In recent years, the world of musical theatre has received an extra dose of LOLs with well-known comedians taking to the stage and appearing to take the new challenge in their stride. With Miranda Hart coming into the role of Miss Hannigan in the new production of much loved musical Annie opening soon at the Piccadilly Theatre, and with her name plastered across the advertising, Becky Wallis from the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society asks if comics can really make it work on the West End...

We'll never give up on her. We'll be rooting for Lucie Jones when she represents the UK next month at the Eurovision Song Contest. And we'll be rooting even louder when she goes blonde in the major new UK tour of LEGALLY BLONDE, also starring Rita Simon, Bill Ward and... who else? More cast announced here...

Headlong's premiere production of new British musical JUNKYARD arrives at Rose Theatre Kingston next week. Musical Theatre Review’s Aura Simon caught up with its composer Stephen Warbeck to contemplate a varied and award-filled career...

Korean actress Sooha Kim makes her professional debut as Kim in the major new UK tour of MISS SAIGON, along with Filipino stars Red Concepcion Gerald Santos, and West End #StageFaves Zoe Doano and Ashley Gilmour. Further casting now announced for the tour opening in July in Leicester...

In the same week that Tim Minchin's Groundhog Day won the Olivier, his previous Best New Musical winner (and musical writing debut) MATILDA announces a major UK and Ireland tour that will launch in March 2018, as West End booking continues. Everyone can do with a little more Minchin in their lives...

THE BAND is off to a fan-frenzy start - taking £2 million in the first two hours of its touring on-sale today! Check out our video and photos from the Take That musical's secret launch yesterday at Manchester Apollo to see what all the fuss is about. Then #GetSocial for THE BAND & its Let It Shine-winning stars on the show's new #StageFaves page...

Having sadly departed the West End, SUNNY AFTERNOON tours the UK until 13 May 2017. The north London band had their fair share of troubles as they competed against The Beatles and Rolling Stones, but they shine on stage. Find out more about them here, care of Musical Theatre Review...

While Gary Barlow and Tim Firth have been celebrating their Olivier nominations for THE GIRLS this week, preparations are already under way for their new Take That inspired musical THE BAND that's had casting help and a major publicity boost thanks to TV's Let It Shine. We've now loaded 'The Band' in THE BAND onto #StageFaves so you can #GetSocial for all five (even while they take a reported Twitter break!)... Check out the Let It Shine performers on Stage Faves whilst they're on a social media holiday during rehearsals. Keep on eye on us for developments!

Homegrown musical MISS NIGHTINGALE, set in London during the Second World War, finally gets an extended London season after five successful UK tours. It runs for eight weeks this spring at The Vaults (which is near-enough to a bomb shelter?)...

The life and career of the late Cilla Black is coming to the stage, adapted from the successful TV mini-series starring Sheridan Smith. Producers are holding open auditions to find a new Cilla. We've been playing the #StageFaves fantasy casting game in the office today. Which other names should we add to the list?

After looking back at the musical theatre successes of 2016, Musical Theatre Review opened the year by previewing some of the 2017 musical theatre openings we know about so far in the West End, on the London Fringe and across the UK. Here are some of the big ones coming up fast. Where are we up to?

You'll have to wait a little longer to see Carley Stenson and her real-life fiance and Strictly Come Dancing star Danny Mac following in love onstage. Their planned pairing in the screen-to-stage musical adaptation of 1993 romcom Sleepless in Seattle, which was due to premiere in April in Plymouth ahead of a West End transfer, has been postponed...

She's a #StageFaves legend, the 'understudy' who saved the day last year when Hollywood star Glenn Close was taken ill at the London Coliseum. And now, Ria Jones, who originated the role at Andrew Lloyd Webber's private Sydmonton Festival workshop in 1991, will fully make Norma Desmond her own in a major new production that opens at Leicester Curve in September ahead of a UK-wide tour...

After Miss Saigon and Groundhog Day in the West End, #StageFave Carolyn Maitland hits the road to star opposite Hollyoaks hunk Andy Moss in the continuing tour of screen-to-stage adaptation GHOST...

After starring in the European premiere of DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY in London this month, Miss Saigon and Show Boat hunk Chris Peluso will hit the road to star opposite Sheridan Smith's Fanny Brice as Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl. The full cast of #StageFaves performers for Funny Girl's extensive post-West End tour also includes Darius Campbell and Sheridan's former understudy Natasha J Barnes, reprising their roles as Nick and Fanny later in the run...

Carley Stenson and her real-life fiance and Strictly Come Dancing star Danny Mac star as Annie and Sam, the roles immortalised on screen by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, in the screen-to-stage musical adaptation of 1993 romcom Sleepless in Seattle. SLEEPLESS premieres at Theatre Royal Plymouth in April ahead of a short tour and planned West End run.