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Hull New Theatre – until 15th September 2018

Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

4****

Long Live The Kings Of Hull written and directed by John Godber reintroduces us to the King family, last seen in The Kings Of Hull in April 2017. The play is set one year on from Malcolm and Becky King’s anniversary party and Karl King (Peter McMillan) acts as the narrator to the story of the family’s ups and downs. Kealey King (Pippa Fulton) is doing very well and her beauty empire is growing, and she takes it upon herself to move her Mum and Dad, Malc (Martin Barrass) and Becky (Jane Thornton), away from their troublesome neighbours in East Hull and out to Brough. It may be only 8 miles from Hull but to Malc it could be hundreds of miles and he is very unhappy, which is a cue for Kealey to splash some more cash and take all the family for a “Dutch Dash” on the ferry to Amsterdam. It is in Amsterdam that things really start to unravel and the fractures appear in family relationships.

John Godber’s take on family relationships is very astute, and I can’t have been the only person recognizing some of the conversations from my own family! There are laughs a plenty as Malcolm loses his cool; Trevor (Robert Angell) gets lost and Kealey tells it as it is. There are a couple of moments when the action is a little stilted but generally the play zips along. The scenery effectively takes us from Hull to ferry to Amsterdam and back. The cast gel beautifully and it is easy to see the family relationships.

Martin Barrass is an excellent curmudgeonly Malcolm and his relationships with his daughters were raw at times. His rant in Amsterdam was played to perfection and oh so funny! Pippa Fulton (Kealey) and Josie Morley (Jenny) played their roles well, making the family dynamics very believable. Robert Angell is very funny as Trevor, especially on the trip to Amsterdam.

This is an excellent night out at the theatre and don’t worry if you didn’t see the last play this stands well on its own. You will laugh, cringe and recognise your own family up there on the stage but ultimately will leave the theatre feeling good. John Godber gives us some highs and real lows but in the end “Blood is thicker than water”.

Full casting announced for the Curve and Jamie Wilson co-production of

IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS

BASED ON THE PARAMOUNT PICTURES FILM

WRITTEN FOR THE SCREEN BY NORMAN KRASNA, NORMAN PANAMA AND MELVIN FRANK

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY IRVING BERLIN

BOOK BY DAVID IVES AND PAUL BLAKE

ORIGINAL STAGE PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY WALTER BOBBIE

DANNY MAC AS BOB WALLACE

EMMA WILLIAMS AS BETTY HAYNES

DAN BURTON AS PHIL DAVIS

MONIQUE YOUNG AS JUDY HAYNES

DIRECTED BY NIKOLAI FOSTER

CHOREOGRAPHED BY STEPHEN MEAR

SCENIC DESIGN BY MICHAEL TAYLOR

COSTUME DESIGN BY DIEGO PITARCH

LIGHTING DESIGN BY MARK HENDERSON

SOUND DESIGN BY TOM MARSHALL

ORIGINAL ORCHESTRATIONS BY LARRY BLANK

VOCAL AND DANCE ARRANGEMENTS BY BRUCE POMAHAC

RE-ORCHESTRATIONS BY JASON CARR

MUSICAL SUPERVISION BY STEPHEN BROOKER

MUSICAL DIRECTION BY NEIL MACDONALD

6 Dec 2018 to 13 Jan 2019

 

Curve and Jamie Wilson have revealed the full casting for the upcoming festive Made at Curve production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.

Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, who directed the award-winning Curve productions of Sunset Boulevard and Legally Blonde, will reunite with two-time Olivier Award-winning choreographer Stephen Mear to bring a host of new and familiar faces to Curve’s stage in Leicester for the classic winter musical.

Among those returning to the theatre are Danny Mac and Emma Williams. Danny, whose character Bob Wallace delivers the musical‘s titular and much-loved song, played the role of Joe Gillis in Curve’s production of Sunset Boulevard, for which he received the Manchester Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Visiting Production. Four-time Olivier Award-nominated Emma Williams, who recently appeared in Curve’s world-premiere production of An Officer and a Gentleman – the Musical, will play one half of the all singing, all dancing sister duo, Betty Haynes.

Joining Emma as Betty’s sister Judy is Monique Young (Singin‘ in the Rain, Grand Palais, Paris and Kiss Me Kate, Kilworth House) while Olivier Award-nominated Dan Burton (Top Hat, Kilworth House and Gypsy, Savoy Theatre) joins Danny Mac as the ex-army turned showbiz double act.

Garry Robson (Graeae’s Reason’s to be Cheerful, and Ramp’s on the Moon Our Country’s Good) will play retired US Army General Henry Waverly, with Wendy Mae Brown (Ghost the Musical, UK tour) as his big-hearted housekeeper.

Speaking about the announcement, Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:

“It’s shaping up to be another eccentric year, with much turbulence and uncertainty close to home and across the globe. White Christmas undoubtedly represents the very best festive escapism, guaranteed to banish all blues and nourish the soul with some of the greatest songs and dance sequences ever written.

“Berlin’s magnificent score – some of the finest created for the American songbook – are woven around a suitably madcap, exuberant and funny story.

“At the end of a wonderful year of 10th anniversary celebrations, we are proud to have brought together a cracking cast for our most ambitious Christmas production to date. Emma, Danny, Monique, Dan, Garry and Wendy Mae are going to raise the roof in LE1 and they lead an astonishing company of musical theatre’s finest talents. Alongside master of the dance Stephen Mear and our talented production team, we are excited to bring this epic, Christmas extravaganza to life on stage at Curve.”

The full cast includes Michael Anderson making his professional debut at Curve as Marty, Delycia Belgrave (Legally Blonde, UK tour) as Rita, Chantel Bellew (Scrooge the Musical, Curve) as Loretta, Luke Byrne (La Cage aux Folles, UK & Ireland tour) as Mark, Sophie Camble (Chess, London Coliseum) as Gale, Roger Dipper (Singin’ in the Rain, Theatre du Chatelet) as Ralph Sheldrake, Nicholas Duncan (Fiddler on the Roof, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Jim, Davide Fienauri (Me and My Girl, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Scooter, Nia Jermin (Scrooge the Musical, Curve) as Gloria, Robbie McMillan (Chess, London Coliseum) as Dean, Jo Morris (Shoes, Sadlers Wells) as Connie, Sam Murphy (Grease, Curve) as Mike, Alex Tranter (Eugenius, The Other Palace) as Jimmy, Sion Tudor Owen (West Side Story, Wales Millennium Centre) as Ezekiel Foster, Alexandra Waite-Roberts (Guys and Dolls, Royal Albert Hall) as Tessie and Bleu Woodward (Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre) as Rhoda.

Four young local girls, Ellie Copping, Lucie Ellard, Macy Grundy and Georgia Stewart will also share the role of Susan Waverly, the General’s granddaughter, throughout the production’s run. They will also be joined by our Curve Young Company, who will play the roles of Soldiers and their wives.

Based on the Paramount Pictures film of the same name starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by David Ives and Paul Blake, White Christmas tells the story of Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis and their successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route for their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former Army commander. Featuring a dazzling, instantly recognisable score including Blue Skies, Sisters, Count your Blessings and arguably the most famous Christmas song of them all, White Christmas, Irving Berlin’s beloved Broadway sensation is an enduring tale of friendship, camaraderie, hope and the pursuit of happiness, told through spectacular dance routines and some of the greatest musical theatre songs ever written.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call Curve’s Ticket Office team on 0116 242 3595 or visit the theatre in person.

VANILLA

“I swear I will never get you guys. Literally. All you ever do is talk about a Woman jumping all over your cock. Yet when you have one, you’d rather have a threesome with David Bowie and a Stuffed-Crust Texas Barbeque.”

Katie and Dan have been seeing each other for a while now, but they are yet to consummate the relationship. The timing has just never been quite… Right? Tonight, Dan has a free-house. Katie is sure that he is THE ONE. After all, he’s been practicing putting on a condom ALL afternoon. Pizza, Netflix and Chill and the hope of Raunchy Sex hangs in the air. After all, that’s what they both want. Isn’t it?

WELCOME TO AN AGE WHERE OUR SEX-LIVES BELONG TO THE INTERNET.

“VANILLA”

The Tristan Bates Theatre

24th – 28th September 6.15pm

29th September 2.30pm

WRITTEN BY:

Laura Mead

STARRING:

Ned Wakeley

Therica Wilson-Read

Joshua Beecham

DIRECTED BY:

Keith Swainston

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! BOOK HERE:

https://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/whats-on/vanilla

LONDON’S OLDEST NEW THEATRE TO RE-OPEN IN DECEMBER

Be part of the legacy: support Ally Pally’s restoration project through a permanent name plaque on one of only 630 theatre seats

Sandi Toksvig, Neil Morrissey and Hugo Speer have pledged their support and named a seat

The deadline to name a seat is Friday 5th October

 “It’s time the people had their palace back. I am so excited at the thought of this wonderful building coming back to life.” Sandi Toksvig

 

Closed to the public for more than 80 years, Alexandra Palace Theatre will reopen in December 2018, following the completion of the East Wing Restoration Project. The ambitious three-year project will bring this hidden gem of London theatre back to life, ensuring the place of this historically significant building at the heart of the community for generations to come.

“As a local I’m proud to play a part in this exciting project, the birth of a new/old theatre, lovely.” Neil Morrissey

A physical stake in one of London’s most iconic buildings that will help secure its future …

This is part of a £27m restoration programme funded by London Borough of Haringey and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), with the final £1m to be raised through public fundraising. The grant from the HLF represents one of the biggest ever for a heritage project and underscores the ambition of the project.

 “Alexandra Palace is such a special place. It feels great to be part of the project to restore the theatre and I can’t wait to see it open to the public again.” Hugo Speer

Members of the public are invited to support the restoration of the theatre through a fundraising campaign aimed at raising the final £1m needed. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be part of the fabric of this extraordinary building.

All donations of £25 or over to the ‘People’s Palace’ will be commemorated on a Donor Board in the East Court. A donation of £450 to the theatre restoration will also secure a permanent engraved named plaque on one of the 309 retractable seats in the theatre stalls, while a £900 donation will include the added permanence of a name plaque on one of the 323 fixed seats in the balcony.

Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust is a registered charity. The charitable trust, established by an Act of Parliament in 1900, is responsible for maintaining and conserving the London landmark and 196 acres of Parkland. Every donation received goes directly towards the restoration of the Palace.

For full details and to donate directly online go to theatre.alexandrapalace.com and help to secure both Alexandra Palace’s rich history and an equally vibrant future. Every donation will make a difference. 

ROYAL ALBERT HALL AND FIERY ANGEL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT

GUYS AND DOLLS
LIVE IN CONCERT 

• LARA PULVER AND STEPHEN MANGAN JOIN ADRIAN LESTER, JASON MANFORD AND MEOW MEOW IN THE CAST OF GUYS AND DOLLS AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

• THE PRODUCTION WILL BE THE FIRST EVER PRESENTATION OF THE MUSICAL AT THE VENUE AND RUNS FOR THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY BETWEEN 19 – 20 OCTOBER 2018

It was today announced that Lara Pulver, Stephen Mangan, Sharon D. Clarke and Paul Nicholas will join the cast of Guys and Dolls at the Royal Albert Hall. Pulver who recently won an Olivier Award for her performance in Gypsy, and is known for her roles in Sherlock and Spooks, will play Sarah Brown. Stephen Mangan, who was in the West End earlier this year in an anniversary production of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party, joins the cast as the narrator. Clarke, most recently on stage in acclaimed Caroline, or Change, will take the role of General Cartwright and Nicholas will be Arvide Abernathy. They join previously announced cast including Adrian Lester, Jason Manford, Meow Meow, Clive Rowe and Joe Stilgoe. Guys and Dolls will come to the iconic London venue for three performances between 19 – 20 October, directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear (Gypsy, Hello Dolly!, Mary Poppins) and featuring the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. This will be the first time it has ever been presented in its entirety at the venue.

The production marks a return to musicals for Adrian Lester who stars as Sky Masterson, having previously won an Olivier Award for his performance in Sam Mendes’ Company at the Donmar Warehouse and received critical acclaim for his role in the National Theatre’s Sweeney Todd. One of the UK’s leading stand ups, Jason Manford returns to the Albert Hall stage having hosted the Olivier Awards there in 2017 to take on the role of Nathan Detroit. Clive Rowe reprises his Olivier Award-winning role as Nicely Nicely Johnson, international cabaret sensation Meow Meow will play the role of Miss Adelaide and acclaimed jazz singer and pianist Joe Stilgoe will play Benny Southstreet.

This sizzling, New York tale of gamblers, gangsters and nightclub singers – plus one missionary – features some of Broadway’s greatest show-stoppers, including ‘Luck Be a Lady’, ‘Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat’ and ‘My Time of Day’.

The cast also includes Stephane Anelli, Dan Burton, Cory English, Julian Forsyth, Nia Jermin, Alexis Owen Hobbs, Sévan Stephan, Matthew Whennell-Clark, Davide Fienauri, Stevie Hutchinson, Ross McLaren, Ebony Molina, Jo Morris, Cris Penfold, Jak Skelly, Rachel Stanley and Alexandra Waite-Roberts.

Lara Pulver has recently been part of BBC Two’s The City and the City and Channel 4’s Electric Dreams: The World of Phillip K. Dick. In 2008 she was Olivier Award nominated for her role in Parade (West End) and went on to win the Best Supporting Actress Olivier for her role in sell-out and critical hit Gypsy (National Theatre/ West End) in 2015. On screen she is best known for her roles in Spooks, True Blood, Sherlock and Underworld.

Stephen Mangan is an English stage and film actor well known for his role in the BAFTA-winning British sitcom Green Wing and the BBC’s Episodes. He can currently be seen starring in Hang Ups, a show he has written and produced for Channel 4.  He was on stage earlier this year in the Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party in the West End as well as appearing in Sky’s comedy Bliss and BBC One’s The Split. Mangan’s extensive theatre career includes work with Cheek by Jowl, The Old Vic (The Norman Conquests) as well performing in the West End (Jeeves and Wooster) and on Broadway (The Norman Conquests) where he received a Tony Award-nomination. His film credits include Rush, Breathe, Billy Elliot and Festival.

Olivier Award-winner Sharon D. Clarke was critically-hailed for her performance of the role of Caroline Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change which comes to the West End later this year. Clarke has enjoyed a long established stage career with credits including Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom andThe Amen Corner (National Theatre), Ghost The Musical (Piccadilly Theatre), The Life (Southwark Playhouse) and Porgy and Bess (Regents Park Open Air Theatre). On TV, Clarke is known for playing Lola Griffin in BBC’s Holby City and was recently announced as a new character in Doctor Who.

Paul Nicholas became a household favourite in the celebrated sitcom Just Good Friends and is also known for his work as Gavin in EastEnders.  He has worked extensively on stage with musical theatre credits including Barnum, 42nd Street, Singing In The Rain, Dr Doolittle, A Christmas Carol, Pirates Of Penzance, Tale Of Two Cities, Fiddler On The Roof and Dear World.

Adrian Lester is best known for the BBC’s Hustle and his performance as Othello at the National Theatre in 2013, which won him Best Actor at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. His musical-theatre credits include Sweeney Todd (also at the National) and his Olivier-winning performance in Sam Mendes’ production of Company at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End.

Jason Manford made his name as a leading stand-up, before embarking on a theatrical career. A stage debut in Sweeney Todd, opposite Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, led to a starring role inThe Producers and a year-long run in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Meow Meow’s award-winning solo works have been curated by David Bowie, Pina Bausch, and Mikhail Baryshnikov as well as numerous international arts festivals. She initiated the role of the Maîtresse in the Gielgud Theatre adaptation of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in the West End and appeared as Titania in Emma Rice’s revolutionary A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe).

Clive Rowe, who is known for his work in musical theatre was recognised with an MBE in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list. His extensive theatre credits include his Olivier Award-winning performance in Guys and Dolls (National Theatre), The Light Princess, Carousel (for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award), Fuente Ovejuna, Caroline, or Change, The Villains Opera,Money, Candide, Peter Pan (National Theatre), Kiss Me, Kate (Chichester and Old Vic Theatre) andThe Ladykillers (West End and UK Tour).

Joe Stilgoe is an internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and songwriter. He has toured all around the world with his band and as a solo act, having appeared in jazz clubs from New York to Berlin to Kuala Lumpur, including sell-out runs at Ronnie Scott’s.

Stephen Mear won Olivier Awards for his choreography of Mary Poppins (with Matthew Bourne) and Hello, Dolly!, and has been celebrated for his work on West End shows Singin’ in the Rain,Sweet Charity and the acclaimed revival of Gypsy, starring Imelda Staunton.

The cast also includes:  Cory English; Alexis Owen Hobbs; Nia Jermin; Matthew Whennell-Clark; Sévan Stephan; Dan Burton; Stephane Annelli; Julian Forsyth.

This production is presented by the Hall and Fiery Angel Entertainment, with musical direction from James McKeon and design by Morgan Large.

Tickets are on sale now, from www.royalalberthall.com

Richmond Theatre – until 15 September 2018

Reviewed by Jess Brady

5*****

The original production of Salad Days back in 1954 at the Old Vic was a record breaking hit for the time and set a precedent for other productions to explore new themes for musical theatre. We wouldn’t have shows like Rocky Horror or Little Shop had it not been for Salad Days breaking the normal conventions by introducing magic pianos and space ships to a musical. Salad Days also inspired a seven year old Cameron Mackintosh to the theatre world and the magic it could create, which a lot of theatre fans will be grateful for!

With what seems like a very simple story from the outset, Salad Days turns out to be anything but that and is a real romp of a show! With a 17 strong cast bursting with energy lead by the incredible Wendi Peters it’s difficult not to be swept up in the charm of the show!

The story begins with a graduating class who are looking forward to the next chapter after university. We meet Jane [played by Jessica Croll] and Timothy [played wonderfully by the understudy Lewis McBean] who are trying to find their place in the world after graduation but with heavy expectations from their families. Jane has to marry and Tim needs to find a job and it falls into place that a man they stumble upon in the park has a job for both of them, looking after Minnie the Piano. They soon discover the piano is a magic piano that people cannot resist dancing to when it is played and it attracts all kinds of attention. The pair also decides to get married so that they can please their parents and hope to fall in love later; it’s a business deal in the first instance. What follows is a chaotic two hours where the piano is hidden but inevitably lost and the search for the magical Minnie turns out to bring all sorts of characters that you wouldn’t expect.

The production is a delight and has some lovely performances that lift the comedy and charm of the show! Wendi Peters is a great choice for a show like Salad Days as she plays several characters throughout, each one hilarious and wonderful to watch. Jessica Croll and Lewis McBean are the perfect mix of twee and comical and have a strong chemistry on stage that elevates the story further and you are rooting for them from the start. Both have wonderful voices and their first dance when they discover the piano is magical is a real joy to watch. James Gulliford as Nigel and Francesca Pim as Helouise/Fiona are excellent, the duo have fantastic comic timing and hold some of the best lines in the show. Another mention must go to Bradley Judge who swung on to play a number of roles but really steals the show as Ambrose the flamboyant designer! I could mention every member of the cast as they are all phenomenal and the talent shines through each performer in particular with the lively dance numbers which have been expertly choreographed by Joanne McShane.

The score is upbeat, jolly and very reminiscent of the 1950’s and musically directed by the talented Dan Smith who also takes on the role of Tramp in the show! Bryan Hodgson has directed Salad Days with a passion that can only come from loving the show! He has stayed true to the style of show and has made sense of a truly crazy story that audiences will laugh out loud to!

Overall this is a nostalgic, fun and energetic show that will leave you feeling uplifted and reminiscent about your own Salad Days. A phenomenal cast, wonderful choreography, great direction and catchy score, what more could you ask for in a show? I strongly recommend you go to watch Salad Days even if it’s just to help finding the piano

JAMIE WILSON

ENTERTAINMENT ONE, RAMIN SABI

AND BELGRADE THEATRE COVENTRY

ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE

STILL GAME’S JANE MCCARRY

AS ‘HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER’

NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL

KING’S THEATRE, GLASGOW

WEDNESDAY 7 – SUNDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2019

The producers of the smash-hit NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL, are thrilled to announce that Jane McCarry will join the cast for the production’s run at the King’s Theatre in Glasgow.

Best known for her role as Isa Drennan in the hit BBC sitcom, Still Game Jane will play the Hollywood Producer from Wednesday 7 November until Sunday 11 November.

Joining Jane is Simon Lipkin who will be reprising his role as the hilarious Mr Poppy after delighting critics and audiences in the show last year.

Scott Garnham will play Mr Maddens and Ashleigh Gray will play ‘Jennifer Lore’. Joining them will be Andy Barke, Andy Brady, Jamie Chapman, Jemma Churchill, Oscar Conlon-Morrey, Gary Davis, Kade Ferraiolo, Ashleigh Graham and Helena Pipe.

 

The company are joined by the following children aged 9 – 12 from across the Glasgow area as the pupils of Oakmoor School after being selected from auditions in Glasgow on Saturday 1 September: Aaliyah Adamson, Ava Lilly Bacon, Eva Belton, Lilian Davies, Eva Drummond, Zac Gordon, Kaiden McGrath, Emma McConnachie, Elsa Murphy-Heeley, Poppy Ojo, Isla Reece, Kara Reid, Gregor Selkirk, Freya Scobie and Toby Walker.

Simon Lipkin played ‘Nicky’ and ‘Trekkie Monster’ in the original London cast of “Avenue Q” at the Noël Coward Theatre. His other West End credits include “Guys and Dolls” at the Phoenix Theatre, ‘Lonny’ in the original London cast of “Rock of Ages” and ‘Barlow’ in “I Can’t Sing” at the London Palladium. Simon will also star in Nativity Rocks’ the fourth film in the Nativity series which is released in November.

 

Jane McCarry is best known for her roles as ‘Isa Drennan’ in the sitcom ‘Still Game’ for which she won a Best Actress in the Scottish BAFTAs, other roles ‘Granny Murray’ in the children’s show ‘Me Too!’, various characters in Rab C Nesbitt and Burnistoun .

 

Scott Garnham’s previous theatre credits include the UK Tour of ‘Billy Elliot The Musical’ and the West End productions of ‘Les Misérables’ at the Queen’s Theatre and ‘I Can’t Sing’ at the London Palladium.

Ashleigh Gray is most known for playing the leading role, ‘Elphaba’ in “Wicked” in the West End and on UK Tour. Her other theatre credits include “Vanities” and “Cool Rider”.

Every child in every school has one Christmas wish, to star in a Nativity, and at St Bernadette’s School they’ve decided to mount a musical version! Join teacher Mr Maddens and his crazy assistant Mr Poppy as they struggle with hilarious children, and a whole lot of sparkle and shine to make everyone’s Christmas wish come true. Featuring all of your favourite sing-a-long songs from the smash-hit films including Sparkle and Shine, Nazareth and One Night One Moment. NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL promises to be the perfect feel-good comedy for all the family.

Written and Directed by Debbie Isitt with music and lyrics by Nicky Ager and Debbie Isitt, NATIVITY! THE MUSICAL is choreographed by Andrew Wright, designed by David Woodhead, with lighting design by Tim Mitchell, sound design by Tom Marshall and musical supervision and orchestrations by George Dyer.

The Lehman Trilogy will transfer to New York, to the Park Avenue Armory, for a limited season in March 2019

Park Avenue Armory, in collaboration with the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions, will present the North American premiere of The Lehman Trilogy, by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power, directed by Sam Mendes at the Wade Thompson Dill Hall, Park Avenue Armory, following a sold-out run at the National Theatre from 22 March – 20 April 2019. Adam Godley, Ben Miles, andSimon Russell Beale will reprise their critically-acclaimed roles.

Told in three parts in a single evening, the production will unfold in the soaring 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall.

The Lehman Trilogy weaves through nearly two centuries of Lehman lineage, following the brothers Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman from their 1844 arrival in New York City to the 2008 collapse of the financial firm bearing their name. Adam Godley, Ben Miles, and Simon Russell Beale play the Lehman brothers, and a cast of characters including their sons and grandsons. As the inaugural production of the 2019 season, The Lehman Trilogy builds on the Armory’s history of presenting bold and engaging theatre productions that explore the unexpected possibilities of the cross-genre cultural institution.

The world premiere of Stefano Massini’s The Lehman Trilogy opened at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan in 2015. It turned out to be Artistic Director Luca Ronconi’s final production before his death. A long-time admirer of Ronconi’s, Sam Mendes was inspired to begin planning an English adaptation for Neal Street Productions. Ben Power, Deputy Artistic Director for the National Theatre, was commissioned to create a new version of this epic play, using a literal English translation by Mirella Cheeseman.

The cast is Adam Godley, Ben Miles, and Simon Russell Beale. The Lehman Trilogy is written byStefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power, directed by Sam Mendes with set designs by Es Devlin, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, video design by Luke Halls, lighting design by Jon Clark, and music and sound design by Nick Powell. The music director is Candida Caldicot, with movement by Polly Bennett.

“For many years, Sam Mendes spoke passionately to me about directing The Lehman Trilogy, and I knew the result would be extraordinary. His production, first seen at the National Theatre in London, is a theatrical milestone and one of the most virtuosic and inspiring pieces of theater I have ever attended, not least because of the contribution of three stupendous actors and Ben Power’s masterful adaptation of the wonderful text by Stefano Massini,” said Pierre Audi, the Marina Kellen French Artistic Director of Park Avenue Armory. “Manhattan is the natural home for this epic play, and the Armory an iconic space for staging it, continuing a line of productions by major international directors who are thrilled to incorporate the Wade Thompson Drill Hall into their vision. With The Lehman Trilogy, we are once more making this dream come true.”

“The Lehman Trilogy is a uniquely American story of an immigrant family who, in building their empire, were active protagonists in two centuries of American history,” said Rebecca Robertson, President and Executive Director of Park Avenue Armory. “Our space provides a non-traditional platform to examine a show that is epic in all aspects—temporally, artistically, and thematically. We are honoured to bring these talented artists – Sam Mendes, Ben Power, Stefano Massini, Es Devlin, Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley, and Ben Miles – to New York audiences.”

Lisa Burger, Executive Director of the National Theatre said, “The Lehman Trilogy shows the very best of British theatre and I’m delighted that the first place it will be seen outside our London home on the South Bank is Park Avenue Armory. We’re so pleased to be working with Neal Street Productions and the Armory to bring it to audiences in New York so they can witness this incredible feat of storytelling about how one family and one company changed the world.”

The Lehman Trilogy is part of Park Avenue Armory’s 2019 season, to be announced in the coming months. Previous theatrical productions at the Armory include Ivo van Hove’s staging of The Damned; Simon Stone’s critically acclaimed, Obie Award-winning, and four-time Drama Desk-nominated production Yerma, starring Billie Piper and performed within glass walls; Obie Award-winning and eight-time Drama Desk-nominated play The Hairy Ape, directed by Richard Jones and starring Bobby Cannavale in a production where the audience was surrounded by a massive revolving stage; Obie Award-winning A Room in India (Une chambre en Inde) with Le Théâtre du Soleil under the direction of Ariane Mnouchkine; Macbeth, directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh, and starring Branagh and Alex Kingston for which the Wade Thompson Drill Hall was transformed into a bloody, rainy Scottish heath; and the unprecedented residency of the Royal Shakespeare Company of five productions in repertory over six weeks in association with Lincoln Center Festival.

The Lehman Trilogy 
North American Premiere

Produced by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions, in collaboration with Park Avenue Armory

Previews: March 22 – 26, 2019
Friday – Saturday: 7:30pm
Monday – Tuesday: 7:00pm

Performances: March 27 – April 20, 2019
Monday – Thursday: 7:00pm
Friday: 7:30pm
Saturday: 1:00pm and 7:30pm

TICKETS 

Tickets start at $35 for previews, $45 for performances and can be purchased now at armoryonpark.org / 00 1 (212) 933-5812. Tickets will also be available as part of a season subscription, which will go on sale at a date to be announced.

Thompson Arts Center at Park Avenue Armory
643 Park Avenue at 67th Street, New York, NY

SPONSORSHIP 
Citi and Bloomberg Philanthropies are the Armory’s season sponsors.

Support for Park Avenue Armory’s artistic programming has been generously provided by the Charina Endowment Fund, the Altman Foundation, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Emma and Georgina Bloomberg Foundation, the Marc Haas Foundation, The Kaplen Brothers Fund, the Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation, the Leon Levy Foundation, the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, the Richenthal Foundation, and the Isak and Rose Weinman Foundation.

The Lehman Trilogy is supported in part by a generous grant from the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation.

The Wall Street Journal is the media sponsor.

ABOUT STEFANO MASSINI 
Stefano Massini’s work has been translated into 22 languages and performed around the world. His plays have been directed by Luca Roncini, Lluìs Pasqual, Arnaud Meunier, Irina Brook, Anton Koutznezov, Declan Donnellan, Marius von Mayenburg, Stephan Bachmann and Sam Mendes. In 2015 he became the artistic consultant at Piccolo Teatro di Milano/Teatro d’Europa. Stefano Massini is the author of many novels and essays and contributes regularly to Italian newspaper La Repubblica. In film he has collaborated with production companies such as Fandango and Cattleya. He appears weekly on Italian talk-show Piazzapulita on La7.

ABOUT BEN POWER 
Ben Power is a writer for theatre and film and the Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre where his work includes Husbands & Sons, Medea and Emperor and Galilean. He has worked as a dramaturg on over 60 productions at the National and ran the temporary theatre, The Shed, during its three years on the South Bank. He was the associate director of Headlong, where his adaptations included Six Characters in Search of an Author, Faustus and Paradise Lost. Other work for theatre includes A Tender Thing for the RSC and dramaturgy on A Disappearing Number (Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle awards for Best Play). Screenplays include five episodes of The Hollow Crown (Royal Television Society and Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Best Single Drama; BAFTA nomination for Best Single Drama and Best Mini-Series).

ABOUT SAM MENDES 
Sam Mendes founded and ran the Donmar Warehouse for ten years. He was the first Artistic Director of the Minerva in Chichester and the founding director of The Bridge Project and Neal Street Productions. His work has been seen at the National Theatre, the RSC, the Royal Court, the Old Vic, the Young Vic, in the West End and on Broadway. Film includes American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, Away We Go, Skyfall and Spectre. Awards include Academy Award for Best Director, Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, Olivier Award for Best Director, the Olivier Special Award, Evening Standard Award for Best Director, Empire Inspiration Award, Empire Award for Best British Director, Directors Guild of America Award and the Shakespeare Prize. He has also won the Director’s Guild Award for lifetime achievement.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL THEATRE 
The National Theatre makes world-class theatre that is entertaining, challenging and inspiring, to appeal to the widest possible audience. Based in London, its work reaches across the UK and around the world, with a global audience reach of 8 million. In 2017-2018, the National Theatre produced 20 productions in its three theatres on London’s South Bank. National Theatre productions are seen in the West End, on tour throughout the UK, on Broadway, internationally, and in collaborations and co-productions with partners around the world. Last year the NT toured more work across the UK than at any other point in its history, with 10 productions visiting 52 venues in 44 towns and cities. National Theatre Live broadcasts some of the best of British theatre to over 2,500 cinema screens in 65 countries.

In New York, NT America collaborates with the U.S. theatre community and produces the National Theatre’s productions for Broadway, Off-Broadway and on tour. Previous work on Broadway includesAngels in America (3 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Play; Drama Desk Award; Drama League Award; Outer Critics Circle Award); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (5 Tony Awards including Best New Play; Drama Desk Award; Drama League Award; Outer Critics Circle Award); One Man, Two Guvnors starring James Corden (Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play); War Horse (6 Tony Awards including Best Play; Drama Desk Award; Drama League Award; Outer Critics Circle Award); and The History Boys (6 Tony Awards including Best Play; Drama Desk Award; Drama League Award). Other recent work in the US includes Off-Broadway: People, Places & Things(St. Ann’s Warehouse), The Effect (Barrow Street Theatre); US Tour: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, War Horse. The Jungle, a Good Chance Theatre co-production with the National Theatre and the Young Vic set in the sprawling refugee camp in Calais, France, will transfer to St Ann’s Warehouse in December 2018.

The National Theatre is led by Rufus Norris, Director and Lisa Burger, Executive Director.

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk | @nationaltheatre

ABOUT NEAL STREET PRODUCTIONS 
Neal Street produces film, television and theatre. Formed in 2003 by Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris and Caro Newling, with Nicolas Brown joining as fourth director in the company’s tenth year. In 2015 Neal Street moved under the umbrella of parent company, All3Media. Previously Sam Mendes and Caro Newling established and ran the Donmar Warehouse 1992-2002, producing over 70 productions, since when Newling has produced the theatre slate for Neal Street Productions.
Recent: The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre/Gielgud Theatre, The Moderate Soprano by David Hare, This House by James Graham.
Previous: The Bridge Project, a three-year transatlantic venture with the Old Vic & Brooklyn Academy of Music presenting five classic plays for worldwide stages across fifteen international cities, directed by Sam Mendes.
Premieres: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, David Greig with Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures, Shrek The Musical, by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire with DreamWorks Animation. Also Three Days of Rain, The Vertical Hour, The House of Special Purpose, All About My Mother, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Days of Wine and Roses, Anna in the Tropics, Fuddy Meers. West End/Broadway transfers: South Downs/The Browning Version, Enron,Hamlet, Mary Stuart, Red, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park, The Painkiller.
Film and television: Heidi Thomas’ series Call the Midwife, John Logan’s series Penny Dreadful, Stuart A Life Backwards, Starter for Ten, Things We Lost in the Fire, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, Away We Go, Blood, The Hollow Crown for BBC2 featuring Richard II (dir. Rupert Goold), Henry IV Part 1 & Part 2 (dir. Richard Eyre), Henry V (dir. Thea Sharrock), Henry VI parts 1 and 2 and Richard III (dir. Dominic Cooke), Britannia written by Jez Butterworth, and forthcoming TV series Informer by Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.

ABOUT PARK AVENUE ARMORY 
Part palace, part industrial shed, Park Avenue Armory fills a critical void in the cultural ecology of New York by enabling artists to create, students to explore, and audiences to experience, unconventional work that cannot be mounted in traditional performance halls and museums. With its soaring 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall—reminiscent of 19th-century European train stations—and an array of exuberant period rooms, the Armory offers a platform for creativity across all art forms. Together, these and other spaces within the historic building utilized for arts programming comprise the Thompson Arts Center, named in recognition of the Thompson family’s ongoing support of the institution.

Since its first production in September 2007, the Armory has organized and commissioned immersive performances, installations, and cross-disciplinary collaborations in its vast Drill Hall that defy traditional categorization and challenge artists to push the boundaries of their practice. In its historic period rooms, the Armory presents small-scale performances and programs, including its acclaimed Recital Series, which showcases musical talent from across the globe within the intimate salon setting of the Board of Officers Room; and the new Artists Studio series in the newly restored Veterans Room, which features innovative artists and artistic pairings that harken back to the imaginative collaboration and improvisation of the original group of designers who conceived the space. The Armory also offers robust arts education programs at no cost to underserved New York City public school students, engaging them with the institution’s artistic programming and the building’s history and architecture.

Programmatic highlights from the Armory’s first 10 years include Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s harrowing Die Soldaten, in which the audience moved “through the music”; the event of a thread, a site-specific installation by Ann Hamilton; the final performances of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company across three separate stages; WS by Paul McCarthy, a monumental installation of fantasy, excess, and dystopia; an immersive Macbeth set in a Scottish heath and henge by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh; a profound and radically inclusive staging of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion staged by Peter Sellars and performed by Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker; Louis Andriessen’sDe Materie in a highly imaginative staging by director Heiner Goebbels that included floating zeppelins and a flock of 100 sheep; Circle Map, two evenings of immersive spatial works by internationally acclaimed composer Kaija Saariaho performed by the New York Philharmonic with mise-en-espace by Armory Artistic Director Pierre Audi; and Taryn Simon’s An Occupation of Loss, a monumental work with 30 professional mourners from around the world that blended sculpture, sound, architecture, and performance in an exploration of the boundaries of grief between living and dead, past and present, performer and viewer; Julian Rosefeldt’s Manifesto, a multi-channel cinematic installation featuring Cate Blanchett; eight-time Drama Desk-nominated play The Hairy Ape, directed by Richard Jones and starring Bobby Cannavale; Hansel & Gretel, a new commission by Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, and Ai Weiwei that transformed and activated the Drill Hall to explore the meaning of publicly shared space in the era of surveillance; and Simon Stone’s heralded production of Yermastarring Billie Piper in her North American debut.

Concurrent with its artistic program, the Armory has undertaken an ongoing $215-million revitalization of its historic building, designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron. www.armoryonpark.org.

WHATSONSTAGE LAUNCHES BRAND-NEW AWARDS –

THE WHATSOFFSTAGE AWARDS

WhatsOnStage today announces the launch of the WhatsOffStage Awards, a brand new initiative recognising venues and their staff for the work they do off stage and celebrating their contribution to the industry and theatregoing experience.

Like the WhatsOnStage Awards, nominees and winners for the WhatsOffStage Awards will be voted for by the public. Voting will be open on 5 September and close on 5 October. The winners will be announced at a small, private ceremony on Friday 19 October.

WhatsOnStage’s Chief Operating Officer Sita McIntosh said today, “We are delighted to announce the first ever WhatsOffStage Awards this year. We want to celebrate areas of the industry that don’t always receive the recognition they deserve but which are instrumental in ensuring audiences and communities are able to engage with and enjoy live theatre. These awards are a huge round of applause for all those unsung heroes who make the theatregoing experience the best it can possibly be!”

The categories for the inaugural awards are:

• Best Front of House Team

This incorporates all the staff that help to make your general theatre experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Whether they are showing you to your seats, selling you a programme, serving you a drink or telling the person next to you to put their phone away, we want to know which theatre has the friendliest, most helpful and efficient ushers, stewards and bar staff.

• Best Box Office

A great box office not only sells you your tickets but should also offer excellent advice to help you choose your seats according to your needs and budget. The box office team also help sort all your ticketing woes when you accidently book the wrong date/performance and in some cases, the wrong show altogether!

• Best Stage Door

Stage Door staff are often the “front line” between the cast and the general public. They have to deal with the large crowds that can assemble when a popular actor is performing and have to do so with tact and sensitivity. After all, they are dealing with people who have spent their hard-earned money to watch their favourite star on stage.

• Best Food & Drink

Sadly “theatre wine” has earned a bad reputation over the years, deservedly so, some might say, when you consider the inflated prices for a glass of luke-warm Chardonnay! Which theatre sells a decent range of alcoholic and soft drinks at reasonable prices and can offer more than the ubiquitous bag of peanuts to go with it?

• Most Accessible Theatre

“Accessible” covers far more than “wheelchair friendly”. Does your theatre offer audio-described and captioned performances or performances for those with special needs such as autism or dementia?

• Most Child-Friendly Theatre

This incorporates theatres that not only work hard to create excellent shows for children of all ages but also those that consider the needs of those children when they come into the theatre. Is there somewhere to leave a buggy? Are there baby-changing facilities? Does the café offer healthy drinks and snacks for kids rather than a can of sugary pop and a packet of crisps?

• Best Community Theatre

Does your local theatre embrace the community that surrounds it? We think that local theatres in particular should be a hub for people to pop into for a cup of coffee; meet friends; participate in workshops etc and (most importantly) see themselves reflected in the work presented on stage. Does your theatre tick all those boxes and make you feel involved and included? If so, nominate it.

• Best Theatre Facilities

The dreaded queue for the ladies’ loos is now the stuff of legend so this category is recognising theatres that have got it right. We’re not just talking about toilets (although they are very important) but maybe a free cloakroom, somewhere to actually sit in the bar area once you’ve bought your drinks and free WiFi.

• Best Theatre Website

For many people, this is the starting point for their theatregoing experience so it’s important to recognise helpful and informative websites with features such as easy navigation, a straightforward booking process, informative and engaging content, mobile friendly etc.

• Favourite Theatre

If you think a particular theatre should be recognised for its fantastic programming, its architecture, its ethos or quite simply it’s a beautiful space that you love visiting then nominate it in this category. There needs to be no other reason than it’s your favourite theatre, but do tell us why!

@WhatsOnStage

#WhatsOffStageAwards