Free event West End Live back for 2011 featuring Betty Blue Eyes, Shrek, Rock of Ages and more
May 19, 2011
West End Live, the free annual theatre event, will return to London this summer on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June 2011, promising a spectacular celebration of West End shows.
In a break with tradition, the seventh annual event will be held in Trafalgar Square whilst the renovations continue in its traditional home of Leicester Square.
A host of major London shows have signed up to take part in the live showcase, including new musicals Rock of Ages, Betty Blue Eyes, Ghost The Musical, The Wizard Of Oz, Million Dollar Quartet, Shrek The Musical, Lend Me A Tenor and the Open Air Theatre’s new production of Crazy For You. Also new this year will be performances from the madcap The Flying Karamazov Brothers, CBBC’s Dan and Jeff in Potted Potter and ZooNation’s Some Like It Hip Hop.
They will be joined by long-running shows including Stomp, War Horse, Legally Blonde The Musical, Love Never Dies, Mamma Mia!, Billy Elliot The Musical, Jersey Boys, Thriller Live, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical, Chicago, Wicked and We Will Rock You.
West End Live 2010
Rock of Ages, which does not open until September at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, is flying some of the stars of its Broadway cast over to London especially for the event. Rock of Ages is currently being made into a big-budget Hollywood movie starring Tom Cruise.
Stars will be out in force for the event, with performances promised by some of the West End’s top talent, including Over The Rainbow winner Danielle Hope (The Wizard of Oz), Lee Mead (Legally Blonde) and Sarah Lancashire (Betty Blue Eyes).
There will also be performances this year from Free Run, the West End Gospel Choir and the London Gay Men’s Chorus and exhibits from the Science Museum, London Film Museum and National Gallery.
This year’s event will run from 11am to 6pm on Saturday 18 June and 12pm to 6pm on Sunday 19 June.
LINKS
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos from past West End Live events. Photos by Roy Tan.
Videos: West End Live 2010
June 21, 2010
The weekend of 19 and 20 June 2010 saw the sixth annual West End Live event in Leicester Square, London. Showcasing the best of West End theatre, casts of most major shows performed for a crowd of over 250,000 people.
The Lion King interview at West End Live 2010
Thriller Live interview at West End Live 2010
Wicked interview at West End Live 2010
Jersey Boys Ryan Molloy interview West End Live 2010
Tap Dogs Adam Garcia interview West End Live 2010
Chicago interview West End Live 2010
Mamma Mia interview West End Live 2010
Love Never Dies interview West End Live 2010
Big crowds for West End Live 2010
June 21, 2010
Over 250,000 people gather in Leicester Square for free West End theatre event.
View VIDEOS of West End Live 2010
West End Live, a free event held in the West End this weekend, showcased the best of London theatre and attracted over a quarter of a million people.
Now in its sixth year and the largest free theatre festival in the world, the event featured the casts of some of London’s biggest shows including Thriller Live, Disney’s The Lion King, Legally Blonde, All The Fun Of The Fair, Tap Dogs, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Hair, Chicago, Love Never Dies, Avenue Q, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Burn the Floor, Grease, Mamma Mia!, Stomp, Dirty Dancing and Jersey Boys.
An array of West End stars performed at the event including Ramin Karimloo (Love Never Dies), Sheridan Smith (Legally Blonde), Patina Miller (Sister Act), Daniel Boys (Wolfboy) and Ryan Molloy (Jersey Boys).
Councillor Robert Davis of Westminster City Council, who organised the event, said: “Without doubt, this has been our biggest and best West End LIVE. We’ve seen spectacular performances from some of the nation’s favourite shows.”
Nica Burns, President of the Society of London Theatre said: “London has the best theatre in the world and West End LIVE is a fantastic opportunity for people to sample some of the West End’s most popular shows for free.” The success of the past weekend suggests that a quarter of a million satisfied theatre fans agree.
View VIDEOS of West End Live 2010
West End Live this weekend
June 17, 2010
A free event will be held in London this weekend, showcasing the best of West End theatre.
West End Live will feature the casts of some of London’s biggest shows, performing at a free event this weekend in Leicester Square. On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 June 2010, hundreds of West End performers will gather to showcase the best of London theatre. Careful juggling by the organisers has enabled the casts of over 25 shows to appear live on a stage in Leicester Square in between performing their matinee and evening performances.
Download and print the West End Live timetable of events.
The line-up for the celebration has now been confirmed, with Brazil! Brazil! launching the weekend at 11am on Saturday.
Shows which have agreed to participate in the family event include Thriller Live, Disney’s The Lion King, Legally Blonde, All The Fun Of The Fair, Tap Dogs, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Hair, Chicago, Love Never Dies, Avenue Q, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Burn the Floor, Grease, Mamma Mia!, Stomp, Dirty Dancing and Jersey Boys.
West End stars will be out in force to entertain audiences at the event, including Daniel Boys (Wolfboy), who will be hosting proceedings from 12 noon to 6pm on Sunday 20 June, Sheridan Smith (Legally Blonde), Kerry Ellis (Oliver!), Patina Miller (Sister Act) and Hannah Waddingham (Into The Woods).
Saturday’s full line up* is as follows: 11.00am Brazil! Brazil!; 11.15am Dirty Dancing; 11.25am Burn the Floor; 11.35am Wicked; 11.45am We Will Rock You; 12.05pm Billy Elliot; 12.15pm Love Never Dies; 12.30pm Chicago; 12.45pm HAIR; 13.05pm Jersey Boys; 13.25pm Sweet Charity; 13.35pm Grease; 13.50pm Mamma Mia!; 14.00pm Sister Act; 14.10pm Thriller Live; 14.30pm Julie Atherton; 14.40pm Avenue Q; 15.00pm Into the Woods; 15.20pm Fireman Sam; 15.30pm Sylvia Young Theatre School; 15.50pm Burn the Floor; 16:00pm The Big Dance; 16:20pm London Gay Men’s Chorus; 16:35pm Burn The Floor; 16.45pm The Gleeks; 17.10pm Royal Albert Hall; 17.35pm All the Fun of the Fair; 17.45pm STOMP.
On Sunday* there’s more theatrical thrills and spills with: 12.00pm Tap Dogs; 12.15pm Stomp; 12.30pm Thriller Live; 12.55pm Jersey Boys; 13.10pm Priscilla Queen of the Deasert; 13.25pm Legally Blonde; 13.35pm Disney’s The Lion King; 13.50pm Mamma Mia!; 14.00pm West End Kids; 14.15pm Daniel Boys; 14.30pm National Youth Music Theatre; 14.45pm Into the Woods; 15.10pm Mark Jermin Stage School; 15.30pm Fireman Sam; 15.45pm Jack Day; 16.00pm T Mobile Big Dance; 16.20pm West End Gospel Choir; 16.40pm Burn the Floor; 16.50pm SOLT competition; 17.00pm 1916 the Musical; 17.15pm Burn the Floor; 17.25pm Dover Street.
* Timetable and acts subject to change – check West End Live site for details.
To get the party started early, the cast of Wicked will also be performing on Friday 18 June 2010 at Cardinal Place, Victoria between 12.30 and 1pm for a pre West End LIVE performance.
The weekend event will feature exhibits and activities including the London Film Museum, Science Museum, V&A Museum, Little Angel Puppet theatre and Forbidden Planet.
Over a quarter of a million people attended last year’s event in Leicester Square. Running in a variety of formats for a number of years, including the Society of London Theatre’s Fair in the Square events in the 1990s, this year’s two-day event is organised by Westminster City Council.
Saturday 19 June, 11am-6pm and Sunday 20 June, 12noon to 6pm in Leicester Square.
Download and print the West End Live timetable of events.
LINKS: West End Live website
Free West End event scheduled
May 13, 2010
The casts of London’s biggest shows are being allowed out of their theatres again this year to perform at the West End’s annual live event in Leicester Square.
West End Live is a weekend of free entertainment on 19 and 20 June that promises to showcase the best of London’s Theatreland.
Running in a variety of formats for a number of years, including the Society of London Theatre’s Fair in the Square events in the 1990s, this year’s two-day event initiated by Westminster City Council will see 23 shows perform on a stage in Leicester Square.
Shows which have agreed to participate in the family event include Thriller Live, The Lion King, Legally Blonde, All The Fun Of The Fair, Tap Dogs, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Hair, Chicago, Love Never Dies, Avenue Q, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Burn the Floor, Grease, Mamma Mia!, Stomp, Dirty Dancing, The Fantasticks and Jersey Boys.
West End stars will be out in force to entertain audiences at the event, including Sheridan Smith (Legally Blonde), Kerry Ellis (Oliver!), Patina Miller (Sister Act) and Hannah Waddingham (Into The Woods). More stars are expected to be announced shortly.
Last year’s event attracted around 250,000 people.
Saturday 19 June, 11am-6pm and Sunday 20 June, 12noon to 6pm in Leicester Square.
LINKS: West End Live website
