: Opera House – 25 Feb, www.blackpoollive.co.uk
GATESHEAD: The Sage – 26 Feb, www.thesagegateshead.org
EDINBURGH: The Playhouse – 28 Feb, www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk
GLASGOW: Royal Concert Hall – 1 March, www.glasgowconcerthalls.com
EASTBOURNE: The Congress Theatre – 3 March, www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk
LONDON: Royal Festival Hall – 4 March, www.southbankcentre.co.uk
MANCHESTER: Bridgewater Hall – 6 March, www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
BIRMINGHAM: Symphony Hall – 7 March, www.thsh.co.uk
CARDIFF: Wales Millennium Centre – 9 March, www.wmc.org.uk
TORQUAY: Princess Theatre – 11 March, www.princesstheatre.org.uk

VIDEO: Elaine Paige and Friends

Video interviews with John Barrowman, Olivia Newton John and Billy Ocean  about their duets with Elaine Paige for her new album, Elaine Paige and Friends – out on 1 November 2010.

VIDEO

Elaine Paige and John Barrowman

VIDEO

Elaine Paige and Olivia Newton John

VIDEO

Elaine Paige and Billy Ocean

LINKS

AMAZON: Buy the CD - Elaine Paige and Friends

DRESS CIRCLE: Buy the CD – Elaine Paige and Friends

BBC Radio 2 – The Musical

Don’t miss this excellent new series on BBC Radio 2 all about the musical.

The eight part series started on Monday, 6 September 2010, at 10pm UK time (listen again here) and each week will cover a different aspect of the world of musical theatre and its 80 year history.

The Musical is presented by a different name in musical theatre each week – with this Monday’s show voiced by award-winning actress Sian Phillips.

This first programme, “Stories with Songs”, revealed the importance of a good book – or story – in a musical, and the contradiction between this and why so few musicals choose to adapt existing stories rather than originate their own. Shows used to demonstrate include The Boy Friend, A Chorus Line, Chess, Starlight Express and Sunday In The Park With George, with lots of showbiz contributions from the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Patti Lupone, John Barrowman, Elaine Stritch, Maria Friedman, Sandy Wilson, Ruthie Henshall, Tim Rice, Elaine Paige, Marvin Hamlisch and Michael Grandage.

Episode two, “Drawn From Life” will be presented by musicals star, Sondheim aficionado and current artistic director of Sheffield Theatres, Daniel Evans, and covers some of the life-stories of real people used in musicals, from Gypsy and Evita to The King and I.

The Musical is produced by Malcolm Prince, who also produces Elaine Paige’s Sunday show on Radio 2.

A number of other theatrical documentaries will come to Radio 2 this autumn including a look at the history of the London Palladium in its centenary year.

LINKS

Listen to The Musical – Episode 1

BBC Radio 2 – The Musical

Applause Magazine – May 1997

Published between1996 and 1997, Applause was a newsstand and subscription magazine devoted to UK theatre.

Edited by Clive Hirschhorn, it was published by ticket agency Applause and aimed to provide theatregoers with informed comment, interviews, features, reviews, and gossip about the plays and players making news in both London and New York. It also provided special offers and discounts on West End shows and event.

CONTENTS

Issue 8, May 1997

Read Applause magazine, issue 8, May 1997

OFFSTAGE  – News and gossip from around the West End

THE MOUSE MUSCLES IN – Matt Wolf looks at Disney’s Broadway and West End ventures

NEW FACES – Disney’s Beauty and the Beast’s Julie-Alanah Brighten

JOHN BARROWMAN – talking to Martin Stirling

ONSTAGE – Clive Hirschhorn reviews the West End’s latest offerings

ACT OF COMPLICITE – Clare Colvin talks to Simon McBurney about the work of Theatre de Complicite

APPLAUSE THEATRE CLUB – Christopher Biggins brings you more great money-saving offers on top West End shows

NED SHERRIN

HAUNTED HOUSES – Linn Branson goes ghost-hunting in London’s theatres

TERRENCE MCNALLY – Patrick Pacheco on the American playwright hoping to make his mark here with Master Class

HAT TRICKS – San Francisco’s cult caper Beach Blanket Babylon hits town. Sasha de Suinn goes shopping for hats

SUMMER FARE – Michael Coveney takes a look at this year’s summer festivals

BOOK REVIEWS – Rhoda Koenig on the lives of Ibsen and Peggy Ashcroft

SPECTRUM – Opera, Dance, and TV reviews and previews by Max Loppert, Jeffery Taylor and Ronald Bergan

PEOPLE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE – Designer John Napier talks to Nick Smurthwaite

OFFSTAGE BROADWAY – Michael Riedel with news and gossip from the Big Apple

QUIZ

SHOWS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE – Roy Hattersley, MP

READ

LINKS

PDF: Read Applause magazine, issue 8, May 1997

ISSUU: Read Applause magazine, issue 8, May 1997

West End strips bare for charity

The Broadway Bares fundraising initiative is finally making its way to London as WEST END BARES: Strip Britannia! is launched in London.

Based on American musical director Jerry Mitchell’s original idea, WEST END BARES: Strip Britannia! provides an opportunity for the West End’s sexiest, sassiest and downright HOTTEST performers to raise money for charity – and put on a damn good show.

The show will be hosted by TV and stage star John Barrowman, a patron of The Make A Difference Trust, and promises to be a mix of naughty adult-only burlesque and the glitz and glamour of London theatre in a fabulous song and dance spectacular.

There will be two shows, at 9.30pm and midnight, on Sunday 5 September 2010 at the Cafe de Paris in London, with all money raised going to TheatreMAD & The Make A Difference Trust.

Broadway Bares has been running in New York since 1992 and has raised millions for the Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS charities.

The London show will be executive produced by Jerry Mitchell and directed by Darren Carnall, who is currently appearing in the West End’s Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre.

TheatreMAD and The Make A Difference Trust brings together the British Entertainment community and its audiences to raise funds to support people living with HIV and AIDS, and those in the entertainment industry facing hardship as a result of a long-term medical condition.

To book call 020 7734 5683, extension 104.

Links:

Make A Difference Trust

Power couple top Stage poll

The Stage 100, the entertainment newspaper’s annual list of the 100 most powerful people in UK theatre, has placed Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire, joint chief executives of Ambassador Theatre Group, in first place.

The couple, who are both professional and personal partners, have topped both Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber in the list of the UK’s most senior arts professionals.

Their climb to first place follows their company’s acquisition in 2009 of Live Nation’s UK theatres, which they purchased for £90 million. The deal has made their ATG Group the largest theatre operator in both the West End and across the UK – with almost five times as many seats in their control as rivals.

The poll is usually dominated by Cameron Mackintosh (Les Miserables, Oliver!) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies) who have continually vied for top place, and come in this year at numbers two and three respectively. Other theatre producers in the list include Bill Kenwright (Blood Brothers, Dreamboats and Petticoats) in eighth place, Sonia Friedman (A Little Night Music, La Cage Aux Folles) in 12^th and David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers (Calendar Girls) in 13^th place.

Also in the top 20 of the poll are theatre performers Mark Rylance (Jerusalem) and John Barrowman (la Cage Aux Folles), artistic directors Dominic Cooke of the Royal Court, who rises six places to number seven, Kevin Spacey of the Old Vic at number 10,   Michael Grandage of the Donmar Warehouse,  recent New Year’s Honours List beneficiary Nicholas Hytner of the National Theatre and  Michael Boyd of the RSC.

The full top twenty is as follows [last year’s position]:

1. Howard Panter/Rosemary Squire (ATG) [5]

2. Cameron Mackintosh (producer/ theatre owner)[1]

3. Andrew Lloyd Webber (producer/ theatre owner / composer) [2]

4. Michael Grandage (Donmar Warehouse) [3=]

5. Nicholas Hytner (National Theatre) [3=]

6. Nica Burns / Max Weitzenhoffer (Nimax)[7]

7. Dominic Cooke (Royal Court Theatre)[13]

8. Bill Kenwright (Bill Kenwright Ltd) [6]

9. Michael Boyd (RSC) [8]

10. Kevin Spacey/ Sally Greene (Old Vic Theatre) [11]

11. Nick Thomas / Jon Conway (Qdos Entertainment) [9]

12. Sonia Friedman (Sonia Friedman Productions) [12]

13. David Pugh / Dafydd Rogers (producers) [18]

14. David Babani (Menier Chocolate Factory) [New Entry]

15. Jonathan Church (Chichester Festival Theatre) [16]

16. Bill Taylor (Stage Entertainment) [15]

17. Rupert Goold (director)[14]

18. Alex Poots (Manchester International Festival)[19]

19. John Barrowman (entertainer)[New Entry]

20. Mark Rylance (actor) [New Entry]

New Entry denotes new entry into top 20, not Stage 100

And the rest, by category

N denotes New Entry. i.e. they were not in last year’s Stage 100. There were 38 new entrants in total.

Directors

Howard Davies, Marianne Elliott , Jeremy Herrin (N) Simon McBurney (N) Sam Mendes /Caro Newling (N), Katie Mitchell, Trevor Nunn, Ian Rickson (N) Max Stafford Clarke (N), Matthew Warchus

London venues

Michael Attenborough, Marcus Davey, Dominic Dromgoole, Mehmet Ergen & Leyla Nazli (N), Sean Holmes (N) David Jubb / David Micklem, Jude Kelly, Nicolas Kent (N), David Lan, Kerry Michael, Josie Rourke, Timothy Sheader (N), Graham Sheffield

Producers

Judy Craymer, Michael Harrison, David Ian, Richard Jordan, Michael McCabe (N), Kim Poster, Nick Salmon / Matthew Byam Shaw (N), James Seabright (N), Thomas Schumacher (N), Edward Snape, Paul Walden and Derek Nicol (N), Kenny Wax, Carole Winter / Michael Edwards (N)

Regional

Hedda Beeby, Gemma Bodinetz, Ian Brown, Vicky Featherstone / John Tiffany, Andy Field / Debbie Pearson (N), Peter Hall, Tania Harrison, Paul Kerryson, Danny Moar (N), Braham Murray / Greg Hersov / Sarah Frankcom, Laurie Sansom (N) John Stalker, Rachel Tackley (N)

Performers

Michael Ball, Rebecca Hall (N), Clare Higgins, Rory Kinnear (N), Jude Law (N), Adrian Lester (N), Ian McKellen (N), Clive Rowe (N), Simon Russell Beale, Rachel Weisz (N), Samuel West

Playwrights

Alan Ayckbourn, Alan Bennett (N), Richard Bean, Jez Butterworth (N), Lee Hall, David Hare, Lucy Prebble (N), Polly Stenham, Simon Stephens (N), Roy Williams

Designers

Felix Barrett, Jon Bausor (N), Miriam Buether (N), Ultz (N)

Opera / Dance

Carlos Acosta (N), Matthew Bourne, Daniel Kramer (N), Antonio Pappano/ Monica Mason, Arlene Phillips (N), Alistair Spalding

http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/newsblog/2009/12/the-stage-100—in-full/index.html

La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre

La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre in London

SORRY THIS SHOW HAS NOW CLOSED

Other shows you might enjoy:

Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre – BOOK TICKETS

Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre – BOOK TICKETS

Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre – BOOK TICKETS

Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre – BOOK TICKETS

Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre – BOOK TICKETS

Sister Act at the London Palladium – BOOK TICKETS

The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium – BOOK TICKETS

MORE ABOUT LA CAGE AUX FOLLES IN LONDON

Playhouse Theatre, London

Opened: 30 October 2008

Closed: 2 January 2010

The Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Jerry Herman’s La Cage Aux Folles has garnered multiple Tony award nominations for its Broadway transfer. La Cage Aux Folles premiered at the Chocolate Factory in 2008 before transferring to the Playhouse Theatre in London, and opened at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway to enormous critical acclaim.

The show features original London star Douglas Hodge and US actor Kelsey Grammer, both of whom have been nominated in the best actor in a musical category. In total the show has picked up 11 nominations, including best revival of a musical, scenic design (Tim Shortall), costume design  (Matthew Wright),  lighting design (Nick Richings), sound design (Jonathan Deans), direction (Terry Johnson), choreography (Lynne Page), orchestrations (Jason Carr) and best supporting actor (Robin De Jesus).

Other actors who played the part of Albin in London, currently starring Douglas Hodge, include TV stars Graham Norton and John Barrowman.

La Cage to close

La Cage Aux Folles, the glamorous and fun-filled musical currently starring John Barrowman at the Playhouse Theatre in London, is to close on 2 January to head to Broadway.

The Laurence Olivier Award-winning musical will see Douglas Hodge, who opened in the production at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2007, return to lead the final performances of the show from 30 November. He will then star in a Broadway production to open in 2010.

Hodge will be joined by Denis Lawson, the actor who first performed the role at the Playhouse theatre.

Terry Johnson’s revival of Jerry Herman’s 1983 Broadway musical comedy has a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, whose other classics include Hello Dolly!, Mame and Mack and Mabel. The score features songs including “I Am What I Am”, “The Best of Times”, “Song on the Sand”, “Masculinity” and the title number.

Enjoy discount tickets to see La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre in London

News Round-up: John Barrowman, La Clique, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

La Clique to move to the Roundhouse; Breakfast at Tiffany’s to star Anna Friel; John Barrowman to join the cast of La Cage Aux Folles

La Clique to move to Roundhouse

The hugely successful, Olivier Award winning burlesque show La Clique will reappear at the Roundhouse Theatre in Camden this Christmas after closing at the London Hippodrome on 27 June.

Despite repeatedly extending its run at the London Hippodrome, La Clique is closing to allow the venue to be converted into a new £15 million casino complex. La Clique will begin in its new home – in what many consider to be the perfect venue for the show – from 19 November.

See La Clique at the Hippodrome and save £7

West End Breakfast At Tiffany’s

Classic Hollywood film Breakfast At Tiffany’s is to get the musical treatment in a major new stage production to open at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in September.

Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) will make her West End debut as Holly Golightly in the part immortalised by Audrey Hepburn on screen.

Sean Mathias will direct the musical play and Oscar-winning song Moon River, penned by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for the original film, will be included alongside three new tunes.

Playwright Samuel Adamson has adapted the Truman Capote story and the production will also star American actor Joseph Cross as Holly’s friend William.

Sean Mathias, whose current production of Waiting for Godot staring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart is also playing at the Haymaket, is expected to oversee a whole season at the theatre. Possible future productions could include Gwyneth Paltrow starring in Chekhov’s The Three Sisters.

Book tickets to Breakfast At Tiffany’s at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Barrowman to star in La Cage

TV and stage actor John Barrowman will join the cast of La Cage aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre in London from 14 September.

The Torchwood star will follow in Graham Norton’s footsteps to play the central role of Albin, a glamorous drag queen on the Cote d’Azur.

Winner of best revival at this year’s Olivier Awards, Roger Allam currently starring in the role, with press reviews this week heralding his performance as “sensational” (Charles Spencer – The Telegraph) and “a joy to watch” (Time Out).

Book tickets to La Cage Aux Folles and save £20

Special offer on La Cage Aux Folles

Save up to £25.50 on tickets to see La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre in London.

Enjoy a very special offer on tickets to see La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre in London – the Menier Chocolate Factory production now starring Olivier Award Winners, Roger Allam (Privates on Parade, Les Miserables, City of Angels) and Philip Quast (Sunday in the Park with George, Evita, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum).

Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Musical, La Cage aux Folles is a timeless and deliciously funny tale of family values, unconditional love, and above all, the need to celebrate who we are. The idyllic existence of Georges and the dazzling drag artiste Albin, star of the La Cage aux Folles club, is threatened when Georges’ son announces his engagement to the daughter of a right-wing politician, who wants to close down the local colourful nightlife! With a visit from the prospective in-laws imminent, they all decide to take drastic action to hide their lifestyle…but can they keep it up?

Jerry Herman’s (Hello, Dolly!, Mack and Mabel and Mame) fabulous score includes I Am What I Am, The Best of Times and Song on the Sand.

Roger Allam and Phillip Quast are contracted to perform until 12th September.

John Barrowman will play the role of Albin from the 14th September until the 28th November. Barrowman created the role of Captain Jack Harkness in the BBC series Doctor Who and Torchwood and has been a judge on talent search shows “I’d Do Anything”,”Any Dream Will Do” and “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria”. He has also starred in numerous theatrical productions worldwide, including the London productions of Anything Goes, Phantom Of The Opera and Sunset Boulevard.

‘A Total Triumph’ Daily Mail.

‘Bravo! At last a musical to sweep away those credit-crunch blues. This joyous show deserves every hurrah and standing ovation it receives’ Daily Telegraph.

SEE MORE INFORMATION

Book now and save up to £25.50 on tickets to see La Cage Aux Folles at the Playhouse Theatre in London.

Also great theatre and dinner packages available