Theatre News Recap
- Vicky Humphreys (she/her)
- Jan 31
- 7 min read
Updated: Feb 1
(27th Jan - 02nd Feb)
Hadestown to Be Filmed Live in the West End
Credit: Matthew Murphy
It has been announced that Hadestown will be filmed live from the Lyric Theatre over three performances on Friday 28th February and both the matinee and evening performance on Saturday 29th February.
It has recently been announced that between 11th February and 9th March, including the filmed performances, original cast members from the run at the National Theatre and Broadway productions will reprise their roles. Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada both return as Orpheus and Eurydice, with André De Shields as Hermes, Amber Gray as Persephone and Patrick Page as Hades. Completing the cast is Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne and Allie Daniel as Fates, Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Waylon Jacobs and Christopher Short as Workers, and Lucinda Buckley, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Winny Herbert, Ryesha Higgs and Miriam Nyarko as Swings.
Hadestown takes audiences on an unforgettable journey to the Underworld, intertwining two mythic love stories with an incredible soundtrack blending indie folk, pop, blue and New Orleans inspired jazz from singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell.
Initial Casting for World Premiere of New Musical Midnight Cowboy has Been Revealed
Credit: Darren Bell
Max Bowden (EastEnders), Paul Jacob French (An Officer and a Gentleman, Annie!, Grease) and Tori Allen-Martin (Here We Go, London Kills, Pure) have been announced as the initial cast in the World Premiere of Midnight Cowboy, which opens at Southwark Playhouse Elephant on the 4th April.
With a book by Bryony Lavery (Frozen) and a soundtrack by award-winning composer Francis "Eg" White, this powerful adaptation breathes new life into this classic, exploring the depths of friendship and ambition.
The cast is completed by Elena Breschi (Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World), Joanne Henry (Bridgerton, West Side Story), Nick Len (Wicked, Chess), Hollie-Ann Lowe (Burlesque The Musical, Dirty Dancing), Dean Makowski-Clayton (Little Fiend, Marie Curie), Christian Maynard (Miss Saigon, & Juliet), Phoebe Roberts (Grease, Annie!), Tim Rogers (An Officer and a Gentleman, West Side Story), Rohan Tickell (Rock of Ages, Phantom Of The Opera) and Matthew White (The Mousetrap, Bat Boy).
Production Images for the UK and Ireland Tour of Bat Out of Hell Have Been Released
Credit: Chris Davis Studios
Bat Out of Hell is currently embarking on its UK and Ireland Tour and is thrilling audiences with the electrifying songs of collaborators Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf.
As the Lost boys and girls flee into the tunnels below the city from its ruler Falco, his teenage daughter Raven locks eyes with fearless leader of the Lost, the immortal Strat, and the immensity of their love-at-first-sight-obsessions threaten to destroy both of their families.
The cast includes Glenn Adamson as Strat, Katie Tonkinson as Raven, Rob Fowler as Falco, Sharon Sexton as Sloane, Georgia Bradshaw as Zahara, Ryan Carter as Jagwire, Carla Bertran as Tink, Luke Street as Ledoux and Carly Burns as Valkyrie. The cast is completed by Leo Abad, Peter Camilleri, Joshua Dever, Reece Duncan, Georgia Holland, Georgia Iudica-Davies, Natalie Pilkington, Harriet Richardson-Cockerline, Sophie-Rose Emery, Catherine Saunders, Ethan Tanner, Craig Watson, James Wilkinson-Jones and Beth Woodcock.
Casting Announced for A Streetcar Named Desire at the Sheffield Crucible
Sheffield Theatres have announced the full cast for Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize Winning play A Streetcar Named Desire, which runs from Saturday 1 - Saturday 29 March 2025.
Joining the previously announced Joanna Vanderham who is playing Blanche are Bridgette Amofah playing Eunice; Lia Burge playing Neighbour/Flower Seller/Nurse; Nuhazet Diaz Cano playing Pablo; Jake Dunn playing Stanley; Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong playing Mitch; Jack Ofrecio playing Allan/Young Man/Doctor; Amara Okereke playing Stella and Dominic Rye playing Steve.
In the sultry back streets of 1940s New Orleans, fading Southern belle Blanche DuBois seeks solace with her estranged sister Stella. Blanche’s delicate sensibilities create instant suspicion in Stella’s unrestrained husband Stanley, as they collide in a struggle for Stella’s heart. As their simmering feud escalates, past truths begin to surface and both sisters must choose between fantasy and reality.
The Addams Family to Embark On a Mini UK Tour
Following two successful UK and Ireland Tours and sold out concerts at the London Palladium, The Addams Family will run at Birmingham Hippodrome from 10 – 12 July, Curve Leicester from 15 July – 10 August, Lowry Salford from 12 – 16 August 2025 and Marlowe Theatre from 19 – 23 August.
With a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice (writers of the multi award-winning hit musical Jersey Boys), music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominated Andrew Lippa, and based on the characters created by Charles Addams, the story follows Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness. She is all grown up and has a shocking secret that only Gomez knows. She’s fallen in love with a sweet young man from a respectable family. With his cherished Morticia in the dark will Gomez manage to keep his daughter’s secret until the two families meet for a fateful dinner with hilarious consequences?
New Casting and Production Images for Cabaret Have Been Released
Credit: Marc Brenner
As from Tuesday 28th January, Billy Porter and Marisha Wallace take over the roles of The Emcee and Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. They join Daniel Bowerbank as Clifford Bradshaw, Vivien Parry as Fraulein Schneider, Fenton Gray as Herr Schultz, Fred Haig as Ernst Ludwig and Jessica Kirton as Fraulein Kost/Fritzie. The cast is completed by Xenoa Campbell-Ledgister, Sam Darius, Damon Gould Adrian Grove, El Haq Latief, Justin-Lee Jones, Ela Lisondra, Hícaro Nicolai, Andy Rees Alexandra Regan, Marina Tavolieri, Ben Simon Wilson, Anne-Marie Wojna, Patrick Wilden and Lucy Young.
Billy Porter and Marisha Wallace’s final performance will be Saturday 24 May 2025.
Alongside this, it has been announced that joining the show’s Prologue Company from 3rd February will be James Hastings, Dak Mashava, Nethra Menon, Oluwatosin Omotosho and Kristin Wei Wong. They join existing company members Rachel Benson, Ami Benton, Joseph Hardy, Andrew Linnie, Jack William Parry and Jazmyn Raikes, who are continuing within the Prologue Company.
The National Lottery's Big Night of Musicals Returned for Its Fourth Year
Credit: Photography provided by PR
The National Lottery's Big Night of Musicals returned to the AO Arena in Manchester for its fourth year of all the glitz and glamour of theatre. Hosted by Jason Manford and with special appearances from Daniel Mays and Michael Ball, audiences were treated to performances from musical favourite's Cabaret, Titanique, Dear Evan Hansen, Here and Now, Mean Girls, Chicago, Disney's Hercules, Bat Out of Hell and Mary Poppins.
The show will air on BBC One, BBC Radio 2, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds in Spring.
Production Images for Second Best Starring Asa Butterfield Have Been Released
Credit: Hugo Glendinning
Production images of Asa Butterfield as Martin Hill in new comedy play Second Best at Riverside Studios have been released.
Second Best is a playful yet poignant new comedy about fate, near misses and the winding paths life takes. It explores the ache of almost touching greatness and the humour and hope that come when dreams remain just out of reach. A story about the tender moments that shape us, Second Best is for anyone who has ever wondered about the road not taken, and whether the other life would have been as glittering as it looks.
Emma Rice's Romantics Anonymous Releases Live Cast Album
Credit: Steve Tanner
Wise Children and Plush Theatricals are excited to announce the release of the live cast album for the hit musical Romantics Anonymous. The recording, captured during its 2020 run at Bristol Old Vic, is now available on all streaming platforms.
Adapted from the film LES ÉMOTIFS ANONYMES, the musical features direction and book by Emma Rice, with music and lyrics by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond. Funny, tender, and delightfully awkward, Romantics Anonymous is a delicious love story about breaking the mold and finding the courage to be happy. When Angelique, a gifted chocolate maker inhibited by social anxiety, takes a job in Jean-Rene’s struggling chocolate factory, a fragile love affair unfolds.
The album features Marc Antolin as Jean-René, Carly Bawden as Angélique, Brett Brown as Salesman/Fred, Me’sha Bryan as Suzanne/Mimi, Harry Hepple as Ludo/Remi, Laura Jane Matthewson as Young Woman, Sandra Marvin as Magda/Brigitte/Dr. Maxim, Craig Pinder as Father/Pierre/Receptionist, and Gareth Snook as Mercier/Mumbler/Marini.
Drew Gasparini Launches Search for Undiscovered Musical Theatre Talents
Acclaimed composer Drew Gasparini (Smash, The Karate Kid) is launching an incredible opportunity for two aspiring musical theatre performers to win the chance to make their West End debut in his highly anticipated musical, We Aren't Kids Anymore, on stage at the iconic Savoy Theatre on Monday 28th April 2025!
This unique competition is open to anyone aged 18+ with no professional adult credits, giving fresh talent the platform they deserve. Joining the star-studded casting of Dylan Mulvaney, Sam Tutty, and Aimie Atkinson, the competition winners will share the stage with some of the most exciting names in musical theatre. They’ll perform alongside Drew himself in Act 2, sharing their West End debut with special guests yet to be announced!
Aspiring talent can submit their self-tape before submissions close on 23rd February 2025.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Announces its New Season
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre has announced its upcoming season, with highlights including the UK premiere of Broadway hit Shucked (10th May - 14th June), Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses (28th June - 26th July), Lerner & Loewe's Brigadoon (2nd August - 20th September), Rodgers & Hammerstein's Dream Ballets: A Triple Bill (19th - 22nd June) and Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile (15th August - 7th September).
Comments