Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Dan Partridge. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Dan Partridge. Sort by date Show all posts

Tuesday, 5 November 2024

Cast Announced for Stiles + Drewe’s Best New Song Prize Concert 2024: A Star-Studded Celebration of New Musical Theatre Talent


Prepare for an unforgettable night of new musical theatre as Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe, in partnership with Broadway Licensing Global, present the 2024 Best New Song Prize Concert. Hosted by Olivier Award-winning actor Jenna Russell, this one-night-only gala will take place at The Other Palace on Monday, December 2 at 7:30 pm, showcasing the incredible talent of both emerging and established musical theatre creators.

This unique concert features a glittering cast, including stage icons like Charlie McCullagh (42 Balloons, Jesus Christ Superstar), Desmonda Cathabel (Aladdin, Miss Saigon), Lauryn Redding (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Natalie Paris (Pretty Woman, SIX), Obioma Ugoala (Frozen, Hamilton), Samuel Barnett (Rock Follies), and Tim Howar (Rock of Ages, The Phantom of the Opera). Also performing are Allyson Ava Brown (Hamilton, Les Misérables), Cassius Hackforth (Something Rotten), Dan Partridge (Grease), Jodie Jacobs (Hello Dolly!), and Liv Andrusier (Fiddler on the Roof).

Alongside performances from these incredible artists, the event will feature songs from recent British musical successes like Becoming Nancy, Cable Street, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and 42 Balloons. The evening celebrates the vitality of new writing with a special showcase of 12 finalist songs, which include:

  • 'The Temptation of Me' from Proud by Mark Anderson & Lee Freeman
  • 'I’m Going to Stay With You' from The Tale of the Gifted Prince by Lezlie Wade & Dan Green
  • 'It Starts Small' from Unfolding by Emma Vieceli
  • 'Ideal Robot Assistant' from A.I. Will Solve All Your Problems by Leo Mercer
  • 'Someday My Prince Will Come' from Queering the Canon by Cheeyang Ng & Eric Sorrels
  • 'Viareggio' from Lifeboats by Gus Gowland
  • 'Die Like Trees' from Girl Goes to the Underworld by Sam Norman & Bela Kawalec
  • 'Hero' from Man Vs Snake the Epic Musical by Stuart Matthew Price & Daniel Fletcher
  • 'Spread a Little Joy Around the Place' from Retail Therapy by Hilmi Jaidin
  • 'Locked Away' from The Queen is Mad by Amy Clare Tasker & Tom McGrath
  • 'Drek!' from Otto's Weidt's Brush and Broom Workshop for the Blind by Amir Shoenfeld & Caitlyn Burt
  • 'Invisible' from Hatched! by Lydia Shaw & Edward Court

A distinguished panel of judges, including Chris Bush, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, and Joanne Benjamin, will select the winning song, awarding £1,000 toward the winner’s development. An additional award recognising Voice, Vision & Potential will also be presented. Sponsored by Broadway Licensing Global, Dorico, Tarento Productions, and Kenny Wax Productions, the Best New Song Prize Concert celebrates the vibrant future of British musical theatre and its outstanding creative talent.

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Thursday, 3 February 2022

Peter Andre to play Vince Fontaine in Grease at the Dominion Theatre


Peter Andre will make his West End debut playing the role of Vince Fontaine at certain performances in a new production of Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey’s iconic musical GREASE opening at the Dominion Theatre on Tuesday 17 May 2022, with previews from Tuesday 3 May 2022. GREASE is directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. 

 

Dan Partridge (Link Larkin in Hairspray UK tour & Pepper in MAMMA MIA! West End) and Olivia Moore (Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre & Heathers at Theatre Royal Haymarket) will star as Danny and Sandy respectively, with Jocasta Almgill (& Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre) as Rizzo, Paul French (GreaseUK tour) as Kenickie, Mary Moore (Little Women at Park Theatre) as Jan, Jake Reynolds (professional debut) as Doody, Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly (A Chorus Line at Curve) as Marty, Damon Gould (Pretty Woman: The Musical at Savoy Theatre) as Sonny, Eloise Davies (Be More Chill at The Other Palace) as Frenchie, Jessica Croll (Hairspray UK tour) as Patty Simcox, Katie Lee (Matilda The Musical at Cambridge Theatre) as Cha Cha, Ronan Burns (West Side Story at Curve) as Johnny Casino and Corinna Powlesland (An Officer and A Gentleman at Regents Park Open Air Theatre as Miss Lynch. Darren Bennett (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre) will play Officer Mailie and Vince Fontaine at certain performances. 

 

They are joined by Jack Harrison-Cooper, Pearce Barron, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Ellie Kingdon, Remi Ferdinand, Kalisha Johnson, Imogen Bailey, Kevin O’Dwyer and Carly Miles. Further casting is to be announced.

 

Peter Andre said “I'm beyond excited to be making my West End debut playing Vince Fontaine in Grease at the beautiful Dominion Theatre. Grease is such an iconic musical and we can guarantee audiences will have the most wonderful evening listening to songs we all know and love. We can't wait to see you there!"

 

GREASE originally opened in Chicago in 1971, followed by a move to Broadway in 1972, where it received seven Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. During the show's eight-year run at the time, little known actors including Peter Gallagher, Patrick Swayze and John Travolta all appeared in the production, with Richard Gere understudying many roles before going on to star as Danny Zuko in the 1973 London premiere. GREASE was first performed at the Dominion Theatre in 1993 before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in 1996. It returned to the West End, opening at the Piccadilly Theatre in 2007. 

 

The 1978 film adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John is the fourth highest-grossing live action musical of all time. The musical features beloved songs, including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted To Youand You’re The One That I Want.

 

GREASE has designs by Colin Richmond, orchestrations and musical supervision by Sarah Travis, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall and Richard Brooker, video and projection design by Douglas O’Connell and casting by David Grindrod CDG.

 

This production of GREASE is produced by Colin Ingram for InTheatre Productions, Donovan Mannato, Playing Field, Gavin Kalin, and Curve.

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Thursday, 10 October 2024

Full Cast Announced for UK & Ireland Your of Kinky Boots the Musical


Producers ROYO and Curve are thrilled to announce the complete cast for the all-new Made at Curve production of Kinky Boots The Musical, winner of Olivier, Tony, and Grammy Awards. This celebrated musical will tour the UK and Ireland starting from 17 January 2025.

Joining the cast are: Newtion Matthews (Once on This Island) as Lola for select performances and Simon Snr for all others. Kara Lily Hayworth (Cilla the Musical) as Nicola, Joe Caffrey (Billy Elliot) as Don, Kathryn Barnes (Guys & Dolls) as Pat, Lucy Williamson (Fame!) as Trish, Jonathan Dryden Taylor (Fiddler on the Roof) as Mr Price, Scott Paige (I Should Be So Lucky) as George, Liam Doyle (Heathers) as Harry.

The ensemble cast also features: Kofi Dennis, Ru Fisher, Ben Middleton, Ashley-Jordon Packer, Cerys Burton, Cole Dunn, Kaya Farrugia, Jordan Isaac, Deena Kapadia, Tori McDougall, and Liam McEvoy.

These new cast members will join previously announced stars: Johannes Radebe (Strictly Come Dancing) as Lola, Dan Partridge (Grease) as Charlie Price and Courtney Bowman (Legally Blonde) as Lauren.

Kinky Boots The Musical features a score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein, with direction by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster. The story, based on real events and the 2005 film, follows Charlie Price, a man trying to save his family’s failing shoe factory. When he meets Lola, a charismatic drag queen, their collaboration brings hope, reinvention, and a splash of glamour to the business.

With its uplifting message of celebrating individuality and finding common ground, Kinky Boots promises to “Raise You Up” starting January 2025.

The production is helmed by Nikolai Foster, featuring choreography by Leah Hill, set and costume design by Robert Jones, musical supervision by George Dyer, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher, casting by Harry Blumenau CDG CDA, and wigs, hair, and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates.

Associate direction is by Michaela Powell, with associate choreography by Johnny Bishop, and associate sound design by Harry Barker. Production management is handled by Setting Line.

Kinky Boots is produced by ROYO and Curve. Don’t miss this fabulous production when it kicks off its tour in January 2025!
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Tuesday, 17 May 2022

Grease The Musical, Dominion Theatre | Review


Grease The Musical
Dominion Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 17th May 2022 by Olivia Mitchell 
★★★

It’s a cult classic that’s got the word, got the groove, it’s got meaning, and in its current West End run at the Dominion Theatre, Grease provides a high energy, fun night out that’ll have you feeling good and tapping your toes.

The production which previously toured the UK features all the iconic moments and songs from the film, but shuffles them around and combines them with their original stage versions. For example The T Birds are now back to their og name of the Burger Palace Boys. These small tweaks allow the audience to be more engaged as they don’t quite know what’s coming. However, other attempts to somewhat modernise the book fall a little flat. You would assume that ending the show with the punchline of the girl changing herself so the boy likes her, could’ve been switched up a little but it remains the same as the movie and certainly feels dated. This version of Grease does give Sandy's character more of a backbone but it would be nice to see just a bit of dialogue added to give her a bit more autonomy at the end.

The West End cast is chockablock with strong performers who bring the array of characters to life incredibly well. As the leading lady, Olivia Moore is a delight as Sandy. Her powerhouse voice soars every time she opens her mouth and she gives a dynamic and endearing performance. Leader of the Burger Palace Boys, Danny Zuko is played well by Dan Partridge who really comes into his own in the angsty number How Big I'm Gonna Be and also provides great humour and vocals in Stranded at the Drive In.

Other standout performers include Jocasta Almgill, who’s rendition of There Are Worse Things I Could Do, is heart-wrenching and transforms the song to be heard in a new light. Mary Moore is also a gem as Jan and Eloise Davies is wonderfully witty and whimsical as the Beauty School Dropout, Frenchie. Paul French’s Kenickie is rough and brooding but sometimes lets his softer side show and is a delight to watch. 

If you’ve seen the adverts for this show, you’ll have probably seen Peter Andre who is starring as Vince Fontaine and Teen Idol. Whilst only appearing briefly in act one, in act two he comes to life and is highly entertaining and will certainly please audience members who are fans!

There are a few moments in the show where the energy lulls or jokes fall a bit flat but it’s the full ensemble sections that really bring it back up and make it soar. The Hand Jive and We Go Together are especially good moments that ooze energy and almost create electricity in the auditorium. This is in a big way thanks to Arlene Phillips' outstanding choreography that is fresh and exciting but completely in keeping with what we know and love as typically Grease. 

As a whole the cast are top notch and work really well together. It's great to see how much characterisation work has gone into each role, so that no matter who you're looking at one stage, you can always see a story or relationship developing with them.

Despite a few shortcomings, the musical is a real laugh and a nice, hand jiving escape from reality. It's not groundbreaking but Grease The Musical does what it says on the tin and delivers iconic scenes and songs that fans of the film will love. So, all you crazy cats better get booking!
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Thursday, 6 July 2023

Sam Bailey, Kevin Clifton and Giovanna Fletcher to Star in the UK Tour of Everybody's Talking About Jamie


Exciting news for the UK Tour of Everybody's Talking About Jamie! The musical has announced some new additions to the cast. Kevin Clifton, known for winning Strictly Come Dancing, will be playing Hugo/Loco Chanelle from March 25 to July 15, 2024. Giovanna Fletcher, an author, podcast host, and winner of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, will portray Miss Hedge from January 8 to March 23, 2024. Then, X-Factor winner Sam Bailey will take over the role of Miss Hedge from March 25 to July 15, 2024.

Kevin Clifton expressed his excitement about joining the UK Tour after his involvement in the movie, praising the show's inspiring and uplifting nature. Giovanna Fletcher described Everybody's Talking About Jamie as a wonderful show with great music, dance, and humour, emphasising its universal tale of courage and acceptance. 

They join the previously announced cast members Ivano Turco as Jamie New, Rebecca McKinnis as Margaret New, Shobna Gulati as Ray, and Talia Palamathanan as Pritti.

The cast also includes John Partridge and Hayley Tamaddon during specific periods of the tour. The rest of the cast for the 2023-24 UK Tour includes KY Kelly, Garry Lee, David McNair, Akshay St Clair, Jordan Ricketts, Liv Ashman, Rhiannon Bacchus, Geoff Berrisford, Jessica Daugirda, Finton Flynn, Annabelle Laing, Luca Moscardini, Joshian Omana, Thomas Walton, Takayiah Bailey, and Georgina Hagen.

After successful runs in the West End, a sold-out UK & Ireland Tour, and an award-winning film, the show will kick off at The Lowry on September 7, 2023, and visit various cities across the UK, including Sunderland, Nottingham, Bromley, Birmingham, Cardiff, Brighton, Leeds, Blackpool, Llandudno, Oxford, Southampton, Newcastle, Wolverhampton, Woking, London, Bristol, Plymouth, Sheffield, Liverpool, Eastbourne, Portsmouth, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Northampton, Bradford, Milton Keynes, Hull, and Leicester.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie tells the story of Jamie New, a sixteen-year-old from a council estate in Sheffield who doesn't quite fit in and is fearful of the future. With the support of his loving mother and friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice and bullying to step into the spotlight and become a sensation.

This musical sensation, described as funny, outrageous, and touching, is suitable for the whole family and shouldn't be missed. With an original score of catchy pop tunes by Dan Gillespie Sells, lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling, and a script by Tom MacRae, the show is choreographed by Kate Prince and is set to become a sparkling coming-of-age musical that will have everyone talking about Jamie for years to come.

Sixteen: the edge of possibility. Time to make your dreams come true.

photo credit: Matt Crockett
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