The Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire has announced the line up for the Variety Stage.
The Variety Stage will see a wide range of musical performances, including West End stars, all-new musicals and choirs.
Musical mainstays Shona White (Mamma Mia!, West End and international tour; Wicked, West End; Chess, UK tour) and Jenna Lee-James (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West End; Cats, European tour; Boogie Nights, UK tour) will headline the Variety Stage.
White is best known for her roles in Mamma Mia! – as the first actress to play both Donna and Sophie Sheridan – and has starred in fan favourite musicals including The Rocky Horror Show (West End) and Merrily We Roll Along (West End). Lee-James is the only person in the world to have played all three lead roles in We Will Rock You, and has recently finished an international tour of The Man, The Music, The Show with Hugh Jackman.
The Variety Stage will also feature performances from new musicals Luna the Musical and Somewhere; Show Choir and Stagecoach Solihull, performing audience-favourite showtunes, as well as all-things-musicals Box Office Radio and ChiChi Fit, the theatrical fitness experience.
Taking place on Sunday 30 April 2023 at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire, The Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival will feature three stages, the Main Stage with West End superstar headliners, the Community Bandstand, which is supported by NODA and will showcase local midlands talent, and the Variety Stage.
West End stars already announced to appear on the main stage include Broadway & West End star Marisha Wallace (Oklahoma!, Guys & Dolls, Waitress, Hairspray, Dreamgirls), Kerry Ellis (Anything Goes, We Will Rock, You, Wicked), Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro, Lee Mead (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wicked, Legally Blonde: The Musical), Cassidy Janson (& Juliet, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, Avenue Q), Lauren Samuels (Bend It Like Beckham, Grease, We Will Rock You) and Sophie Evans (Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Dance).
Mike Wilson, producer of Gaiety Festival said, “The countdown is well and truly on to the UK’s first showtunes music festival and we are delighted to announce more exciting news about the incredible day of musical theatre entertainment that festivalgoers can look forward to. Gaiety Festival is shaping up to be the stagiest of events and we can’t wait to share it with the fans!”
This multi-stage festival brings together West End and Broadway stars for one-day of musical theatre performances and experiences, with two professional stages, a silent disco, theatre village, backstage hub, community bandstand, a funfair and food and drink stalls.
