Monday, 20 July 2020
Fanny and Stella musical to run at new open-air theatre in London
A brand new socially distanced open-air production of Fanny And Stella, a musical with Book and Lyrics by Glenn Chandler, the creator of ‘Taggart’, and Music by Charles Miller, is to be staged as the premiere production at The Garden Theatre in the newly refurbished beer garden of The Eagle.
Producer Peter Bull said: “We are taking baby steps as we venture into the brave new world of open-air socially distanced performances. We are only performing three shows a week initially but we aim to increase this after a successful launch.”
This hugely entertaining, relentlessly entertaining romp is based on bizarre events and real characters in Victorian London. Ernest Boulton and Frederick William Park were two young men who, in 1871, were put on trial in London for dressing as women and conspiracy to commit sodomy, a felony at the time. They dressed up as women (and were very good at it) for amateur theatricals, but when the show was over, and sometimes when there wasn’t even any show, as ‘Fanny and Stella’ they would frequent places of entertainment in the West End where men encountered men for sex and male prostitutes plied their trade. Park and Boulton were acquitted - an amazing victory for the time when sexual acts between men carried a sentence of two years - primarily because conspiracy could not be proved. Or perhaps it was because one had a father who was a judge, and the other a mother who swayed the court with her tears.
Upon their acquittal, Park and Boulton - as Fanny and Stella - along with their theatre company, take their story on the road. They hire a venue for “one night only” to tell their amazing true story of their lives, their trial, and their sensational acquittal. But are they in an ungiving age putting themselves on trial a second time?
The show will star Jed Berry as Ernest Boulton/Stella and Kane Verrall as Frederick William Park/Fanny. Further casting to be announced.
It has a first class creative team led by director Steven Dexter, with musical staging by Nick Winston, musical director Aaron Clingham, designer David Shields and casting by Anne Vosser. It is produced by Peter Bull for LAMBCO Productions.
Please note: face masks or coverings must be worn throughout the performance by socially-distanced audience members.
Concept album of new British musical Mascherato released on all streaming platforms
In the heart of 18th century Venice we meet Luca and Elena, and follow as they fall in love
against the backdrop of the thriving carnival. However, the pair are torn apart as Venice
sinks into war against the Ottoman Empire. When the conflict finally ends, and the empire
proves victorious, the two lovers must fight against fate to be reunited.
With music, lyrics, and original story by Michael Elderkin, and book by James Willett, this
sweeping epic is ready to be experienced.
Originally conceived by Elderkin in 2015, and following a successful workshop in 2017, the
show has proven to be hugely popular.
As such, and wanting to reach as wide an audience
as possible, the show has been transformed into a concept album. Recorded with a stellar West End cast (including Rob Houchen, Katy Treharne, Jeremy
Secomb, and Nathaniel Parker), a chorus of twelve, and a 22- piece orchestra in Abbey Road
Studios – this lush and colourful score will take you on a journey through the mystery and
magic that resides within the twisted labyrinth of Venice.
A new British musical, Mascherato is now available on all music streaming services (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, etc).
Mascherato is a story of hope – of belief in something greater than ourselves and the
importance of having faith that all will be well in the end. A message that the world as whole
really needs right now.
Friday, 17 July 2020
Indoor theatre performances allowed to resume from August 1st
It has been announced that from 1st August socially distanced audiences can return for indoor performances in theatres, music halls and other venues. Building on pilot success from a number of venues, including the London Palladium.
Talking at a press conference today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The timetable I am about to set out is conditional. It is contingent on all of us staying alert and continued success on controlling the virus."
"From 1 August, we will restart live indoor performances to a live audience subject to the success of pilots, and we will pilot larger gatherings, with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn...From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence. These changes have to be made in a covid-secure way subject to pilots".
Johnson also announced new powers for local authorities, allowing them to cancel local events if there is a rising rate of transmission in specific areas.
The Prime Minister added: "We hope that by November at the earliest, if we continue to make progress, then it may conceivably be possible to move away from social distancing measures, such as the one metre rule. That is entirely conditional on our ability to keep the virus under control."
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden echoed these plans on social media, explaining that this is a progression into stage four of the plan for culture.
"From 1 August, we will restart live indoor performances to a live audience subject to the success of pilots, and we will pilot larger gatherings, with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn...From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence. These changes have to be made in a covid-secure way subject to pilots".
Johnson also announced new powers for local authorities, allowing them to cancel local events if there is a rising rate of transmission in specific areas.
The Prime Minister added: "We hope that by November at the earliest, if we continue to make progress, then it may conceivably be possible to move away from social distancing measures, such as the one metre rule. That is entirely conditional on our ability to keep the virus under control."
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden echoed these plans on social media, explaining that this is a progression into stage four of the plan for culture.
Frozen West End cast and company announced
The leading cast members and company of the West End premiere of Frozen have been revealed, as the show moves its premiere date to spring 2021.
Joining the previously announced Samantha Barks (Elsa) and Stephanie McKeon (Anna) are Obioma Ugoala (Kristoff), Craig Gallivan (Olaf), Oliver Ormson (Hans), Richard Frame (Weselton), and alternating the role of Sven, Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall; with Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae Walker (Bulda), Danielle Fiamanya (first cover Elsa), Hannah Fairclough, Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths- Brown, Emily Lane, Justin-Lee Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard, Leisha Mollyneaux, Gabriel Mokake (King Agnarr), Sarah O'Connor (first cover Anna), Jemma Revell, Jacqui Sanchez (Queen Iduna), Jak Skelly (Oaken/Bishop), Jake Small, Isabel Snaas, Joshua St. Clair (Pabbie), Monica Swayne, and Anna Woodside. Further casting is to be confirmed.
Frozen, which has music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, opened on Broadway in March 2018 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical. It follows Elsa, who is gifted with ice-manipulating powers, and her relationship with her sister Anna as they try to run a nation.
The show is based on the highest-grossing animated film of all time, which was released in 2013 and won two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. The sequel – Frozen 2 – was released last autumn.
The production, which will be presented at a refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane will be directed by Michael Grandage with choreography by Rob Ashford, set and costume design by Christopher Oram, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by Finn Ross, puppet design by Michael Curry and musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus.
Michael Grandage said today: "We're thrilled to announce the company for Frozen – an incredibly talented group of people who will be creating the London premiere at the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane next spring. As theatres start to open their doors again, we look forward to celebrating the spectacle of this beloved story with audiences everywhere."
Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Six The Musical Drive-In performances cancelled amid local lockdown concerns
The concert tour, part of Live Nation Entertainment’s summer season, was due to begin next month and visit 12 cities, with performances staged at sites including airports and racecourses.
A statement from Live Nation said the Live from the Drive In concert series would no longer proceed as planned because “the latest developments regarding localised lockdowns mean it has become impossible for us to continue with the series with any confidence”.
Six’s producer, Kenny Wax, said on Wednesday afternoon: “We are so very disappointed to have received the news of the cancellation earlier today. The previous hour has been spent telling the 60 members of our company that the job they were about to embark on has disappeared. We thank them for believing that we could make this happen. We know that ultimately there is nothing more important than the safety and wellbeing of our company and the Six Queendom. We look forward to better times.”
Refunds will be issued directly to ticket holders within seven days.
David Hunter and Caroline Kay release online musical short created during lockdown having never met in person
West End star David Hunter and actor/singer-songwriter, Caroline Kay, have come together virtually - having never before met in person - to write, perform, and record a new Musical Short, The Space Between.
Made using screen-recordings of live video calls over Zoom, FaceTime, and Whatsapp, The Space Between is a 13-minute musical story offering a glimpse into a couple’s difficult relationship through Lockdown.
David said “I’ve always wanted to write a musical, and I reached out to Caroline with the beginnings of an idea for a Lockdown creation.”
The two then agreed to collaborate and composed the piece by communicating solely via Whatsapp.
Caroline said: “Lockdown has affected all relationships in different ways and we wanted to explore what these effects might look like for one fictional couple.”
Hunter and Kay teamed up with composer and musical director, Nick Barstow (another creative whom neither of the pair have met in person!), as arranger and musical supervisor, Imogen Halsey (on cello) and connected with Joe Davison of Auburn Jam Music LTD who mixed and mastered.
The Space Between, will be released on Wednesday July 15 to raise funds for the Theatre Artists Fund, the emergency fund for theatre workers in need of urgent support due to the coronavirus pandemic set up last month by theatre and film director Sam Mendes.
Watch the isolation musical for free via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jMCO4shFMI&feature=youtu.be
Audience members who can afford to make a donation to the Theatre Artists Fund are encouraged to do so.
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