Avenue Q, Sister Act close tonight
October 30, 2010
The West End bids farewell to long-running shows Avenue Q and Sister Act tonight, 30 October 2010.
Patina Miller and Simon Webbe in Sister Act
Patina Miller, Simon Webbe and Sally Dexter will perform for the last time tonight, Saturday 30 October, at the London Palladium as a packed house will cheer out Sister Act after 17 months in town.
The hit musical, based on the movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, opened on 2 June 2009 with Patina Miller as nightclub singer Deloris van Cartier and Sheila Hancock as Mother Superior. Whoopi Goldberg also played the role of Mother Superior for short stints in August and October this year, alongside regular Superior – Sally Dexter.
The show will vacate the Palladium leaving a three month gap before The Wizard of Oz opens at the theatre in February 2011.
Sister Act will move to Broadway following its London closure, with Broadway veteran Jerry Zaks (The Addams Family) taking the director helm. The show will open at the Broadway Theatre on 20 April 2011.
Kate Monster and Cassidy Janson in Avenue Q
And over at the Wyndham’s Theatre, cult Broadway show Avenue Q will also bow out of London today, after opening on 1 June 2006 at the Noel Coward Theatre.
The musical had been scheduled to close at the Noel Coward in March 2009 but a surprise surge in bookings led producer Cameron Mackintosh to keep it going, transferring the show to the Gielgud Theatre. It made a further move to the Wyndham’s Theatre, its current home, in March this year.
The show won three Tony Awards on Broadway and continues to run off-Broadway in New York. The London cast saying farewell tonight include Delroy Atkinson, Cassidy Janson, Rachel Jerram, Sion Lloyd, Tom Parsons, Paul Spicer, Jacqueline Tate, Irene Alano-Rhodes, Alan Pearson, Amanda Posener, Jaygann Ayeh, Sam Harrison and Maria Lawson.
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Sister Act: big changes for Broadway
October 8, 2010
West End musical Sister Act to move to Broadway; Jerry Zaks to make changes to the show.
Current Sister Act stars Patina Miller and Simon Webbe
Sister Act, based on the hit film, is moving to Broadway following its closure at the London Palladium on 30 October.
The Broadway version will get a new director, with Broadway veteran Jerry Zaks (The Addams Family) taking the helm. He is set to make substantial changes to the show and has immediately brought in Douglas Carter van Beane (Xanadu) to write a new book (and new jokes!) for the musical.
Stage Entertainment, owned by Dutch entertainment billionaire Joop van den Ende, will produce the show on the Great White Way, alongside the original star of the film Whoopi Goldberg.
Sister Act will open at the Broadway Theatre on 20 April 2011. Casting is yet to be announced. The New York theatre is currently home to Promises, Promises starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth.
In London the show currently stars Patina Miller, Simon Webbe and Sally Dexter. It will vacate the Palladium in October, leaving a three month gap before The Wizard of Oz opens at the theatre in February 2011.
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Sister Act The Musical – Save £26
May 21, 2010
Save £26 on tickets to Sister Act at the London Palladium
Valid Monday to Friday performances until the 18th June (Excludes school holidays)
westendtheatre.com presents £26 off tickets to major musical SISTER ACT at the London Palladium.
This hugely enjoyable show stars award-winning actress and Over The Rainbow judge Sheila Hancock as Mother Superior and rising new star Patina Miller as Deloris – plus ex-Blue band member Simon Webbe will be joining the cast from 31 May.
The show has been hailed by critics as “glorious fun!” (The Daily Telegraph),”a divine all singing, all dancing musical comedy!” (Daily Express) and “Sister Act answered all my prayers and more!” (Daily Mail).
SISTER ACT features a score by Alan Menken, eight-time Oscar winner and the genius behind many of the world famous songs from Disney’s movies, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin and Enchanted, with lyrics from his long time collaborator, Glenn Slater. The book is by the award-winning team, Cheri and Bill Steinkellner, whose writing credits include the classic television comedy Cheers, and the production is directed by Peter Schneider.
MORE ABOUT SISTER ACT
When Disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder she is put in protective custody in the one place cops are sure she won’t be found – a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and an up tight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir Deloris breathes new life into the church and community, but in doing so blows her cover. Soon the gang is giving chase only to find them up against Deloris and the power of her new found Sister Hood.
Sister Act is based on the smash-hit movie, and produced by the movie’s original star Whoopi Goldberg.
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Book tickets to see Sister Act and save £26 on tickets
Valid Monday to Friday performances until the 18th June (Excludes school holidays)
CASTING: Sister Act and Legally Blonde
April 23, 2010
It’s the great boy-band takeover of the West End as ex-Blue singer Simon Webbe and actor and pop singer Richard Fleeshman head to Theatreland.
Simon Webbe
Duncan James may be currently wowing them in Legally Blonde, but fellow Blue band mate Simon Webbe will be following in his footsteps later this year, by joining the cast of Sister Act at the London Palladium.
Webbe, who has appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and is also a singer-songwriter, manager and recording artist, has had a few acting parts over the last few years but nothing as big as a major role in a West End show. Previous acting credits include romantic-comedy The Truth About Love and British gangster movie Rollin’ With The Nines.
Also starring in Sister Act is Patina Miller and Over The Rainbow judge Sheila Hancock .
Richard Fleeshman
Talking of Duncan James, he’s off! James, who has starred in Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre since its opening in January, will leave the show at the end of June.
His replacement in the role of Warner will be ex-Coronation Street star Richard Fleeshman. Most recently in BBC drama All The Small Things, Fleeshman also has a singing career and has released a an album, won ITV show Soapstar Superstar and supported Elton John on his 2008 stadium tour.
Sheridan Smith will continue in the lead role of Elle Woods in the feel-good hit that is based on the successful film.
