Six-time Tony Award winner, double Grammy Award winner and Emmy Award winner Audra McDonald, Olivier Award nominees Julian Ovenden and Marisha Wallace and double Tony and Golden Globe nominee and Emmy nominee Patrick Wilson are the first four big names announced for this December’s My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 8oth Anniversary Concert.
Celebrating the timeless music of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, the special star-studded concert was originally due to play just one night only at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 12 December, but due to popular demand there will now be an additional 2.30pm matinee. The show will feature the 40-piece Rodgers and Hammerstein Concert Orchestra conducted by Simon Lee, a line-up of international stage and screen stars, a West End chamber choir, a dance ensemble and surprise guest appearances.
All the announced stars have deep connections to Rodgers and Hammerstein: McDonald won her first Tony Award for her portrayal of Carrie Pipperidge in the 1994 Broadway revival of Carousel; Ovenden received a 2023 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for his Emile de Becque in South Pacific; Wallace’s performance of Ado Annie in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at the Young Vic garnered her a 2023 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical; and Wilson received a Tony Award nomination for leading the 2002 Broadway revival of Oklahoma! as Curly.
Additional stars will be announced at a later date.
Presented by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 8oth Anniversary Concert will be directed and staged by Tony Award-winning director and choreographer Christopher Gattelli (Lincoln Center Theater’s The King and I and South Pacific) at the newly restored venue which previously premiered the original productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and The King and I.
The celebration of the legendary partnership between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II will showcase original arrangements of iconic songs from their enduringly popular musicals including Carousel, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The King and I, Cinderella and The Sound of Music.
The programme will also feature music from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s lesser-known works Allegro, Flower Drum Song, Pipe Dream and State Fair, with some songs being performed in the UK for the first time.
Commenting on the event, director and choreographer Gattelli said: “I am thrilled to unite stars across the film, television, theatre and music communities to honour Rodgers and Hammerstein’s incredible legacy. As the first composers to infuse storytelling into song and dance on stage, their work is always a joy to be a part of. With so many beloved classics and rarely heard gems, there is truly something for all ages to enjoy, and we have some exciting surprises planned for what is set to be a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event.”
On behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Imogen Lloyd Webber, senior vice president at Concord Theatricals, added: “Eighty years after first premièring their work, Rodgers and Hammerstein are recognised as one of the most successful songwriting partnerships in musical theatre history. They brought many of their hit musicals to Drury Lane, including Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and The King and I and it is an honour to celebrate the milestone in this meticulously reimagined theatre.”
Angela Thomas
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