THEATRE ROYAL ANNOUNCES EXHILARATING NEW AUTUMN 2019/SPRING 2020 SEASON
Newcastle Theatre Royal has announced a jam-packed programme of new shows as it launches its Autumn 2019/Spring 2020 season.
Bursting with spectacular musicals, mesmerising dance, powerful drama and laugh-out-loud comedy, the new season will bring the finest touring productions in the country to the North East.
Musical fans will be spoilt for choice with the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan – On Your Feet (Mon 13 – Sat 18 Apr 2020), Sister Act (Mon 25 – Sat 30 May 2020), Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story (Mon 1 – Sat 6 Jun 2020), the West End smash-hit SIX! – The Musical (Mon 22 – Sat 27 Jun 2020) and Once – The Musical (Mon 29 Jun – Sat 4 Jul 2020) all set to thrill audiences throughout spring and summer.
Dance will dazzle and delight audiences as they enjoy Scottish Ballet’s The Snow Queen (Wed 12 – Sat 15 Feb 2020), Rambert (Tue 24 – Thu 26 Mar 2020) and Acosta Danza (Tue 7 – Wed 8 Apr 2020). Strictly stars Aljaž and Janette take to the floor in Remembering the Oscars (Sat 11 Apr 2020) and Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes (Tue 21 Apr – Sat 2 May 2020) returns by popular demand.
The inventive and creative Holes (Wed 26 – Sat 29 Feb 2020) and the Olivier award-winning A Monster Calls (Wed 6 – Sat 9 May 2020) will see drama take centre stage and audiences can enjoy some comedic relief with Alan Ayckbourn’s hilarious Ten Times Table (Mon 4 – Sat 9 Nov), Fascinating Aida (Sun 23 Feb 2020), Stewart Lee (Fri 27 – Sat 28 Mar 2020) and Some Mother’s Do ‘Ave ‘Em (Tue 12 – Sat 16 May 2020).
Following the sell-out success of his previously announced evening performance, Sir Ian McKellen has added a matinee date for his on-stage tour (Sun 19 Aug 2019).
Tickets for all new shows in the Autumn 2019/Summer 2020 season go on sale to the general public at 9am on Fri 5 Jul 2019 but Friends of the Theatre Royal can book now visit www.theatreroyal.co.uk/support/become-a-friend for more information.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge).
As we come to the end of Pride month and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots (widely considered to constitute the most important event leading to the gay liberation movementand the modern fight for LGBT rights), the 50th Anniversary revival of Hair the Musical arrives into Sheffield in a riot of colour and free love.
This “tribal love rock musical” is full of themes as important now as it was then – love and peace and freedom.
The first act introduces the tribe – Berger (Jake Quickenden), Woof (Bradley Judge), Sheila (Daisy Wood-Davis), Jeanie (Alison Arnopp), Crissy (Kelly Sweeney) and Claude (Paul Wilkins) who dreams of Manchester, England and who gets called up for the draft and the war against Vietnam. The story follows the tribe as they try to convince a confused Claude not to join up. As he considers burning his draft card the tribe strip naked in a scene which is simplistic and beautiful, almost too subtle, staged at the very back of the stage with such soft lighting that you were almost unaware it was happening.
The second act is one long “trip”, after the tribe smoke the leaves of the “twiggy”, the plant they have cultivated. The end of the second act – and I’m not giving away the ending – as a brutality about it which is a shocking black mark amongst the riot of colour.
Hair is full of well known songs Aquarius, Ain’t Got No, I Got Life, Good Morning Starshine, and Let The Sun Shine In and some less known ones – I particularly enjoyed Crissy’s rendition of Frank Mills and Cassie (Natalie Green) and Dione (Aiesha Pease) both have outstanding voices.
Maeve Blacks set, Ben Rogers lighting and William Wheltons choreography all add to the original Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and Galt Macdermot’s music with arrangements by Gareth Bretherton. Katy Lipson and Aria Entertainment, Senbla and Hope Mill Theatre have created an iconic and worthy 50th anniversary celebration that deserves to be seen and enjoyed by all
CHARLIE RUSSELL PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCE PIANO_PLAY AT EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE
Charlie Russell Productions present
The World Première of
PIANO_PLAY
Written by Calum Finlay
Directed by Matt Hassall
Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Underbelly, George Square
Charlie Russell Productions today announce the world première of Calum Finlay’s Piano_Play. The production directed by Matt Hassall, stars Ed Zanders as Tom. It opens at Underbelly on Saturday 3 August, with previews from 31 July and runs until 29 August.
Bach + Beethoven + Britney = Tom
Tom needs to tell you something. But, he’s not very good with words so he’s going to play some music for you. Then he hopes that you’ll finally understand.
A play about obsession and classical music. For classical music lovers and for people who don’t know they love it yet.
Calum Finlay writes. His credits include debut play What Goes On in Front of Closed Doors (Edinburgh Festival Fringe). As an actor his credits include Hamlet, Mary Stuart (Almeida Theatre) and Switzerland (Ambassadors Theatre).
Ed Zanders plays Tom. His theatre credits include Sweeney Todd (Lausanne, Switzerland), Mischief Movie Night(UK tour), Parade (Vivo D’Arte, Frogmore Paper Mill). As an arranger his credits include West End Miscast(Actors Church, Covent Garden) and Piaf (Charing Cross Theatre)
Matt Hassall directs. His credits include Mixtape, The Factory and We Were Told There Would Be Dancing (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester). Hassall was a resident director at Almeida Theatre and the Young Company Director at Royal Exchange Theatre 2014-2018.
Nominated for five 2019 OIivier Awards, including Best New Musical, Best Choreography and Best Costume Design, the West End smash hit SIX, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, will come to Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 July 2020.
From Tudor queens to pop princesses, SIX sees the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their own personal tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of 21st century girl power.
SIX is the phenomenon everyone’s losing their head over. The show’s 2018 debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe hastened its West End transfer which opened in January 2019. The production is currently enjoying an open-ended run in London at the Arts Theatre playing to sold out houses. The cast, yet to be announced, are backed by the show’s all-female band, The Ladies in Waiting.
The songs from the show have proved to be a chart storming sensation with weekly streams totalling more than 2 million. These Queens may have green sleeves, but their lipstick is rebellious red. Think you know the rhyme, think again… Divorced. Beheaded. LIVE!
SIX writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss said; “We are SOOOO excited and thrilled and grateful that we get to share the story of these badass Queens – and the UNREAL talents of these women – with so many more people all over the UK! We’ll see you there!!! WOOOOOOOO!!!”
Chris Sudworth, Director of Artistic Programme at Birmingham Hippodrome added; “We are incredibly excited to be bringing this hit home-grown British musical to Birmingham for the very first time. From seeing the show during its very beginnings at the Edinburgh Festival, I have watched this production grow and grow in popularity, gaining rave reviews and sell-out standing ovations and now we can’t wait for our audiences to experience this very special show. Long reign SIX at Birmingham Hippodrome!”
SIX is written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, with Direction by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, Choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Set Design by Emma Bailey, Costume Design by Gabriella Slade, Lighting Design by Tim Deiling, Sound Design by Paul Gatehouse, Musical Orchestration by Tom Curran, Musical Supervisor Joe Beighton, Associate Choreographer Freya Sands, Musical Director Katy Richardson, Associate Musical Director Arlene McNaught. SIX is produced by Kenny Wax, Global Musicals and George Stiles.
SIX will come to Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 July 2020. Tickets will go on sale this August with a priority on sale period for Birmingham Hippodrome Friends and Patron scheme members.
Dan Looney, Adam Paulden and Jason Haigh-Ellery for DLAP Entertainment are delighted to announce that Susie Blake will play Bertha and Emily Head will play Gretchen in the national tour of the classic West End and Broadway smash hit comedy BOEING-BOEING opening at Brighton Theatre Royal on 4 September 2019. They join the previously announced Tom Lister as Bernard and Daniel Casey as Robert. Full casting to be announced soon. Tour schedule below. boeing-boeing.com
Susie Blake is best known for her portrayals of the snobbish TV announcer in Victoria Wood’s As Seen On TV and the role of Bev Unwin in ITV1’s Coronation Street, a role she played between 2003 – 2006 and then again in 2015. She is currently playing Hilary Nicholson in BBC1’s Mrs Brown’s Boys. Her West End theatre credits include Madame Morrible in Wicked and her other theatre credits include the national tours of Handbagged and Grumpy Old Women.
Emily Head is probably best known as Carli in The Inbetweeners. A part she played in all three series and the first film. She most recently played Rebecca White in ITV1’s Emmerdale. Her theatre credits include Ange in Abigail’s Party and Helen in Coram Boy.
Tom Lister is best known for his role as Carl King in ITV1’s Emmerdale, a role he played for nine years. Tom most recently starred as Julian Marsh in the critically acclaimed production of 42nd Street at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane. His other theatre credits include the national tour of Calamity Jane where he played Wild Bill Hickock.
Daniel Casey is probably best known for playing Sgt Troy in ITV’s Midsomer Murders and more recently Tom Bailey in BBC1’s EastEnders. His theatre credits include Laurence in the national tour of Abigail’s Party and Roger Shears in the National Theatre’s production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Bernard has managed to keep his three fiancés blissfully unaware of each other – until now. Three Flight Attendants, three different airlines, three different timetables, each perfectly manoeuvred to avoid Bernard’s intricate love life crashing down to earth. But it’s 1965, and Boeing have launched a new, faster aeroplane that’s going to create some serious turbulence, with Bernard’s three fiancés landing unexpectedly and simultaneously! As the hilarity really starts to take off, can Bernard survive while his long-suffering maid struggles to keep up with the changes and his befuddled friend Robert can’t even remember which stories go with which airline….?
BOEING-BOEING by Marc Camoletti is translated by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans and is directed by Guy Unsworth.
After a highly acclaimed and previously sold-out tour in 2018, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em is back by popular demand and will tour the UK in 2020. Joe Pasquale returns as the loveable but accident-prone Frank Spencer in the stage production of the classic 1970s TV comedy, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em. Sarah Earnshaw is returning as his long-suffering wife Betty and Susie Blake his disapproving mother-in-law, Mrs Fisher. Further casting to be announced. The stage adaptation is by Guy Unsworth, based on the original TV series by Raymond Allen. Guy Unsworth will also be directing.
The 2020 UK Tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em will begin at Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Wednesday 26 February 2020.
Comedian Joe Pasquale has delighted audiences with his live stand-up tours for over 30 years. Along the way he’s voiced characters for Hollywood movies Garfield: A Tale of Two Kittens and Horton Hears A Who!, children’s television animation Frankenstein’s Cat and starred in The Muppets’ 25th Anniversary Show. Joe made his theatrical debut in 1999 in Larry Shue’s The Nerd, followed by the touring productions of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and Mel Brooks’s The Producers. In addition, Joe took part recently in ITV1’s The All New Monty: Who Bares Wins. He was crowned ‘King of the Jungle’ in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here in 2004, appeared on five Royal Variety Performances, hosted his own ITV special An Audience with Joe Pasquale, at times hosted ThePaul O’Grady Show for Channel 4 and hosted the long-running television series The Price is Right for ITV. Other recent TV credits include a celebrity edition of Total Wipeout; Guinness World Records Smashed and Virgin One’s The Prisoner X.
Sarah Earnshaw most recently starred as Connie in The Nightingales (Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour) and Jennifer Lore in the UK Tour of Nativity – The Musical. Her other theatre credits include Travels With My Aunt (Chichester Festival), The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (West End and UK Tour) and the original London cast of Wicked.
Susie Blake regularly appeared in the TV series and comedy specials of Victoria Wood, Russ Abbot and Stanley Baxter, and is perhaps particularly loved as the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV. She is soon to appear in Boeing Boeing (UK Tour) and has just finished filming The Real Marigold Hotel (BBC One). She is known for playing regular Bev Unwin in Coronation Street from 2003 to 2006 and again in 2015, and regular Hillary Nicholson in Mrs Brown’s Boys. Her films include Fierce Creatures and Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?!. Her theatre credits include The Mirror Crack’d (UK Tour), Grumpy Old Women Live 2 & 3, When We Are Married (West End), Pygmalion (Chichester Festival Theatre), Madame Morrible in Wicked (West End) and Belinda Blair in Noises Off (National Theatre).
Joe Pasquale said, “After 30 years in show business, this has been the role of a lifetime for me, so to be bringing it back again, this time to a wider audience, is a dream come true. Alongside Sarah Earnshaw’s brilliant Betty, the Spencers are hitting the road again, bigger and better than ever before… it’s going to be a disaster!”.
Writer and director of the stage adaptation, Guy Unsworth said, “We never imagined how much love there would be for this new story of Frank and Betty, both from critics and audiences alike. I’m so pleased that these incredible cast members are returning, led of course by the irreplaceable Joe Pasquale, who is unmissable as Frank”.
Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em will be directed by Guy Unsworth and designed by Simon Higlett, with lighting design by Matt Haskins, sound design by Ian Horrocks-Taylor and choreography by Jenny Arnold.
The UK Tour will be produced by Limelight Productions.
WINNER OF FOUR OLIVIER AWARDS INCLUDING BEST NEW MUSICAL
CAST, BAND AND FANS CELEBRATE CANADA DAY BY ‘PAYING IT FORWARD’ AS THEY HAND OUT 500 £5 TRAVELCARDS AT TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD STATION
Cast, band members and fans of hit musical Come From Away in London celebrated Canada Day today, 1 July, by performing at Tottenham Court Road Station and sharing random acts of kindness with 500 passing commuters by handing out £5 travelcards. With this show of goodwill they hoped to honour the spirit of the musical and the residents of Newfoundland, Canada who welcomed stranded air passengers from around the world in the wake of 9/11.
The critically acclaimed production recently earned great success at the Olivier Awards, winning “Best New Musical”, “Best Theatre Choreographer”, “Best Sound Design” and “Outstanding Achievement in Music” and has now extend its critically-acclaimed at the Phoenix Theatre, London until February 2020.
This joyous musical recounts the incredible true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed the passengers of planes from around the world. Cultures clashed, and nerves ran high, but as uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
On 11 September 2001 the world stopped. On 12 September, their stories moved us all.
The multi award-winning musical continues sold-out, record-breaking engagements on Broadway, in Canada and on a 60-city North American Tour. An Australian production is soon to open, and a feature film adaptation is in the works.
The cast of Come From Away in the West End includes Jenna Boyd (Beulah and others), Nathanael Campbell (Bob and others), Clive Carter (Claude and others), Mary Doherty (Bonnie and others), Robert Hands (Nick, Doug and others), Helen Hobson (Diane and others), Jonathan Andrew Hume (Kevin J, Ali and others), Harry Morrison (Oz and others), Emma Salvo (Janice and others), David Shannon (Kevin T, Garth and others), Cat Simmons (Hannah and others) and Rachel Tucker (Beverley, Annette and others) with Chiara Baronti, Mark Dugdale, Bob Harms, Kirsty Malpass, Tania Mathurin, Alexander McMorran, Brandon Lee Sears and Jennifer Tierney.
Under the Musical Direction of Alan Berry (Keyboard/Accordion/Harmonium), the band includesMatt Bashford (Whistles/Irish Flute/Uilleann Pipes), Aoife Ní Bhriain (Fiddle), Dan Day(Drums/Percussion), Ray Fean (Bodhrán/Percussion), Joey Grant (Electric Bass/Acoustic Bass),Justin Quinn (Acoustic Guitar/Mandolins/Bazouki) and Mark Wraith (Electric, Acoustic and Nylon Guitars).
Come From Away features a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and is directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine, music supervision and arrangements by Ian Eisendrath, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Gareth Owen, hair design by David Brian Brown, orchestrations by August Eriksmoen, and casting by Pippa AilionCDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG.
In addition to winning 4 Olivier Awards (London) including “Best New Musical”, Come From Away has scooped multiple awards all across North America: the Tony Award for “Best Direction of a Musical”, 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards (NYC) including “Outstanding New Broadway Musical”, 3 Drama Desk Awards (NYC) including “Outstanding Musical”, 4 Helen Hayes Awards (Washington DC) including “Outstanding Production of a Musical”, 4 Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 4 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards (Seattle) including “Excellence in Production of a Musical”, 6 San Diego Critics Circle Awards including “Outstanding New Musical”, 3 Toronto Theatre Critics Awards including “Best New Musical”, 3 Dora Awards (Toronto) including “Outstanding New Musical/Opera” and “Outstanding Production”, and the 2017 Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award (Toronto).
Come From Away was originally co-produced in 2015 by La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle Repertory Theatre, and presented in 2016 by Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC and Mirvish Productions at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Canada, all in partnership with Junkyard Dog Productions. Come From Away (NAMT Festival 2013) was originally developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project, Michael Rubinoff Producer, Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and was further developed at Goodspeed Musicals’ Festival of New Artists, in East Haddam CT. The Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle WA also provided development support.
Come From Away is produced in the UK by Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals. The European premiere of Come From Away was co-produced with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre.
