Exclusive: Comedian and writer Julian Clary (Julian Clary: Live – Lord of the Mince) will play the title role in this festive season’s London Palladium pantomime Robin Hood, with singer and travel show presenter Jane McDonald (Cruising with Jane McDonald) topping the bill as Maid Marion.
The annual Palladium show, now in its ninth consecutive season, has become an eagerly awaited staple in the West End’s calendar. It runs from December 7 through January 12, 2025. Priority booking opens 10 Am (GMT) April 25.
Last year’s production, Peter Pan, with comedy legend Jennifer Saunders making her pantomime debut as Captain Hook, and with Clary playing Seaman Smee, was a sold-out success, playing 56 performances -often two a day – to an audience of more than 123,000 at the 2,200 capacity variety house.
When tickets went on sale, there was a moment when 90,000 people were in the queue, waiting their turn to book seats.
The annual Palladium show, now in its ninth consecutive season, has become an eagerly awaited staple in the West End’s calendar. It runs from December 7 through January 12, 2025. Priority booking opens 10 Am (GMT) April 25.
Last year’s production, Peter Pan, with comedy legend Jennifer Saunders making her pantomime debut as Captain Hook, and with Clary playing Seaman Smee, was a sold-out success, playing 56 performances -often two a day – to an audience of more than 123,000 at the 2,200 capacity variety house.
When tickets went on sale, there was a moment when 90,000 people were in the queue, waiting their turn to book seats.
- 4/21/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga will be returning to Broadway in 2025.
The Tony Award-winning actresses previously starred in the West End production of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends in London in late 2023 and now they’re bringing the show to the U.S.
Old Friends is a revue of the late Sondheim‘s greatest hits with a star-studded cast.
The show will have its North American premiere at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre in February 2025 before heading to Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in March 2025.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh said, “Old Friends was Steve‘s idea, born during lockdown, when he suggested it was time (and we had plenty of it!) we put together a third review of his work, to follow from the worldwide hit Side by Side By Sondheim in 1976 (my first!) and Putting It Together (which Julia McKenzie directed at the Manhattan Theatre Club...
The Tony Award-winning actresses previously starred in the West End production of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends in London in late 2023 and now they’re bringing the show to the U.S.
Old Friends is a revue of the late Sondheim‘s greatest hits with a star-studded cast.
The show will have its North American premiere at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre in February 2025 before heading to Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in March 2025.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh said, “Old Friends was Steve‘s idea, born during lockdown, when he suggested it was time (and we had plenty of it!) we put together a third review of his work, to follow from the worldwide hit Side by Side By Sondheim in 1976 (my first!) and Putting It Together (which Julia McKenzie directed at the Manhattan Theatre Club...
- 4/9/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga will star in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles before landing on Broadway next March.
The musical revue of Sondheim’s songs, devised by Cameron Mackintosh, comes to North America after a 16-week run starting last September at London’s Gielgud Theatre. Peters and Salonga also starred in that run.
The show, with musical staging and choreography Matthew Bourne and Julia McKenzie, begins previews on Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on March 25, 2025. Exact dates for performances at the Center Theatre Group have yet to be announced.
Sondheim came up with the idea of doing a third revue during lockdown, according to Mackintosh. Work began on the show, but Sondheim died in November 2021. Mackintosh and McKenzie continued work on the revue in order to make it a “farewell show” to celebrate Sondheim’s work.
“It...
The musical revue of Sondheim’s songs, devised by Cameron Mackintosh, comes to North America after a 16-week run starting last September at London’s Gielgud Theatre. Peters and Salonga also starred in that run.
The show, with musical staging and choreography Matthew Bourne and Julia McKenzie, begins previews on Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on March 25, 2025. Exact dates for performances at the Center Theatre Group have yet to be announced.
Sondheim came up with the idea of doing a third revue during lockdown, according to Mackintosh. Work began on the show, but Sondheim died in November 2021. Mackintosh and McKenzie continued work on the revue in order to make it a “farewell show” to celebrate Sondheim’s work.
“It...
- 4/8/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Broadway premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends starring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga will begin previews March 25, 2025, in a Manhattan Theatre Club production at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Devised by Cameron Mackintosh, with musical staging and choreography Matthew Bourne and Julia McKenzie, the revue – the third devoted to the work of Sondheim – will make its North American premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in advance of the Broadway premiere.
Choreography will be by Stephen Mear, with additional casting, creative team, and other details for Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends to be announced at a later date.
The news was included in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s 2024-25 season announcement today. Also on the Mtc’s roster is the Broadway premiere of Eureka Day, written by Jonathan Spector and directed by Anna D. Shapiro and the world premiere Off Broadway production of Vladimir, written by Erika Sheffer...
Devised by Cameron Mackintosh, with musical staging and choreography Matthew Bourne and Julia McKenzie, the revue – the third devoted to the work of Sondheim – will make its North American premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in advance of the Broadway premiere.
Choreography will be by Stephen Mear, with additional casting, creative team, and other details for Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends to be announced at a later date.
The news was included in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s 2024-25 season announcement today. Also on the Mtc’s roster is the Broadway premiere of Eureka Day, written by Jonathan Spector and directed by Anna D. Shapiro and the world premiere Off Broadway production of Vladimir, written by Erika Sheffer...
- 4/8/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Aml Ameen, who portrays Dr.Martin Luther King in Rustin, reveals that he’s in talks with Film4 and the BFI to direct and star in the sequel to holiday romance Boxing Day, his feature directorial debut — and he has a second film, a crime saga called Night and Day that he wants to make soon.
That’s not all, because the L.A.-based Brit is in London prepping to play a “transformative” lead role in an as-yet-unannounced film.
The hush-hush part in the secret film requires him to “shut down my entire life because” of the life-changing nature of the character he’ll be playing.
While Ameen’s shooting that film, he’ll pop up as a lawyer alongside Jeff Daniels in the six-part Netflix drama A Man in Full, an the adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s novel written by David E. Kelley and directed by Regina King,...
That’s not all, because the L.A.-based Brit is in London prepping to play a “transformative” lead role in an as-yet-unannounced film.
The hush-hush part in the secret film requires him to “shut down my entire life because” of the life-changing nature of the character he’ll be playing.
While Ameen’s shooting that film, he’ll pop up as a lawyer alongside Jeff Daniels in the six-part Netflix drama A Man in Full, an the adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s novel written by David E. Kelley and directed by Regina King,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Martin McCallum, a British theatrical producer whose work on more than 500 Broadway and West End shows saw his participation in some of the most successful stage productions in modern theater history, died peacefully, surrounded by family, on January 14 in Sydney, Australia. He was 73.
His death was announced by his family. A cause was not disclosed.
The President of the Society of London Theatre from 1999 to 2002 and a member of the Broadway League since 1988, McCallum made an indelible mark on Broadway with massive hits, critical favorites and even two high-profile flops.
His impact on the London theater scene was even greater. Born in Blackpool on April 6, 1950, McCallum began his stage career as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre Farnham,...
His death was announced by his family. A cause was not disclosed.
The President of the Society of London Theatre from 1999 to 2002 and a member of the Broadway League since 1988, McCallum made an indelible mark on Broadway with massive hits, critical favorites and even two high-profile flops.
His impact on the London theater scene was even greater. Born in Blackpool on April 6, 1950, McCallum began his stage career as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre Farnham,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Bill Kenwright, the prolific West End producer behind the hit musicals Blood Brothers, Whistle Down the Wind and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat who would later go on to become an owner and chairman of his boyhood soccer club Everton, has died. He was 78.
In a statement, Everton said Kenwright died peacefully, “surrounded by his family and loved ones.” This month, the Premier League club revealed that Kenwright had recently undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his liver.
“The world of British theatre without Bill Kenwright seems impossible,” said fellow theater impresario Cameron Mackintosh in a statement on X. “In my lifetime, there has never been anyone like Bill. He’s totally irreplaceable, and we will miss him so.”
“Dearest Bill, Somewhere you’ll be singing Let It Be Me and challenging heavenly choirs to look into your Ebony Eyes,” Andrew Lloyd Webber tweeted. “The theatre will...
In a statement, Everton said Kenwright died peacefully, “surrounded by his family and loved ones.” This month, the Premier League club revealed that Kenwright had recently undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his liver.
“The world of British theatre without Bill Kenwright seems impossible,” said fellow theater impresario Cameron Mackintosh in a statement on X. “In my lifetime, there has never been anyone like Bill. He’s totally irreplaceable, and we will miss him so.”
“Dearest Bill, Somewhere you’ll be singing Let It Be Me and challenging heavenly choirs to look into your Ebony Eyes,” Andrew Lloyd Webber tweeted. “The theatre will...
- 10/25/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Renowned British actress Haydn Gwynne, who left an indelible mark both on stage and screen, passed away at 66 after a recent diagnosis with cancer. Celebrated for her talent and versatility, she brought life to a vast array of characters, demonstrating her range from television satire to Shakespearean roles.
Born in Sussex in 1957, Gwynne’s journey into the acting realm wasn’t a straight path. Before captivating audiences, she was an English lecturer in Italy and even studied Modern Languages at the University of Warwick. It wasn’t until her mid-twenties that Gwynne ventured into acting, but when she did, her ascent was meteoric.
She shot to fame in the 1990s with “Drop the Dead Donkey,” a sitcom that offered a witty look into the world of journalism. Her portrayal of the sardonic assistant editor Alex Pates garnered her a BAFTA nomination. Gwynne’s magnetism wasn’t confined to TV; she...
Born in Sussex in 1957, Gwynne’s journey into the acting realm wasn’t a straight path. Before captivating audiences, she was an English lecturer in Italy and even studied Modern Languages at the University of Warwick. It wasn’t until her mid-twenties that Gwynne ventured into acting, but when she did, her ascent was meteoric.
She shot to fame in the 1990s with “Drop the Dead Donkey,” a sitcom that offered a witty look into the world of journalism. Her portrayal of the sardonic assistant editor Alex Pates garnered her a BAFTA nomination. Gwynne’s magnetism wasn’t confined to TV; she...
- 10/20/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Exclusive: The BFI London Film Festival closes Sunday with the world premiere of The Kitchen, a movie set in a dystopian London where an impoverished community is forced to fend for themselves in ramshackle apartment blocks. It marks the feature directorial debut of Oscar- winning actor Daniel Kaluuya and architect-turned-filmmaker Kibwe Tavares.
It’s a film that Kaluuya, Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Emmerson (Calm With Horses), The Kitchen’s producer, have spent the best part of a decade bringing to the screen.
This column’s about how three friends came together to develop a tiny idea that over the years has evolved into tale about a London that’s split in half — those who have and those who don’t.
However, through their eyes, it’s a London that, ultimately, offers a sense of humanity and hope.
It’s a film that Kaluuya, Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Emmerson (Calm With Horses), The Kitchen’s producer, have spent the best part of a decade bringing to the screen.
This column’s about how three friends came together to develop a tiny idea that over the years has evolved into tale about a London that’s split in half — those who have and those who don’t.
However, through their eyes, it’s a London that, ultimately, offers a sense of humanity and hope.
- 10/15/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Alan Eisenberg, the longest-serving executive director of Actors’ Equity Association, died October 7 in Rhinebeck, New York. He was 88.
His death was announced by Equity. A cause was not disclosed.
Eisenberg led Equity from 1981 to 2006, a time of significant growth in membership, workweeks and member earnings, according to Equity.
Among the notable events that Eisenberg confronted during his tenure were the 1990 Miss Saigon controversy over the casting of white actors in Asian roles, the uncertain times facing the theater industry following September 11, 2001, and the challenges of increased non-union touring.
Eisenberg was raised in a secular Jewish household in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, later attending the University of Michigan and graduating from New York University Law School. While practicing law in New York, he embraced the bohemian Greenwich Village art scene of the 1960s, and took a second job as a night espresso operator at the famed Café Figaro.
He next worked in labor law,...
His death was announced by Equity. A cause was not disclosed.
Eisenberg led Equity from 1981 to 2006, a time of significant growth in membership, workweeks and member earnings, according to Equity.
Among the notable events that Eisenberg confronted during his tenure were the 1990 Miss Saigon controversy over the casting of white actors in Asian roles, the uncertain times facing the theater industry following September 11, 2001, and the challenges of increased non-union touring.
Eisenberg was raised in a secular Jewish household in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, later attending the University of Michigan and graduating from New York University Law School. While practicing law in New York, he embraced the bohemian Greenwich Village art scene of the 1960s, and took a second job as a night espresso operator at the famed Café Figaro.
He next worked in labor law,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The American film and stage actor, renowned for her roles in the composer’s musicals, on making her West End debut in a celebration of his music
Bernadette Peters is an American singer and actor. Born in 1948 in Queens, New York, where her father worked as a delivery driver, she has appeared in numerous TV shows and films, including The Muppet Show, Ally McBeal, Silent Movie with Mel Brooks, The Jerk with Steve Martin, and Annie. But she is probably best known for her Tony award-winning work on Broadway, where she has starred in, among other musicals, Mack and Mabel, Annie Get Your Gun and Hello, Dolly! One of the foremost interpreters of the work of Stephen Sondheim, her association with the composer began in 1983 when she was cast as Dot in the first production of Sunday in the Park With George. Later this month, Peters will make her West...
Bernadette Peters is an American singer and actor. Born in 1948 in Queens, New York, where her father worked as a delivery driver, she has appeared in numerous TV shows and films, including The Muppet Show, Ally McBeal, Silent Movie with Mel Brooks, The Jerk with Steve Martin, and Annie. But she is probably best known for her Tony award-winning work on Broadway, where she has starred in, among other musicals, Mack and Mabel, Annie Get Your Gun and Hello, Dolly! One of the foremost interpreters of the work of Stephen Sondheim, her association with the composer began in 1983 when she was cast as Dot in the first production of Sunday in the Park With George. Later this month, Peters will make her West...
- 9/9/2023
- by Rachel Cooke
- The Guardian - Film News
Exclusive: Shucked, the Broadway musical nominated for nine Tony Awards, will begin a London run on the West End next year, producer and theater owner Cameron Mackintosh announced today.
“I’m delighted to confirm that London is going to get Shucked in one of my theatres next year,” Mackintosh said in a statement. “Shucked is that rarity: a completely original musical and the funniest show since The Book of Mormon, with a terrifically tuneful rollicking country and western score. It’s snuck up on Broadway and is proving to be the most talked about hit of the season.”
In keeping with the musical’s pun-filled promotional campaign, Mackintosh ended his statement with, “The corn at the heart of Shucked will have you husky with limitless laughter!”
Casting, venue, ticketing information and other details will be announced in the coming months.
With a book by Tony nominee Robert Horn (he won...
“I’m delighted to confirm that London is going to get Shucked in one of my theatres next year,” Mackintosh said in a statement. “Shucked is that rarity: a completely original musical and the funniest show since The Book of Mormon, with a terrifically tuneful rollicking country and western score. It’s snuck up on Broadway and is proving to be the most talked about hit of the season.”
In keeping with the musical’s pun-filled promotional campaign, Mackintosh ended his statement with, “The corn at the heart of Shucked will have you husky with limitless laughter!”
Casting, venue, ticketing information and other details will be announced in the coming months.
With a book by Tony nominee Robert Horn (he won...
- 6/7/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James are joining forces to star in a scorching new play by Penelope Skinner, directed by Ian Rickson, that will open in London’s West End in the fall.
Pretty hot names to have atop a theater marquee, that’s for sure.
The drama, called Lyonesse, will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre in late September or early October. Official dates are being determined.
In this new work, Skinner — who won the George Devine Award for most promising playwright in 2011 for The Village Bike — focuses on Elaine (Scott Thomas), a reclusive and brilliant actress who disappeared from public view under mysterious circumstances.
Elaine summons Kate (James), a young film executive, to her remote Cornish estate to facilitate “her glorious comeback,” according to a production source who copped me a premise of the play.
“But who really controls the stories we tell and how we get to tell them?...
Pretty hot names to have atop a theater marquee, that’s for sure.
The drama, called Lyonesse, will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre in late September or early October. Official dates are being determined.
In this new work, Skinner — who won the George Devine Award for most promising playwright in 2011 for The Village Bike — focuses on Elaine (Scott Thomas), a reclusive and brilliant actress who disappeared from public view under mysterious circumstances.
Elaine summons Kate (James), a young film executive, to her remote Cornish estate to facilitate “her glorious comeback,” according to a production source who copped me a premise of the play.
“But who really controls the stories we tell and how we get to tell them?...
- 6/2/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Barry Humphries, the Australian actor and comedian best known for his larger-than-life alter ego, Dame Edna Everage, has died at 89. As reported by the BBC, Humphries passed away in a Sydney hospital from complications following hip surgery, having had a fall in February.
Humphries was a beloved fixture of both Australian and British entertainment. He moved to the UK in 1959 and quickly became a core part of the comedy scene, hosting his own talk show, "The Dame Edna Experience," as well as other series and specials including "Dame Edna's Neighborhood Watch," "Dame Edna Kisses It Better," and "The Dame Edna Treatment." The character was known for her purple-tinted bouffant hair, signature diamante-studded glasses, colorful fashion choices, and her signature greeting: "Hello, possums!"
U.S. audiences may be familiar with Dame Edna from an appearance in "Saturday Night Live" in 1977, and for her 1990s celebrity talk show "Dame Edna's Hollywood," as...
Humphries was a beloved fixture of both Australian and British entertainment. He moved to the UK in 1959 and quickly became a core part of the comedy scene, hosting his own talk show, "The Dame Edna Experience," as well as other series and specials including "Dame Edna's Neighborhood Watch," "Dame Edna Kisses It Better," and "The Dame Edna Treatment." The character was known for her purple-tinted bouffant hair, signature diamante-studded glasses, colorful fashion choices, and her signature greeting: "Hello, possums!"
U.S. audiences may be familiar with Dame Edna from an appearance in "Saturday Night Live" in 1977, and for her 1990s celebrity talk show "Dame Edna's Hollywood," as...
- 4/22/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
The Phantom of the Opera went out on a high in its final week of performances on Broadway, bringing in an all-time record of $3.7 million.
The musical, which had been running on Broadway for 35 years, played its final performance on April 16, in an evening of celebration and spectacle with a red carpet, appearances by original cast members, Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh and an after party. In its final week, the show played to a capacity of 101.46 percent, with its average ticket price hitting $287.07.
These numbers were reached even as the tickets to the final performance were all given away for free. The proceeds from the show’s April 13 performance were donated to four New York City Arts organizations.
The musical had been playing the Majestic Theatre since January 1988, and was the longest running show in Broadway history. After first announcing that the Broadway production would end its run on Feb.
The musical, which had been running on Broadway for 35 years, played its final performance on April 16, in an evening of celebration and spectacle with a red carpet, appearances by original cast members, Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh and an after party. In its final week, the show played to a capacity of 101.46 percent, with its average ticket price hitting $287.07.
These numbers were reached even as the tickets to the final performance were all given away for free. The proceeds from the show’s April 13 performance were donated to four New York City Arts organizations.
The musical had been playing the Majestic Theatre since January 1988, and was the longest running show in Broadway history. After first announcing that the Broadway production would end its run on Feb.
- 4/18/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Andrew Lloyd Webber honored his son, who died a month prior, at the final Broadway performance of The Phantom of the Opera.
After 35 years, the curtain closed Sunday on the New York production of Broadway’s longest-running show. In a video shared by the Associated Press, audience members and cast and crewmembers could be seen cheering as confetti poured down around them.
The footage also included a speech onstage from the Oscar-winning composer, who said, “I hope you won’t mind if I dedicate this performance to my son. … When he was a little boy, he heard some of this music.”
According to the AP, the composer’s ex-wife, Sarah Brightman, who was also an original castmember in the production, added, “When Andrew was writing it, he was right there, so his soul is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”
In March, Lloyd Webber missed the opening night...
After 35 years, the curtain closed Sunday on the New York production of Broadway’s longest-running show. In a video shared by the Associated Press, audience members and cast and crewmembers could be seen cheering as confetti poured down around them.
The footage also included a speech onstage from the Oscar-winning composer, who said, “I hope you won’t mind if I dedicate this performance to my son. … When he was a little boy, he heard some of this music.”
According to the AP, the composer’s ex-wife, Sarah Brightman, who was also an original castmember in the production, added, “When Andrew was writing it, he was right there, so his soul is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”
In March, Lloyd Webber missed the opening night...
- 4/18/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After 35 years, the curtains have closed on Broadway’s longest-running musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera ran its final show on Sunday evening at the Majestic Theatre in New York City, marking its 13,981 performance. It was originally scheduled to close in February but received an extension through April 16.
“The one question I keep getting asked again and again — will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest,” producer Cameron Mackintosh told the audience,...
“The one question I keep getting asked again and again — will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest,” producer Cameron Mackintosh told the audience,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
After 35 years, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera took its final curtain call on Sunday night at the Majestic Theatre in New York. This was show No. 13,981 of the longest-running show in Broadway history and was dedicated by Lloyd Webber to his son Nicholas who died last month after a battle with gastric cancer.
Amid a standing ovation, Webber said, “I hope you won’t mind if I dedicate this performance to my son, Nick.” Turning to original Phantom star, Sarah Brightman, the composer recalled, “When Nick was a little boy, he heard some of this music.”
Said Brightman, “Yes, he did. When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his soul is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”
Also on Sunday night, Brightman performed the musical’s most famous song, “The Music of the Night,” along with current cast, previous actors and crew members,...
Amid a standing ovation, Webber said, “I hope you won’t mind if I dedicate this performance to my son, Nick.” Turning to original Phantom star, Sarah Brightman, the composer recalled, “When Nick was a little boy, he heard some of this music.”
Said Brightman, “Yes, he did. When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his soul is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”
Also on Sunday night, Brightman performed the musical’s most famous song, “The Music of the Night,” along with current cast, previous actors and crew members,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite being based on a novel from the 1860s, Les Miserables is one of the most well-known musical films of today’s times. The award-winning movie premiered in December 2012 and featured talented actors like Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Russell Crowe. Amanda Seyfried also appeared as Cosette. But a decade after making the film, Seyfried revealed she has one regret involving her performance.
The cast in ‘Les Miserables’ sang live while filming
When Les Miserables was celebrating its 10th anniversary, many of the award-winning movie’s cast sat down with Working Title to reflect on the film and the process behind creating it. As Hathaway put it, “It’s going to be different, for sure. This is the first time anyone’s tried it like this.”
What Hathaway was referring to was the live singing during production. Opting away from the traditional method of going to a studio to record...
The cast in ‘Les Miserables’ sang live while filming
When Les Miserables was celebrating its 10th anniversary, many of the award-winning movie’s cast sat down with Working Title to reflect on the film and the process behind creating it. As Hathaway put it, “It’s going to be different, for sure. This is the first time anyone’s tried it like this.”
What Hathaway was referring to was the live singing during production. Opting away from the traditional method of going to a studio to record...
- 3/27/2023
- by Ashley Swallow
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
This year’s Tonys will be held on June 11, so the American Theatre Wing will likely be announcing their lifetime achievement award recipient in the near future. Who do you think should be taking home this prestigious trophy? Scroll down to let us know in our poll which behind-the-scenes creative deserves the honor this year.
The Tony for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre honors an individual’s body of work, and in some years we’ve gotten multiple recipients. Last year legendary five-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury received this honor about four months before her death on October 11 at the age of 96. The following living creatives have already received this award so they’re not eligible to be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Jane Greenwood, Sheldon Harnick, Marshall W. Mason, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Wheeler, and Graciela Daniele.
Here are 10 possibilities, all of them creatives over the...
The Tony for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre honors an individual’s body of work, and in some years we’ve gotten multiple recipients. Last year legendary five-time Tony winner Angela Lansbury received this honor about four months before her death on October 11 at the age of 96. The following living creatives have already received this award so they’re not eligible to be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Jane Greenwood, Sheldon Harnick, Marshall W. Mason, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Wheeler, and Graciela Daniele.
Here are 10 possibilities, all of them creatives over the...
- 3/21/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Broadway in Hollywood has tuned up the slate of musicals for its 2023-24 season. Headed to the Pantages Theatre stage starting late this year are the touring productions of Mj The Musical, The Wiz, Chicago The Musical, Girl from the North Country, Mrs. Doubtfire, Peter Pan and Company.
“We’re gonna be startin’ somethin’ exciting,” Broadway in Hollywood President Jeff Loeb said in a statement. “Our new seven-show season — featuring one pre-Broadway premiere, six Los Angeles Premieres and the long-awaited return of an American classic — is reason enough to ease on down the road to the glorious Hollywood Pantages Theatre.”
Related Story Tony Awards To Be Broadcast Live From Washington Heights, Miles From Times Square; Date Set Related Story Broadway Box Office: 'Company' Nears Sell-Out In Final Weeks, 'Into The Woods' Scores $1.8M Related Story Tony-Winning 'Mj' Star Myles Frost Signs With UTA (Getty Images)
The season kicks off December 20 with Mj The Musical,...
“We’re gonna be startin’ somethin’ exciting,” Broadway in Hollywood President Jeff Loeb said in a statement. “Our new seven-show season — featuring one pre-Broadway premiere, six Los Angeles Premieres and the long-awaited return of an American classic — is reason enough to ease on down the road to the glorious Hollywood Pantages Theatre.”
Related Story Tony Awards To Be Broadcast Live From Washington Heights, Miles From Times Square; Date Set Related Story Broadway Box Office: 'Company' Nears Sell-Out In Final Weeks, 'Into The Woods' Scores $1.8M Related Story Tony-Winning 'Mj' Star Myles Frost Signs With UTA (Getty Images)
The season kicks off December 20 with Mj The Musical,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical took in more than 1 million at the box office in the week leading up to, and including, its opening night on Sunday. Filling 91 of seats at the Broadhurst, the jukebox bio-musical joins & Juliet, Leopoldstadt and The Piano Lesson as one of the strongest newcomers of the fall season.
Though critics were mixed on the show, Beautiful Noise grossed 1,011,961 for the week ending Dec. 4. A viral video of Diamond himself attending the opening night performance and surprising the audience with a post-show rendition of “Sweet Caroline” might go a long way in balancing out those reviews, or overshadowing them altogether.
Glowing reviews for Ain’t No Mo’, the Lee Daniels presentation of Jordan E. Cooper’s razor-sharp comedy, which also opened last week, might help the play’s box office in the coming weeks, but the show got off to a fairly slow start,...
Though critics were mixed on the show, Beautiful Noise grossed 1,011,961 for the week ending Dec. 4. A viral video of Diamond himself attending the opening night performance and surprising the audience with a post-show rendition of “Sweet Caroline” might go a long way in balancing out those reviews, or overshadowing them altogether.
Glowing reviews for Ain’t No Mo’, the Lee Daniels presentation of Jordan E. Cooper’s razor-sharp comedy, which also opened last week, might help the play’s box office in the coming weeks, but the show got off to a fairly slow start,...
- 12/6/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Susan Stroman, the celebrated Broadway director and choreographer, has revealed that an acclaimed UK revival of musical comedy Crazy for You, which features show-stopping numbers from the George and Ira Gershwin songbook, will transfer from the Chichester Festival Theater into Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Lw Theatres-owned Gillian Lynne Theatre for a strictly limited 30-week West End season from June 24. Opening night is July 3.
The production with British stars Charlie Stemp and Carly Anderson played to packed houses during an eight-week summer run at Chichester.
Related Story ‘The Wiz’ Sets 2024 Broadway Return With New Material By Amber Ruffin Related Story Andrew Lloyd Webber & Producer Michael Harrison Announce New Musical Theater Partnership Related Story Love Changes Everything: Michael Ball Will Revisit 'Aspects Of Love' In A Reimagined Version Of Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical
It’s a coming home of sorts for Stroman, who won the Tony Award for Best Choreography when...
The production with British stars Charlie Stemp and Carly Anderson played to packed houses during an eight-week summer run at Chichester.
Related Story ‘The Wiz’ Sets 2024 Broadway Return With New Material By Amber Ruffin Related Story Andrew Lloyd Webber & Producer Michael Harrison Announce New Musical Theater Partnership Related Story Love Changes Everything: Michael Ball Will Revisit 'Aspects Of Love' In A Reimagined Version Of Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical
It’s a coming home of sorts for Stroman, who won the Tony Award for Best Choreography when...
- 12/1/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
The Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running musical in Broadway’s history, will stick around a little longer, with the producers announcing an extended final run through April 16.
Back in September, it was announced that the smash Andrew Lloyd Webber musical would close Feb. 18, 2023. But as The New York Times reported today, Nov. 29, the announcement of its impending end caused a spike in interest and ticket sales. Just last week, during the Thanksgiving holiday, Phantom enjoyed its highest-grossing week ever, bringing in 2.2 million.
“What a phenomenal response there has been to the show ending,...
Back in September, it was announced that the smash Andrew Lloyd Webber musical would close Feb. 18, 2023. But as The New York Times reported today, Nov. 29, the announcement of its impending end caused a spike in interest and ticket sales. Just last week, during the Thanksgiving holiday, Phantom enjoyed its highest-grossing week ever, bringing in 2.2 million.
“What a phenomenal response there has been to the show ending,...
- 11/29/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Broadway’s long-running The Phantom of the Opera, which has enjoyed a big box office upswing since announcing in September that it would close on February 18, won’t be making its exit quite so soon. Producer Cameron Mackintosh has given the show an eight-week extension, with a new closing date of April 16.
Phantom‘s box office revitalization began quickly after the original closing announcement, with weekly grosses consistently rising from less than 900,000 pre-announcement to sell-out business of nearly 1.8 million for the week ending Nov. 20.
Mackintosh said in a statement today, “The response to the news that The Phantom of the Opera is finally going to end its record-breaking original Broadway run after 35 years has been as phenomenal as the show itself. We are all thrilled that not only the show’s wonderful fans have been snapping up the remaining tickets, but also that a new, younger audience is equally eager...
Phantom‘s box office revitalization began quickly after the original closing announcement, with weekly grosses consistently rising from less than 900,000 pre-announcement to sell-out business of nearly 1.8 million for the week ending Nov. 20.
Mackintosh said in a statement today, “The response to the news that The Phantom of the Opera is finally going to end its record-breaking original Broadway run after 35 years has been as phenomenal as the show itself. We are all thrilled that not only the show’s wonderful fans have been snapping up the remaining tickets, but also that a new, younger audience is equally eager...
- 11/29/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The Phantom of the Opera will delay its Broadway closure to April 16, the production confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter Tuesday.
After announcing that the Broadway production would end its 35-year run on Feb. 18, the show has added an eight-week extension to its closure date due to demand. This is the only extension possible, according to the production, as the Majestic Theatre will be closing after the run for “major renovations.”
Producer Cameron Mackintosh said the show is delaying its closure due to a spike in sales sparked after the closing announcement. In the week after announcing its Broadway closure, the show saw its grosses jump close to 250,000 and saw its capacity reach just over 100 percent. That trend has continued in recent weeks, with the musical grossing 1.78 million in the week ended Nov. 20, the most recent week of public grosses.
“We are all thrilled...
The Phantom of the Opera will delay its Broadway closure to April 16, the production confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter Tuesday.
After announcing that the Broadway production would end its 35-year run on Feb. 18, the show has added an eight-week extension to its closure date due to demand. This is the only extension possible, according to the production, as the Majestic Theatre will be closing after the run for “major renovations.”
Producer Cameron Mackintosh said the show is delaying its closure due to a spike in sales sparked after the closing announcement. In the week after announcing its Broadway closure, the show saw its grosses jump close to 250,000 and saw its capacity reach just over 100 percent. That trend has continued in recent weeks, with the musical grossing 1.78 million in the week ended Nov. 20, the most recent week of public grosses.
“We are all thrilled...
- 11/29/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Harrison are launching a new musical theater venture.
The well-known composer and international producer have come together to form Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, a joint endeavor that will see the long-time collaborators producing new entries for Webber’s musical catalog.
Lloyd Webber described Harrison as “easily one of the world’s leading young theater producers” in a partnership that “will build on our relationship.”
“On a personal level, I am thrilled,” the composer said in a statement. “I will now concentrate on composing knowing that I have a first-rate producer to collaborate with in the future.”
Their new partnership will see the company finding and developing new musicals, alongside the creation of new productions based on Lloyd Webber’s existing and expanding musical catalog. The duo’s existing projects and business at their independent companies — Lloyd Webber’s...
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Harrison are launching a new musical theater venture.
The well-known composer and international producer have come together to form Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, a joint endeavor that will see the long-time collaborators producing new entries for Webber’s musical catalog.
Lloyd Webber described Harrison as “easily one of the world’s leading young theater producers” in a partnership that “will build on our relationship.”
“On a personal level, I am thrilled,” the composer said in a statement. “I will now concentrate on composing knowing that I have a first-rate producer to collaborate with in the future.”
Their new partnership will see the company finding and developing new musicals, alongside the creation of new productions based on Lloyd Webber’s existing and expanding musical catalog. The duo’s existing projects and business at their independent companies — Lloyd Webber’s...
- 11/28/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
There’s nothing like a closing announcement to generate business.
In the week after announcing its Broadway closure, The Phantom of the Opera saw its grosses jump close to 250,000 and saw its capacity reach just over 100 percent, the highest capacity at the production in more than a year. The average ticket price also crept up 10 from the previous week. This brought the box office total for the week ended Sept. 25 to 1.2 million.
The trend may continue as the advance at Phantom has tripled since the announcement, according to the production.
The production, which is the longest-running musical on Broadway, announced on Sept. 16 that it would end its run on Feb. 18, 2023. The Andrew Lloyd Webber-composed musical has been playing Broadway’s Majestic Theatre since January 1988.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh has cited the production’s high running costs, amid a lower tourist audience on Broadway,...
There’s nothing like a closing announcement to generate business.
In the week after announcing its Broadway closure, The Phantom of the Opera saw its grosses jump close to 250,000 and saw its capacity reach just over 100 percent, the highest capacity at the production in more than a year. The average ticket price also crept up 10 from the previous week. This brought the box office total for the week ended Sept. 25 to 1.2 million.
The trend may continue as the advance at Phantom has tripled since the announcement, according to the production.
The production, which is the longest-running musical on Broadway, announced on Sept. 16 that it would end its run on Feb. 18, 2023. The Andrew Lloyd Webber-composed musical has been playing Broadway’s Majestic Theatre since January 1988.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh has cited the production’s high running costs, amid a lower tourist audience on Broadway,...
- 9/27/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Encouraging her fans and fellow Broadway-goers to spread the hashtag “The Majestic Is Fit for a Prince,” TV and stage icon Carol Burnett has launched a social media campaign to get Broadway’s Majestic Theatre renamed for legendary producer and director Harold Prince.
In a video posted to her Instagram page, Burnett says, “Carol Burnett here to tell you how I believe, along with many others in the theatre world, that the Majestic Theatre in New York City should be renamed after the brilliant producer-director Harold Prince. It’s more than fitting, since the Majestic houses Phantom of the Opera, which was directed by Hal and it’s the longest-running show in Broadway history.
“And not only that,” she continues, “but Hal was the recipient of 21 Tony Awards for Broadway shows he produced and/or directed. I had the joy of knowing and working with Hal and it was one...
In a video posted to her Instagram page, Burnett says, “Carol Burnett here to tell you how I believe, along with many others in the theatre world, that the Majestic Theatre in New York City should be renamed after the brilliant producer-director Harold Prince. It’s more than fitting, since the Majestic houses Phantom of the Opera, which was directed by Hal and it’s the longest-running show in Broadway history.
“And not only that,” she continues, “but Hal was the recipient of 21 Tony Awards for Broadway shows he produced and/or directed. I had the joy of knowing and working with Hal and it was one...
- 9/21/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The curtain is about to fall on Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" for the last time. On Friday, Sept. 16, it was confirmed via the Broadway show's official website that the musical will end its history-making run on Feb. 18, 2023, at Broadway's Majestic Theatre. "The Phantom of the Opera" is the longest-running production in Broadway history - on Jan. 26, the show will celebrate its 35th anniversary.
Currently, the production's cast includes Ben Crawford as The Phantom, Emilie Kouatchou as Christine, John Riddle as Raoul, Nehal Joshi as Monsieur André, and Craig Bennett as Monsieur Firmin. Seth Sklar-Heyn is the show's director and will remain so through its final run. By the time the show ends, it will have played 13,925 performances.
As reported by Playbill, the show's producer, Cameron Mackintosh, issued a statement about "The Phantom of the Opera"'s Broadway run coming to a close. (Popsugar has reached...
Currently, the production's cast includes Ben Crawford as The Phantom, Emilie Kouatchou as Christine, John Riddle as Raoul, Nehal Joshi as Monsieur André, and Craig Bennett as Monsieur Firmin. Seth Sklar-Heyn is the show's director and will remain so through its final run. By the time the show ends, it will have played 13,925 performances.
As reported by Playbill, the show's producer, Cameron Mackintosh, issued a statement about "The Phantom of the Opera"'s Broadway run coming to a close. (Popsugar has reached...
- 9/17/2022
- by Sabienna Bowman
- Popsugar.com
The paper faces will no longer be on parade. That's right, Phantom of the Opera is ending its history-making run on Broadway, E! News has learned. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, which has been on Broadway for an impressive 34 years, will officially drop the chandelier for the last time in February 2023—but not before commemorating its 35th anniversary. Producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement to E! News, "All shows do finally close, and after considerable discussion between The Shuberts, The Really Useful Group, Andrew and myself, we concluded that the right time for Phantom was after the show's 35th birthday on February 18—a double celebration of Phantom's...
- 9/16/2022
- E! Online
Click here to read the full article.
The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest running show, is scheduled to close on Feb. 18.
The Andrew Lloyd Webber-composed musical has been playing at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre since January 1988. The musical has been a staple of the Great White Way, and popular culture, ever since, but has attracted more of a tourist audience in recent years — a demographic that has been slower to return amid the pandemic — and has seen its grosses waver, amid rising running costs.
Like all of Broadway, the production was forced to close when the industry was shut down on March 12, 2020. The musical reopened on Oct. 22, 2021 to great fanfare, which included Lloyd Webber DJ’ing to a crowd outside the theater. That fall, the musical saw a boost in grosses, alongside other returning classics, and was supported by federal funding in the form of a close to 9.9 million federal grant.
The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest running show, is scheduled to close on Feb. 18.
The Andrew Lloyd Webber-composed musical has been playing at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre since January 1988. The musical has been a staple of the Great White Way, and popular culture, ever since, but has attracted more of a tourist audience in recent years — a demographic that has been slower to return amid the pandemic — and has seen its grosses waver, amid rising running costs.
Like all of Broadway, the production was forced to close when the industry was shut down on March 12, 2020. The musical reopened on Oct. 22, 2021 to great fanfare, which included Lloyd Webber DJ’ing to a crowd outside the theater. That fall, the musical saw a boost in grosses, alongside other returning classics, and was supported by federal funding in the form of a close to 9.9 million federal grant.
- 9/16/2022
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest running show, will close in February following its 35th anniversary in January, producers have announced.
“We are sad to confirm that after 35 years on Broadway, Phantom will play its final performance at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday February 18th, 2023,” the show has announced on its website. “Tickets are currently on sale for performances through January 22nd, 2023, and we expect the final block of tickets to be placed on sale shortly.”
The news comes as the musical, known for its falling chandelier, its half-masked title character and its most famous song “The Music of the Night,” has become an icon of Broadway over the decades but has been as susceptible as other productions to the soft Covid market and weak tourist climate.
The musical has long played at the Shubert Organization’s Majestic Theatre.
With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart,...
“We are sad to confirm that after 35 years on Broadway, Phantom will play its final performance at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday February 18th, 2023,” the show has announced on its website. “Tickets are currently on sale for performances through January 22nd, 2023, and we expect the final block of tickets to be placed on sale shortly.”
The news comes as the musical, known for its falling chandelier, its half-masked title character and its most famous song “The Music of the Night,” has become an icon of Broadway over the decades but has been as susceptible as other productions to the soft Covid market and weak tourist climate.
The musical has long played at the Shubert Organization’s Majestic Theatre.
With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
New York City Center’s Encores!, which recently announced that its acclaimed production of Into The Woods is planning a Broadway transfer, has set revivals of The Light in the Piazza, Dear World and Oliver! for its 2023 season.
Encores!, which presents a mix of classic and rarely performed Broadway musicals in enhanced concert form, will kick off the 2023 season on February 1 with The Light in the Piazza starring Ruthie Ann Miles (The King & I) and directed by Chay Yew. The musical, which premiered in 2005, features a book by Craig Lucas and music and lyrics by Adam Guettel based on the 1960 novella by Elizabeth Spencer, and follows an American mother and daughter living in the shadow of a tragic accident who find joy while on vacation in 1950s Florence.
Encores! describes the upcoming production, which will run through Feb. 5, as “a deeply personal exploration of the material, transmuting the musical’s...
Encores!, which presents a mix of classic and rarely performed Broadway musicals in enhanced concert form, will kick off the 2023 season on February 1 with The Light in the Piazza starring Ruthie Ann Miles (The King & I) and directed by Chay Yew. The musical, which premiered in 2005, features a book by Craig Lucas and music and lyrics by Adam Guettel based on the 1960 novella by Elizabeth Spencer, and follows an American mother and daughter living in the shadow of a tragic accident who find joy while on vacation in 1950s Florence.
Encores! describes the upcoming production, which will run through Feb. 5, as “a deeply personal exploration of the material, transmuting the musical’s...
- 6/14/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The rollicking Broadway musical Guys & Dolls is to be revived at London’s The Bridge Theatre next year with 420 members of the audience able to “party” with the cast, as the show’s director Nicholas Hytner (The History Boys) told Deadline.
The immersive production is set to begin preview performances from February 27. Official opening night is March 9.
Hytner, a former artistic director of Britain’s National Theatre, said that he and his associates chose Guys & Dolls “because a hell of a lot of it happens in public space like Times Square, Broadway and Havana.”
Guys & Dolls, described as a Broadway fable, is based on tales penned by Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.
‘The Lehman Trilogy’ From Ideas To Sketches To Stage – A Photo Tour With Designer Es Devlin: Deadline Tony Watch Exclusive
“The audience will arrive...
The immersive production is set to begin preview performances from February 27. Official opening night is March 9.
Hytner, a former artistic director of Britain’s National Theatre, said that he and his associates chose Guys & Dolls “because a hell of a lot of it happens in public space like Times Square, Broadway and Havana.”
Guys & Dolls, described as a Broadway fable, is based on tales penned by Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.
‘The Lehman Trilogy’ From Ideas To Sketches To Stage – A Photo Tour With Designer Es Devlin: Deadline Tony Watch Exclusive
“The audience will arrive...
- 6/9/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
When she was 23, Sonia Friedman was—to use her expression—thrown into a rehearsal room with Harold Pinter at London’s National Theatre. She was his deputy stage manager during production for the premiere of his one-act play Mountain Language starring theatrical royalty Michael Gambon and Eileen Atkins.
“I was the person sitting right next to [Pinter],” she recalls. “He would whisper into my ear all the way through,” about how he wanted it to look, where’d there’d be a cue. She says the playwright would make almost no changes to his script. “Though he did at one point add a pause and asked me to write that into the script,” she says, smiling at the memory. It was a life-changing moment for her, working with playwrights who directed their own work. “I fell in love at that point, particularly with new work, watching actors mine something that no...
“I was the person sitting right next to [Pinter],” she recalls. “He would whisper into my ear all the way through,” about how he wanted it to look, where’d there’d be a cue. She says the playwright would make almost no changes to his script. “Though he did at one point add a pause and asked me to write that into the script,” she says, smiling at the memory. It was a life-changing moment for her, working with playwrights who directed their own work. “I fell in love at that point, particularly with new work, watching actors mine something that no...
- 5/18/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Cameron Mackintosh, the London theatre owner and impresario, nixed the idea of having a host introduce artists performing at Tuesday’s one-night-only Old Friends tribute show honoring the legacy of musical theatre genius Stephen Sondheim, who died in November at age 91.
“All you need are Steve’s words and music, and our cast. They speak, or rather sing, for themselves,“ Mackintosh explained to Deadline before the star-studded event began at London’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Worked like a treat. Thirty minutes saved, because Old Friends wasn’t lumbered with a host.
In any case, no one needed to introduce actress Julia McKenzie when she walked onto the stage, for it was she who, with Mackintosh producing, was part of an ensemble that super-spread Sondheim in the West End over four decades ago with a revue entitled Side By Side by Sondheim.
She’s one of the composer and lyricist’s foremost interpreters.
“All you need are Steve’s words and music, and our cast. They speak, or rather sing, for themselves,“ Mackintosh explained to Deadline before the star-studded event began at London’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Worked like a treat. Thirty minutes saved, because Old Friends wasn’t lumbered with a host.
In any case, no one needed to introduce actress Julia McKenzie when she walked onto the stage, for it was she who, with Mackintosh producing, was part of an ensemble that super-spread Sondheim in the West End over four decades ago with a revue entitled Side By Side by Sondheim.
She’s one of the composer and lyricist’s foremost interpreters.
- 5/4/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
All eyes were on Judi Dench.
The legendary actress was seated stage right, performing one of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest hits. The sound of her voice, accompanied by a 25-piece orchestra led by Alfonso Casado Trigo, held a hushed audience in awe.
There was spontaneous applause. The great dame was led off stage. She reappeared moments later to perform the number again.
“Goosebumps,” said Cameron Mackintosh, echoing the thoughts of those lucky enough to be gathered in the stalls of London’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre for several hours Monday, for a long day and night of technical technical rehearsal for Tuesday night’s celebration of Sondheim, a giant of theatre, who died last November at age 91.
Tuesday’s one-night-only show is called Old Friends, named after a number in the composer’s 1981 musical comedy Merrily We Roll Along. Mackintosh has been putting Old Friends together with Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman staging,...
The legendary actress was seated stage right, performing one of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest hits. The sound of her voice, accompanied by a 25-piece orchestra led by Alfonso Casado Trigo, held a hushed audience in awe.
There was spontaneous applause. The great dame was led off stage. She reappeared moments later to perform the number again.
“Goosebumps,” said Cameron Mackintosh, echoing the thoughts of those lucky enough to be gathered in the stalls of London’s Stephen Sondheim Theatre for several hours Monday, for a long day and night of technical technical rehearsal for Tuesday night’s celebration of Sondheim, a giant of theatre, who died last November at age 91.
Tuesday’s one-night-only show is called Old Friends, named after a number in the composer’s 1981 musical comedy Merrily We Roll Along. Mackintosh has been putting Old Friends together with Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman staging,...
- 5/2/2022
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Paradise Square makes quite the reach. A musical about the build-up to New York’s horrific Draft Riots of 1863 reaches to the past to tell us about the present. It reaches across cultures to tell us about assimilation and appropriation. It reaches across styles of music and dance to celebrate diversity and commonality. It reaches to contain both epic realism and mythical nostalgia. And somewhere along the line it reaches a point of no return, when all that reaching just wears itself out.
The musical, opening tonight at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, is big in a way that calls back to the Cameron Mackintosh productions of the 1980s and their ’90s Broadway offspring like Ragtime and Kiss of the Spider Woman – those latter two courtesy of Garth Drabinsky, the producer attempting a comeback with Paradise Square after some financial flim-flam landed him in a Canadian prison; he was paroled in 2013 after serving 17 months.
The musical, opening tonight at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, is big in a way that calls back to the Cameron Mackintosh productions of the 1980s and their ’90s Broadway offspring like Ragtime and Kiss of the Spider Woman – those latter two courtesy of Garth Drabinsky, the producer attempting a comeback with Paradise Square after some financial flim-flam landed him in a Canadian prison; he was paroled in 2013 after serving 17 months.
- 4/4/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Geoffrey Johnson, whose Johnson-Liff Casting was behind the roles for Cats, Les Miserables, and Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s three longest-running shows, died Friday, Nov. 26. He was 91 and passed from respiratory failure at Henry J. Carter Hospital in New York.
Johnson’s log career saw him appear on Broadway as an actor. He also worked with David Merrick as a stage manager and casting director and served as Noël Coward’s US representative.
Born in New York City on June 23, 1930, and raised in Larchmont NY, he received a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an Mfa from the Yale School of Drama.
From there, he worked as an actor, appearing in Saint Joan on Broadway in 1956,
He was also the stage manager of several Broadway shows including Cactus Flower and I Do, I Do.
His work as a stage manager led him to Noël Coward, with whom...
Johnson’s log career saw him appear on Broadway as an actor. He also worked with David Merrick as a stage manager and casting director and served as Noël Coward’s US representative.
Born in New York City on June 23, 1930, and raised in Larchmont NY, he received a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an Mfa from the Yale School of Drama.
From there, he worked as an actor, appearing in Saint Joan on Broadway in 1956,
He was also the stage manager of several Broadway shows including Cactus Flower and I Do, I Do.
His work as a stage manager led him to Noël Coward, with whom...
- 11/28/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
The Phantom of the Opera is officially back and Broadway is Broadway againDirected by the late theater legend Harold Prince, Phantom officiallyresumed performances last night, October 22,at The Majestic Theatre 245 West 44th Street - the musical's New York home for all 33 record-breaking years. As a part of the celebration, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh took the stage for a special speech, and afterwards Webber took to the streets for a special DJ set in front of The Majestic. BroadwayWorld was there for the big night...
- 10/23/2021
- by Bruce Glikas
- BroadwayWorld.com
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh today announced complete casting for the New York return of The Phantom Of The Opera, the longest-running show in Broadway history. Joining the production in her Broadway debut is Emilie Kouatchou, who will play the role of 'Christine Daa' at certain performances. Ms. Kouatchou is the first Black actor to play the role of 'Christine' in the Broadway production.
- 9/14/2021
- by Taylor Brethauer-Hamling
- BroadwayWorld.com
West End producer Cameron Mackintosh is clarifying statements published in a Telegraph interview seemingly calling the casting of trans actors in roles not explicitly written as trans a “gimmick,” following online backlash which included a lengthy response by Broadway star and Transparent actress Alexandra Billings.
Mackintosh posted a statement on Twitter, writing that his response was to a question about “making the character of Mary Poppins (not the actor playing the role) a transgender woman” and that it had been “misinterpreted.”
“Unfortunately, my answer has been misinterpreted to suggest that I am opposed to casting a transgender performer ...
Mackintosh posted a statement on Twitter, writing that his response was to a question about “making the character of Mary Poppins (not the actor playing the role) a transgender woman” and that it had been “misinterpreted.”
“Unfortunately, my answer has been misinterpreted to suggest that I am opposed to casting a transgender performer ...
- 8/31/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
West End producer Cameron Mackintosh is clarifying statements published in a Telegraph interview seemingly calling the casting of trans actors in roles not explicitly written as trans a “gimmick,” following online backlash which included a lengthy response by Broadway star and Transparent actress Alexandra Billings.
Mackintosh posted a statement on Twitter, writing that his response was to a question about “making the character of Mary Poppins (not the actor playing the role) a transgender woman” and that it had been “misinterpreted.”
“Unfortunately, my answer has been misinterpreted to suggest that I am opposed to casting a transgender performer ...
Mackintosh posted a statement on Twitter, writing that his response was to a question about “making the character of Mary Poppins (not the actor playing the role) a transgender woman” and that it had been “misinterpreted.”
“Unfortunately, my answer has been misinterpreted to suggest that I am opposed to casting a transgender performer ...
- 8/31/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Alexandra Billings, a trans actor who made Broadway history when cast as Wicked‘s Madam Morrible in 2020, has issued a strong rebuke to Cameron Mackintosh over comments the British theater producer made opposing the casting of trans performers in classic roles.
In the post addressed to “Sir Cameron,” Billings writes, in part, “I am an actor. I am Mame and I am Madame Rose. I am Miss Hannigan and I am Annie Oakley and I am Fantine…I am an actor, Mr Mackintosh, not a gimmick.” (Read the full post below.)
Billings’ comment was a response to an interview Mackintosh gave to UK’s Telegraph last week, in which the producer of the West End’s Les Miserables, Phantom Of The Opera and Hamilton said he would not be in favor of casting a transgender actor in the lead role of his Mary Poppins West End musical because the tale is “not about that,...
In the post addressed to “Sir Cameron,” Billings writes, in part, “I am an actor. I am Mame and I am Madame Rose. I am Miss Hannigan and I am Annie Oakley and I am Fantine…I am an actor, Mr Mackintosh, not a gimmick.” (Read the full post below.)
Billings’ comment was a response to an interview Mackintosh gave to UK’s Telegraph last week, in which the producer of the West End’s Les Miserables, Phantom Of The Opera and Hamilton said he would not be in favor of casting a transgender actor in the lead role of his Mary Poppins West End musical because the tale is “not about that,...
- 8/30/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Phantom of the Opera, at 33 years old the longest-running show in Broadway history, is the first post-Covid production to make it official: The musical will resume performances on Friday, Oct. 22. Tickets go on sale this Friday.
The announcement comes just hours after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the go-ahead for Broadway to reopen on Sept. 14.
In a statement, Phantom composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “I am a proud Brit, but Broadway has always been my spiritual home. To have Phantom lead the effort to bring our beloved community back to the stage is a moment of immense pride for me.
“The only heartache is that Hal will not be with us,” Webber continued, referencing the show’s late director Harold Prince, “but when we all return for our first performance on October 22, I know his spirit will be there, cheering our cast, crew and orchestra on and welcoming...
The announcement comes just hours after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the go-ahead for Broadway to reopen on Sept. 14.
In a statement, Phantom composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “I am a proud Brit, but Broadway has always been my spiritual home. To have Phantom lead the effort to bring our beloved community back to the stage is a moment of immense pride for me.
“The only heartache is that Hal will not be with us,” Webber continued, referencing the show’s late director Harold Prince, “but when we all return for our first performance on October 22, I know his spirit will be there, cheering our cast, crew and orchestra on and welcoming...
- 5/5/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: It’s A Sin actor Callum Scott Howells has signed with Duncan Millership at Anonymous Content.
The recent graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama plays Colin in Russel T Davies’ lauded new Channel 4/HBO Max AIDS drama, which marks Howells’ first screen role.
The five-part drama follows the joy and heartbreak of four friends growing up in the 1980s as the spread of AIDS tests their lives more than ever before. Also starring are Olly Alexander, Keeley Hawes, Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Fry.
Howells was recently cast as Romeo in Gary Owen’s play Romeo and Julie, which was a co-production with the National Theatre and the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff. He has also toured with Cameron Mackintosh’s production of the hit musical Oliver!, Matthew Bourne’s dance production Lord Of The Flies, and as part of several National Music Youth Theatre shows.
Howells...
The recent graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama plays Colin in Russel T Davies’ lauded new Channel 4/HBO Max AIDS drama, which marks Howells’ first screen role.
The five-part drama follows the joy and heartbreak of four friends growing up in the 1980s as the spread of AIDS tests their lives more than ever before. Also starring are Olly Alexander, Keeley Hawes, Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Fry.
Howells was recently cast as Romeo in Gary Owen’s play Romeo and Julie, which was a co-production with the National Theatre and the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff. He has also toured with Cameron Mackintosh’s production of the hit musical Oliver!, Matthew Bourne’s dance production Lord Of The Flies, and as part of several National Music Youth Theatre shows.
Howells...
- 2/1/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Yesterday’s news that the UK government is placing London into its strictest tier 3 coronavirus lockdown has been met by an outpouring of grief from the beleaguered live entertainment sector.
Venues such as cinemas and theaters were able to re-open in the capital on December 2 when the country exited a four-week nationwide lockdown, and many have put a large amount of effort and investment into getting operational again ahead of the lucrative holiday period.
In the immediate aftermath to yesterday’s announcement, the UK Cinema Association said the move would be “devastating” for its members, particularly as Wonder Woman 1984 will soon be available to program (windowing issues asides).
Today, the cast and crew of Pantoland At The Palladium, the annual festive stage show held at the famed London theater, have joined the chorus of dissent expressing the negative impact this will have on the long term health of live venues.
Venues such as cinemas and theaters were able to re-open in the capital on December 2 when the country exited a four-week nationwide lockdown, and many have put a large amount of effort and investment into getting operational again ahead of the lucrative holiday period.
In the immediate aftermath to yesterday’s announcement, the UK Cinema Association said the move would be “devastating” for its members, particularly as Wonder Woman 1984 will soon be available to program (windowing issues asides).
Today, the cast and crew of Pantoland At The Palladium, the annual festive stage show held at the famed London theater, have joined the chorus of dissent expressing the negative impact this will have on the long term health of live venues.
- 12/15/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Herbert Kretzmer, the journalist and lyricist knew for his English-language adaptation of the musical Les Miserables, has died. He was 95.
His family confirmed Wednesday that Kretzmer died after a long illness with Parkinson’s disease at the London home he shared with his second wife, Sybil Sever.
Tributes poured in from giants of the London stage, including theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh, singer Elaine Paige and lyricist Tim Rice.
Les Miserables producer Mackintosh said Kretzmer was instrumental in bringing Victor Hugo’s classic tale of defiance and redemption in early 19th century France to the stage in English in October 1985, five ...
His family confirmed Wednesday that Kretzmer died after a long illness with Parkinson’s disease at the London home he shared with his second wife, Sybil Sever.
Tributes poured in from giants of the London stage, including theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh, singer Elaine Paige and lyricist Tim Rice.
Les Miserables producer Mackintosh said Kretzmer was instrumental in bringing Victor Hugo’s classic tale of defiance and redemption in early 19th century France to the stage in English in October 1985, five ...
- 10/14/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Herbert Kretzmer, the journalist and lyricist knew for his English-language adaptation of the musical Les Miserables, has died. He was 95.
His family confirmed Wednesday that Kretzmer died after a long illness with Parkinson’s disease at the London home he shared with his second wife, Sybil Sever.
Tributes poured in from giants of the London stage, including theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh, singer Elaine Paige and lyricist Tim Rice.
Les Miserables producer Mackintosh said Kretzmer was instrumental in bringing Victor Hugo’s classic tale of defiance and redemption in early 19th century France to the stage in English in October 1985, five ...
His family confirmed Wednesday that Kretzmer died after a long illness with Parkinson’s disease at the London home he shared with his second wife, Sybil Sever.
Tributes poured in from giants of the London stage, including theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh, singer Elaine Paige and lyricist Tim Rice.
Les Miserables producer Mackintosh said Kretzmer was instrumental in bringing Victor Hugo’s classic tale of defiance and redemption in early 19th century France to the stage in English in October 1985, five ...
- 10/14/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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