Former Atomic Kitten singer Natasha Hamilton is to make her West End stage debut in Blood Brothers in 2011, when she joins the cast to play the leading role of Mrs Johnstone.
The Scouse 'lass' will be performing at the Phoenix theatre from 24th January, starring in Willy Russell's tale of separated Liverpudlian twins living separate but linked lives until 30 July.
Hamilton joins a long list of actresses and singers who have played the iconic role of Mrs Johnstone, including Barbara Dickson, Kiki Dee, Lyn Paul, Siobhan McCarthy, Mel C and Linda, Bernie, Denise and Maureen Nolan.
A whole host of BBC stars will be presenting Jersey Boys before the show gets under way in aid of Children in Need on 17th November.
BBC London presenters Gaby Roslin, Paul Ross, Vanessa Feltz and Danny Baker will all intrdoduce the show before the performance unravels at the Prince Edward Theatre. All money raised will go towards helping disadvantaged children and young people across the UK, and the event will be a special gala performance.
Almost 6 years after making his last appearance on the West End stage, Michael Crawford will be making a return to one of the stages biggest productions. In the last few weeks we have had many famous personlities returning and now Crawford will be joining that list..
Crawford was last seen on stage in the West End in another Lloyd Webber musical, The Woman In White, and now returns to take the role of The Wizard.
A two-times Laurence Olivier Award-winner, Crawfords London stage career began almost 50 years ago in 1962 when he made his West End debut in Come Blow Your Horn.
A week after we released that Denise Van Outen would be making a return to the West End stage, we can reveal that Whoopi Goldberg will be returning to London Palladium with Sister Act.
Goldberg had signed up to perform from 10 to 31 August but unfortunately had to leave on the 27th August and fly back to America due to her mother suffering a stroke. Goldberg will rejoin the show from 22 to 25 October. Those who missed out seeing her for the last 4 shows are eligible for priority booking for the new dates.
Popular TV star Denise Van Outen is to return to the West End when she joins Sheridan Smith in the cast for Legally Blonde The Musical.
TV presenter, new mum, and West End actress Van Outen will replaces Jill Halfpenny in the role of Paulette from the 25th October. Van Outen has previously starred in other West End productions such as Tell Me On A Sunday, Chicago and Rent.
The former Hollyoaks and Dancing On Ice favourite Chris Fountain is to appear in Douglas Irvine's teenage comedy that follows a group of 18 year olds.
Having just finished the holiday and waiting for their flight home from Malaga airport, the group begin to reminisce over memories they have of the trip. Chris is best known for playing Justin in the teen soap Hollyoaks, following that up by displaying his ice-skating skills on ITV programme Dancing On Ice.
Departure Lounge, which plays to 31 October, is the first musical outing of Waterloo East theatre, a new venue which opens its doors on 2 September.
The Apollo Victoria theatre will celebrate its 80th birthday later on in the year with a performance featuring West End stars from both past and present.
All profits from the evening are being donated to Cancer Research UK, and the special anniversary event will take place on 10 October, with
The Apollo Victorias gala performance will feature stars from its current show, the hit musical Wicked, alongside cast members from previous shows staged at the venue including Saturday Night Fever, Bombay Dreams and Billy Joel danc-ical Movin Out. The Apollo Victoria theatre was originally used as both a theatre and cinema. It opened in 1930, when it was known as the New Victoria theatre.
Published in 1993, Birdsong has sold more than two million copies in the UK alone and three million worldwide. From September, the stage adaptation hits the West End at the Comedy Theatre with Nicholas Farrell, Iain Mitchell, Genevieve OReilly and Lee Ross having joined the previously announced Ben Barnes.
It tells the story of Stephen Wraysford (Barnes) who, while staying as a guest of a factory owner in pre-First World War France, embarks on a passionate affair with his wife, Isabelle (OReilly). Years later, Stephen returns to the same part of France under very different circumstances, as a soldier during the Battle Of The Somme. As his men die around him, he turns to his enduring love for Isabelle for the strength to continue.
Fans of the popular show Legally Blonde The Musical will be pleased to know that the production will be releasing a cast production this summer.
After a live recording at the Savoy Theatre, the albumfeatures the shows original cast, including Sheridan Smith, Duncan James, Jill Halfpenny, Peter Davison and Alex Gaumond. It will be available to followers from 16 August.
West End regular Melanie La Barrie has joined the cast of Smokey Joes Café, which has recently extended its run at the Landor theatre to 12 September, with it previously being due to finish on 12 August.
La Barrie has lots of experience on the London stage having played Pearl in Daddy Cool, Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins, Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables, and other roles as Rue Magique at the Kings Head and Once On This Island at the Hackney Empire.
After 4 years on the West End stage, Avenue Q will be closing it's doors in October performing for the last time at the Wyndhams theatre.
Avenue Q is a somewhat crude show featuring a cast of puppets and humans who are all struggling their way in life. When college graduate Princeton arrives on Avenue Q after struggling to find the money for a nice appartment, he struggles to know what to do with his BA in English. But his unlikely neighbours including porn-obsessed Trekkie Monster, former child star Gary Coleman, sexually confused Rod and cute teacher Kate Monster- attempt to help him out.
Geoffrey Hutchings, whose acting career spanned on both stage and screen, has died at the age of 71 from a suspected viral infection.
The Dorset-born performer was last seen in the West End playing Brooksie in the stage adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption in 2009.
His professional career started in 1964 and spanned over four decades, covering theatre, film and television starring in popular broadcasts such as Eastenders and Benidorm.
Lauren Samuels, who came third in BBC casting competition Over The Rainbow, is heading to the West End when she joins the cast of Grease at the Piccadilly theatre from 26 July.
Samuels takes over from another former talent show contestant, Siobhan
Dillon, to play the lead role of Sandy in the romantic musical. It tells
the iconic love story of Sandy and Danny, two final year students at Rydell
High.
The show premiered on Broadway in 1972 and went on to be made into a hit
film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as the love-struck teens.
Packed with sing-along tunes, the score features the famous numbers Youre
The One That I Want, Greased Lightnin and Summer Nights so a enjoyable
show is guranteed.
Check the availability of Grease and our other
shows usng the easy to use booking form on our homepage.
Over The Rainbow semi-finalist Steph Fearon has bounced back from defeat in the BBC talent search by claiming a role in the Landor theatre’s summer revival of Smokey Joe’s Café.
Fearon is joined in the cast of the jukebox musical, which runs at the Clapham venue from 13 July to 22 August, by Marc Akinfolarin, Miguel Angel, Edward Baruwa, Simon Hardwick, Ngo Ngofa and Philippa Stefani. Fearon, the 21-year-old daughter of 1990s dance music act Baby D, has previously appeared on the London stage in productions of Whistle Down The Wind (Aldwych theatre) and The Wind In The Willows (Open Air theatre).
The best-selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Room on The Broom, is to hit the stage for a short five-week season.
The creators of the stage show The Gruffalo are bringing this treat for children to the West End this summer.
Room On The Broom is a story where a witch and her cat are flying happily along on their broomstick until a mighty wind blasts the witchs hat, bow and wand away into the night.With the help of a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog, her belongings are retrieved. But this broomsticks not meant for five and soon it snaps, and a small tale entails.
The show runs from 28th July to 29th August.
From the 9th to the 26th of June, in conjunction with the World Cup, the Tristan Bates theatre is to stage a football based show Who Ate All The Pies?.
The show focuses about the dying wish of Sharons father for her to inherit his season ticket. She honours his wish, but will she understand why her father spent so much if his time on the terraces? Get to grips with the passion behind the fans?All will be told in this fascinating stage show, which includes all of the sterotypes including an £18 million player, a rich club owner and a crude WAG.
Shows will be staged at 13:30, 15:45, 19:30 and 21:15 meaning sports fanatics should be able to spare a couple of hours before or between mathces whilst the World Cup runs.
Fans of The Wizard of Oz will now be able to watch Dorothy skip up the Yellow Brick Road in theatres as of early next year. From the 29th March 2011, enthusiasts will be able to watch the film become reality as the London Palladium hosts what promises to be one of the most popular new shows in 2011.
Andrew Lloyd Webbers forthcoming production is now available for
booking, a full 10 months in advance of it's first showing. Lloyd Webbers
The Wizard Of Oz will include all the original songs made famous by the
gingham clad Judy Garland in the original 1939 film, including Somewhere
Over The Rainbow, Follow The Yellow Brick Road, If I Only Had A Heart and
Were Off To See The Wizard, as well as a selection of new songs by
the theatre impresario.
Actress Lynn Redgrave died on 2 May at the age of 67, with her family around her. Her death follows a seven year battle with breast cancer.
The younger sister of Vanessa Redgrave and Corin Redgrave, who died just a month ago, Lynn, like her siblings, followed her parents, Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, into the acting profession
Though she may be best known for her award-winning roles in films Georgy Girl and Gods And Monsters, Redgraves career began on the London stage.
A graduate of the Central School of Speech and Drama, she joined the Royal Court at the age of 18 and made her professional stage debut playing Helena in the 1962 production of A Midsummer Nights Dream.
Popular West End actress Harriet Thorpe is joining the Abba musical Mamma Mia! taking up the role of 'Tanya'
Thorpe played a two year role as Madame Horrible in Wicked and her other
previous shows include Cabaret and Les Misérables, whilst also involved
in screen work in the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. Thorpe joins a cast that
also includes Linzi Hateley as Donna and Jessie May as Sophie, as well as
Catherine Russell, Norman Bowman, Paul Ryan and Christopher Hollis.
Fans of the soap'Eastenders' will now be able to see Emma Barton AKA Honey Mitchell on the West End stage, because as of 26th April 2010 she will be starring in Chicago. She will be playing Roxie in the long running show at the Cambridge Theatre. Those thinking that she may struggle to cope with the change in 'environment' are quickly pointed to look at the shows Barton has already performed in, including Grease, Love Shack and the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden.
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Roxie?
Currently playing at the Cambridge Theatre, the spectacular West End musical Chicago has announced a casting change for the role of Roxie Hart.
From December 18th the part of Roxie Hart will be played by Aoife Mulholland. Aoife will already be known to theatre fans as one of the finalists in the BBC's talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? Whilst Aoife didn't win the part of Maria in The Sound of Music, currently being played by Connie Fisher, she made a strong impression on the viewers and was soon signed by theatrical agents.
Aofie will join another familiar face of reality television, X-Factor's Brenda Edwards, who is currently playing Mama Morton along with the other Chicago cast members Annette McLaughlin as Velma Kelly, Ian Kelsey as slick lawyer Billy Flynn and Julian Simms who plays Roxie's husband Amos.
Chicago opened in London's West End in 1997 and follows chorus girl Roxie who kills a nightclub regular and is sent to prison, finding herself alongside her icon and rival Velma Kelly. Both girls have hired slick lawyer Billy Flynn to get them acquitted as they battle for supremacy of Mama Morton's prison and the public eye via the front pages of the press. Having recently announced an extension until October of 2007, Chicago is a glittering, sensational musical that's been winning awards and audiences since it opened over 9 years ago.
Though it only opened at the Palladium Theatre two weeks ago, after a troubled build up, The Sound of Music has already been hugely successful and has extended its run until 13th October 2007. The Andrew Lloyd Webber production stars Connie Fisher as friendly nun Maria who is sent to look after the troublesome offspring of Captain Von Trapp only to fall in love with the Captain after teaching the family the joy of music and singing. However, with the Nazi's taking command of Austria the Captain is called back into service and the family must flee to Switzerland. This 2006 revival of The Sound of Music is a wonderfully uplifting musical that provides entertainment for all the family.
Also set against the turbulent back drop of the Second World War, though less family friendly, Cabaret has extended it's run at Lyric Shaftesbury Theatre until the 29th of September 2007. Set in 1930's Berlin, Cabaret follows nightclub singer Sally Bowles and the patrons of the decadent, debauchery fueled Kit Kat Klub as the they attempt to detach themselves from the reality of the Nazi's rise to power and continue their hedonistic lifestyle.