Blog / West End Calling

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.

10 Apr
2017

What a weekend! Our #StageFaves vlogger Perry O'Bree spent Sunday afternoon at the Royal Albert Hall on the red carpet at the 2017 Olivier Awards! Catch his interviews with the likes of Tim Minchin, Audra McDonald, Tyrone Huntley and the cast of Gary Barlow's THE GIRLS...

In the play and design categories, Harry Potter & the Cursed Child swept the board with a record nine wins at the 2017 Olivier Awards. In the musical categories, there were double wins for Dreamgirls, Groundhog Day and Andrew Lloyd Webber, but Half a Sixpence and The Girls went home empty-handed...

Just hours to go until this year's Olivier Awards, which take place this Sunday 9 April. The 2017 Oliviers aren't just the biggest ever - held for the first time at the Royal Albert Hall and broadcast primetime on ITV - they're also the most social ever with lots of innovations in the mix. We're counting down this week. Each day, we'll be rounding up the best awards content being shared on social media. Final update on Saturday 8 April...

On a sunny day in London the day before the 2017 Olivier Awards, what are the crew who make theatre's biggest night of the year doing? Working very very hard. Here's a little Twitter moment to give you a glimpse of what's happening behind the scenes in preparation...

07 Apr
2017

Andrew Polec, Christina Bennington and the cast of BAT OUT OF HELL are making Jim Steinman's 40-year-old dream come true - and doing so in spectacular fashion as evidenced by new production footage released today ahead of the show's London transfer (and official world premiere) in June...

07 Apr
2017

Donna and the Dynamos are still going strong with Sara Poyzer leading the group from 18 June, along with several other changes to the West End cast of MAMMA MIA!. The show celebrates its 18th birthday this month and has just announced another extension taking it well into 2018...

07 Apr
2017

We at #StageFaves are big fans of A Chorus Line so we're very excited by the news of the European premiere of BALLROOM - developed by that show's co-creator Michael Bennett - at Waterloo East Theatre in May. Will it be another singular sensation?! And which #Stagefaves would you like to see in the cast?

Only a few days (or are you already counting the hours) to the 2017 Olivier Awards ceremony this Sunday (9 April) at the Royal Albert Hall, but today we want to wind the clock back rather than forward. Do you remember just how much excitement was generated around the openings of the Best New Musical nominees: DREAMGIRLS, THE GIRLS, GROUNDHOG DAY and SCHOOL OF ROCK?

06 Apr
2017

We are having fun picturing Liam Tamne as a fireman... He joins Gillian Bevan, Dean Chisnall, Krysten Cummings, Siubhan Harrison, and Peter Polycarpou to show a variety of faces from the great American workforce in their daily grind in the European premiere of Stephen Schwartz's genre-defining musical WORKING this summer...

06 Apr
2017

The National Theatre is assembling a cast of 37 (accompanied by an orchestra of 21) for Dominic Cooke's major revival of Stephen Sondheim's FOLLIES. In addition to Philip Quast, Imelda Staunton, Janie Dee and Tracie Bennett, many more #StageFaves have now been confirmed...

05 Apr
2017

How does an original British musical about gay wartime love become a cult phenomenon? Join #StageFaves founder Terri Paddock for an exclusive post-show Q&A with the creators and cast of MISS NIGHTINGALE on 13 April...

What have the critics had to say about 42nd STREET - not to mention Kate Middleton in a red dress (and Morgan Freeman in jeans) on the red carpet? Here's Terri Paddock's round-up of all key overnight coverage for the West End's latest Broadway spectacular...

As part of our #FirstNightTakeover series, Perry O'Bree joins the Duchess of Cambridge, Morgan Freeman and other celebrities at the West End opening (on 4 April 2017) of Broadway dance extravaganza 42nd STREET. Who'd he get selfies and interviews with this time?! Video and live-tweeting here...

04 Apr
2017

The American dream fable of Broadway, 42nd STREET, officially opens in the West End tonight in a major new production directed by the show's co-author Mark Bramble and featuring a cast of over 50, led by Sheena Easton (making her West End debut) and Emmerdale's Tom Lister. We've gathered some of our favourite videos from the show's preparations to opening night...

04 Apr
2017

They're already celebrating a collective Olivier Award nomination (tune in Sunday to see if they win). Now five #StageFaves from the original cast of OUR LADIES OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR can also look forward to their West End debuts as they're confirmed to accompany the National Theatre of Scotland production as it transfers next month to the Duke of York's Theatre...

03 Apr
2017
FROM:

He has been in the business for almost 70 years, but Michael Blakemore is back at the helm of THE LIFE, a Broadway show he first tackled more than 20 years ago and is now receiving its long-overdue UK premiere. Musical Theatre Review's Scott Matthewman caught up with Blakemore to see if the show was as daunting second time round...

03 Apr
2017
FROM:

He has been in the business for almost 70 years, but Michael Blakemore is back at the helm of THE LIFE, a Broadway show he first tackled more than 20 years ago and is now receiving its long-overdue UK premiere. Musical Theatre Review's Scott Matthewman caught up with Blakemore to see if the show was as daunting second time round...

03 Apr
2017

Ahead of the Olivier Awards on Sunday, we're sending big congrats to Charlie Stemp, Jon Robyns, Simon Lipkin, Giles Terera and other #StageFaves who've been #AlsoRecognised in the online awards run by our sister site My Theatre Mates. And we can't stop watching the hilarious video acceptance from former Avenue Q co-stars Jon, Simon and Giles. View it here...

03 Apr
2017

Ahead of the Olivier Awards on Sunday, we're sending big congrats to Charlie Stemp, Jon Robyns, Simon Lipkin, Giles Terera and other #StageFaves who've been #AlsoRecognised in the online awards run by our sister site My Theatre Mates. And we can't stop watching the hilarious video acceptance from former Avenue Q co-stars Jon, Simon and Giles. View it here...

It's 9 days until the 2017 Olivier Awards are held at Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 9 April. The #StageFaves team have put our heads together to come up with 9 things you should be doing to prepare for the big night...