Tag: Musicals

Top Hat Tour!

Top Hat - The MusicalAlan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch, stars of the recent West End run of the much-loved musical Top Hat, will return to play the lead roles when the show tours the UK later this year.

Gooch will star as Dale Tremont in the UK tour; Gooch took over the lead role of Tremont from leading lady Summer Strallen when the production ran in the West End. Her credits include Dirty Dancing at the Piccadilly Theatre and in the national tour, the UK tour of Grease and the German tour of Cats. Burkitt, whose credits include Singin’ in the Rain and 42nd Street at Chichester Festival Theatre, and We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, understudied the lead role of Jerry Travers as part of the original West End cast of Top Hat at the Aldwych Theatre.

The touring cast of the the Irving Berlin’s musical will be joined by Clive Hayward as Horace Hardwick, Rebecca Thornhill as Madge Hardwick, Sebastien Torkia as Alberto Beddini and John Conroy as Bates. The cast also includes Lucy Ashenden, Thomas Audibert, Caroline Bateson, Sophie Camble, Matthew Caputo, Kristy Cullen, Paul Farrell, Ian Goss, Carys Gray, Alyn Hawke, Rebecca Hodge, Samuel Humphreys, Thomas Inge, Thomas-Lee Kidd, Sarah-Marie Maxwell, David McKechnie, John McManus, George Olney, Ben Palmer, Holly Rostron, Maria Ward, Amy West and Monique Young.

The production will begin a 47 week tour on 12 August at the New Wimbledon Theatre before visiting venues across the UK, finishing in Eastbourne in July 2015. Directed by Matthew White, Top Hat is choreographed by Bill Deamer, with design by Hildegard Bechtler, costume by Jon Morrell, lighting by Peter Mumford, sound by Gareth Owen, musical supervision by Richard Balcombe and new orchestrations by Chris Walker. Top Hat is produced by Kenny Wax, with Stewart Lane and Bonnie Comlet.

Miss Saigon To Hit Broadway?

Miss SaigonProducer Cameron Mackintosh may be considering taking his new London production of Miss Saigon to Broadway in 2015, depending on the success of the production currently running in the West End, and if a suitable theatre becomes available in New York.

Miss Saigon is an iconic musical production about a doomed romance between a young Vietnamese woman and a marine before the fall of the city Saigon. The show opened on Broadway in 1991 and became a huge hit, grossing $285 million before closing in 2001; it remains the 12th longest running show in Broadway history. The London revival began performances in May, with extremely strong sales. There have been new designs for the scenery and the helicopter, and a new song “Maybe” has been added, performed by the character of Ellen, and not included in the Broadway run.

It has been claimed that Mackintosh, who led the British musical invasion of Broadway in the 1980s with Cats, Les Misérables, and The Phantom of the Opera, would like to open the new Miss Saigon in Toronto first and then go to Broadway. The London-Toronto-Broadway path would be similar to the one taken by his latest revival of Les Misérables, which opened in New York in March.

When asked for his comments on the Broadway run, Mackintosh confirmed the gossip as speculative but highlighted that he would like to take the show to both Toronto and New York, especially due to the fact the Princess of Wales theatre in Toronto was built to house the original production of Miss Saigon. However, with incredibly busy international openings of several different titles over the next two years, and the very limited number of theatres that could house a production as big as Miss Saigon on Broadway, it looks unlikely that the production will hit New York soon.

Relaxed Matilda

Matilda the MusicalWest End musical Matilda will hold a relaxed performance of its hit production in the summer. It will be aimed at audiences with autism and learning difficulties, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, which produces the show, has been working with the National Autistic Society. The performance will be held on 15 June.

The show has so far been a huge hit amongst children and adults. For the relaxed performance, therefore, stage elements will be adapted to reduce anxiety or stress often experienced in a theatrical environment by those suffering with autism and learning difficulties. Lighting and sound will be adjusted to reduce their impact and there will be a relaxed attitude to noise and moving around during the performance. This will make the performance more appealing and enjoyable for both children and their parents, as it may be difficult to envisage events like West End performances as trips out, enabling them both to experience the production in an environment which is sensitive to their needs.

Tickets for the relaxed performance are priced at £20 and those who book will be sent visual aids to help them get to know the plot and characters before the show. This whole experience builds on The Royal Shakespeare Company commitment to offer the best environment and welcome for children, young people and families who might feel excluded from the work. Relaxed performances mean they have the chance to experience high quality theatre, as often many families of children with autism or a learning disability can be unwilling to attend theatre performances together.

The performance in June builds on a programme of relaxed performances the Royal Shakespeare Company has offered in Stratford-upon-Avon since 2013.

From Here To Eternity

From Here To Eternity - The MusicalFrom Here To Eternity, the hit West End musical which sadly closed on 29 March, may reemerge in another form. It seems it is not yet over for Tim Rice’s latest musical venture: ahead of its 2015 Broadway run, a screening of the West End’s production of From Here To Eternity will be broadcast in theatres around the US. Entertainment companies Omniverse Vision and Fathom Events are collaborating to capture the musical, following in the footsteps of shows such as War Horse and Noël Coward’s Private Lives which have been screened previously.

It is fantastic that the magnificent tale of the futile waiting for the American army ahead of the attacks on Peal Harbour in 1941. With Fathom and Omniverse collaborating to capture the ambitious musical version of the iconic story, it means the production and Stuart Brayson’s score will receive the permanent recognition they deserve.

From Here To Eternity is based on James Jones’ award-winning novel about those US soldiers and their illicit affairs during the Second World War. The 1953 film adaptation, which starred Frank Sinatra, won eight Oscars including Best Picture. The West End musical version stars Darius Campbell (previously Danesh) in the lead role alongside Robert Lonsdale.

Despite many rave reviews and popularity on social media, the musical and company suffered falling ticket sales and the close was seemingly inevitable.

Ruthie Henshall Set To Join Billy Elliot Cast!

Ruthie HenshallGreat news for musical theatre fans everywhere – superstar Ruthie Henshall will be joining the cast of Billy Elliot – The Musical in May to play Billy’s dance teacher Mrs Wilkinson, taking over from current Mrs Wilkinson, Anna-Jane Casey. Ruthie has recently been focusing on her solo performances on tour, and will now return to the West End stage for the first time since 2011. The first performance for Ruthie as Mrs Wilkinson will be on 12 May 2014, nine years to the day since the show officially opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Ruthie has become a musical theatre success throughout her years on stage, with other credits including performances in productions such as Chicago, The Woman in White, Marguerite, Les Misérables, Oliver!, Crazy For You, Cats, Miss Saigon and She Loves Me, for which she won an Olivier Award. She was last on stage in Thea Sharrock’s revival of Blithe Spirit at the Apollo Theatre in 2011.

Based on the hit 2000 film and set against the mining strikes of the 1980s, Billy Elliot – The Musical recounts the tale of a boy whose father wants him to learn to box but who instead discovers a love for ballet that leads him from secret lessons to a place at The Royal Ballet School.

Ruthie, having trained at the prestigious Laine Theatre Arts, has gone onto inaugural performing arts success in a range of roles and performances spanning many years across the industry. She has recently been performing in her own tour, presenting an anecdotal evening of snippets of her life alongside some of the blockbuster hits she is most famous for. This is in addition to her own material which is a testament to her incredible talent and ultimately, her success as a musical theatre artist.

Sir Tim Rice… No More?

Tim RiceIt has been rumoured within Theatreland that acclaimed lyricist, Sir Tim Rice, is set to retire from the musical theatre industry. This has come after claims that the public seem to prefer shows featuring well-known pop songs to original material in stage musicals.

Rice grew to international fame following his longtime collaborative working with Andrew Lloyd Webber on hugely successful musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Evita, as well as more recent works including From Here to Eternity. Following the news that From Here to Eternity is set to close in March after just 22 weeks in London’s West End, Rice now fears theatre-goers are more interested in seeing shows such as Mamma Mia!, which features the music of ABBA, and Queen musical We Will Rock You.

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was the first work of Rice and Lloyd-Webber, quickly taking on a life of its own leading to stagings, additions of new material, and even a record deal with Decca. Success with Joseph was followed by Jesus Christ Superstar, the show that brought the pair international fame and a place in musical theatre history. Next came Evita: as with Jesus Christ Superstar, a concept album was released and the show’s ironic piece “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” became a number one hit in the UK. As with Rice’s previous shows, Evita went on to play in countries around the world. Rice then met with Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from ABBA to discuss ideas for a musical, and the trio collaborated on what would become Chess.

Rice’s work has won him numerous awards including 12 Ivor Novello awards, 3 Tonys, and 3 Oscars. He was knighted by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 1994.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Gemma Sutton: Magical Talent

Gemma SuttonGemma Sutton is a magical leading lady. With her feet firmly on the ground Gemma has played a number of coveted musical theatre roles, her most current being Roxie in Chicago at Leicester’s Curve Theatre. Gemma trained for three years on the Musical Theatre course at ArtsEd, having previously engaged with a number of Amateur Dramatic performances. She hasn’t stopped since, and here offers a snippet of her life, both onstage and off.

When, where and why did you begin dancing?

I began dancing at my local dance school in Macclesfield when I was 8, encouraged by the girls I was doing pantomime with in our local Amateur Dramatics Society. My first teacher soon retired, and the teacher who took over from her taught me until I was 18 and became a very close friend over the years as I began teaching for her in the few years before I went to Drama school.

What were your early years of training like?

I remember my Mum being a constant taxi service, taking me to dancing classes 4 times a week, along with singing lessons, piano lessons, and three different Am Dram societies. I don’t know when I had chance to eat, never mind do my homework! I took dance exams in Modern, Tap and Ballet, with IDTA. I used to love going to the IDTA conferences and learning from the great guest teachers they had there.

How long have you been performing? Did you start young?

The first show I was ever in was The King and I at the local Am Dram Society after my Mum answered an advert in the local paper saying they were looking for children to audition. From that day on I was hooked. I also used to sing in local nursing homes and concerts with my Dad accompanying me as he is an excellent pianist. Over the years I was in shows such as Crazy For You, Me and My Girl, Godspell, Sweet Charity, West Side Story, Barnum, Kiss Me Kate… it gave me such good experience and stood me in good stead for when I went off to Drama School at 18.

Where did you train and what was a typical day like like?

I trained at ArtsEd in Chiswick, London, on the three year Musical Theatre degree course. It was very intense and I couldn’t have wished for better training. We’d start at 8.30am and finish at 6pm Monday to Friday and each day had a variety of lessons, usually starting with a one and a half hour ballet or jazz class, sometimes one after the other (!) and then lessons such as acting, improvisation, physical theatre, ensemble singing, solo singing lessons, street jazz, pilates, history of musical theatre, alexander technique… I remember being so tired I’d be in bed by 9pm each night. I learnt such a lot there and worked with amazing industry professionals, many of whom I’ve worked with since graduating into the profession.

What is a typical day like now?

My routine changes all the time depending on if I’m in a show or not. When I’m working, like I am now in the musical Chicago at the Leicester Curve Theatre, I tend to get as much sleep as I can, then get out and about in the day (at the moment to do my Christmas shopping), I may go for a run if I’m feeling particularly virtuous. We have to be in at 6pm on a ‘one show’ day, and 12pm on a matinee day. We would then have a physical and vocal warm up, get notes from the dance captain and resident director to keep the show on top form, get wigs, microphones, costume and make up on and then do the show. It’s hard to go to sleep soon after the show as my adrenaline takes a while to settle down after the excitement of the evening’s performance! If I’m not in a show, my day may consist of preparing and going to auditions, going to singing lessons, and doing part time work to keep the pennies coming in. I’ve done loads of different things from bar work to office temping. There are so many talented people in the industry, we all have times out of work, but you just have to keep going and never give up.

Do you still take classes? How do you keep on top of our technique?

When I’m working I find that doing the show each night and being very focused in the vocal and physical warm up helps to keep my technique sharp. I’m really enjoying our Chicago warm up; we do a lot of yoga and ballet exercises which makes a nice change from the usual star jumps and press ups that warm ups often consist of! When I’m not working I go to regular singing lessons and do a lot of running, strength training and yoga. Keeping fit is so important in this industry as you never know what you’re going to be asked to do in a dance audition and you need to be on top form all the time.

What’s the best part of performing?

Having been on the tour of Hairspray for the majority of this year, I’ve been lucky enough to experience the most wonderful reaction from the audience in the finale number You Can’t Stop the Beat, night after night. It is so lovely to see the audience up on their feet, dancing away. It’s great to know you’ve made people happy and hopefully taken them away from the stresses of normal life for a few hours!

Which part of Chicago do you enjoy most?

That’s a tricky one! It’s such a well written show and all the numbers are great and so varied. I sing a number called Roxie in the first act where my character starts to realise that she’s going to be able to be the celebrity she’s always dreamt of being after working for years as a chorus girl in a dodgy nightclub. I’m joined on stage by male ensemble and it’s very exciting to be surrounded by these amazing dancers, all doing Drew McOnie’s amazing choreography, with a massive neon Roxie sign as the backdrop.

What are rehearsals like?

Intense! We only had three weeks to rehearse Chicago so we worked long hours and were totally consumed by it all day, every day. We usually start with a vocal and physical warm up at 10am and the day would be split between scene work, choreography and working through the music. This show has been particularly interesting as we have new choreography, not the Bob Fosse staging that all big productions of Chicago over the years have used. The choreographer also wanted us to create it with him, so it has been very fulfilling putting the show together. As we came closer to opening we would do runs of the show in the rehearsal room with lots of notes after and then a week of technical rehearsals in the theatre, adding the set, costumes, lighting, sound and orchestra.

What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be part of the musical theatre world?

If you really want to succeed, never give up. It is such a tough industry and once you realise that and come to terms with the fact that you won’t be working constantly (92% of performers are out of work at any one time – it’s a very scary statistic!), all you can do is keep going and don’t give up hope. Get a part time job that you get fulfilment from or you’ll just get depressed and that can grind you down after a while. Keep going to see lots of shows and performances, watch great films and listen to great music to keep being inspired so you are reminded of why you wanted to choose this career in the first place. Choose carefully which drama school or course you are going to audition for as they are all different, do your research and keep working hard in your classes!

The Parallel World Of Musical Theatre

Theatre TicketsWhilst the musical theatre sector of the performing arts industry is by no means its ultimate defining feature, it arguably contains as many strong messages about society as contemporary dance, for example, commenting on the reality of today and issues that weave themselves through life. To take a few examples, many musical theatre productions emit a statement in its own right.

Rent the musical is a social statement, a group of friends living in the East Village of New York City, discovering the beauty of falling in love, finding your voice and living for the day under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Rent has won the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a pop cultural musical phenomenon which explicitly explores the tragic illness first-hand and the consequences involved for all.

In terms of politics, the recently opened The Sound of Music at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre tells the story of a nun-turned-governess and seven children dancing and singing through the Second World War in Nazi Germany. When the Nazis put pressure on the children’s father, Captain Von Trapp, to join the political party, there is a narrow escape to the neutral Austria over the mountains.

West Side Story is arguably the most iconic musical of the twentieth century, led by its narrative; it’s timeless message still applicable to audiences today in its depiction of racial prejudice and social division. The tragic tale of corruption and violence has echoes of the twenty-first century, with gangs fighting to remain on top in the face of life itself. Hairspray echoes these racial divides in 1960s America, with a small girl and her big voice fighting to ascend the struggles and become a star on a previously segregated TV show.

With other statements, such as the religious from the cult phenomenon The Book of Mormon and the political during the French Revolution for Les Misérables, musical theatre has much to answer for in the provision of meaningful entertainment.

Kerry Ellis Returns To Rent

Kerry EllisWith songs such as Seasons of Love, Out Tonight, and Without You, Rent the musical is a tale of a group of friends living n the East Village of New York City, about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Rent is based loosely on La Boheme, and has won the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a pop cultural musical phenomenon.

For this hugely significant musical, there is an extremely significant musical theatre star set to join the show’s ranks. Kerry Ellis will be joining the Rent in Concert 2014 Tour, following the announcement of a third and final leg to the current UK tour of Rent in Concert. Ellis will be helping to celebrate 20 years since the first staged performance of Rent, with the West End leading lady and Broadway star returning to the role of Mimi in this iconic concert version.

The show toured the UK earlier this year in April starring Ellis, Rory Taylor and Nikki Davis-Jones. Last month it was announced that the show will return in November starring Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton and Taylor, before its final run in January and February 2014 with Ellis.

Ellis quickly built up a reputation of a leading lady, with starring roles in London and on Broadway. Beginning by originating the role of Meat in Queen’s We Will Rock You, Ellis became the first British Elphaba in the West End’s Wicked. Ellis then transferred Broadway and played Elphaba in the same musical for six months before returning to London. Ellis has turned her hand to many other West End roles since, with other leading role credits include Nancy in Oliver!, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Ellen in Miss Saigon and Fantine in Les Miserables. Add the 20th anniversary celebratory tour of Rent to that list and you have an incredibly versatile and entertaining performer.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Liza Minnelli: The Non-Stopping Show-Stopper

Liza MinelliShowbiz legend Liza Minnelli, famous not only for her singing starlet mother Judy Garland but also in her own right, proved that she is still a show-stopping success at the Royal Festival Hall on London’s Southbank earlier this year. At 66 years old, Minnelli shows no sign of stopping either, continuing to wow her audiences and exude the presence of the ultimate star of the golden age of showbiz. Minnelli is a multi-award winning artist, singer, actress and fabulous dancer, who has proven herself as a starlet who knows her ‘razzle-dazzles’ from her ‘stepping outs’.

Her one off date performance at the Royal Festival Hall earlier in 2013 marked her first performance at the concert venue since 1973. However, in recent years she has graced other iconic London venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Coliseum as the headline act. Minnelli’s performance at Festival Hall forms part of the Southbank Centre’s ongoing season The Rest Is Noise – inspired by Alex Ross’s acclaimed musicology book – with the focus for Minnelli’s visit being Berlin In The ’20s & ’30s. As a result, Minnelli’s sparkling set exuded her fantastic talent in its fullest form, including hits from the divine decadence of Weimar-era nightlife such as Maybe This Time and Mein Herr, in addition to her performance of some of the late Bob Fosse’s choreography from her smash hit film production Cabaret.

Forming the full programme, legendary numbers such as Cabaret, But The World Goes ‘Round and New York, New York were originally written for her and included for Minnelli’s privileged audience, with other jazz and Broadway classics added to the mix and producing a show-stopping evening of immeasurable talent and star quality.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.