Sebastian Cater announced as new Head of UK Theatre
Sebastian Cater has been announced as the new Head of UK Theatre and Workforce Development. He will join the senior management team at UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre from mid-January 2020, taking over the role from Cassie Chadderton.
Sebastian has nearly 20 years’ experience in the commercial and subsidised cultural sector, with specialist skills in marketing, communications and business development strategy. As Director of Marketing and Sales at Sadler’s Wells he oversaw a large programme of change, including creating a new membership scheme, implementing an award-winning visual identity, managing the social media content creation and delivery, and devising a CRM strategy which increased customer retention.
Prior to this, Sebastian was Head of Marketing at media agency Target Live. Early in his career he worked for UK Theatre’s sister organisation Society of London Theatre, and has also been a Retail Manager and Trainer at The Body Shop. He is a Director of Dance Consortium, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an advocate for improving mental health and wellbeing in business.
Sebastian Cater said:
‘I am thrilled to be joining UK Theatre, an organisation that champions many issues I feel passionately about including leadership, diversity, advocacy, digital and workforce development. Although we are living in challenging times and there is much to be done, I am confident that by working together we can continue to strengthen and grow the sector for the future. I am really looking forward to working with UK Theatre members to make British theatre the very best it can be.’
Fiona Allan, President of UK Theatre, said:
‘We are delighted to have found an exceptional new Head of UK Theatre in Sebastian Cater. His previous experience crosses both the commercial and subsidised theatre sector, giving him a rounded perspective of our industry. His knowledge of marketing, digital strategy and business intelligence systems is coupled with a passion for workforce development and inclusion, very much in line with UK Theatre’s ongoing strategic priorities. I am looking forward to working closely with him over the coming years.’
They are joined by ensemble members Charlotte Bazeley, James Bennett, Myles Brown, Samara Casteallo, Belle Kizzy Green, Sally Jayne Hind, Stevie Hutchinson, Ediz Ibrahim, MollieMcGugan, Ella Nonini, Alexanda O’Reilly, Justin Thomas, Amy Thornton, Maxwell Trengove, Charlotte Wilmott and Luke Woollaston.
Dame Betty Barnum and her daughter Goldilocks’ circus is under threat from an evil rival circus owner and, with the help of their madcap circus friends, they’re battling to rescue their Big Top from ruin. Will they succeed? All seems lost, until three brilliant Bears join the gang… Roll up, roll up to see panto join the circus, and be swept away by a London Palladium spectacular that’s just right, at the home of pantomime!
Returning for the fourth year and once again produced by the Olivier award-winning team and directed by Michael Harrison, choreography will be by Karen Bruce, set design will be by Ian Westbrook, with a returning team of costume designers including Hugh Durrant, visual special effects by The Twins FX, lighting by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Gareth Owen and original music by Gary Hind.
Janine Duvitski was in the original production of Abigail’s Party, written and directed by Mike Leigh. Her more recent stage credits include On the Town for English National Opera at the London Coliseum and The Coast of Utopia for the National Theatre. She is best known on television as Jane in Waiting for God, Pippa in One Footin the Grave and Jacqueline in Benidorm a role she recently revived on stage in Benidorm Live also produced by Michael Harrison. Her film credits include About a Boy and TheMadness of King George.
Sophie Isaacs was most recently seen on stage playing Annette Hargrove in Cruel Intentions the Musical which had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. Her previous theatre credits include playing the title role opposite Craig Revel Horwood in the Qdos Entertainment production of Cinderella at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, Heather McNamara in Heathers at The Other Palace as well as it’s transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket, Kinky Boots and Made in Dagenham both at the Adelphi Theatre, Grease at Leicester Curve Theatre and the European tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
Lauren Stroud was last seen on stage in the West End production of Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre. Her previous theatre credits include Scrooge at Leicester Curve Theatre, Top Hat at Kilworth House, Strictly Ballroom at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and on tour in Toronto, Hairspray, Dance ‘til Dawn, 9 to 5 The Musical and Grease all on tour in the UK and Wicked at the Apollo Victoria.
Best known as host of BBC Radio 2’s The Paul O’Grady Show and for helping rescue dogs in For the Love of Dogs – not to mention his acid-tongued creation Lily Savage – Paul O’Grady is returning to the London Palladium following his performance as The Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella, which reintroduced pantomime to the iconic venue in 2016.
Julian Clary returns to the London Palladium for the fourth year having previously played The Man in the Mirror in last year’s Snow White at the London Palladium, The Spirit of the Bells in Dick Whittington and Dandini in Cinderella.
Matt Baker, who will make his Palladium Panto debut is best known on television as a presenter of The One Show and Countryfile on BBC1. Previously he presented Blue Peter and was a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing. He has been seen on stage as Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Ventriloquist Paul Zerdin has previously appeared at the London Palladium as Muddles in last year’s Snow White at the London Palladium, Idle Jack in Dick Whittington and as Buttons in Cinderella.
Nigel Havers played The Understudy in the 2019 production of Snow White at the London Palladium, Captain Nigel in Dick Whittington and Lord Chamberlain in Cinderella, all at the London Palladium.
Gary Wilmot’s played Mrs Crumble in last year’s Palladium pantomime Snow White at the London Palladium and was also seem in the previous year’s Dick Whittington.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears is produced by Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for Qdos Entertainment.
Nick Thomas is the founder and Chairman of Qdos Entertainment Group, one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe and is the UK’s second largest regional theatre and concert hall operator. Earlie this year Thomas was awarded an MBE for Services to the Entertainment Industry and to Charity.
MichaelHarrison has previously produced over 100 pantomimes for Qdos Entertainment where he is also Managing Director. As a producer in the West End his credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium, Gypsy, The Bodyguard, Annie and Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein.
As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 37 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 719 pantomimes.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Theatre: London Palladium, Argyll St, London W1F 7TF
Dates: 7 December 2019 – 12 January 2020
Gala night: 11 December 2019 at 7.30pm
Box Office: 020 7087 7747 (no booking fee)
Performances: see website for performance schedule
as Pi Patel’s epic journey is brought to life thrillingly on stage
Dazzling show based on Yann Martel’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel
to begin performances in London on 22 June 2020
Simon Friend, the producer of the acclaimed Life of Pi, is thrilled to announce that the celebrated Sheffield Theatres production will transfer to London in 2020. Life of Pi – Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling adaptation of Yann Martel’s extraordinary, award-winning book – was awarded a string of five-star reviews when it opened in Sheffield earlier this year.
Life of Pi will transfer to the Wyndham’s Theatre, with performances beginning on Monday 22 June 2020. The production is directed by Max Webster.
Tickets go on General Sale today, Friday 11 October 2019. For all information, please see www.lifeofpionstage.com
For the first time ever, the historic Wyndham’s Theatre will be transformed to fully accommodate the magnificent elements of the production that left audiences mesmerised and won unanimous critical acclaim.
Cameron Mackintosh, the owner of the Wyndham’s Theatre, said: “Rarely does a theatrical version of a film eclipse the original, but the brilliant staged adaption of Yann Martel’s “Life Of Pi” is one of those exceptions and I am thrilled that it is coming to the Wyndham’s Theatre after its sensational sell out premiere at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield earlier this year.
The production team’s approach to the material has been mirrored by their innovative reinvention of the Wyndham’s auditorium, rejigging levels and extending the stage over the stalls so that the floor and walls of the theatre become one complete surreal environment, that I think it will be even more intense than before. Audiences are in for a Pi-flying ride into their imagination!”
Simon Friend said: “We are very fortunate to have Cameron Mackintosh’s full support behind our reconfiguration of the Wyndham’s Theatre. This will give audiences the very best experience of our state-of-the-art design and video projection, as well as bringing the majestic Pacific Ocean in to the stalls.”
Rob Hastie, Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Simon Friend to take Life of Pi onwards from Sheffield Theatres. I’m almost envious of the new audiences who will get to discover the beauty and brilliance of Yann’s novel, Lolita’s play and Max’s production for the first time. Life of Pi demonstrates the commitment we make at Sheffield Theatres to putting adventurous new work on our stages, and is the result of the skills and hard work of an enormous number of people, all putting their talents in the service of great storytelling.”
Based on one of the best-loved works of fiction – winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide – Life of Pi is a breath-taking new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope.
Award winning writer Yann Martel’s works include The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios (1993), Self (1996), We Ate the Children Last (2004), Beatrice and Virgil (2010) – a New York Times Bestseller and a Financial Times Best Book, 101 Letters to a Prime Minister (2012) – a collection of letters to the prime minister of Canada; and The High Mountains of Portugal (2016).
Lolita Chakrabarti is an award-winning actress and playwright. Her writing credits include; Red Velvet which opened at the Tricycle Theatre in London in 2012 before returning there in 2014, transferring to New York and the West End. Red Velvet was nominated for nine major awards including two Olivier Awards. Lolita won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright, The Critics Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright and the AWA Award for Arts and Culture.
Max Webster was the inaugural Baylis Director at the Old Vic and is now an Associate Director at the theatre where his work includes Fanny and Alexander, Cover My Tracks and Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. Selected other stage work includes the forthcoming The Merry Widow (ENO), The Jungle Book (Northampton/Fiery Angel UK tour), The Winter’s Tale (Lyceum, Edinburgh), and King Lear (Royal and Derngate, Northampton/UK tour).
The extraordinary animals are brought to life by Puppet & Movement Director Finn Caldwell, who began his career in the original company of the National Theatre’s international phenomenon War Horse. He is the Artistic Director of his own company Gyre & Gimble, for whom work includes: co-director/puppet designer of The Four Seasons: A Reimagining (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Hartlepool Monkey (UK tour) and The Elephantom (National Theatre & West End). His other work includes: director of puppetry/movement for Angels in America (National Theatre & Broadway), The Light Princess (National Theatre), War Horse (West End & Internationally) and Groundhog Day (Old Vic & Broadway).
Casting for Life of Pi is to be announced.
Life of Pi is produced by Simon Friend in association with Playing Field and Robert Bartner.
The 9th of October at The Hippodrome consisted with lots of fun and laughter, certainly coming from the children in the audience. Madagascar was a fun packed family musical which had every aspect you can imagine. The musical certainly lives up to its expectations and tells the story just like the movie! This is what I didn’t expect before entering the auditorium.
The show opens up such brightness with its colourful set and lights with its magical music. We are then introduced to Marty the Zebra ( Posi Morakinyo) who clearly shows us the life of living in, not just any zoo but their fabulous, entertaining zoo. Marty is a cool and relatable character who has charm and can certainly dance! Joseph Connor’s Alex the Lion’s confidence powers the stage and was able to build a relationship with the audience as soon as he stepped foot on the stage, Connor Dyer’s Melman the Giraffe’s geeky self is a fun loving character and cleverly portrayed with its almost puppetry skills as a typical nerd. Gloria the Hippo ( Hannah Victoria) had umph! Her characterisation, sass and voice were brilliant and reeled in the audience as soon as she entered the stage. All characters were fantastic and definitely helped bring the movie to the stage. King Julian(Kieran Mortell) …. He really likes to move it move it! His comedy, characterisation, accent and physicality was perfect! We want more of King Julian!
The children in the audience clearly loved this production but I’m pretty certain that the adults could have even enjoyed this more! The music may not be recognisable yet but with its catchy tunes and purposeful lyrics it wont be long for the musical theatre fans to search this one on Spotify!
If you are wanting a joke filled night, to be fascinated with puppetry, set, costume etc etc! But also want a night out with the family, no matter what age! Madagascar is definitely the show to go and see.
I certainly hope the cast continue to smile and wave! A huge well done to Alex the Lion with it being his first time in Madagascar. Thank you for the entertainment!
Set back in the early 1900s, a family are all sat around the dining room enjoying a celebrator meal following the daughter getting engaged when there is an unexpected visitor. Then Inspector Goole enters the fray and there is many a family revelation that come to light.
Liam Brennan portrays Inspector Goole phenomenally. Every action and word is calculated but so casual that it appears that he is thinking on the spot and reacting accordingly not coming from a memorised script. His aside to the audience and interaction with extras on stage is so natural and fluid it is so enjoyable to watch.
Chloe Orrock who is Sheila Birling the daughter that has just gotten engaged has a great range of emotive expression, from the timid young fiancée to the caring sister via exasperated daughter. She has a great ability to portray many emotions through her face and body only enhanced by her verbal range.
There is not a weak member in this cast, down to Linda Beckett who is Edna. She doesn’t have a line in the show but her presence is hugely felt and you can clearly see how she feels through her actions.
Ian MacNeil the set designer has outdone himself, from the house on the street that is closed off and you can hardly see in, to the house opening is reflective of the story of all the characters being closed off and then when the inspector enters, they all open up eventually. I also love how curtain is also used as a prop and not just lifted when the show starts.
The surprises, shocks, twists and turns in this show is perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and thrills that came through this show.
The Birmingham Stage Company are enjoying a world first as their hit show TOM GATES live on stage is being turned into the latest novel by the bestselling author Liz Pichon. While books are regularly adapted for the stage, it’s a world first for a stage show to be turned into a book.
Tom Gates live on stage was written by author Liz Pichon with Birmingham Stage Company’s actor-manager Neal Foster and premiered in February 2019. The show has since been touring across Britain, winning over Tom’s many fans and introducing many others to Tom’s world.
The brand-new book is called Tom Gates: Spectacular School Trip (Really) and published by Scholastic on 3 October. It tells the story of Tom who is desperate to go on a school trip, but with three sad faces on the class achievement chart, it looks like he won’t be going anywhere. Will his song about chips get him into the headmaster’s good books? Will the dog stop eating his homework?
Neal Foster said today: “I am a huge fan of the Tom Gates books series and jumped at the chance to bring Tom to the stage but it was important to me that we presented a brand-new story, so I had the fantastic experience of writing it with the amazing author Liz Pichon. When Liz told me she wanted to turn it into her next book, all my dreams came true – to have our show go from stage to page is a real thrill.”
Author Liz Pichon said today: “The plot of the show is so funny I could see it would make a fantastic book. I’ve added lots of doodles all based on the live on stage show and fans of the books won’t be disappointed!”
The tour continues until 7 December 2019 with the remaining dates available at tomgateslive.com
Star cast confirmed for Kay Mellor’s Band of Gold when it plays The Lowry
Band of Gold – the premiere stage adaptation of Kay Mellor’s multi award-winning ITV series, that was one of the most watched shows in television history – today announces that Laurie Brett, Gaynor Faye, Kieron Richardson,Shayne Ward and Sacha Parkinson, will star in the production when it plays The Lowry’s Lyric Theatre in January 2020 (Tue 21 – Sat 25 January).
Band of Gold was the ground-breaking crime drama that captivated over 15 million viewers each week when it aired on ITV. This nail-biting, murderous thriller features a star-studded cast including Gaynor Faye, (Emmerdale, Playing the Field, Calender Girls), Laurie Brett, (EastEnders, Waterloo Road, Les Miserables), Kieron Richardson, (Hollyoaks, Heatbeat), Shayne Ward, (Coronation Street, Rock Of Ages, X Factor winner) and Sacha Parkinson (Mr Selfridge, The Mill).
Following the unprecedented sell-out success of Fat Friends The Musical, producer Josh Andrews and Kay Mellor have teamed up again for Band of Gold, to be directed by Mellor. The nail-biting thriller tells the story of a group of women – Carol, Rose, Anita and Gina – as they battle to survive whilst working in a notorious red-light district. When one of their colleagues is murdered, they need to find the killer before they strike again
First aired on ITV in March 1995, Band of Gold starred (amongst others) Geraldine James, Cathy Tyson, Barbara Dickson and Samantha Morton. The groundbreaking crime drama captivated the nation, with bookmakers taking bets on the identity of the killer before the final episode!
Listings Information Band of Gold Tuesday 21- Saturday 25 January 2020 Tickets From £17.50 Box Office: 0343 208 6000 Website
AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE CELEBRATES 9TH BIRTHDAY WITH INTERGENERATIONAL TEA PARTY
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre celebrated their 9th Birthday on Thu 10 Oct with their first intergenerational tea party in partnership with Aylesbury Town Council.
The Birthday Party is the second event that has been hosted this year at the theatre as part of their dementia-friendly commitment to the community.
Residents from local residential homes came along with younger partygoers from local playgroups. Life can be lonely for those living with dementia and their carers, so this event aimed to provide some well-deserved light relief and companionship. The different generations engaged and enjoyed light entertainment – complete with the obligatory balloons, cake and game of pass the parcel!
Wendy’s Sing and Play group provided the entertainment with sing-a-long songs, music and hand puppets, MidCounties Co-Op donated party food and volunteers from the Holy Trinity Café make a special cake for the venue.
Nikkie West, Event Manager at the Waterside said: ‘It has been a real pleasure to be part of the team who planned today’s special event. On behalf of the theatre, we couldn’t have wished for a better way to spend our 9th birthday. We look forward welcoming our new friends back very soon.’
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre continues to deliver bi-monthly dementia friendly screenings where lights are left on low, there are no adverts and audience members are welcome to move around freely and enjoy complimentary tea and coffee before the screening and during the interval. The next dementia friendly screening is festive favourite, Miracle on 34th Streeton 24 Nov at 2pm.
Take Two Theatricals and Club 11 London are delighted to announce Mazz Murray as Madame and Jérôme Pradon as Sebastian in the UK premiere of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA in concert at Cadogan Hall on Sunday 20 October 2019.
They join the previously announced Christine Allado (Prince of Egypt, Hamilton and In The Heights)who will star as Ella with Jodie Jacobs (Unexpected Joy, Bananaman and Lizzie)as Charlotte, Dean John-Wilson (Cruel Intentions, The King & I and Aladdin) as Jean-Michel, Cedric Neal (Back To The Future, The View UpStairs and Motown The Musical) asLord Pinkleton, Dianne Pilkington (Only Fools and Horses, Young Frankenstein and Wicked) as Marie, Zoë Rainey (Kiss Me Kate, An American in Paris and MAMMA MIA!) as Gabrielleand Jac Yarrow (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Winner of the 2019 Stage Debut Award) asPrince Topher.
Joining them from the LMTO chorus are Christopher Cameron, Charlotte Clitherow, Abigail Earnshaw, Benjamin Froehlich, Charlotte Kennedy, Richard James-King, Jade Marvin, Matt McDonald, Chris McGuigan, Mia Michaud, Sam Oladeinde, Michael Robert-Lowe, Justine Saville, Katie Shearman, Joe Thompson-Oubari and Lizzie Wofford.
Mazz Murray is currently starring as Donna Sheridan in MAMMA MIA! at the Novello Theatre in the West End. Her previous theatre credits include nine years as Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Mama Morton in Chicago (Phoenix Theatre), Tanya in Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre), Mabel in Fame (Victoria Palace), Grandma Bertha in Pippin (Bridewell Theatre) and Dusty Springfield in A Girl Called Dusty (Duke of York’s Theatre). On television, she has appeared in EastEnders and Footballers’ Wives, and on film in John Boorman’s Hope & Glory and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. She has toured with Earth Wind & Fire and Billy Ocean as part of the band Woman the Band, and with Il Divo as a solo artist. Her debut solo album, Midnight Mazz, was released in 2018.
Jérôme Pradon has had a huge amount of success as an actor both in the UK and his native country, France. His UK theatre credits include Chris in the original production of Miss Saigon (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Leon Czolgosz in Assassins (Derby Playhouse), Guillaume in the original production of Martin Guerre (Prince Edward Theatre), Aragorn in Lord of the Rings (Theatre Royal Drury Lane),the Man in Whistle Down the Wind (Aldwych Theatre) and Javert in Les Misérables (Palace Theatre). Jerome received an Olivier Award Nomination for his roles in Pacific Overtures (Donmar Warehouse). Most recently, he appeared as Ivan in Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre), Louis Braille in Braille (Charing Cross Theatre) and George in Aspects of Love (Hope Mill Theatre/Southwark Playhouse).
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA is the Tony Award-winning musical from the creators of South Pacific and The Sound of Music that has delighted American audiences with its contemporary take on the classic fairy tale. The semi-staged concert, directed by Johnathan O’Boyle (The View Upstairs, Hair, Aspects of Love, Pippin), will feature some of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” alongside a hilarious and romantic new book by Tony Award-nominee Douglas Carter Beane, as well as some new characters and surprising twists.
Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella was twice remade, first in 1965 for Lesley Ann Warren and then again in 1997 featuring Brandy and Whitney Houston. The original Broadway production opened in 2013.
CINDERELLA will have musical direction will be by Freddie Tapner with a 21-piece orchestra featuring the London Musical Theatre Orchestra (LMTO), dramaturgy by Victoria Saxton and projection design by George Reeve.
CINDERELLA is produced by Brian Zeilinger & Jack Maple for Take Two Theatricals and Darren Bell for Club 11 London and is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of R&H Theatricals
The three industry leaders will participate in a special panel discussion to conclude this year’s TheatreCraft – the UK’s largest free careers event for young people interested in offstage theatre roles – which takes place at the Royal Opera House and surrounding venues on Monday 11 November. TheatreCraft aims to inspire and support a new generation of offstage theatre talent, ensuring the industry and its workforce remain world-leading.
‘For the continued success of the theatre sector, it is vital that we open our doors and show young people the incredible range of jobs that keep our industry thriving, especially offstage. TheatreCraft brings experts from all corners of the industry together to do just this – and all for free. We are excited to be part of this year’s event, helping young talent onto the first steps of the career ladder and encouraging theatre’s future leaders.’
Totally free and open to 16 to 30-year-olds, TheatreCraft offers a unique glimpse into a wide range of non-performance careers from directing, stage management and producing to marketing, lighting and costume design. Attendees can take part in dynamic workshops with leading industry professionals, explore a Marketplace of exhibiting arts organisations and education providers, discover current job opportunities, network with peers and employers and get expert careers advice.
Last year nearly 1000 young theatre enthusiasts attended, over 100 theatre professionals led workshops, talks and Q&A sessions, and 60 of the country’s top theatre companies, arts organisations and education providers exhibited in the careers Marketplace.
Whether students taking their first steps into a future career or young professionals looking for a job change, 16 to 30-year-olds are encouraged to book their free place via the TheatreCraft website.
Details of the event programme will be announced nearer the time.
