Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre – Save £30

SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £30 on tickets to see Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre in London

Dazzling choreography and fabulous Gershwin tunes abound in this high-energy new revival of classic musical CRAZY FOR YOU, transferring from the Open Air Theatre to the Novello in the West End.

Packed full of George and Ira Gershwin’s classic songs including ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘Someone To Watch Over Me’, ‘Embraceable You’ and ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’, CRAZY FOR YOU boasts not only some of the finest songs ever written but some of the most dynamic choreography ever seen on the London stage.

CRAZY FOR YOU reunites director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Stephen Mear, who were responsible for the multi-award winning production of Hello, Dolly!. The entire company of the Regent’s Park production will star in the West End run, led by theatre veterans Harriet Thorpe and David Burt, and introducing to the British stage the highly respected Broadway performer, Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, alongside Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth and Michael McKell as Lank.

Following a hugely successful run at the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park, where the show enjoyed packed audiences and a wave of five star reviews, the show is coming into the West End for a limited run – and westendtheatre.com readers can enjoy £27.50 off tickets.

“Sheer joy” The Daily Mail

“Glorious” The Sunday Telegraph

“Outrageously Feel-good” Metro

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SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £30 on tickets to see Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre in London

Exclusive photos of the West End transfer of Crazy For You

Exclusive production photos of Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre in London

The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s acclaimed production of Crazy For You has transferred to the West End’s Novello Theatre.

The show reunites director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Stephen Mear, who brought the multi-award winning production of Hello, Dolly! to the Open Air in 2009.

The show features a score that is packed with familiar Gershwin tunes 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.

The entire company of the Regent’s Park production stars in the West End run, led by theatre veterans Harriet Thorpe and David Burt, and introducing to the British stage the highly respected Broadway performer, Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, alongside Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth and Michael McKell as Lank.

Photos by Roy Tan.

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SPECIAL OFFER on tickets to Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre in London

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Highly Acclaimed Production Of The Gershwin Musical Crazy For You Transfers To London’s West End

PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT THE NOVELLO THEATRE ON SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER

“Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of CRAZY FOR YOU is simply glorious and I’m so delighted it’s transferring to the West End, where even more people will have the opportunity to enjoy it as thoroughly as I did”. – Dame Judi Dench, Board Member, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre smash hit Gershwin musical CRAZY FOR YOU will transfer to London’s West End, opening at the Novello Theatre on Friday 7 October. Cameron Mackintosh, who was full of praise when he saw the show in Regent’s Park, is thrilled to be able to play host to the production in one of his theatres. CRAZY FOR YOU reunites director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Stephen Mear, who were responsible for the multi-award winning production of Hello, Dolly!.

CRAZY FOR YOU, with book by Ken Ludwig, is one of the most joyous musicals, with a Gershwin score containing some of the brothers’ most beautiful and 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.

The entire company of the Regent’s Park production will star in the West End run, led by theatre veterans Harriet Thorpe and David Burt, and introducing to the British stage the highly respected Broadway performer, Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, alongside Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth and Michael McKell as Lank. The sets and costumes are by Peter McKintosh, who also designed the Open Air Theatre’s Hello, Dolly!, as well as The 39 Steps, Butley, Love Story and Luise Miller, amongst others. Lighting design is by Tim Mitchell.

The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of CRAZY FOR YOU is being produced in the West End by Mark Goucher, Adam Spiegel and William Village.

Release issued by: Amanda Malpass PR

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Book tickets to Crazy For You at the Novello 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.

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Production photos of Crazy For You

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

Production photos of Crazy For You at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Production photos of Crazy For You at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

Ken Ludwig and Mike Ockrent’s joyous musical Crazy For You, featuring the songs of George & Ira Gershwin, has returned to London at long last.

Playing until 10 September at the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park, the hit musical comedy features classic tunes such as “I Got Rhythm”, “Someone To Watch Over Me”, “Embraceable You” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It”.

The creative team from the Olivier Award winning production of the Open Air’s Hello, Dolly! have reunited for the show, including director Timothy Sheader, assisted by Paul Foster, choreographer Stephen Mear and designer Peter McKintosh.

The talented cast includes Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth, Michael McKell as Lank Hawkins and David Burt as Bela Zangler.

Photos by Roy Tan.

LINKS

Book tickets to Crazy For You at the Open Air Theatre in London

New shows opening this week: David Tennant, Catherine Tate, James Cordon, Eve Best

What’s opening in the West End this week including David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Much Ado, Zoe Wanamaker and James Corden at the National and The Lord of the Flies.

NEW SHOWS OPENING 16 – 22 MAY 2011

The star of the week is Much Ado About Nothing, which starts previews from today, 16 May at the Wyndham’s Theatre. The high-profile casting of David Tennant and Catherine Tate as Beatrice and Benedick should guarantee the production some serious press coverage and Sold Out boards outside the theatre. Shakespeare’s play is directed by Josie Rourke, who will soon take over from Michael Grandage as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse.

The Cherry Orchard opens on Tuesday at the National Theatre starring Zoe Wanamaker. Also at the National on Tuesday, One Man, Two Guvnors starts previews in the Lyttelton starring James Corden, who returns to the National for the first time since The History Boys. The new play by Richard Bean, based on Carlo Goldoni’s classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters will feature songs by Grant Olding.

Finally on Tuesday, Thrille Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story transfers to the Charing Cross Theatre after a sold-out and critically successful run at the Tristan Bates Theatre. Stephen Dolginoff’s multi-award winning musical about infamous Chicago thrill killers Leopold & Loeb stars George Maguire and Jye Frasca.

On Thursday 19 May the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park launches its 2011 summer season with a stage adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Created by the same team who produced last season’s The Crucible, including director Timothy Sheader, the play’s setting promises to be a perfect match for the story of a group of schoolboys who survive a plane crash.

Saturday sees the start of previews for the week’s second production of Much Ado About Nothing, this time at Shakespeare’s Globe starring Nurse Jackie’s Eve Best as Beatrice and Charles Edwards as Benedick. Also on Saturday over in Washington DC, a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies opens at the Kennedy Center starring Bernadette Peters and our very own EP (Elaine Paige!)

AND CLOSING:

This Saturday we say goodbye to Tracie Bennett in End of the Rainbow and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg at the Gielgud Theatre.

OPENING NEXT WEEK

The press night for Anya Reiss’s new play The Acid Test at the Royal Court on 23 May. The short run at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs is already sold out but promises to be one of the most exciting new plays to emerge in London this year.

On Wednesday 25 May, Rupert Everett, Kara Tointon and Diana Rigg  open in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at the Garrick Theatre.

On Friday 27 May, Kristin Soctt Thomas leads the cast in previews of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at the Comedy Theatre, in a new production directed by Ian Rickson, also starring Douglas Henshall and Ben Miles.

AND OPENING IN JUNE

Dominic West in Simon Gray’s Butley at the Duchess Theatre (from 1 June); Broadway musical Lend Me A Tenor at the Gielgud Theatre starring Joanna Riding (from 2 June); Shrek The Musical has its press night at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Amanda Holden and Nigel Lindsay (7 June);  The Flying Karamazov Brothers come crashing into the Vaudeville Theatre with much kilt wearing, flame throwing and general madcap hysteria (from 9 June); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead starring featuring Tim Curry, Samuel Barnett and Jamie Parker at the Theatre Royal Haymarket (from 16 June); Kevin Spacey as Richard III in Sam Mendes’s new production of Shakespeare’s play at the Old Vic (from 18 June); and a big-budget new movie-to-stage musical comes to town as Ghost The Musical opens at the Piccadilly Theatre starring Caissie Levy, Richard Fleeshman and Sharon D Clarke, with music by Dave Stewart (from 22 June).

 

Whatsonstage Awards announced

Legally Blonde picks up four awards; Shakespeare’s Globe wins best new play for Anne Boleyn

The Whatsonstage Awards were announced last night, 20 February 2011, at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. Musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre won four awards including best new musical and best actress in a musical for Sheridan Smith, who played leading lady Elle Woods in the show until last month.

It was also a good night for outdoor London venues as best new play went to Howard Brenton’s Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare’s Globe, which is returning to the venue this summer, and best director went to the Open Air Theatre’s artistic director Timothy Sheader for his 2010 summer productions of Into the Woods and The Crucible.

Other big winners included Les Miserables, which grabbed best ensemble performance and best theatre event of the year for its 25th anniversary concert at the O2, and best musical revival for the national touring production which ended its run at the Barbican theatre last autumn; and best West End show went to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, with the show’s current star Rachel Tucker winning best takeover in a role.

Best actress was awarded to Zoe Wanamaker for her performance in All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre, alongside her co-star David Suchet, who picked up best actor. Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, also won two awards, with Ramin Karimloo taking home best actor in a musical, joined by Joseph Millson as best supporting actor in a musical.

Other highlights included Yes, Prime Minister, which beat current best play award winner and Olivier Award best play favourite Clybourne Park in the best comedy category, Meera Syal named best solo performance for Shirley Valentine, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  winning best play revival, Joanna Scotcher winning best set design for The Railway Children at Waterloo Station and American actor Jonathan Groff taking home London newcomer of the year for his role alongside Simon Russell Beale in Deathtrap at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Finally, in the only category to celebrate National theatre, Craig Revel Horwood’s new production of Chess won best regional production.

The annual awards, which are voted for by members of the public, saw 45,000 votes registered this year. See a full list of winners here.

OLIVIER AWARDS

Public voting is now under way for the Olivier Awards Audience Award, to be announced on 13 March. See WestEndTheatre.com’s new Olivier Awards microsite for further information.

Open Air Theatre

Open Air Theatre, Inner Circle,  Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4NR

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A London map highlighting the location of the Open Air Theatre, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4NR

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Goodbye Into The Woods, hello Passion

As one Sondheim door closes…

This Saturday we bid farewell to the Open Air Theatre’s excellent production of Into The Woods starring Hannah Waddingham and Jenna Russell (see reviews).

But all is not lost, as tomorrow, Friday 10 September, sees the start of Passion at the Donmar Warehouse starring the sexy, stellar Elena Roger (Evita, Piaf).

Given that the whole run (until 27 November) is largely sold out at the theatre, here’s hoping that the critics are kind and it gets a swift West End transfer. Time will be of the essence given that Elena has to pop to Broadway in 2011 and shake it about with Ricky Martin in the West End transfer of Donmar supremo Michael Grandage’s production of Evita.

LINKS

The Telegraph’s recent interview with Elena Roger, “I don’t play normal women”

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