Photos: Natalie Casey in Legally Blonde The Musical
May 16, 2011
Production photos for Legally Blonde The Musical at the Savoy Theatre in London, now starring Natalie Casey.
TV and stage actress Natalie Casey joined the cast of Legally Blonde The Musical last month, replacing Denise Van Outen in the role of ditzy beautician Paulette Buonofonté in the hit show.
Comedy actress Natalie, who starred in BBC sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, performs in the show alongside a cast that includes Susan McFadden as Elle Woods, Simon Thomas as Warner, Carley Stenson as Margot, Nicola Brazil as Serena, Siobhan Dillon as Vivienne and Peter Davison as Professor Callahan.
Lee Mead is also set to join the cast from 20 June, replacing Alex Gaumond as Emmett Forrest.
Legally Blonde The Musical, which started at the Savoy Theatre in December 2009, won this year’s an Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
Natalie Casey’s last London stage appearance was in The Invisible Man at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and her other theatre credits include Oklahoma for Chichester, Well at the Apollo Theatre, Fame at the Shaftesbury Theatre and Hobson’s Choice at the Watermill Theatre.
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Susan McFadden to star in Legally Blonde
December 20, 2010
Sheridan Smith to leave Legally Blonde on 8 January; Susan McFadden to take the lead.
Susan McFadden
Susan McFadden is to take over from Sheridan Smith in the lead role of Elle Woods in the West End production of Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre.
The Irish actress, who won ITV talent show Grease is the Word in 2007 and played Sandy in the current production of Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre, has been covering the role of Elle and playing the part of Serena in Legally Blonde since October. She will take over from Sheridan Smith from 10 January 2011.
McFadden, who has been cast in a number of shows produced by Legally Blonde co-producer Ambassador Theatres, has extensive theatre credits in both the UK and Ireland including a national tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Cinderella at the Theatre Royal Wakefield, Jack and the Beanstalk at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin, plus Singin’ in the Rain, Annie, Dance of Desire and Brighton Beach Memoirs.
The rest of the Legally Blonde principal cast will continue to appear in the show, including Denise Van Outen as Paulette, Simon Thomas as Warner, Alex Gaumond as Emmett, Siobhan Dillon as Vivienne, Carley Stenson as Margot, Aoife Mulholland as Brooke and Peter Davison as Callahan.
The comedy musical, which opened in January, is based on the movie starring Reese Witherspoon about college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods, who goes all out to prove to her ex-boyfriend Warner that she’s more than just a dumb blonde – by joining him at Harvard Law School.
The show is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, book by Heather Hach, set design by David Rockwell, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Paul Miller, sound design by ACME Sound Partners and orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke.
Book tickets to Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre in London
SIMON THOMAS in Legally Blonde
October 1, 2010
A long line of hotties have played posh cad Warner Huntington III in fun musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre – namely Duncan James and Richard Fleeshman.
Next up is someone who more than holds his own in the hot, talented, one-to-watch category: Simon Thomas.
Most recently he “excellently” (according to Michael Billington in the Guardian) played Rapunzel’s Prince in Sondheim’s Into the Woods at the Open Air Theatre, and is no stranger to the Open Air having also appeared in Cymbeline, Twelfth Night and HMS Pinafore at the drafty venue.
Before playing a Prince he played the Lord of the Jungle in Disney’s Tarzan at Hamburg’s Neue Flora, and other roles include A Tale of Two Cities at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, Marguerite with Ruthie Henshall at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Make Me A Song at the New Players Theatre and the Merry Wives Of Windsor for the RSC.
He joins the Legally Blonde cast alongside Sheridan Smith, Denise Van Outen, Siobhan Dillon, Carley Stenson, Alex Gaumond and Peter Davison.
Book tickets to Legally Blonde The Musical at the Savoy Theatre in London
IMAGES
Simon Thomas in Into the Woods
Simon Thomas in Disney's Tarzan*
* We couldn’t quite decide if this still from Disney’s Tarzan at the Neue Flora Theater in Hamburg is actually Simon Thomas, but in the absence of anything forthcoming from their PR team we thought you could decide.
Simon Thomas to star in Legally Blonde
September 21, 2010
Up and coming musicals star Simon Thomas is to join the cast of Legally Blonde the Musical at the Savoy Theatre in London.
Simon Thomas to star in Legally Blonde
The actor will take over from Richard Fleeshman in the show from 25 October 2010, playing Warner Huntington III. Richard’s last performance will be on 23 October.
Simon Thomas’s recent theatre credits include playing Rapunzel’s Prince in Sondheim’s Into the Woods at the Open Air Theatre, the lead in Disney’s Tarzan at the Neue Flora in Hamburg, plus roles in Marguerite, Make Me A Song and Merry Wives Of Windsor for the RSC.
Also joining the show on the 25th is Denise Van Outen, who takes over from Jill Halfpenny as hairdresser Paulette, Siobhan Dillon and Hollyoaks star Carley Stenson, alongside the current cast that includes the star of the show Sheridan Smith, Alex Gaumond and Peter Davison.
Legally Blonde The Musical is currently booking until 22 October 2011 at the Savoy Theatre.
The comedy musical, which opened in January this year, is based on the movie starring Reese Witherspoon about college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods (Sheridan Smith), who goes all out to prove to her ex-boyfriend Warner (Simon Thomas) that she’s more than just a dumb blonde – by joining him at Harvard Law School.
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Simon Thomas in Into The Woods
JENNA RUSSELL in Into The Woods
August 16, 2010
Jenna Russell stars in the Open Air Theatre’s Into the Woods
This summer Jenna Russell will play the Baker’s Wife in a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods at the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park, timed to celebrate Sondheim’s 80th birthday year.
Directed by Timothy Sheader, the show adds a dark twist to famous fairytales such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel.
Jenna is no stranger to working outdoors having played the Open Air Theatre on a number of occasions, namely as Hermia in A Midsummer Nights Dream and Nellie in The Card.
She has also appeared in Into the Woods before – playing Cinderella in the Donmar’s 1998 production directed by John Crowley and Jonathan Butterell.
Jenna’s talent and versatility is demonstrated by her numerous stage roles, crossing both drama and musicals, and both classic and modern work.
Her credits include Amy in Amy’s View for Sir Peter Hall; Dot/Marie in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, for which she won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical; Sarah in Guys and Dolls at the Donmar Warehouse directed by Michael Grandage; a number of RSC productions for directors including David Thacker, John Caird, Adrian Noble and Alan Ayckbourn; and West End roles in Les Miserables, Follies and Martin Guerre.
Jenna recently performed at Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday Prom at the Royal Albert Hall alongside Dame Judi Dench and Simon Russell Beale.
Other cast in Into The Woods include Hannah Waddingham, Valda Aviks, Billy Boyle, Gaye Brown, Helen Dallimore, Alice Fearn, Amy Griffiths, Mark Hadfield, Amy Ellen Richardson, Beverly Rudd, Ben Stott, Simon Thomas, Gemma Wardle and Michael Xavier.
Into the Woods will run from 5 August until 11 September at the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park.
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Into The Woods opens tonight
August 16, 2010
The Open Air Theatre’s new production of Into The Woods officially opens tonight, 16 August, at its Regent’s Park venue.
Jenna Russell in Into The Woods. Photo: Catherine Ashmore
Timed to celebrate Stephen Sondheim 80th birthday year, the musical features West End stars – and Sondheim aficionados – Hannah Waddingham (A Little Night Music) and Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park with George).
Directed by Timothy Sheader, Into The Woods adds a dark twist to famous fairytales such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel.
Other cast in the show include Valda Aviks, Billy Boyle, Gaye Brown, Helen Dallimore, Alice Fearn, Amy Griffiths, Mark Hadfield, Amy Ellen Richardson, Beverly Rudd, Ben Stott, Simon Thomas, Gemma Wardle and Michael Xavier.
Into the Woods will run from 5 August until 11 September at the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park.
Book tickets to Into The Woods at the Open Air Theatre in London
OTHER SHOWS STARTING IN AUGUST
Deathtrap, starring Simon Russell Beale and Jonathan Groff, starts previews at the Noel Coward Theatre on 21 August.
AND CLOSING:
As You Like It and The Tempest at the Old Vic Theatre, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Stephen Dillane and Juliet Rylance, closes 21 August.
La Bete at the Comedy Theatre, closes 28 August.
STARTING IN SEPTEMBER
Noel Coward’s Design for Living at the Old Vic Theatre, from3 September.
Passion at the Donmar Warehouse starring Elena Roger, from 10 September.
Complicite’s A Disappearing Number at the Novello Theatre, from 10 September.
Les Miserables 25th anniversary production at the Barbican Theatre, from 14 September.
Krapp’s Last Tape starring Michael Gambon at the Duchess Theatre, from 15 September.
Yes, Prime Minister at the Gielgud Theatre starring David Haig and Henry Goodman, from 17 September.
Birdsong starring Ben Barnes and directed by Trevor Nunn, at the Comedy Theatre from 18 September.
Flashdance The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre, from 24 September.
Onassis at the Novello Theatre starring Robert Lindsay, from 30 September.
AND CLOSING:
HAIR at the Gielgud Theatre, closes on 4 September.
All The Fun of the Fair at the Garrick Theatre, closes on 4 September.
Burn The Floor at the Shaftesbury Theatre, closes 4 September.
Tap Dogs at the Novello Theatre, closes 5 September.
The Secret of Sherlock Holmes at the Duchess Theatre, closes on 11 September.
The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Vaudeville Theatre, closes 25 September.
Legally Blonde tickets at the Savoy Theatre
July 29, 2010
Winner of Best New Musical at the 2011 Olivier Awards, Legally Blonde is the Broadway sensation based on the smash-hit movie, starring Carly Stenson, Natalie Casey, Stephen Ashfield and Ben Freeman and Peter Davison.
College sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods doesn’t take no for an answer. So when her boyfriend, Warner, dumps her for someone serious, Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and heads for Harvard Law School!
Legally Blonde the Musical will take you from the social whirl of California Campus life to Harvard’s Halls of Justice with the West End’s brightest new heroine (and of course, her Chihuahua, Bruiser).
The verdict? This much fun shouldn’t be legal!
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HANNAH WADDINGHAM in Into The Woods
July 9, 2010
Beautiful Hannah returns to Sondheim and goes Into the Woods
West End star Hannah Waddingham, whose recent successes include Trevor Nunn’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, will return to Sondheim this summer in Into The Woods.
Part of this year’s Open Air Theatre season in Regent’s Park, the show helps celebrate Stephen Sondheim’s 80th year which also sees a revival of Passion this summer at the Donmar Warehouse starring Elena Roger.
Directed by Timothy Sheader, Hannah Waddingham plays the central role of the Witch, alongside Olivier award winner Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park with George) as the Baker’s wife in the show that adds a dark twist to famous fairytales such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel.
Hannah has enjoyed a successful stage career, including Olivier Award nominations for playing the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot and Desiree Armfelt in Trevor Nunn’s production of A Little Night Music at the Menier Choclate Factory and the Garrick Theatre. Other roles include Suzanne Valadon in Lautrec, Christine Warner in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game at the Cambridge Theatre) Satan in Rod Stewart’s Tonight’s The Night and Rizzo in Grease at the Victoria Palace Theatre.
The Menier Chocolate Factory production of Sondheim’s A Little Night Music continues to pack them in on Broadway, now starring Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch (from 13 July). Catherine Zeta-Jones won a Tony Award for her performance as Desiree in the show on Broadway.
Other cast in Into The Woods include Valda Aviks, Billy Boyle, Gaye Brown, Helen Dallimore, Alice Fearn, Amy Griffiths, Mark Hadfield, Amy Ellen Richardson, Beverly Rudd, Ben Stott, Simon Thomas, Gemma Wardle and Michael Xavier.
Into the Woods will run from 5 August until 11 September at the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park.
Book tickets to Into The Woods at the Open Air Theatre in London
