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Broadway Records has released the original London cast recording of The National Theatre and Roald Dahl Story Company’s co-production of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. The National Theatre production was directed by Lyndsey Turner with music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Dave Malloy and book and lyrics by Olivier Award-winner Lucy Kirkwood. Its premiere run took place at the Olivier Theatre from November 2023 to January 2024 with a cast that included three-time Olivier-nominated Katherine Kingsley, BAFTA award-winner Daniel Rigby, Sally Ann Triplett, Bertie Caplan, Cian Eagle-Service and more. Read reviews of the production here and check out the full recording below. <iframe allow="accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/3wGRbcQ93TvOrlJZAK8lTF?utm_source=generator?rel=0" style="top: 0; left:...

Exclusive: Eric Fellner, Working Title co-chairman, and the creators of the hit Billy Elliot musical, have given their support to a non-replica production that will run at UK regional theatre, The Curve, Leicester, from July 7.

The Curve’s artistic chief Nikolai Foster, who’s also directing the update with Lucy Hind choreographing, met in recent days with Fellner and Stephen Daldry, the original director of the stage show and the popular 2000 film version that starred Jamie Bell in the titular role, for a metaphorical passing of the baton.

“The whole point is that Nikolai and the Curve wanted to do their own production,” Fellner told Deadline, adding that original creatives Lee Hall (book and lyrics), Elton John (music) and Peter Darling (choreography) “were all comfortable with them doing that.”

Fellner continued: “Within the contract there are certain things they can or can’t do like not changing the lyrics and the book,...

Producers of the long-running Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street said the intimate, immersive rendering of the Stephen Sondheim masterpiece will close on August 26.

Sweeney Todd‘s original Broadway incarnation in 1979 remains one of the peak moments in musical theater history, but the current interpretation breathed a whole different life into the show. The Tooting Arts Club initially mounted the production in London in 2014, using venues as small as 35 seats and combining the performance with food available for purchase from the same pie shop used in the show’s set.

The pies, served with mashed potatoes, echoed the prominent role of Mrs. Lovett’s bake shop in the show, but thankfully they were not, as the songs have it, “The Worst Pies in London” or flecked with bits of “A Little Priest.” The production then opened at New York’s Barrow Street Theatre, with...

The company of Barrow Street Theater's immersive mounting of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd celebrated one year of baking up scares this week. The newest cast members Thom Sesma, Sally Ann Triplett, Zachary Noah Piser, Billy Harrigan Tighe, DeLaney Westfall werein attendance to send Sweeney into its next year of murder, mayhem, and meat pies BroadwayWorld was on hand to celebrate. Check out photos from the event below...

On Broadway and beyond, a curtain can rise as quickly as it can fall; a star can be swapped as easily as Bernie Telsey can say, “That’s enough.” Theater is the beating heart of New York show business and, if you want to make it here, it’s crucial you’re up to date on incoming projects, latest castings, and other industry news. Don’t worry, Broadway baby, Backstage has your back. Every week, we’re rounding up the can’t-miss stories no thespian should live without, so you can focus on important matters like hitting your high F. Curtain up and light those lights! The pie shop gets new management.Off-Broadway’s immersive production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” has announced that Thom Sesma and Sally Ann Triplett will take over the tuner’s respective leading roles beginning Feb. 27. They replace current stars Hugh Panaro and Carolee Carmello,...

Producers of the Tooting Arts Club production of Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which broke the Barrow Street Theatre sales house record for the week ending December 31st, announced today that Thom Sesma as Sweeney Todd, Sally Ann Triplett as Mrs. Lovett, Zachary Noah Piser as Tobias, Billy Harrigan Tighe as Anthony and DeLaney Westfall as Johanna will join current cast members Michael James Leslie as Judge Turpin, John Rapson as The Beadle and Stacie Bono as Pirelli amp Beggar Woman startingTuesday, February 27, 2018. The cast also includes Matt Leisy, Liz Pearce, Danny Rothman and Monet Sabel.

Broadway stars Justin Guarini, Sally Ann Triplett, and Teal Wicks, as well as Grammy Award winning vocalist Shelley Thomas, paid tribute to the work of Park Avenue Armory Artistic Director, Pierre Audi, and writerdirectorproducer Cherien Dabis, with a performance last night at the 10th Annual Bridges of Understanding Bou Building Bridges Award Dinner at the St. Regis Hotel in NYC. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below...

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars Well after Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including Liz Robertson Songs From My Trunk Julia Murney at 54 Below Sally Ann Triplett at 54 Below Feminine Persuasion Ann Hampton Callaway Celebrates Women Songwriters and Adam Pascal at 54 Below.

A once-in-a-lifetime Broadway event took place yesterday, December 21, following the matinee performance of The Last Ship when patrons were invited to meet Sting and members of the cast on stage at the Neil Simon Theatre 250 W. 52 St. as they signed copies of the recently released Original Broadway Cast Recording. 16-time Grammy Award winning musician Sting, who now stars in The Last Ship for which he also composed the score, was joined by cast mates Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker,Jimmy Nail,Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was on hand to chat with the company at the special event and you can check out the exclusive interviews below...

A once-in-a-lifetime Broadway event took place yesterday, December 21, following the matinee performance of The Last Ship when patrons were invited to meet Sting and members of the cast on stage at the Neil Simon Theatre 250 W. 52 St. as they signed copies of the recently released Original Broadway Cast Recording. 16-time Grammy Award winning musician Sting, who now stars in The Last Ship for which he also composed the score, was joined by cast mates Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail,Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge wa son hand to chat with Sting and the rest of the cast at the special event. Check back later to find out what they had to say and check out photos of him in action below...

A once-in-a-lifetime Broadway event took place yesterday, December 21, following the matinee performance of The Last Ship when patrons were invited to meet Sting and members of the cast on stage at the Neil Simon Theatre 250 W. 52 St. as they signed copies of the recently released Original Broadway Cast Recording. 16-time Grammy Award winning musician Sting, who now stars in The Last Ship for which he also composed the score, was joined by cast mates Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail,Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.BroadwayWorld was there for the big event and you can catch photo coverage below...

A once-in-a-lifetime Broadway event will take place this Sunday, December 21 at 6 p.m. following the matinee performance of The Last Ship when patrons are invited to meet Sting and members of the cast on stage at the Neil Simon Theatre 250 W. 52 St. as they sign copies of the recently released Original Broadway Cast Recording. 16-time Grammy Award winning musician Sting, who now stars in The Last Ship for which he also composed the score, will be joined by cast mates Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.

The Last Ship, with an original score by 16-time Grammy Award® winner Sting, will open on Broadway in the fall of 2014 following its World Premiere at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre from June 10th through July 13th. An epic yet intimate tale inspired by Sting’s own childhood experiences, the production features direction by two-time Tony Award® winner Joe Mantello (Wicked), a book by Tony Award® winner John Logan (Red) and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® winner Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal) and choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award® Nominee Steven Hoggett (Once). Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett, Collin Kelly-Sordelet and Fred Applegate will make up the principle cast. Additional casting will be announced at a later date. Life in...

London -- The critics have spoken – "Viva Forever" did not spice up their lives.

British reviewers were scathing Wednesday about the big-budget stage show built around the songs of 1990s "Girl Power" pop group the Spice Girls.

"I'll tell you what I wanted, what I really, really wanted – I wanted this terrible show to stop," said Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph, riffing on the group's biggest hit, "Wannabe."

"This musical is tawdry, lazy and unedifying," he said, awarding the show one star.

The Independent newspaper's Paul Taylor gave the show two stars out of five, calling it "lacking in any truly original or challenging spark," while the Daily Mail's Quentin Letts dubbed it "a prize Christmas turkey."

A celebrity-studded audience that included soccer star David Beckham – there with wife Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham and sons Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz – gave the show an opening-night standing ovation Tuesday at London's Piccadilly Theatre.

While American audiences have yet to learn if Viva Forever!, a new musical utilizing music by The Spice Girls, will hit our shores, a five minute sizzle reel has gone online, giving everyone their first look at the jukebox musical.

Related - 2012 Was The Year of Pop Group Revivals!

According to the press release, Viva Forever! is a romantic comedy that tells the story of a family thrown into chaos, as Viva (played by Hannah John-Kamen) and her three best friends get swept up in a TV talent show where stars are born and dreams are shattered.

Watching from the sidelines is Viva's mother, Lauren (played by Sally Ann Triplett), who is one half of the musical's heart. And part of the show-stopping rendition of Mama, which underscores everything Viva Forever! is about.

Click here to watch the footage and click here for more information about Viva Forever! which is currently playing at the Piccadilly Theatre in London's...

The new cast of West End's Mamma Mia appeared at the Prince of Wales Theatre, and has now moved to its new home at the Novello Theatre from 6 September 2012. The new cast includes Gary Milner, real-life wife Sally Ann Triplett, Neil Roberts as Harry Bright, James Gaddas as Bill Austin, Charlotte Wakefield as Sophie Sheridan, Andreas Gyllander as Sky, Abiola Ogunbiyi as Ali, Tasha Taylor Johnson as Lisa, Steven Oliver as Pepper and Liam Doyle as Eddie. At certain performances, the role of Donna Sheridan will be played by Claire Poyzer. Joanna Monro and Kim Ismay will continue as Rosie and Tanya respectively. Check out the video below, featuring the new cast...

The new cast of West End's Mamma Mia appeared at the Prince of Wales Theatre, and has now moved to its new home at the Novello Theatre from 6 September 2012. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the full cast below, including Gary Milner, real-life wife Sally Ann Triplett, Neil Roberts as Harry Bright, James Gaddas as Bill Austin, Charlotte Wakefield as Sophie Sheridan, Andreas Gyllander as Sky, Abiola Ogunbiyi as Ali, Tasha Taylor Johnson as Lisa, Steven Oliver as Pepper and Liam Doyle as Eddie. At certain performances, the role of Donna Sheridan will be played by Claire Poyzer. Joanna Monro and Kim Ismay will continue as Rosie and Tanya respectively.

Compared to last year, 2010 is 'tamer'. Nothing can beat the shocking meter of Michael Jackson's death in June 2009 or when Chris Brown almost choked Rihanna to death in February that year. But 2010 does have its iotas, predominantly the splits of high-profiled celebrities which number is higher as it nears the holiday season.

AceShowbiz presents ten of the most shocking celebrity stories in the past 12 months, starting with Lily Allen's miscarriage in the month of November and ending with one of the biggest celebrity scandals of the year.

#10 Lily Allen Miscarried Six Months Into Pregnancy

For the second time, Lily Allen had miscarriage. Unlike the first one in December 2007 when she was pregnant with Ed Simons' baby and then lost it within two months, Allen already experienced the second pregnancy for a full six months. It was revealed then that she had a viral infection and suffered from...

As part of an international celebration of what would be Johnny Mercer's 100th birthday next week, Larry Blank will be conducting a Johnny Mercer Tribute for the BBC's long running Friday Night Is Music Night programme at 7:30 Pm London Time, 2:30 Pm Est. The concert, which will be broadcast live on the internet in real time, features an overture written by Blank in addition to Johnny Mercer standards such as Moon River and Days of Wine and Roses with the BBC Concert orchestra and singers, Ruthie Henshall, Sally Ann Triplett, Nigel Harman and Curtis Stigers.