Blog / West End Wilma
Check here for the latest musical news with links to all your #StageFaves performers, shows and theatres. Also look out for our regular #GetSocial features and contributions from our syndicate media partners including MyTheatreMates.com and the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society.
Imelda Staunton won't be back where she belongs - the theatre, that is - quite when we expected. HELLO, DOLLY! is the latest West End postponement in the face of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Something to look forward to during theatre lockdown: WEST END LIVE is going virtual next month. Which musicals would you most like to see showcased?
Here's something to look forward to - and cannily announced on National Siblings Day (10 April 2020) - Samantha Barks' Elsa has found her new little sis Anna in the form of Stephanie McKeon for the West End premiere of Frozen, due to reopen the refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane this autumn.
After Thriller and Waitress, we're sad to wave goodbye to another rollicking West End musical whose run has been cut short by the coronavirus crisis. But we LOVE these celebratory quotes from its #StageFaves stars including David Hasselhoff, Bonnie Langford, Louise Redknapp, Chelsea Halfpenny, Natalie McQueen and many others.
2020
An original cast recording of The Prince Of Egypt, the new musical based on the acclaimed DreamWorks Animation film, will be released on Ghostlight Records in digital and streaming formats on 3 April 2020. A physical CD will be available later this year.
2020
It perhaps doesn’t come as any surprise, but it’s still sad to hear to that West End LIVE 2020, planned for 20 and 21 June 2020, has been cancelled due to the recent guidance from the Government over COVID-19.
It’s normally a major highlight in the theatre calendar but the fallout of the coronavirus emergency has now extended to the Olivier Awards ceremony, planned for 5 April 2020 at the Royal Albert Hall, but now cancelled. The hope is alternative arrangements will be made to ‘properly honour and announce this year’s winners’.
2020
Following Boris Johnson’s statement regarding the coronavirus pandemic, advising the public that they should avoid non-essential contact including going to the theatre, it was announced on 16 March 2020 by SOLT and UK Theatre that all member venues would close with immediate effect. One after the other, from Les Misérables to Wicked, and right across the country, venues went dark, but if the Tweets below are anything to go by, the theatre community will come back fighting.
The latest date announced for Faves founder Terri Paddock's musical theatre post-show talks series will take place at London's Southwark Playhouse on 15 June 2020 talking to cast and creatives about the issues highlighted in the stage adaptation of INDECENT PROPOSAL.
2020
Did you know that a fairytale kingdom has popped up in Highgate? Classic Broadway musical Once Upon a Mattress has just opened at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, and critics have fallen in love with Beth Burrows' Princess Winnifred, not your typical fairytale princess. We've rounded up some of our fave reviews.
What a range of winners there were at the 10th anniversary Offies 2020 presented by Off West End with Best Musical Production going to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at the Union Theatre and Amour at the Charing Cross Theatre named as Best New Musical. Elsewhere Thrill Me lead actors Bart Lambert and Jack Reitman were both honoured for their performances at the Hope Theatre, while Oti Mabuse completed a victorious weekend with a prize for her choreography for Ain’t Misbehavin at Southwark Playhouse.
2020
As if we weren't excited enough about the initial casting of Lucie Jones, Ramin Karimloo and Jac Yarrow, the full cast of StageFaves taking part in The Secret Garden concerts at the London Palladium are giving us palpitations!
2020
Casting for the return of Sister Act just keeps getting better, not least Olivier Award winner Clive Rowe. Watch what Whoopi Goldberg says about making her London stage debut in the hit adaptation of her film.
We reckon Kate Fleetwood will make an outstanding villainess! She'll do this summer as Cruella de Vil in the Open Air Theatre's new musical adaptation of the much-loved children's story.
It's hard to imagine a StageFave more perfect for the role of Sammy Davis Jr than Olivier Award winner Giles Terera. After years of development, he'll star in Leslie Bricusse's new musical about the Rat Packer, directed by Clarke Peters.
2020
A new musical based on the original 1988 novel INDECENT PROPOSAL, rather than the 1993 Hollywood film, will reimagine the story for the #MeToo era under the direction of Charlotte Westenra. It premieres at Southwark Playhouse this summer.
2020
Jay McGuiness, Kimberley Walsh and Daniel Casey will star as Sam, Annie and Walter respectively in SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, based on the original screenplay Sleepless in Seattle. Who else is joining them? Full cast announced.
In the upcoming revival of classic Broadway fairytale Once Upon a Mattress, Beth Burrows stars as Princess Winnifred. It's a role that's famously been played by American comedy legend Carol Burnett, Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker and Hollywood's Zooey Deschanel. Watch them in action!
Have you seen who's starring in the new production of Mary Rodgers’ rarely seen, 1959 Broadway fairy-tale Once Upon a Mattress? Love, lechery, a legume... and a ten-strong cast of #StageFaves... plus a competition!
You only have three more chances to see new British musical drama THE JURY in its London premiere run at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, where it must finish this Sunday 16 February 2020. Have you watched Faves founder Terri Paddock's opening night post-show Q&A with the creators and cast yet? Our verdict: this is top-notch new writing.