Online venue stream.theatre announces a packed schedule of brand new musical theatre, plays, ballet, pantomimes and concerts over the festive season and into the new year
Online venue stream.theatre has announced a packed season of productions over the festive period and into the new year including streamed and on demand content from feature length musical theatre, plays and dance, to a special selection of concerts and pantomimes for all the family.
stream.theatre will present 11 exclusive, brand new shows this Christmas, many of which have been filmed this month! From classic titles like Sasha Regan’s All Male Pirates of Penzance (captured this month from the West End’s Palace Theatre) to a less than typical pantomime, Potted Panto, (captured this month at the Garrick Theatre) to brilliant children’s theatre like The Elf Who Was Scared of Christmas (captured this month at Charing Cross Theatre).
Four productions are raising money for brilliant causes this Christmas too: The Ceremony, a new play by Catherine Tyldesley (Acting For Others, Leeds Heritage Theatres, Theatre Artists Fund), We Need a Little Christmas (Shelter, Crisis at Christmas) A Christmas Wish (Acting For Others) and Christmas With The Stars (Children with Cancer UK).
The new platform offers a digital stage for Arts organisation, producers, and artists to record, stream and host a wide variety of new pay-per-view streaming content. Visit www.stream.theatre for full information.
LISTINGS:
The Ceremony (13 – 20 December)
A ‘work in progress’ one act comedy play written by and starring Catherine Tyldesley, with Sue Johnston, Paula Lane, Samantha Giles, Stephen Rahman-Hughes and Jodie Prenger.
The Elf Who Was Scared of Christmas (16 December – 4 January)
Family fun filmed on stage at the Charing Cross Theatre in December 2020 and starring Neil McDermott and Gina Beck.
A Christmas Wish (17 – 20 December)
A Virtual Concert in aid of Acting for Others, featuring stars of the West End and beyond. Hosted by Ben Stock & Hilary O’Neil.
Covidella and the Masked Ball (18 December – 7 January)
A traditional pantomime with original songs, performed by the graduating year of the multi-award winning drama college The MTA
Dick Whittington (19 – 23 December)
Immersion Theatre are thrilled to be returning to Alderford Lake this Christmas with Alderford’s first ever pop up panto: Dick Whittington!
We Need a Little Christmas (20 December – 1 January)
Star-studded festive concert in support of Shelter and Crisis at Christmas filmed at the Actors’ Church in London on 6 December. Hosted by Denise Welch and Amy Hart.
Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker (21 December – 1 January)
Go back to a simpler time and celebrate Moscow Ballet’s Christmas tradition with the whole family! Includes behind-the-scenes content and interviews.
Dame Flossie’s Panto at Home (21 – 31 December)
Christmas isn’t cancelled…oh no it isn’t! Dame Flossie is back, joined by Silly Billy and Princess Jill, for a special hour-long panto.
Potted Panto (24th December – 24th January)
7 classic pantomimes in 70 hilarious minutes! Filmed in the West End’s Garrick Theatre this month.
Christmas with the Stars (24 – 26 December)
Join a host of West End stars and the students of MX Masterclass singing their festive favourites all in aid of Children With Cancer UK.
All Male G&S: Pirates of Penzance (28 December – 3 January)
Filmed at the Palace Theatre, London. Sasha Regan’s All Male Company of pirates and their winsome lasses in an inventive new take on Gilbert & Sullivan’s much loved The Pirates of Penzance.
Untapped (10, 17, 24, and 31 January)
Four unique concerts celebrating musical theatre graduates from the past 10 years, telling their stories and performing with a live band.
The Last Five Years (29 – 31 January, 5 – 7 & 12-14 February)
Jason Robert Brown’s emotionally powerful Drama Desk Award winning musical filmed at the Southwark Playhouse in November 2020.
Waiting for Obama (11 – 17 January)
John Moore’s critically acclaimed play Waiting for Obama was an official selection of the New York International Fringe Festival.
The Poltergeist (25 – 31 January, then on Demand in February)
Philip Ridley’s darkly comic new play is about art, family, memory, and being haunted by the life we never lived. This five star production was captured at Southwark Playhouse.
Falling Stars (1-14 February)
Starring Peter Polycarpou and Sally Ann Triplett – a beautiful new song cycle homage to the composers, collaborators and publishers of the 1920s.
FULL PRODUCTION INFORMATION:
The Ceremony (14 – 20 December)
A ‘work in progress’ one act comedy play written by and starring Catherine Tyldesley.
Canal Street. Manchester.
Donna Dium, Life Coach and Self-taught Shamaness, together with her long suffering assistant Ada, prepares to welcome you to a very special occasion – The Ceremony.
Following a string of appearances on daytime chat shows and armed with fifty quid’s worth of Ayahuasca from Bury Market, the scene is set for Donna to make her first ever attempt to contact the spirit world.. What could possibly go wrong?
The evening soon derails into chaos, tears and laughter, as her oblivious guests purge themselves of their hidden ghosts.
Not only her foray as a playwright, Coronation Street and Scarborough star, Catherine Tyldesley will also lead the all-star cast made up of British TV Veteran Sue Johnston (The Royle Family, Brookside, Coronation Street), Paula Lane (Coronation Street), Samantha Giles (Emmerdale, Where The Heart Is), Stephen Rahman-Hughes (Emmerdale, Eastenders) and winner of the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, West End leading lady, Jodie Prenger.
This brand new work in progress comedy is filmed on an empty stage at the Leeds City Varieties Music Hall with all proceeds from this production donated to Acting for Others, Theatre Artists Fund & Leeds Heritage Theatres.
Run time approx 40 minutes.
This production contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children).
The Elf Who Was Scared of Christmas (16 December – 4 January)
Filmed on stage at the Charing Cross Theatre in December 2020 and starring Neil McDermott and Gina Beck.
Meet Figgy and Cupcake, two of Santa’s Christmas elves. For eleven months of the year, Cupcake is a bright and bubbly bundle of joy. But come December 1st, all that changes – because Cupcake is The Elf Who Was Scared Of Christmas.
Come and join Figgy in an original Christmas story as he tries to help Cupcake overcome her fear of Christmas. Using the power of imagination, and with a little help from you, will he be able to remind her of the importance and magic of Christmas? And, in helping Cupcake, will Figgy solve some of his own Christmassy problems?
This December, join Figgy and Cupcake on a journey of self-discovery, friendship and Christmas cheer, ending in an all-singing, all-dancing musical celebration, featuring some of your favourite Christmas songs.
A Christmas Wish (17 – 20 December)
‘A Christmas Wish’ A Virtual Concert in aid of Acting for Others, featuring stars of the West End and beyond. Hosted by Ben Stock & Hilary O’Neil.
This festive feast, presented by Mark Petty and Barry Anderson will feature performances from the Anderson & Petty Holiday album Wish, along with some of your Christmas favourites, comedy sketches and magical Christmas readings.
Join us for a night of magic and merriment and celebrate the pure joy of performance.
Starring; Melissa Jacques, Helen Woolf, Laura Pick, Rosa O’Reilly, Mara Ghatama X feat. Nathaniel Morrison & Drupti Vaja, Lucy St. Louis, Nadim Naaman, Tom Hier, The Barricade Boys, The LSMT 2020 Graduating Class, (Charlie Kristensen #CheerUpCharlie, Tilly Croft & Rhiya Rasalingam), Sooz Kempner, Matt Croke, Sophie Isaacs, Christopher Howell, Harriet Thorpe, Jessica Martin, Emma Hatton, Phoebe Fildes, Alex Hammond, Emma Lindars, The Students of the MX Masterclass, Michael Xavier, Carolyn Maitland, Kyle Taylor Parker, Gloria Onitiri, Kim Ismay, Shona White, Kieran Brown, Alison Jiear, One Trick Pony, Sam Lupton & Comedy Ventriloquist Max Fulham.
Musical Direction on Wish (Tom Knowles) Musical Direction on Silent Night (Will Sharma and Tom Knowles).
This event is available from 17th – 20th December and the run time is approx 80 minutes. Please note this concert was filmed in artists’ homes during the Covid-19 lockdown.
We Need a Little Christmas (17 – 20 December)
Filmed at the Actors’ Church, Covent Garden in December 2020.
On Sunday 6 December, stars gathered at the Actors’ Church (St Paul’s Church) in London’s Covent Garden, to film the concert: We Need A Little Christmas, in support of Shelter and Crisis at Christmas.
Denise Welch and Amy Hart hosted the event and you’ll be able to watch performances from Dame Maureen Lipman, Courtney Act, David Bedella, Simon Callow, Kevin Clifton, Brenda Edwards, Sheila Ferguson, Dom Hartley-Harris, Sophie Isaacs, Cassidy Janson, Charlie Kristensen (#CheerUpCharlie), Lydia Lucy, Lee Mead, Peter Polycarpou, Jodie Prenger, Sharon Rose, Sally Ann Triplett and The Vivienne, along with Brian Conley and the cast of A Christmas Carol – The Musical and the West End Gospel Choir.
Covidella and the Masked Ball (18 December – 7 January)
Pantoland is bereft, the pandemic has taken the wind out of the sails of even the most resilient fairy. Over at Panto HQ the phones just won’t stop ringing. Costumes are no longer covid compliant, props all problematic, even the modes of transport are proving difficult. That is until they receive a letter from Covidella asking for some help.
A traditional pantomime with original songs, performed by the graduating year of the multi-award winning drama college The MTA.
Written and directed by Howard Samuels, designed by Stewart J Charlesworth, and choreographed by Helen Siveter, this traditional art form is guaranteed to throw up one or two surprises.
With an original score by Annemarie Lewis Thomas you can be sure that you’ll be left with aching muscles from laughing along with annoying ear worms that will stay with you well beyond the panto.
Boo, hiss, laugh, shout, scream, groan and sing-along all from the comfort of your own living room. The MTA is a multi-award drama college which has the accolade of being the only drama college to have twice won The Stage “School of the Year” award.
Dick Whittington (19 – 23 December)
Panto is coming to Alderford…Oh, yes it is! Following the success of this summer’s sell out production of The Wind in the Willows, Immersion Theatre are thrilled to be returning to Alderford Lake this Christmas with Alderford’s first ever pop up panto: Dick Whittington!
Packed with hilarious routines, heaps of socially distanced audience interaction, and a host of chart-topping hits, this high energy, exciting story about a young man seeking his fame and fortune among the bright lights of the big city promises to be the purrrr-fect Christmas experience!
Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker (21 December – 1 January)
Go back to a simpler time and celebrate this Christmas tradition with the whole family!
See Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker from the best seat in the house; your living room! Take this opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones and experience the smash-hit Holiday tradition in this ground-breaking Video on Demand debut.
Take a trip backstage with the cameras for a look at how the magic is made. Hear it first-hand from world-class artists, designers, and the creators of this cherished production. See the full performance as captured on stage plus an up close look at the behind-the-scenes action.
Dame Flossie’s Panto at Home (21 – 31 December)
Christmas isn’t cancelled…oh no it isn’t!
Dame Flossie is back, joined by Silly Billy and Princess Jill, for a special hour-long panto, featuring everybody’s favourite comedy routines, some great songs and plenty of laughs…and an evil Ogre!
For just £15, you and your household can watch the show from the safety and comfort of your own home, and you can shout at the characters on the screen as much as you like!
This event’s run time is 65 minutes.
Potted Panto (24th December – 24th January)
7 classic pantomimes in 70 hilarious minutes!
Double Olivier nominees Dan and Jeff return for a tenth anniversary festive season of Potted Panto, hot on the heels of their world tour and Las Vegas residency of Harry Potter parody Potted Potter.
In a madcap ride through the biggest stories and best-loved characters from the wonderful world of pantomime, our dastardly double act dash from rubbing Aladdin’s lamp to roaming the golden streets of Dick Whittington’s London and making sure that Cinderella gets to the Ball.
It’s all unmissable fun, whether you’re six or 106.
‘So silly it’s just one long joke… featuring a 3D journey to nowhere but tear-inducing laughter.’
The Guardian
‘A blast of exuberant festive nonsense.’ ★★★★
The Financial Times
‘Dan and Jeff are masters of the art of comedic brevity.’ ★★★★
The Stage.’
‘Splendid to see this team of lovable japesters take up residence in the West End.’ ★★★★
The i
Christmas with the Stars (24 – 26 December)
Filmed at the Actors’ Church, Covent Garden in December 2020.
Christmas With The Stars 2020. Join a host of West End stars and the students of MX Masterclass singing their festive favourites all in aid of Children With Cancer UK.
Filmed live at St. Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, the concert includes performances from Louise Dearman (Wicked), Cassidy Janson (&Juliet Olivier Award winner 2020), Fred Johanson (Sunset Boulevard), Lucie Jones (Waitress), Jack Loxton (Dear Evan Hansen – Olivier Award nominee 2020), Sandra Marvin (Waitress), Trevor Dion Nicholas (Hamilton), Natalie Paris (Olivier Award nominee – SIX The Musical) Sam Tutty (Dear Evan Hansen Olivier Award winner 2020), Michael D. Xavier (Sunset Boulevard – two-time Olivier Award nominee).
All Male G&S: Pirates of Penzance (28 December – 3 January)
Filmed live at the Palace Theatre, London in December 2020.
Sasha Regan’s All Male Company of pirates and their winsome lasses are set to bring audiences one night of joy and laughter with their inventive new take on Gilbert & Sullivan’s much loved THE Pirates of Penzance. Features a shipshape cast singing songs including: “I am a Pirate King”; “Oh, happy day, with joyous glee” and “A rollicking band of pirates we”. They are sure to raise the roof off the Palace Theatre!
Expect plenty of onboard japes from the swashbuckling crew who are braving the high seas with rum and hand-sanitisers to bring you a socially distanced, Covid-secure show. A much-needed escape for families and friends who are looking for some festive spirit to banish lockdown blues.
The production was first staged at The Union Theatre in the heart of Southwark over a decade ago where it was a runaway success winning Best Off-West End Production at The WhatsOnStage Awards in 2009. Pirates transferred to Wilton’s Music Hall for a 6-week run and on to The Rose Theatre, Kingston before the All Male Company set sail on a tour of Australia culminating in a month-long run at Cate Blanchett’s prestigious Sydney Theatre. There was a subsequent UK Tour in 2015 and another critically acclaimed run at the beautiful Wilton’s Music Hall last year.
The Last Five Years (29 – 31 January)
Filmed at the Southwark Playhouse in November 2020.
Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk Award winning musical, The Last Five Years, is an emotionally powerful and intimate show about two New Yorkers who fall in and out of love over the course of five years.
The musical’s unconventional structure unfolds as Cathy tells her story in reverse, from the end of their turbulent relationship, whilst Jamie tells his story chronologically from the spark of their initial meeting. The two characters meet only once, at their wedding in the middle of the show.
Now, this iconic musical returns to London in a bold new actor-musician production with the actors on stage at all times and playing the piano to add a new narrative dimension to the story, accompanied by a four piece band.
Untapped (10, 17, 24, and 31 January)
Untapped celebrates Musical Theatre Graduates from the past 10 graduating years, learn about each performers individual experience of working in the theatre industry and watch them perform with a superb 3 piece band.
Untapped presents four different performance dates & four different casts, and each evening is hosted by Christopher Howell. This performance features Chris Howell, Muirgen O’Mahony, Helen Gulston, Ben Barrow, Amelia Walker, Karen Wilkinson, Adam Colbeck-Dunn, Laurie Evans, Bella Bowen, Kyle Birch, Shannon Herbert, Sinead O’Callaghan.
This event’s run time is 90 minutes.
Waiting for Obama (11 – 17 January)
The year is 2016. A Colorado Springs family is convinced that President Barack Obama is coming for their guns. And they’re right.
John Moore’s critically acclaimed “Waiting for Obama” was an official selection of the New York International Fringe Festival.
The cast recently gathered to create a new radio-play version, videotaped exclusively for stream.theatre. Written by John Moore.
The Poltergeist (25 – 31 January, then on Demand in February)
From master storyteller Philip Ridley comes the four star OnComm Award Winning play The Poltergeist. ‘Art’s my hobby too.’ Hobby?! Sasha was destined to take the art world by storm. At the age of fifteen pop stars wanted his paintings, and a new exhibition was going to make him a millionaire. But now he lives in a run-down flat with his out-of-work boyfriend, serves in a stationers, and no one’s even heard of him… what went wrong? Philip Ridley’s darkly comic new play is about art, family, memory, and being haunted by the life we never lived. Please not this event features Strong Language, Use of Prescription Drugs and Themes of an Adult Nature. This event’s run time is 75 minutes.
One of the greatest living British writers, Philip Ridley’s previous plays include The Fastest Clock in the Universe, Radiant Vermin, The Pitchfork Disney, Tender Napalm, Dark Vanilla Jungle, and Mercury Fur, as well as the screenplay for the 1990 film The Krays. With four stars: “Rare and unmissable. Will be talked about for years.” – Theatre Weekly “Tightly wound, highly disciplined and unashamedly relentless.” – Broadway World. “Ridley and Tramp’s fast-paced and moving production, has done something truly remarkable.” – OX Magazine. “Compelling, absorbing, vital, frantic, unmissable.” – Everything Theatre.
Falling Stars (1-14 February)
Falling Stars is the charming story of a lost songbook; hidden away in an antique shop on the East Finchley High Road, its discovery unlocks the beautiful refrains of a bygone era – starring Peter Polycarpou (Man of La Mancha, London Coliseum; City of Angels; Donmar Warehouse; Birds of a Feather) and Sally Ann Triplett’s (Finding Neverland, Broadway; Viva Forever, Piccadilly Theatre; EastEnders)
Conceived and written by Polycarpou, the song cycle is an homage to the composers, collaborators, and publishers of the 1920s, who created some of the greatest music of all time. This musical revue captures the spirit of the age as Polycarpou and Triplett serenade audiences with the music of Charlie Chaplin, Irving Berlin, Buddy De-Silva, Ray Henderson, Vincent Youmans, Carl Schraubstader, Arthur Freed, and Meredith Wilson. Directed by Michael Strassen (Godspell 50th Anniversary concert; Billy; Assassins).
