Podcasts about new london theatre

Host Luisa Lyons chats with Kevin Purcell, the multi-award winning Australian conductor,  musical director, composer, and arranger whose work spans across the worlds opera, classical, and musical theatre.Go behind the scenes of Kevin's latest work, Castle Gillian: An Irish Tale, a full-length virtual reality musical. Discover how the musical came to be, how it was made, and the exciting new model behind its release. Castle Gillian was an official selection of the Festival of International Virtual and Augmented Reality Stories; and was recently screened at the Cannes World Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Soundtrack, and won Best 360º Film, and Best Musical Film.Kevin also shares the inspiring story of his grandma - Dame Mary Dale, how being an opera conductor led him to musical theatre, the differences between working in the classical world and musical theatre, and working on the capture of Cats! Kevin Purcell is one of Australia's most distinguished and awarded orchestral and opera conductors. Currently, Kevin serves as musical director for the Australian Discovery Orchestra – one of the world's most innovative orchestral ensembles – whilst maintaining an active freelance career in the USA. Kevin has previously been the musical director of the original production of CATS at the New London Theatre and for the South Korean Premiere production. More recently Kevin has conducted WICKED at London's Apollo Victoria theatre and was the originating musical director for the first national UK/Eire tour. As a composer of musicals, Kevin has worked with his long-time collaborator, book writer and lyricist Victor Kazan on Rebecca, The Stranger from Seville and Castle Gillian. He is a member of The Recording Academy and the Dramatists Guild. Kevin is managed by Francine Fletcher at Fletcher Associates (UK) and William Reinert Associates, Inc. (USA).Full list of credits at https://kevinpurcell.com.au/. Show Links Watch the trailer for Castle Gillian: https://castlegillian.com/ Kazan & Purcell: https://www.kazanandpurcell.com/ Support the showFilmed Live Musicals is where musicals come home. Use the searchable database to find musicals filmed on stage to watch from the comfort of your living room! Visit www.filmedlivemusicals.com to learn more. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also support the site at Patreon. Patrons get early access to the podcast and site content, no matter how much you pledge. Become a Patron today!Filmed Live Musicals is created by Luisa Lyons, an Australian actor, writer, and musician. Luisa holds a Masters in Music Theatre from London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now lives, works, and plays in New York. Learn more at www.luisalyons.com and follow on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Rerun. At a cost of £2m, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical ‘Cats' premiered at the New London Theatre on 11th May, 1981 – and the world had never seen anything like it. With a cast including Brian Blessed and Elaine Paige, the original production was innovative, sexy, creepy, bizarre – and an enormous gamble for the impresarios who backed it. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion look back at the original reviews for the show, consider whether John Napier's award-winning costume design was actually incredibly lazy, and reveal how the show's signature song, ‘Memory', nearly didn't happen at all… Further reading: • Elaine Paige performs ‘Memory' in the original production: • Sue MacGregor interviews the cast and crew for Radio 4's ‘The Reunion': https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0008jyn • ‘Cats' – a timeline from London's Evening Standard: https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/cats-musical-history-a4439316.html ‘Why am I hearing a rerun?' Every Thursday is 'Throwback Thursday' on Today in History with the Retrospectors: running one repeat per week means we can keep up the quality of our independent podcast. Daily shows like this require a lot of work! But as ever we'll have something new for you tomorrow, so follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors   Love the show? Join  

Olivier nominee Claire Machin recently joined the West End production of Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre as Madame Thénardier.Claire has history with the show, having made her West End debut as a swing and understudy for Eponine at the Palace Theatre before returning once before as an understudy for Madame Thénardier.In 2017, Claire received an Olivier nomination for her performance as Cora in the West End production of The Girls. She recently completed her run as Mrs Brill in the West End revival of Mary Poppins, having previously been in the original cast. Some of Claire's other theatre credits include: Whore/Claire in Amour (Charing Cross), Violet Butterfield in Flowers for Mrs. Harris (Chichester Festival Theatre), Alice Beane in Titanic (UK Tour & Charing Cross), Rosie in Mamma Mia! (Cyprus), Barbara Castle in Made in Dagenham (Queens Theatre), Mamma Gladys in the original cast of Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre), Mabel in The Pajama Game (Chichester & Shaftesbury Theatre), Mrs. Metcalf in Betty Blue Eyes (Novello Theatre), Widow Corney in Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane & UK Tour), Tim's Mother & Asphynxia in Salad Days (Riverside Studios), Mamie Eisenhower in First Lady Suite (Union Theatre), Ms Darbus in High School Musical (Churchill Theatre & UK Tour), Clara Eynsford Hill in My Fair Lady (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Charlotte in Oliver! (London Palladium).Claire also performed her one woman show An Old Fashioned Love Story at the New London Theatre and has also been involved in various workshops supporting new writing. On screen, she appeared as Grandma Who in The Grinch Musical (NBC) and the film adaptation of Les Misérables (Working Title Films).Les Misérables is booking at the Sondheim Theatre until 2nd March 2024. Visit www.lesmis.com for info and tickets. Hosted by Andrew Tomlins  @AndrewTomlins32  Thanks for listening! Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Nicola Stephenson is known mainly for her roles in television including Margaret Clemence in Channel 4's Brookside in which her on-air kiss with Anna Friel was the first pre-watershed lesbian kiss on British television. She was an original cast member of Holby City playing Julie Fitzjohn, Allie Westbrook in Waterloo Road, Suzie Davidson in Clocking Off, Jackie Armstrong in ITV's Northern Lights & City Lights, Sarah Williams in BBC's The Chase and Tess Harris in Emmerdale. Her theatre roles include A Patriot for Me at the Royal Shakespeare Company, His Girl Friday and Edmund at the National Theatre and War Horse at the New London Theatre in the West End. Nicola Stephenson is guest number 198 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she'd like to put in a time capsule; four she'd like to preserve and one she'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow Nicola Stephenson on Twitter: @nicstep and Instagram @officialnicstep .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens and Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sally Ann Triplett is a British singer and actress and is one of only four singers to have sung for the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest twice, first in 1980 as the lead female vocals of the six-piece band Prima Donna and then two years later as part of a double act Bardo.Her first West End appearance was in The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Subsequent West End productions include Margie and Young Phylis in Follies at the Shaftesbury, Chess at the Prince Edward Theatre, Rizzo in Grease at the Dominion Theatre and Ruby Keeler opposite Brian Conley in Jolson at the Victoria Palace Theatre and then Toronto, as Grizabella in Cats at the New London Theatre, Mrs Big in The Villain's Opera at the Royal National Theatre and, more recently, as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes at the Royal National Theatre and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, directed by Trevor Nunn, as Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre, as Miss Berta in Acorn Antiques - The Musical at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket and as Miss Adelaide in Guys & Dolls at the Picadilly Theatre. Sally Ann also appeared in the world premiere of Take Flight at The Menier Chocolate Factory, playing Amelia Earhart. Other stage appearances include Jubilee at Her Majesty's, a Judy Garland tribute concert at the London Palladium, Jill Kemp in Mister Cinders at the King's Head, Lady Evelyn in the workshop premiere of a new Stiles and Drewe musical Tutankhamun at Imagination, Lucy in Snoopy at the Watermill Newbury, Nancy in Oliver! at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester and Rebecca Hershkowitz in Rags at the Bridewell Theatre. Sally Ann starred in Phil Wilmott's production of Much Ado About Nothing at the Liverpool Empire. Shakespeare's classic battle of the sexes had been transported to wartime London, where Sal played the feisty Beatrice (played by Emma Thompson in Kenneth Branagh's movie adaptation), she also appeared in the review Make Me A Song, based on the works of William Finn and as Marge in Absent Friends at the Watford Theatre. More recently Sal has appeared as Donna in Mamma Mia! at the Prince Edward Theatre, as Maria Merelli in Lend Me A Tenor at The Theatre Royal, Plymouth and Mistress Page in Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor at Stafford Castle. Sal has played Diana in the Drama Centre Theatre's production of Next To Normal in Singapore and, between 2012 and 2015, Sal has created the roles of Lauren in Viva Forever at the Picadilly Theatre, Judy/Liza in My Judy Garland Life at the Nottingham Playhouse, Peggy White in The Last Ship at The Bank of America Theatre, Chicago (later transferring to The Neil Simon Theatre, New York) and Billie Dore in the 2015 Chichester Festival Theatre production of A Damsel In Distress.On television Sally Ann appeared in the award-winning short film The Fishing Trip and played one of the leading roles in Magic, a six-part drama series set in Hamburg. Her recent TV appearances include Doctors, Down to Earth and EastEnders, all for the BBC. For more information see www.sallyanntriplett-official.com

At a cost of £2m, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical ‘Cats' premiered at the New London Theatre on 11th May, 1981 - and the world had never seen anything like it.  With a cast including Brian Blessed and Elaine Paige, the original production was innovative, sexy, creepy, bizarre - and an enormous gamble for the impresarios who backed it. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion look back at the original reviews for the show, consider whether John Napier's award-winning costume design was actually incredibly lazy, and reveal how the show's signature song, ‘Memory', nearly didn't happen at all... Further reading:• Elaine Paige performs ‘Memory' in the original production:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm5w7gHEtJI• Sue MacGregor interviews the cast and crew for Radio 4's ‘The Reunion':https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0008jyn• ‘Cats' - a timeline from London's Evening Standard:https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/cats-musical-history-a4439316.htmlFor bonus material and to support the show, visit Patreon.com/RetrospectorsWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Synopsis Primitive man probably imitated animal sounds for both practical and religious reasons. More recently, the Baroque-era composer Heinrich Franz von Biber imitated one particular animal for COMIC effect in his “Sonata Representing Animals,” and, in early 20th century slang, it’s simply “the cat’s meow.” Now speaking of cats, they’re supposed to have nine lives–but would you believe 8,949? On today’s date in 1981, “Cats,” a musical by the British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber opened at the New London Theatre in that city’s fashionable West End. Despite a bomb threat and brief evacuation of the theatre, the premiere of “Cats” was a great success. 8,949 performances later, on the same date in 2002, when the show finally closed, it had long since entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running musical to date. In London, it took in 136 million British pounds in ticket sales. Worldwide, “Cats” has taken in billions of dollars, has been seen by millions, and has been performed in 11 different languages in over 26 countries. And if you asked YOUR cat to comment on all this, he or she would probably say, “Why are you surprised?” and saunter away. Music Played in Today's Program Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644 – 1704) Sonata violino solo representativa Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 21464 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Cats Overture Original Broadway Cast orchestra Geffen 22031 On This Day Births 1791 - Bohemian composer Jan Václav (Johann) Voríšek(Worzischek), in Vamberk; 1855 - Russian composer Anatoly Liadov, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 29); 1888 - American popular song composer Irving Berlin (Isidore Balin) inTemun, Russia (Julian date: April 29); 1895 - American composer William Grant Still, in Woodville, Miss.; 1954 - Scottish composer Judith Weir, in Aberdeen; Deaths 1849 - German composer Otto Nicolai, age 38, in Berlin; 1916 - German composer, Max Reger, age 43, in Leipzig; 1947 - Swedish composer Ture Rangström, age 62, in Stockholm; Premieres 1728 - Handel: opera "Tolomeo, re d'Egitto" (Julian date: April 30); 1917 - Busoni: opera "Arlecchino" (Harlequin) and "Turandot" in Zürich at the Stadttheater; 1945 - Bernstein: "Hashkiveinu" (text from the Sabbath Evening Service) for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, by Cantor David Puttterman, Max Heffman conducting; 1948 - Cowell: "Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune" No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall by the School of Music Faculty String Quartet; 1955 - Bliss: Violin Concerto, in London; 1963 - William Grant Still: opera "A Southern Interlude," by the University of Miami Opera; This opera was later revised as "Highway 1, U.S.A."; 1966 - Andrew Imbrie: Symphony No. 1, by the San Francisco Symphony; 1981 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Cats" (after T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats") in London at the New London Theatre; This enormously popular and long-running musical opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982; 1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Bow," by the New Haven Symphony, Murry Sidlin conducting; 1995 - John Adams: musical "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky"at the Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley, California, with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon; 2000 - Colin Matthews: "Pluto The Renewer" (as a new contribution to Gustav Holst's "The Planet"), in Manchester, by the Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting; 2002 - Kenneth Frazelle: "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra," in Glendale, Calif., by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting. Links and Resources On Biber On Lloyd Webber's "Cats" More on Andrew Lloyd Webber

Synopsis Primitive man probably imitated animal sounds for both practical and religious reasons. More recently, the Baroque-era composer Heinrich Franz von Biber imitated one particular animal for COMIC effect in his “Sonata Representing Animals,” and, in early 20th century slang, it’s simply “the cat’s meow.” Now speaking of cats, they’re supposed to have nine lives–but would you believe 8,949? On today’s date in 1981, “Cats,” a musical by the British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber opened at the New London Theatre in that city’s fashionable West End. Despite a bomb threat and brief evacuation of the theatre, the premiere of “Cats” was a great success. 8,949 performances later, on the same date in 2002, when the show finally closed, it had long since entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running musical to date. In London, it took in 136 million British pounds in ticket sales. Worldwide, “Cats” has taken in billions of dollars, has been seen by millions, and has been performed in 11 different languages in over 26 countries. And if you asked YOUR cat to comment on all this, he or she would probably say, “Why are you surprised?” and saunter away. Music Played in Today's Program Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644 – 1704) Sonata violino solo representativa Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 21464 Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Cats Overture Original Broadway Cast orchestra Geffen 22031 On This Day Births 1791 - Bohemian composer Jan Václav (Johann) Voríšek(Worzischek), in Vamberk; 1855 - Russian composer Anatoly Liadov, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 29); 1888 - American popular song composer Irving Berlin (Isidore Balin) inTemun, Russia (Julian date: April 29); 1895 - American composer William Grant Still, in Woodville, Miss.; 1954 - Scottish composer Judith Weir, in Aberdeen; Deaths 1849 - German composer Otto Nicolai, age 38, in Berlin; 1916 - German composer, Max Reger, age 43, in Leipzig; 1947 - Swedish composer Ture Rangström, age 62, in Stockholm; Premieres 1728 - Handel: opera "Tolomeo, re d'Egitto" (Julian date: April 30); 1917 - Busoni: opera "Arlecchino" (Harlequin) and "Turandot" in Zürich at the Stadttheater; 1945 - Bernstein: "Hashkiveinu" (text from the Sabbath Evening Service) for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, by Cantor David Puttterman, Max Heffman conducting; 1948 - Cowell: "Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune" No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall by the School of Music Faculty String Quartet; 1955 - Bliss: Violin Concerto, in London; 1963 - William Grant Still: opera "A Southern Interlude," by the University of Miami Opera; This opera was later revised as "Highway 1, U.S.A."; 1966 - Andrew Imbrie: Symphony No. 1, by the San Francisco Symphony; 1981 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Cats" (after T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats") in London at the New London Theatre; This enormously popular and long-running musical opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982; 1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Bow," by the New Haven Symphony, Murry Sidlin conducting; 1995 - John Adams: musical "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky"at the Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley, California, with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon; 2000 - Colin Matthews: "Pluto The Renewer" (as a new contribution to Gustav Holst's "The Planet"), in Manchester, by the Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting; 2002 - Kenneth Frazelle: "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra," in Glendale, Calif., by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting. Links and Resources On Biber On Lloyd Webber's "Cats" More on Andrew Lloyd Webber

Episode Summary Ria Jones, West End star and leading lady tells us about some of her auditions, including auditioning for Hal Prince to become the youngest Eva Peron at just 19 years of age. My "Thank You 5” segment is about the importance of journaling. In “Professor’s Corner” this week, Broadway powerhouse, Kim Criswell gives advice on song selections for auditions and being brave enough to be yourself.   Intro to this Episode In this episode of “In The Holding Room” we are thrilled to be joined by the incomparable Ria Jones. Ria is an internationally renowned West End star of the highest caliber. She has performed leading roles in numerous West End musicals and sung in theaters and concert halls worldwide. As well as performing as a soloist on three Royal Variety Shows, she has also sung, by Royal request at Buckingham Palace. At 19 she became the youngest actress ever to play the role of Eva Peron in the musical Evita followed shortly by her West End debut in the musical Chess, in which she played the roles of both Svetlana and Florence. She then went on to play Grizabella in Cats at the New London Theatre, (where she stayed for two years). Her next role was as Fantine in Les Misérables, at Manchester's Palace Theatre, followed by the national tour, and the West End. Then came the role of the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Apollo Hammersmith, and the national tour. Most recently Ria was seen performing the role of Norma Desmond in the West End production of Sunset Boulevard, a role that she originally created in the workshop production. In “Thank you 5” this week, I talk about the importance of journaling for performers. Yes we all know to take notes during rehearsals, but those notes can lead to some exceptional journal entries. 
Kim Criswell is going to be with us in “Professors Corner” this week to talk about song selection and making brave and bold choices. Kim’s Broadway credits include starring as Lucy, opposite Sting, in The Threepenny Opera directed by John Dexter, and appearing in the original Broadway cast of the 1982 Best Musical Tony winner Nine, first as Francesca, then taking over the leading role of Claudia. Other Broadway original cast credits include The First, Baby and Stardust. On the West Coast, she was the original Grizabella in Cats, singing “Memory” at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles, and also appeared as Lalume in Kismet for Opera Pacific.  She starred in the original West End productions of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens and The Slow Drag, as well as revivals of Annie Get Your Gun and Dames at Sea, and as the Mother Abbess in the acclaimed production of The Sound of Music at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. And those are just some of her incredible credits!   Resources: For all your audition needs including sheet music, tracks, monologues, advice and so much more visit: https://performerstuff.com/ Engage with the show: Facebook: Facebook/IntheHoldingRoom Instagram: In_the_holding_room Website: https://intheholdingroom.com/ Ria Jones: riajones.co.uk Kim Criswell: kimcriswell.net

Episode Summary Ria Jones, West End star and leading lady tells us about some of her auditions, including auditioning for Hal Prince to become the youngest Eva Peron at just 19 years of age. My "Thank You 5” segment is about the importance of journaling. In “Professor’s Corner” this week, Broadway powerhouse, Kim Criswell gives advice on song selections for auditions and being brave enough to be yourself.   Intro to this Episode In this episode of “In The Holding Room” we are thrilled to be joined by the incomparable Ria Jones. Ria is an internationally renowned West End star of the highest caliber. She has performed leading roles in numerous West End musicals and sung in theaters and concert halls worldwide. As well as performing as a soloist on three Royal Variety Shows, she has also sung, by Royal request at Buckingham Palace. At 19 she became the youngest actress ever to play the role of Eva Peron in the musical Evita followed shortly by her West End debut in the musical Chess, in which she played the roles of both Svetlana and Florence. She then went on to play Grizabella in Cats at the New London Theatre, (where she stayed for two years). Her next role was as Fantine in Les Misérables, at Manchester's Palace Theatre, followed by the national tour, and the West End. Then came the role of the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Apollo Hammersmith, and the national tour. Most recently Ria was seen performing the role of Norma Desmond in the West End production of Sunset Boulevard, a role that she originally created in the workshop production. In “Thank you 5” this week, I talk about the importance of journaling for performers. Yes we all know to take notes during rehearsals, but those notes can lead to some exceptional journal entries. 
Kim Criswell is going to be with us in “Professors Corner” this week to talk about song selection and making brave and bold choices. Kim’s Broadway credits include starring as Lucy, opposite Sting, in The Threepenny Opera directed by John Dexter, and appearing in the original Broadway cast of the 1982 Best Musical Tony winner Nine, first as Francesca, then taking over the leading role of Claudia. Other Broadway original cast credits include The First, Baby and Stardust. On the West Coast, she was the original Grizabella in Cats, singing “Memory” at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles, and also appeared as Lalume in Kismet for Opera Pacific.  She starred in the original West End productions of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens and The Slow Drag, as well as revivals of Annie Get Your Gun and Dames at Sea, and as the Mother Abbess in the acclaimed production of The Sound of Music at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. And those are just some of her incredible credits!   Resources: For all your audition needs including sheet music, tracks, monologues, advice and so much more visit: https://performerstuff.com/ Engage with the show: Facebook: Facebook/IntheHoldingRoom Instagram: In_the_holding_room Website: https://intheholdingroom.com/ Ria Jones: riajones.co.uk Kim Criswell: kimcriswell.net

Bevor das Musical "Cats" vor 35 Jahren in Deutschland an den Start ging, gab es viele Skeptiker. Das "Samtpfoten-Spektakel" des englischen Komponisten Andrew Lloyd Webber hatte zwar fünf Jahre zuvor das New London Theatre erobert und auch den New Yorker Broadway bereits mit dem Katzengesang infiziert. Aber würde das auch im Operettenhaus in Hamburg funktionieren? Autorin: Martina Meißner

In The Frame is back for a second series, and our first guest is the legendary Anita Harris!As well as topping the charts as a singer, Anita is well-known for her performances on screen and stage. Anita famously starred in Carry On Doctor and Carry On Follow That Camel. She also appeared in countless other films and television shows, including Remember Jack Buchanan, The Television Machine, French and Saunders, Morecambe and Wise, The Magic Box and Midsomer Murders.In addition to playing Grizabella in Cats at the New London Theatre, Anita's stage credits include; My Cousin Rachel (Theatre Royal, Bath); Stepping Out (UK Tour); Double Double (UK Tour); Come On Jeeves (UK Tour); Unexpected Guest (UK Tour); Suddenly At Home (Kings Theatre, Southsea); Annie (UK Tour); Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting on a Green Park Bench (UK Tour); Fatal Encounter (UK Tour) and The House of Stairs (UK Tour).Anita is currently touring the UK in Rufus Norris’ production of Cabaret as Fraulein Schneider.In this interview, Anita discusses her role in Cabaret and life on the road, plus stories from her career (and there's lots of singing along the way!).Cabaret tours the UK until Saturday 25th April 2020.Visit www.kenwright.com for tour dates and tickets.Hosted by Andrew Tomlins.Thanks for listening!Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.

Richard Brooker has been involved in theatre for his entire life. From working on the New London Theatre production of Cats, he worked his way up to Sound No. 1 and mixed shows for a dozen years before he started designing. He’s now one of the country’s top sound designers working on shows such as Dreamgirls, The Bodyguard, Funny Girl, Bend it like Beckham, Annie, West Side Story, Sister Act and many, many, many more.

Andrew Lloyd Webber composed the score for Cats in 1977, setting to music the poems from T.S. Eliot's “Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats,” published in 1939. Cats began life in 1980 as Practical Cats , a song cycle, which is a set of individual songs that are meant to be performed in a particular order as part of a whole, each one contributing to the central theme. Producer Cameron Mackintosh called in choreographer Gillian Lynne and director Trevor Nunn to help bring Lloyd Webber's cycle into a full-fledged musical. It was a mighty struggle. Perhaps the most famous song from the show, “Memory,” did not have lyrics until previews had already begun. Nunn finally wrote the lyrics, basing them on the Eliot poem, “Rhapsody on a Windy Night.” It was also left to Nunn to cobble together a story that united the separate pieces. Cats debuted in the West End at the New London Theatre in 1981, and in 1982, the show made its way to Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber literally bet the house on his

David Fynn (Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, School of Rock) is an Irish actor. Trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, so you know he's legit. He originated Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, School of Rock, at the New London Theatre where he received an Oliver Award nomination for Best Actor in a musical; Shakespeare at the National Theatre where he earned an Evening Standard Nomination, and most impressively, Brett-- the "The Fifth Lead" on NBC's Undateable.

In this episode, Connor and Catherine sit down with Olivier Award-winning actress Rebecca Trehearn. Rebecca tells us how she got into musical theatre, about her time with Ghost The Musical and playing Molly on the first UK Tour. We also speak about her winning the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in Showboat at the New London Theatre. Theme music by Simon Oskarsson and Alex Cardall for ACT Music Ldn.

On 12/12/17, actor Mark Jackson joined Mike and co-host Bonnie Gordon for Conversations S2-E9.Mark can be seen as Science Officer Isaac on The Orville (Fox) which has just been renewed for season 2!In addition to his duties on the Orville, Mark has an impressive resume and appeared in the National Theatre’s production of War Horse at the New London Theatre in London’s West end. Additional stage work includes roles in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee, the award-winning Noises Off and more. We talked about his early years in Borneo, college life, his stage work, as well his role on The Orville and living in Los Angeles.

With Toby Lichtig and Lucy Dallas – London has a brand-new theatre: the Bridge, the latest venture by Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, based in Southwark and dedicated to original writing. And it starts its life with a new play by Richard Bean and Clive Young: Young Marx features Rory Kinnear as a delinquent Karl Marx, with a dash of Monty Python thrown in. The TLS’s Michael Caines joins us in the studio to discuss it; The “common view” of atheists is that religion is a combination of cosmology (a theory of the universe) and morality (or how best to behave) – but for the TLS’s Philosophy Editor Tim Crane this conception seems “deeply inadequate”. Crane identifies a third category, too often ignored: religious practice itself. He joins us on the line to discuss the religion of belonging, along with this week’s other philosophy pieces; The Austrian author Marianne Fritz was hailed in the late 1970s as a literary wunderkind, for a debut novel that described the descent into madness of a young mother in post-war Vienna. But as the decades progressed, her work grew increasingly obscure: brilliant for some, maddening for others. Jane Yager offers her insights into the author often dubbed, perhaps unfairly, “the female James Joyce”. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nick welcomes new presenter Antonia Gentile into the MusicalTalk studio to discuss her views on the role of the female in everything from opera to Disney. Nick also shares, with Thos Ribbits, his views on School of Rock - now playing at the New London Theatre to great critical acclaim.

In this episode we chat to actor David Fynn, the leading man from Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest hit West End musical, 'School of Rock'! David's acting career has been incredibly varied, from performing at theatres such as 'The National Theatre' and 'The Donmar Warehouse', to appearing in hit television shows such as 'The Inbetweeners', 'Sherlock', 'Game of Thrones', 'Doctor Who' and most notably the hit US NBC sit-com 'Undateable'. Having been based in Los Angeles for the last three years, David is now back in London to open 'School of Rock' following the show's huge success on Broadway. So, during rehearsals, Rob headed down to the show's new West End home, The New London Theatre, and was kindly invited into David's dressing room for the chat! We give you this podcast completely free. If you've enjoyed it and you'd like to help us make future episodes then: 1. Visit: insidethewestend.com 2. Click on the donate button at the top of the home page. 3. Make a contribution and help us keep the show... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join David as he chats to MusicalTalk favourite Gina Beck about her role in the classic Showboat - now playing at the New London Theatre.  

Libby Purves meets writer Hunter Davies; artistic director Daniel Evans; poet Henry Normal and forager and cook Fiona Bird. Fiona Bird is a forager, writer and cook. A former finalist on Masterchef, her new book Let Your Kids Go Wild Outside is full of enthusiasm for the natural world and aims to encourage children to get off the sofa and explore the great outdoors. Fiona lives on the Isle of South Uist where she forages for seaweed which she features in a range of dishes from casseroles and soups to bread and biscuits. Let Your Kids Go Wild Outside is published by CICO Books. Hunter Davies OBE is an author, journalist and broadcaster. He is the author of over 50 books, including biographies, novels, children's fiction and several books about the Lake District.. He wrote the only official biography of the Beatles. In his memoir, The Co-Op's Got Bananas! he reflects on his childhood and coming of age in post-war Britain. The Co-Op's Got Bananas! is published by Simon and Schuster. Daniel Evans is the outgoing artistic director of Sheffield Theatres who is taking on the same role at Chichester Festival Theatre. As a director at Sheffield Theatres his productions include The Effect, The Full Monty and An Enemy of the People. As an actor, his work for the company includes Company, The Pride, Cloud Nine and The Tempest. His performance in Sunday in the Park with George won him his second Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical and a Tony Award nomination. His production of Show Boat is at the New London Theatre. Henry Normal - whose real name is Peter Carroll - is a comedian, producer and poet. As a writer and producer he has won awards for his work on The Royle Family, Gavin and Stacey and the Mrs Merton Show. He also wrote and produced the Oscar-nominated film Philomena. He is performing his poetry at the Stratford-Upon-Avon Literary Festival and his programme A Normal Family, about his son who has autism, returns to BBC Radio 4 later this year. The Stratford-Upon-Avon Literary Festival is at the Stratford Artshouse. Producer: Paula McGinley.

Michael Morpurgo, OBE, is the former Children’s Laureate and best-selling author of over 130 books for children, including 'Private Peaceful', 'The Butterfly Lion', 'Kensuke’s Kingdom' and 'War Horse', which first performed at the National Theatre in 2007. It continues to be performed at the New London Theatre to packed theatres. 'War Horse' was released as a film directed by Steven Spielberg in January 2012. In 1976, Michael and his wife, Clare, started the charity Farms for City Children. The charity runs three farms around the country, in Gloucestershire, Pembrokeshire and North Devon. Each farm offers children and teachers from urban primary schools the chance to live and work in the countryside for a week, and gain hands-on experience. Michael’s latest novel is 'Listen to the Moon', published in Autumn 2014 by Harper Collins. 5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

In this episode Sean heads to the New London Theatre and chats to John Trindle who was appearing in the hit West End show WARHORSE. Also, Sean and Donnla chat about Sean's recent professional tragedy - getting dropped by his agent...