Jesus Christ Superstar TV talent show
January 8, 2012
It’s no secret that Andrew Lloyd Webber was pretty excited about the new production of Jesus Christ Superstar mounted by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada last year. The show then transferred to the La Jolla Playhouse in California and is now slated for Broadway, opening at the Neil Simon Theatre on 22 March starring Paul Nolan as Jesus and Josh Young as Judas.
Jesus Christ Superstar - coming to Broadway and now London?
But the Great Lord has other plans for the show.
Rumours of a London revival of this Des McAuff production have been circulating for a while, but The Sun has now broken the story that Lloyd Webber is defecting from the BBC to ITV to run another TV talent search, this time to find a Jesus and Judas for his new London production of Superstar.
Lloyd Webber’s TV talent searches have all been for the Beeb, most recently Over The Rainbow which resulted in Danielle Hope being cast in his multi-million pound production of The Wizard of Oz, still playing at the London Palladium.
But ITV is keen to poach Lloyd Webber for its own channel. ITV ran Grease talent search Grease Is The Word in 2007 to cast Danny in Sandy in David Ian’s Grease revival but it was a ratings flop. ITV’s head of programmes Peter Fincham is believed to consider a Lloyd Webber-fronted show would fare much better.
Rumours are also circulating that a UK tour of Lloyd Webb’er s1984 musical Starlight Express, which kicks off at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 10 May 2012 produced by Bill Kenwright, may also come into town at some point.
In other ALW news, excitement is mounting on Broadway for the Michael Grandage helmed production of Evita at the Marquis Theatre starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger, which starts previews on 12 March 2012.
LINKS
Book tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York
Book tickets to EVITA at the Marquis Theatre in New York
Book tickets to The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium in London
VIDEO: Promo for Evita on Broadway starring Ricky Martin and Elena Roger
October 30, 2011
Tickets are now on sale for the Broadway production of Evita, which starts previews on 12 March 2012 at the Marquis Theatre in New York.
Ricky Martin as Che in Evita
Produced by Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders, the classic musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber will star world renowned music artist Ricky Martin as Che, Olivier Award-winning Argentinean actress Elena Roger as Eva Perón and Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris as Juan Perón.
Michael Grandage will direct the show, joined by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford who will choreograph the musical. Grandage will shortly step down as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse in London and returns to Evita after directing an acclaimed production in London in 2006, also starring Elena Roger.
VIDEO
Evita on Broadway – promotional video
PHOTOS
LINKS
Goodbye Into The Woods, hello Passion
September 9, 2010
As one Sondheim door closes…
"Passionate" Elena Roger
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”
ELENA ROGER in Passion
July 31, 2010
Argentinean actress continues to forge acclaimed career
Elena Roger
By the time 2012 is out, Elena Roger is going to be considerably more famous than she is now.
That’s because Michael Grandage’s 2006 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita is to be revived on Broadway in Spring 2012 starring Roger as Eva Peron, and joined by Latino superstar Ricky Martin as Che.
The Argentinean actress won an Olivier award for her role in the show – and if the reaction to her London performance in that role is anything to go by, America is going to fall in love with her.
She followed Evita in London with a 2009 Olivier Award win for her performance as Edith Piaf in the Jamie Lloyd directed Piaf at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End.
And she is about to return to the Donmar to star in a revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion alongside Scarlett Strallen and David Thaxton, again directed by Jamie Lloyd.
The show is part of the Donmar’s celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday, that will also include concert performances of Merrily We Roll Along and Company at the Queen’s Theatre, featuring members of the original Donmar productions including Anna Francolini, Adrian Lester, Clive Rowe, Michael Simkins and Sophie Thompson in Company and Daniel Evans, Julian Ovenden and Samantha Spiro in Merrily We Roll Along.
Elena Roger in Evita
Elena Roger’s other credits include Matthew Warchus’s Boeing Boeing, and in her native Buenos Aires she played Nine, Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables, Saturday Night Fever and Mina, che cosa sei, with director Valeria Ambrosio.
Links:
News: West End Evita to transfer to Broadway
West End Evita to transfer to Broadway
June 10, 2010
Ricky Martin and Elena Roger to star in EVITA on Broadway
The 2006 London production of Evita directed by Michael Grandage is to be revived on Broadway, opening at a Nederlander Theatre in Spring 2012.
Elena Roger in Evita
The show will feature the London production’s star Elena Roger as Eva Peron, joined by Latino superstar Ricky Martin as Che.
The Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical will be produced by Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders.
Grandage, who directed the acclaimed 2006 London production of the show at the Adelphi Theatre, will be joined again by Tony Award winning choreographer Rob Ashford for the new production. It will be the first Broadway production of the Tony Award-winning show since its 1979 debut.
Ricky Martin said in a statement that, “I’m looking forward to playing such an essential part in Michael Grandage’s wonderful production and the chance to work with the tremendously talented Elena Roger.”
Michael Grandage said: “It is very exciting to bring this new production of Evita to Broadway with an Argentinean woman in the title role for the very first time”.
Ricky Martin in Les Mis on Broadway
The Argentinian actress Elena Roger won an Olivier award for her role in the show. Most recently Roger won the 2009 Olivier Award for Best Actress for her performance as Edith Piaf in the Jamie Lloyd directed Piaf at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End. She is about to return to the Donmar to star in a revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion at the Donmar Warehouse alongside Scarlett Strallen and David Thaxton, again directed by Jamie Lloyd. The Donmar is about to launch a new West End season at the Trafalgar Studios showcasing the talents of the Donmar’s Resident Assistant Directors scheme. The plays are Lower Ninth, Novecento and Les Parents Terribles.
Ricky Martin is no stranger to Broadway having played Marius in the original production of Les Misérables – a role about to be taken by pop star Nick Jonas in the London production of Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre and at a Les Miserables 25th anniversary concert at the O2 in October. Martin has sold over 55 million albums during his two-decade solo career and is expected to undertake a worldwide tour throughout 2011 before making his Broadway return in Evita.
TONY AWARDS
The Tony Awards will be presented this Sunday 13 June 2010 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Hosted by Sean Hayes, the annual Broadway event will feature performances from shows including American Idiot, Fela!, Memphis, Million Dollar Quartet, La Cage aux Folles, A Little Night Music and Ragtime. Star presenters will include Katie Holmes, Will & Jada Pinkett Smith, Angela Lansbury, Mark Sanchez, Daniel Radcliffe, Barbara Cook, Stanley Tucci, Idina Menzel and Laura Bell Bundy!
Other appearances will include Glee’s Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison, Paula Abdul, Antonio Banderas, Cate Blanchett, Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Douglas, Scarlett Johansson, Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, Chris Noth, Bernadette Peters, Raquel Welch and David Hyde Pierce, who will appear in La Bete at the Comedy Theatre in London next month.
