FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE RETURN OF JEZ BUTTERWORTH’S

J E R U S A L E M

FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED 16-WEEK SEASON AT THE APOLLO THEATRE

DIRECTED BY IAN RICKSON

Today producer Sonia Friedman announced that joining the previously announced Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook, who will reprise their celebrated roles as Johnny “Rooster” Byron and Ginger respectively in Ian Rickson’s production of Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem, are Kemi Awoderu (Pea), Alan David (The Professor), Shane David-Joseph (Mr Parsons), Gerard Horan (Wesley), Ed Kear (Davey), Charlotte O’Leary (Tanya), Indra Ové (Dawn), Jack Riddiford (Lee), Barry Sloane (Troy Whitworth), Niky Wardley (Linda Fawcett) and Eleanor Worthington-Cox (Phaedra).  Kobe Champion-Norville, Jesse Manzi and Matteo Philbert will share the role of Marky and joining as understudies are Abigail Green, Amanda Gordon, Callum Sheridan-Lee, Greg Snowden and Anthony Taylor.  Final casting will be announced at a later date.  

Sonia Friedman Productions and the Royal Court Theatre are delighted to present the return of Jerusalem to London’s West End for a strictly limited 16-week engagement.  Previewing at the Apollo Theatre from 16 April 2022 with the opening night on 28 April 2022, Jerusalem will run until 7 August 2022.   

Forty day seats for each performance will be available for purchase in person at the Apollo Theatre box office on the day of the performance from 10am. Limited to two tickets per person, they will be £10.00 for preview performances and £15.00 post opening. In addition, every Monday from the week commencing 18 April, 300 seats will be released for that week’s performances on jerusalemtheplay.co.uk at 10am. Limited to four tickets per person, prices for previews will be from £10.00 with post opening prices from £15.00. 

The original creative team will return for this 2022 production – designer ULTZ, lighting designer Mimi Jordan Sherin, composer Stephen Warbeck,sound designer Ian Dickinson for Autograph and castingdirector Amy Ball CDG.

Jez Butterworth’s award-winning play, which premiered at the Royal Court in 2009, returns to the West End following record-breaking sold-out runs at the Royal Court and the Apollo Theatres in 2009, 2010 and 2011, as well the Music Box Theater on Broadway in 2011. 

On St George’s Day, the morning of the local county fair, Johnny Byron is a wanted man. The Council officials want to serve him an eviction notice, his son wants his dad to take him to the fair, Troy Whitworth wants to wreak his revenge and a motley crew of mates wants his ample supply of drugs and alcohol.

Grand Opera House York – Saturday 12th March 2022

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

5*****

You may not have heard of Steve Steinman before, but he appeared in Stars in Their Eyes as Meatloaf nearly 30 years ago and has been busy touring with his own shows ever since. I have been fortunate to have watched Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock Ghost Train several times before, this was the fourth, and all at the Grand Opera House York. Steinman is the writer, producer, director and plays the lead. This particular show has been touring for the past 19 years. It promises to be a classic rock musical sensation, that rocks the nation.

With tweaks each tour, it does follow a similar story and just gets better each year. Baron von Rockula (Steinman) wants new virginal blood to replace his Vampire Queen (Emily Clark). Instructing his ever-faithful sidekick Bosley (John Evans) to find him an innocent, along comes Roxy Honeybox (Claire Micallef). After a ride on the Ghost Train she is pursued by the Baron, and his entourage of sexy vampires. His Queen is incensed with his fascination with “this day walker” and is more than a match for the Baron. We can’t forget Van Halensing and his quest to finally hunt down and rid the earth of the Baron.

There is great chemistry amongst the cast and you can tell that Steinman, Evans, Clark and Trixabelle Bold, one of the sexy vampires, have worked together for many years. Evans is always a crowd pleaser as the janitor and Van Halensing and doesn’t disappoint here. I was so happy to see him in his iconic zebra print leggings and blue pvc pants on top, bringing the house down with Jump, long may it continue.

As always, the vocals are powerful and handle the rock ballads perfectly. In the last year Steinman has released his own original album, Take a Leap of Faith, and singles, Journey Home and Everything They Said Was True. The title soundtrack slotted perfectly into the show.

The Lost Boys, the excellent musicians, take us through tracks from Queen, AC/DC, Meat Loaf, Journey, Guns n Roses, Van Halen and many more. On stage the whole time, performing on different levels, they had the whole theatre rocking. For this tour The Lost Boys were stripped back and if I’m honest I would have loved to have seen more guitar action. They were still outstanding throughout the show.

This was the first time I’ve caught it on a weekend and not on a “school night”. With having no work on the Saturday either we made an afternoon of it, a few drinks, and a bite to eat beforehand. We visited Plonkers for our food, just opposite the theatre, and several crew members were there with previous ones, including local guitarist Henry Bird. It would have been great to see him back on stage with the show, with blood dripping down his chest, did miss that bit.

Steinman’s shows always have a loyal following and once you have seen his shows you can understand why, he loves his audience. They might not have the best scripts around, but they are such huge fun, with current references and gaffs galore, you can tell they are having a ball on stage. Steve Steinman Productions must be one of the hardest working outfits out there, with this show and Anything for Love, always on tour.

This is 2 ½ hours of pure unadulterated bonkers entertainment. Even though I’ve seen the show several times I’ve never been up dancing on my feet and singing along so much, the energy on the night was so out of the ballpark. I don’t know if that was because it was the last night of the tour, or because I had no constraints. Whatever it was it was brilliant.

Make sure you catch this vampire pantomime rock concert next year, you won’t be disappointed. They are now touring with Anything for Love, and you can catch them back at the Grand Opera House in York in October.

Andrea McLean and Robin Cousins MBE to host starstudded fundraising concert for UNICEF’s Ukraine
Emergency Fund
Monday 28th March 2022, 7pm
Royal Hippodrome Theatre, 106-114 Seaside Road, Eastbourne, BN21 3PF

Ex Loose Women presenter Andrea McLean and Olympic gold medalist Robin Cousins MBE will be joined by X Factor winner Dalton Harris and West End stars to raise money for the UNICEF emergency fund that will go directly to their ground operations in Ukraine. The concert will also be live streamed over stream.theatre.

Also performing will be brothers and professional dancers AJ & Curtis Pritchard, Ellie Fergusson (winner of The Greatest Dancer), Chloe Hewitt (Strictly Come Dancing) and Abbie Quinnen. They will be joined by Giovanni Spano (X Factor, Bat Out of Hell, Cinderella), Sally Ann Triplett (Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, Mamma Mia); Olivier-nominated Kelly Price (What’s New Pussycat?; A Little Night Music), Olivier-nominated James Gillan (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Starlight Express), Ray Shell (Starlight Express, The Lion King), Lydia Lucy (The Voice) and Andrew Derbyshire (Britain’s Got Talent, Joseph & The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat). The concert will be directed by Michael Strassen (Passion, Godspell 50th). The show will also showcase local talent from Eastbourne schools

As the conflict continues to escalate in Ukraine, millions of children and their families are in danger. With explosions in major cities across the country and thousands of families being forced to flee their homes, UNICEF is calling for an immediate ceasefire. UNICEF are determined to remain in Ukraine to reach the most vulnerable children and families. They are:

• helping to provide families with access to clean water and healthy food.
• delivering lifesaving supplies to support families who have been forced to flee and are
  working closely with local health facilities to ensure they have the vital supplies needed.
• helping to make sure that child protection services continue.
• working with their partners and the UNHCR to assess the refugee situation across
  neighbouring countries.
• delivering Blue Dot safe spaces in neighbouring countries with their partners, which will
  provide care and support, information to families seeking refuge, psychosocial support,
  water and sanitation supplies, safe spaces for mothers and children, protection for
  unaccompanied and separated children and more.

Producers Thomas Hopkins, Michael Quinn and Guy Chapman have teamed up with local actor Natalie Roberts and The Royal Hippodrome in Eastbourne to produce this one-off event raising vital funds. Everyone involved has waived their fees to lend support and make this fundraising endeavour a reality.

The sponsors for this event are Port Hotel Eastbourne, The Landsdown Hotel, The Langham Hotel and Cadence Catering Company.

Tickets are £10, and audiences will be able to make additional donations should they wish

• THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S MATILDA THE MUSICAL EXTENDS BOOKING PERIOD TO SUNDAY 28 MAY 2023.
• A RELAXED PERFORMANCE IS ANNOUNCED FOR SUNDAY 19 JUNE 2022.
• THE TWENTIETH CHILDREN’S CAST JOIN THE AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical has confirmed an extension to the booking period to Sunday 28 May 2023 with tickets for the new dates now on sale at www.matildathemusical.com.  Also announced today, a relaxed performance will take place on Sunday 19 June 2022 at 3pm offering full access to the theatre for people with autism and learning disabilities and their families.  This follows the sold-out success of the six previous relaxed performances of Matilda The Musical.   

The relaxed performance provides a comfortable environment for everyone, with elements of the production adapted to reduce anxiety and stress, including adjustments to lighting and sound levels to soften their impact.  The ambience of the auditorium and theatre ‘rules’ will be relaxed, with everyone free to make noise and move around without restriction. Designated ‘chill-out’ areas outside the auditorium will provide soft seating and activities for those who need to take a break.  The production will also be captioned and audio-described with an accompanying touch tour.  All theatre staff, crew and company members also receive specialist training to anticipate a wider range of different audience needs.

Tickets for the relaxed performance are at the reduced rate of £15.00, £25.00, £35.00 and £45.00,  bookable online at http://uk.matildathemusical.com/tickets/accessibility/ or via telephone (020 3925 2998) with LW Theatres where trained staff are available to speak to bookers to ensure their specific needs are considered when allocating seats.  All bookers will be sent a visual story to help familiarise themselves with the plot, characters and setting before arrival. Detailed event and transport information is available from http://uk.matildathemusical.com/tickets/accessibility/.

The twentieth children’s cast for Matilda The Musical has also today been announced. Rehearsals are currently underway, with first performances from 22 March. The young performers in the company are now: Hari Aggarwal, Aydin Ahmed, Thommy Bailey Vine, Tilly-Raye Bayer, Sienna Clarke, Kylan Denis, Drew Edwards, Robyn Elwell, Rory Finnegan,  Alexander Fitzgerald, Rosie Gell-Marquez, Rudy Gibson, Isla Gie, Beth Gilmour, Gracie Hodson-Prior, Rafferty Ison, Isabella Jonsson, Darcy Kelly, Maisie Mardle, Joshua Moabi, Keanna-Skye O’Quinn, Bella Perdoni, Chancé Quaye, Scarlett Jayne Rackham, Bren Reilly, Niamh Ritchie, Jacob Savva, Jayden Seder and Ethan Sokontwe.

Adapted from the much-loved Roald Dahl book and commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Matilda The Musical has won 99 international awards including 24 for Best Musical and has been seen by more than 10 million people across more than 90 cities worldwide. A tonic for audiences of all ages, this anarchic production about a strong and determined heroine with a vivid imagination has welcomed almost 4 million audience members in London where it recently celebrated 10 years in the West End.

Written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and developed and directed by Matthew Warchus, the theatre production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.

With the upcoming film adaptation from the same core creative team as the theatre production (direction by Matthew Warchus, adapted for the screen by Dennis Kelly, with the music and lyrics of Tim Minchin), Roald Dahl’s themes of bravery and standing up for what you believe in will continue to inspire young audiences all over the world. Produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title, Jon Finn, and Luke Kelly of The Roald Dahl Story Company. Sony Pictures U.K. and Tristar Pictures will release Matilda across the U.K. and Ireland exclusively in cinemas on 2nd December 2022 for Christmas. Netflix will release the film in the rest of the world in December 2022.

Rehearsal pictures are released today of Fra Fee as The Emcee, Amy Lennox as Sally Bowles, Omar Baroud as Cliff Bradshaw and Vivien Parry as Fraulein Schneider in CABARET at the Kit Kat Club.

Fra, Amy, Omar and Vivien all join the show on Monday 21 March.

They join Elliot Levey as ‘Herr Schultz’, Stewart Clarke as ‘Ernst Ludwig’ and Anna-Jane Casey as ‘Fraulein Kost’. The cast is completed by Josh Andrews, Emily Benjamin, Sally Frith, Matthew Gent, Emma Louise Jones, Ela Lisondra, Theo Maddix, Chris O’Mara, Daniel Perry, Andre Refig, Christopher Tendai, Bethany Terry, Lillie-Pearl Wildman and Sophie Maria Wojna.

Last week, CABARET at the Kit Kat Club was nominated for 11 Olivier Awards, the most nominations for any production this year.

One of the most successful musicals of all time CABARET features the songs Wilkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time, Money and the title number. It has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Joe Masteroff. Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.

It is directed by Rebecca Frecknall, set and costume design is by Tom Scutt with choreography by Julia Cheng. Musical supervision and direction is by Jennifer Whyte, Lighting design is by Isabella Byrd with sound design by Nick Lidster. The casting director is Stuart Burt and the associate director is Jordan Fein.

Tickets for CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB are currently on sale until October 2022. kitkat.club

CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Underbelly.

FELICITY KENDAL TO STAR IN
THE 40^TH ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION OF
MICHAEL FRAYN’S BELOVED COMEDY
NOISES OFF

DIRECTED BY LINDSAY POSNER

PRE-WEST END TOUR FROM SEPTEMBER 2022

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents one of the greatest British comedies ever written, starring one of our best-loved stage and screen stars, Felicity Kendal.

Directed by Lindsay Posner, the award-winning farce by Michael Frayn will open in Bath before heading onto Richmond, Brighton and Cambridge. Further casting to be announced.

Michael Frayn’s celebrated play serves up a riotous double bill – a play within a play. Hurtling along at breakneck speed, Noises Off follows the on and off-stage antics of a touring theatre company as they stumble their way through the fictional farce, Nothing On. From the shambolic final rehearsals before opening night in Weston-super-Mare, to a disastrous matinee in Ashton-Under-Lyme seen entirely, and hilariously silently, from backstage, before we share their final, brilliantly catastrophic performance in Stockton-on-Tees.

One of the UK’s best-loved actors, Felicity Kendal plays the role of the forgetful Dotty Otley. Having shot to fame in The Good Life, Felicity has won numerous awards for her stage work. Recent visits to Bath have included Relatively Speaking, Hay Fever and The Argument.

Noises Off will be directed Lindsay Posner, one of the UK’s most accomplished directors of comedy. His previous production of Noises Off enjoyed a sell-out run at London’s Old Vic. His recent productions in Bath include God of Carnage, Stones in his Pockets, She Stoops To Conquer, and he previously directed Felicity Kendal in the West End transfer of Hay Fever.

After watching from the wings a production of his 1970 farce The Two of Us with Richard Briers and Lynn Redgrave and noting that the goings on behind the scenes were funnier than out front, Michael Frayn wrote Noises Off. The original production opened in London in 1982 before becoming a worldwide hit. A feature film was made of Noises Off in 1992.

Birmingham Rep – 12th March 2022

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

5*****

As a novice of dance performances, 40 Years of Phoenix reverberated through to my very core. I was dumbstruck by the intensity and power of the performances, the skill and the storytelling through movement and music.

Phoenix Dance was founded in Leeds in 1981 by three young black dancers, David Hamilton, Donald Edwards and Vilmore James. Over four decades and eight artistic directors, the company has grown from its small-scale, local roots to become one of the elite companies in the country, touring both nationally and internationally and building a significant body of work.

For tonight’s 40th Celebration, artistic director, Dane Hurst appears to have chosen iconic pieces to represent the past forty years and expertly express the breadth, depth and richness of what dance can achieve. The selected pieces are an amazing cross-section of powerful, humorous, and athletic works.

Highlights for me were the remarkable Signal, Harmonica Breakdown, and Pave Up Paradise.

‘Signal’ assaulted your senses as soon as the curtain lifted. The intense, loud drumming fills your ears and chest. Dancers leaped, undulate, and wrestled to the drumming and fire which was lit on stage and inducing a primitive fugue state. The choreography shifts from synchronicity and apparent chaos, offering intense, sinuous physical shapes and full-body gestures which leaves you bereft of logic, just emotion.

‘Harmonica Breakdown’ is a solo piece performed with intensity and repetitive control, accompanied by an entrancing piece of music of the same name. Harmonica Breakdown paints a picture of repression and rebellion amongst women in America during the Great Depression. It is a short, captivating and thought-provoking, historical piece which resonates still.

However, it was “Pave Up Paradise“, that stole my heart. The only piece with spoken word, “Pave Up Paradise” presents us with a modern-day Adam and Eve story which weaves Biblical themes of forgiveness, blame and guilt, into a contemporary setting. You feel as if you have stumbled upon the middle of a drunken night out which then, surprisingly, unfolds into a touching, evocative and beautiful piece of hybrid dance and theatre. Joined on-stage by a guitarist playing indie hits, you are drawn even more into the drunken night out scenario with the conjuring up of an impromptu busker’s soundtrack, but this is juxtaposed by the sudden undress, melancholic movements, subtle ape like grooming and the fateful bite of the apple. Such a clever, witty, and stunning piece, it has stayed with me.

Varied, enigmatic and breath-taking, this selection of works from 40 Years of Phoenix, danced with commitment by this talented, skilled, and flexible troupe, beautifully highlights the reason why this company are elite in their field and deserve to be celebrated.

Southampton Mayflower – until 26th March 2022

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

5*****

Southampton hosts the iconic Les Miserables and it is a phenomenon! Directed by Laurence Connor, with exquisite music and accompaniment from Herbert Kretzmer, Alain Boublil and Claude Michel-Schönberg, Les Miserables will make you laugh, cry and invest in the lives of the characters.

We follow Jean Valjean (Dean Chisnall) as he is released from prison, breaks his parole and lives on the run from his former prison guard Javert (Nic Greenshields). Chisnall is superb in this piece, he has a great voice and stage presence. Together with the delicious storyline, Chisnall excels and draws you in from the first breath, leaving the audience heartbroken and crying by the end. Greenshields also commands the stage with ease and when coupled with his brilliant vocals during ‘Stars’, we see his true prowess. He shows empathy and grace, intertwined with angst and aggression-a difficult combination but he delivers expertly. Katie Hall plays Fantine, a dying woman who sings ‘I dreamed a Dream’-the longing for her life before she became poor and had to give up her child. Easily the most recognisable song, this is a true masterpiece and Hall was excellent. She gives her all and poured herself into the song, making for a moving performance. William Barrett also deserves a special mention for his performance as the Bishop-he was visibly moving with his empathy for Valjean and showed such emotion and love. He also has a great voice that filled the auditorium with emotion and brilliance. Also, Helen Walsh and Ian Hughes as Madame Thenardier and Thenaedier provided some much needed comic relief and both relished within their roles.

It was a poignant moment when the cast mentioned the atrocities happening in Ukraine, directing the audience towards a QR code to donate towards the fundraising. This show runs almost parallel to the war in Ukraine and was particularly moving in this sense. This exquisite soundtrack mixed with this absolutely faultless cast will leave you feeling emotional in every way possible-a true must see.

The Lowry, Salford – 11 March 2022

Reviewed by Charlotte McWilliam

4****

Written in 1735, Alcina was composed especially for Handel’s new opera company based at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. Set to some of his finest music, the story of Alcina is as far-fetched as one would expect from a Handel piece including all the usual trimmings of love, magic, and heartache cleverly decorated with numerous ornamental embellishments and more than the odd cadenza thrown in for good measure.

On a faraway island, Alcina, a magical enchantress, lures men to her shores and casts a spell on them making them fall madly in love with her. Looking for her lover, Ruggiero; Bradamante arrives on the island disguised as a man calling herself, Ricciardo. Bradamante is heartbroken to learn that her lover is now under Alcina’s spell and longs for a way to break the spell. From early on in Act 1, Bradamante is cruelly subjected to Ruggiero’s (played by Patrick Terry) spell bound lust for Alcina. He (semi naked and with an incredibly hairy chest) and Alcina writhe around amorously on a tiger skin rug – the picture of raunch. Terry is quite possibly one of the best counter tenors I’ve heard to date. He sailed through the repertoire with comfort and ease, rivalling some of the best sopranos at times. Through endless coloratura and dramatic exchanges, the spell is eventually broken and Bradamante and Ruggiero can be together once more.

Directed by Tim Albery, Opera North have cast well within this production. For an opera with no chorus, the casting is impressive – each member of the small cast excelled within their individual character and the calibre of singing was some of the best I have heard from Opera North. Missing the usual elaborate set one would expect at traditional opera, this production felt slightly lacking at times and unless one is an “Opera Buff”, it could have been perceived as boring from an aesthetical point of view. With a minimal set of chairs and a computer-generated backdrop, the production did feel slightly more rehearsal space than fine theatre.

The role of ‘Alcina’ was sung by Australian soprano, Sky Ingram. Ingram commanded the stage with her glamourous height and was the ultimate seductress. Her full soprano voice had tremendous blade and a depth of colour which carried well considering the theatre is so modern. The Lowry is renowned for its ungenerous acoustic and without the use of amplification can be a difficult venue to be heard in over the orchestra.

Fflur Wyn, as Moragna (Alcina’s sister), stole the show for me with her impressive coloratura and ornamental embellishments typical of the baroque period. Wyn’s delivery of ‘Credete al mio dolore’ was an overall highlight of the production. Her legato bel canto was simply stunning.

Overall, Opera North have produced a high-quality production of Alcina. What the piece lacked in set was certainly made up for in talent. This high-quality cast is really the crème de la crème. Congratulations Opera North – another stunning production

Menier Chocolate Factory – until 17 April 2022

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

The magnificent Maria Friedman shares songs and stories from her friends Stephen Sondheim, Marvin Hamlisch, Michel Legrand in this intimate and magical show.

Opening with a soul-stirring rendition of Being Alive, it’s not long before Friedman kicks off her heels and starts chatting to the audience as if we are old friends reminiscing together over a few drinks and songs. The love shared by Friedman and the three composers is evident across the evening as old favourites are performed and Friedman tells sweet anecdotes ranging from their first meetings to later life, with their mutual admiration and respect shining through. The biggest laughs came from the stories Marvin Hamlisch’s widow told. The relaxed and free-wheeling atmosphere as Friedman chats with Ian McLarnon and Matthew White about their long friendships and performances together changes as soon as it’s time for the next number, as every performer onstage is outstanding. Director David Babani keeps the show from going off the rails but maintains the convivial feel at just the right level.

Surrounded by her four main “friends” Friedman doesn’t always take centre stage, with White and McLarnon excelling in their solos. Newcomers Desmonda Cathabel and Alfie Friedman (Maria’s son) are astounding – Cathabel’s “The Miller’s Son” is remarkably layered and Alfie Friedman’s performance of “Franklin Shepard, Inc.” was simply phenomenal. Guest performer Aoife Dunne was charming, and the smile on Maria Friedman’s face as she watched these young artists onstage was delightful to see. She knows the legacy of these three men is in safe, but exciting hands.

Musical director Theo Jamieson is a wizard on piano – his arrangements perfectly suiting the performers – with James Powell on drums and Paul Moylan on double bass (who appears to have played in every show in London and has a wonderful cameo).

With so many gorgeous songs to choose from in the three composers works, the selection for this show is extremely well balanced. Sections from Sunday in the Park with George and A Chorus Line are entrancing, with the young choir getting their chance to shine. Friedman and Matthew White have a ball with the darkly comic “A Little Priest”. Friedman’s rich and emotive voice is equally convincing as a young wannabe performer in “Broadway Baby” and in her world weary and heart-breaking “Losing My Mind”. The evening flies by as you just bathe in her glorious vocals and incredible stage presence.

This is a not to be missed show – a warm and welcoming celebration of friends, old and new, showcasing incredible talent and unforgettable performances.