Panto season is coming round again and this year's big West End production is DICK WHITTINGTON with an all-star cast of StageFaves. Becky Wallis from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society shares her excitement for the Christmas production at the London Palladium and talks about how celebrity casting is becoming as much of a tradition as panto itself!

We've known our Mack and our Mabel for a while, but the London Musical Theatre Orchestra have now announced the full cast for the one-night-only concert at the Hacknew Empire on 23 September 2017. And to celebrate the first day of rehearsal, they've released a video of David Bedella singing ‘I Won’t Send Roses’ - oh, and don't forget to enter our MACK AND MABEL competition to win tickets!

There are certain unspoken habits and traditions all musical theatre fans must abide by. Whether it's the "guess where I am" stage shot or the delicate way you handle your programmes, all theatre geeks spend time and energy on every aspect of their Musical Theatre experience. So, for the first time, Katie Rose from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society has put together the 10 commandments of a theatre lover! Tell us, how many do you follow?

We all know the theatre can be political, just look at what HAMILTON and RENT did, not just for Broadway but America as a whole! Occasionally though, it's the controversy offstage that makes the headlines Joanne Sadler from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society assesses the future of the Great Comet and discusses the recent issues regarding the shortening of a black actor's contract, to be replaced by a more established white one...

The theatre has often been a safe space for LGBT+ performers and audiences alike and can serve to educate others on the issues faced by marginalised communities and humanise a group who have historically been persecuted. Lauren Philpott from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society discusses how Musical Theatre can both educate their audiences and empower people within the LGBTQ+ community...

It's been a triumphant run, but Gary Barlow's THE GIRLS has now left London's West End. The show, which found a home at the Phoenix Theatre for six wonderful months will head on tour next summer, but the hole it's left in London's theatre district has been felt strongly by thousands of fans. Becky Mary from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society, shares her thoughts on its closing...

This year, West End Bares goes over the rainbow with a Wizard Of Oz theme and West End superstar Rebecca Trehearn will lead the cast in RUBY STRIPPERS this October at the Novello Theatre...

They may have finished their West End run earlier this month but it's far from the end of the line for THE GIRLS. This August will see the fab cast embark on a 42-venue tour, sharing their wonderful story with the rest of the UK. Most of the coverage for the show has focussed on the leading ladies but there is also an injection of youth to the cast which shouldn't be forgotten. Becky Mary, from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society met the younger cast and had a chat about the run and their experiences as young actors in the business...

We all love Musical Theatre here at #StageFaves, but let's be honest - it's a tough career! The life of a performer is often full of uncertainty, fear, huge highs and dragging lows. Every aspect can be very rewarding, but also draining and, yup...stressful! For those of you looking forward to a time at drama school, George Fairclough from our wonderful friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society offers some tips and tricks on managing stress and getting the most out of life as a performer...

The bond between performers and fans has always been a strong one and in the age of social media, it's easier than ever to keep up with your favourite actors. Many fans love waiting at stage door to catch a few seconds with their heroes and it can be disappointing when you don't get to meet them after a show. But recently there have been incidents of fans taking to social media to air their grievances and personally attack the actors. Ben Platt, Tony Award-winning actor in DEAR EVAN HANSEN recently responded to these attacks, and Lisa Martland of Musical Theatre Review explains why his priorities are in the right place...

Producers are still looking for the stars to play Berger, Hud and Margaret Mead in HAIR's upcoming 50th anniversary season in London but initial cast is now announced - and demand is already so high, they've extended booking into the new year. (Yes, that IS a true hair extension.) Scroll down for a reminder to watch the show performance at West End Live last month too...

The London Musical Theatre Orchestra is celebrating its second birthday by announcing details of the last two concerts in its already successful 2017 season. Musical Theatre Review's Angela Thomas shares more info on the season, as well as the full casting announcement...

She tried to suppress it, but it was only a matter of time until Lauren Philpott from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciate Society fell under the Hamilton spell! Here's the story of how she fell hard for the #Hamiltonhype (look out for the puns!)...

They've already got a host of live venues in the capital, but restaurant chain Pizza Express have announced they'll be opening another new live entertainment venue at its newly designed restaurant in London’s High Holborn at the end of August. There are already some big names on the line-up and judgting by those first announcements it's going to be a flagship venue for the pizza chain...

It's been a little over a week since the biggest night in American Theatre - The Tony Awards - dominated theatre headlines worldwide. DEAR EVAN HANSEN dominated the affair with HELLO, DOLLY! Also picking up awards for itself and its star Bette Midler. But what about the shows that didn't win? Or the shows that never even got anomination? Joanne Sadler from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society asks whether or not a Tony Award defines success...

They were written a century apart, but Opera classic LA BOHEME and Musical Theatre groundbreaker RENT have more in common than you might think. In fact, RENT was actually based on Puccini's Italian masterpiece. Lauryn Clarke - from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society - delves into the differences and similarities between the two shows...

Fans of MAMMA MIA! were recently hit with the news that a sequel is in the works for 2018, and people have been having a lot of feelings about it! Sophie Wood and our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society discuss whether studio exects are right to take a chance on a new film or if we should all be shouting SOS...