Blog / St James Theatre
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.
Who'd have thought history could be so...tuneful? There are certainly a lot of fantastic musicals based on true past events and with HAMILTON about to open in London's West End, we wouldn't be surprised if there were many more to follow! But if we're getting our history from Musicals, shouldn't we know how accurate they are? Lauryn Clarke, from our friends at the Musical Theatre Appreciation Society takes a look at some of the most popular musicals based on historical events and sees how they measure up with the truth...
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!
WATCH: David Bedella sings ‘I Won’t Send You Roses’ ahead of LMTO concert, as full cast is announced
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!
2017
The London Musical Theatre Orchestra are going from strength to strength and this Autumn will be no exception! Their next show MACK AND MABEL will take place at the Hackney Empire and casting has now been announced! David Bedella will join Natasha J Barnes and Tiffany Graves for the concert that will take place on 23 September...
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?
2017
This summer, the British Theatre Academy took over the West End with a double run of shows at the Ambassadors Theatre. One of the two shows showcasing a fantastically talented young cast was 13 THE MUSICAL, which ran until 23 August. We've got some fantastic production photos from the run which looked positively wonderful...
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...
The third instalment of James Corden's "Crosswalk Musical" segment is another long-running West End classic THE LION KING. "Crosswalk Musicals" take a famous musical theatre show and condense it into sections that last the time it takes to cross an American road. This time, James brought movie stars Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen along for the ride and we think it might be the funniest one yet...
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...
He already brought us GREASE but now it's time for a West End staple. As part of his "Crosswalk Musicals" segment, James Corden takes a classic show and condenses it into sections that last the time it takes to cross an American road. His second foray into this hilarious Musical style is the Andrew Lloyd Webber fave PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Get ready to laugh, cry and gasp...in 30 second segments...
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...
2017
Theatre Royal Stratford East has long been a champion of musical theatre and the team there are now embarking on their Musical Theatre Workshop 2017 which has just begun its two-week development period with six new musicals. They've spent months picking a top-class bunch of creatives and we're certain they'll come up with something magic...
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...
2017
James Corden may be a big American TV host these days but his heart still clearly beats in time with the musicals of the West End. On and off for the last two years, James has created a series of Crosswalk Musicals, taking a classic show and condensing it into sections that last the time it takes to cross an American road. He started this series back in 2015 with the all-time classic, GREASE...
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!)...