Welcome to Musicals Mash Up in which we catch up with lots of the week’s stories that haven’t yet appeared on the Musical Theatre Review pages. We hope you approve! News editor Angela Thomas reports
The cast of Newsies in rehearsals. Picture: Johan Persson
UK premiere of Newsies at the Troubadour extended
The producers of the UK premiere of Tony Award-winning musical Newsies at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre have announced an extended booking period in response to high public demand and sold-out previews,
Directed and choreographed by Matt Cole, the newly re-imagined production had been due to play a strictly limited season from 29 November 2022 up to 19 February 2023. Tickets are now on sale for performances through to 16 April 2023 and the official opening night will take place as previously announced on 8 December.
Michael Ahomka-Lindsay heads the cast as Jack Kelly opposite Bronté Barbé as Katherine Plumber They are joined by Moya Angela as Medda Larkin, Lindsay Atherton as Ensemble, Samuel Bailey as Specs, Imogen Bailey as Swing, Josh Barnett, as Race, Cameron Blakely as Joseph Pulitzer, Jack Bromage as Tommy Boy, Bobbie Chambers as Ensemble, Alex Christian as Buttons, Arcangelo Ciulla as Ike, George Crawford as Morris Delancey, Ross Dawes as Snyder, Joshua Denyer as Mush, Ross Dorrington as Splasher, Matthew Duckett as Crutchie, Kamilla Fernandes as Ensemble, Jacob Fisher as Albert, Jamie Golding as Wiesel, Damon Gould as Finch, Zack Guest as Swing, Jordan Isaac as Swing, Alex James-Hatton as Oscar Delancey, Clarice Julianda as Ensemble, Barry Keenan as Nunzio, Ryan Kopel as Davey, Sion Lloyd as Bunsen, George Michaelides as Romeo, Mukeni Nel as Jo Jo, Joshua Nkemdilim as Elmer, Mark Samaras as Mike, Bradley Trevethan as Swing, Matt Trevorrow as Henry and Lillie-Pearl Wildman as Ensemble.
The role of Les is played by Nezam Adnan, Haydn Court, Oliver Gordon and Ethan Sokontwe.
Based on choreographer Kenny Ortega’s 1992 film, Newsies The Musical, features a score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman and a book by Harvey Fierstein.
Picture: Matt Crockett
New booking period for Jersey Boys at the Trafalgar Theatre
The team behind the multi-award-winning musical Jersey Boys has announced an extension to the show’s run at the Trafalgar Theatre in Whitehall with booking now open up to 1 October 2023.
Currently starring Luke Suri as Frankie Valli alongside Adam Bailey as Bob Gaudio, Karl James Wilson as Nick Massi and Benjamin Yates as Tommy De Vito, the West End production also features Joey Cornish as Joe Pesci, Kevin Fullinick as Barry Belson, Matthew Goodgame as Gyp De Carlo, Gracie Lai as Lorraine, Carolyn Maitland as Mary Delgado, Rosie Needham as Francine, Tom Oliver as Norm Waxman/Hank Majewski and Joseph Peters as Bob Crewe. The cast is completed by Elliot Allinson, Jack Campbell, Huon Mackley, Bonnie Page, Danny Knott and Andy Smith.
Announcing the extra performances, Howard Panter, producer for Trafalgar Entertainment Productions, said: “I am delighted to announce that booking has been extended for the Olivier and Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys. Having reopened the multi-million-pound refurbished Trafalgar Theatre last year, it is magnificent to see that audiences can’t get enough of this smash-hit musical, featuring a myriad of toe-tapping, legendary songs, performed by our incredibly talented and vibrant cast.”
Written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, Jersey Boys at the Trafalgar Theatre is staged by the original Broadway creative team led by the Tony Award-winning team of Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo.
The Choir of Man West End lock in continues
In response to high public demand the West End encore of the international hit The Choir of Man to the Arts Theatre has been extended up to 28 May 2023.
The production, created by Andrew Kay and Nic Doodson, which has been playing to packed houses since preview performances began in early October, features Michael Baxter as The Maestro and Ben Norris as the Poet, with professional debuts from Levi Tyrell-Johnson as The Hardman and Owen Bolton as The Beast.
Former West End cast members Jordan Oliver and Matt Beveridge play The Handyman (Oliver) and The Romantic (Beveridge), with Lemuel Knights as The Barman, Matt Nalton as The Pub Bore and Matt Thorpe as The Joker. Completing the company are Mark Irwin, Sam Ebenezer, Gavin Ryan and Lucas Koch (West End debuts).
Following three sell-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House and a number of successful US and European tours, the show which celebrates the appeal of the local pub and features reinventions of folk, pop, rock and Broadway classics made its West End debut in October 2021. The show ended its debut run at the Arts Theatre in April this year.
West End stars to lead the annual Actors’ Church Christmas Sing-Along
Carolyn Maitland, Natalie May Paris, Cassie Compton, Matthew Harvey and Josh Tayler will lead the festive-flavoured evening of song and Christmas cheer, The Actors’ Church Christmas Sing-along, in the beautiful 400-year-old, Grade I listed St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden.
Raising funds for the St. Paul’s Church Benevolent Fund, the popular event on 13 December 2022 will feature the West End stars and musicians along with much-loved church cats Eliza and Mrs Higgins (who will both be wearing their festive Christmas bowties).
With its relaxed, informal atmosphere, the annual evening of festive entertainment is an opportunity for local businesses, residents, and anyone within the wider community to come together to celebrate the Christmas season with a mixture of the Christmas pop hits and classic Christmas carols all accompanied by the church’s magnificent church organ. The evening will also include a raffle with West End theatre flavoured prizes. The event is produced by Laura Wickham with musical direction by Noam Galparni.
Acting For Others announces One Night Only at The Ivy
Theatrical charity Acting for Others and The Ivy announces the return of One Night Only at The Ivy on London Theatreland’s West Street on 4 December 2022.
The evening sees stars of the stage and screen swap their costumes for aprons, scripts for menus and award trophies for cocktail shakers to serve diners for a one-off sitting at The Ivy. Leading the waiting staff this year and trying their hand at taking over the bar, waiting tables, hosting and welcoming guests, will be a cast including Geraldine Alexander, Adjoa Andoh, Annette Badland, Joanna Bobbin, Samantha Bond, Harriet Cairns, Bessie Carter, Jim Carter, Kim Cattrall, Neil Dudgeon, Ben Forster, Tamsin Grieg, Ginny Holder, Tom Hopper, Celia Imrie, Cassidy Janson, Robert Lindsay, Lesley Manville, Jessica Madsen, Bill Paterson, Arlene Phillips, Golda Rosheuvel, Hugh Sachs, Samantha Spiro, Polly Walker and Tom Read Wilson.
Over £88,000 was raised at the last One Night Only before the Covid-19 pandemic for the theatrical charity Acting for Others, which provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities.
This year will see one exclusive sitting at the internationally renowned restaurant, with guests arriving for pre-dinner drinks from 7pm followed by an exclusive three-course dinner, with aperitif and wine.
After dinner, auctioneer Louise Simpson from Phillips Auctioneers will be joined by actor Samantha Bond to announce and sell to the highest bidder a selection of highly covetable prizes, including the chance to win a meal prepared exclusively for 10 guests in your own home by The Ivy’s chefs, lunch or dinner for four every month for a year at a Caprice holdings restaurant, dinner at J Sheekey before going on to see Mother Goose starring Ian McKellen at the Duke of York’s Theatre followed by champagne on stage with the cast, a day on the set of Midsomer Murders with Samantha Bond including a walk on role, and two tickets for “I Remember It Well” – The Christmas Edition at the Gielgud Theatre followed by a meet and greet with Judi Dench and Gyles Brandreth.
For those who are unable to attend One Night Only but still wish to support Acting for Others, an online auction opened on 21 November.
Bolton Octagon plans new musical version of Around the World in 80 Days for Christmas 2023
Phileas Fogg will fly high at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre next Christmas in a major new musical adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic creation Around the World in 80 Days.
Adapted by Kate Ferguson and Susannah Pearse, the writing team behind previous Octagon festive hits Treasure Island and this year’s A Christmas Carol, the world premiere production will run from 16 November 2023 until 13 January 2024.
Funny Girl new Broadway cast recording released
The Funny Girl – New Broadway Cast Recording, featuring the classic score by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics) is now available. The physical CD will be released on 20 January 2023
The Broadway production of Funny Girl at the August Wilson Theatre stars Lea Michele as Fanny Brice, Ramin Karimloo as Nick Arnstein, Jared Grimes as Eddie Ryan and Tovah Feldshuh as Mrs. Rosie Brice with Peter Francis James as Florenz Ziegfeld, Ephie Aardema as Emma/Mrs. Nadler, Debra Cardona as Mrs. Meeker, Toni DiBuono as Mrs. Strakosh, Martin Moran as Tom Keeney, and an acting company that includes Miriam Ali, Amber Ardolino, Daniel Beeman, Colin Bradbury, Kurt Csolak, John Michael Fiumara, Leslie Donna Flesner, Afra Hines, Masumi Iwai, Aliah James, Jeremiah James, Danielle Kelsey, Stephen Mark Lukas, Alicia Lundgren, John Manzari, Liz McCartney, Connor McRory Katie Mitchell, Justin Prescott, Mariah Reives, Barbara Tirrell, Leslie Blake Walker, and Fanny Brice alternate Julie Benko, who performs the role every Thursday.
Directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer the new production marks the first time Funny Girl has returned to Broadway in 58 years.
Six Broadway opening night live album nominated for a Grammy Award
The Six global success story continues with the Broadway opening night recording nominated for the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.
‘Six: Live On Opening Night’ was recorded live as Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ hit show made its long-awaited Broadway debut at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (now re-named the Lena Horne Theatre) last October.
Following the album’s release in May this year, songs from the show have been streamed over 23 million times worldwide, making it one of the most successful recordings in musical theatre history to date. Meanwhile, the original UK Studio Cast Recording achieved gold status in 2021.
As the show celebrated its first year on Broadway, the New York production received four Drama Desk Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Tony Awards, for Best Score (Marlow and Moss) and Best Costume Design of a Musical (Gabriella Slade).
The album features original Broadway cast members Adrianna Hicks (Aragon), Andrea Macasaet (Boleyn), Abbie Mueller (Heart of Stone), Brittney Mack (Cleves), Samantha Pauly (Howard), Anna Uzele (Parr) and the alternate cast members performing ‘Heart of Stone’ (Courtney Mack, Mallory Maedke, Keirsten Nicole Hodgens and Nicole Kyoung-Mi Lambert).
Six is currently live on stage at London’s Vaudeville Theatre, at the Lena Horne Theatre in New York, across the UK on its current sell-out tour, and on two concurrent North American tours. The Australian production has resumed performances in Perth, with a further production opening in Amsterdam in September 2023.
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony take place on 5 February 2023.
Footballers’ Wives The Musical studio album is released
Celebrating the 20 year anniversary of its premiere on ITV in 2002 and ahead of a planned stage musical production, Big Broad Productions has released Footballers’ Wives The Musical – The Studio Album.
Arranged and produced by Auburn Jam Music, it is available to stream from all major distributors. To mark the release of the album there is a new video for the song ‘Who, Who, Who?’ featuring Alice Fearn, Emma Hatton, Liam Doyle, Simon Bailey and the Footballers’ Wives Studio Cast Ensemble.
A musical comedy noir based on the cult guilty pleasure noughties TV drama, Footballers’ Wives The Musical has a book by Maureen Chadwick, co-creator of the original TV series, and music & lyrics by Kath Gotts (also co-creators of Bad Girls – The Musical).
Footballers’ Wives The Musical is based around the first TV season, and follows the fall and rise of captain’s wife and fabulously flawed super-bitch Tanya Turner as she struggles to save her marriage and the career of her cheating husband, Jason.
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