COMING HOME: Emily-Mae, about to feature in Frozen at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

One of the most anticipated West End shows of the season and one we’ve been waiting for the longest time is Frozen. This hit 2013 film broke so many records in the box office and reached the stage in 2018 on Broadway, now the West End premiere will soon be opening at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 27th August 2021. 

Emily-Mae will be appearing in the production as Bulda and in the ensemble. Before lockdown hit, she was appearing in the West End transfer of City of Angels covering the role of Donna/Ooile and Angel City 4. Her other credits include the title role in Pippi Longstocking at the Royal and Derngate, Paradise in Brooklyn the Musical at the Greenwich Theatre, Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors at the Storyhouse in Chester, Ulla in The Producers at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and she played a Dynamite and covered Motormouth Maybelle in the National tour of Hairspray.  

COMING HOME: Adam Bailey, soon to star in the West End production of Jersey Boys at the Trafalgar Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back!

Even though the theatre world has a long way to go until we’re fully back, there are so many exciting things happening which we mustn’t forget about, long-running West End favourites reopening their doors along with new pieces of theatre and even revivals. Jersey Boys being one of them. Last seen in the West End in 2017, this much-loved show returns, playing in the newly refurbished Trafalgar Theatre. 

Adam Bailey, last seen in the West End production of The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre (where our shoot took place), will play the role of Bob Gaudio in the shows return to London. Before the pandemic hit, Adam was a Swing and first cover Elder Price in the West End musical. The Book of Mormon was Adams West End debut, which was a long time coming! His CV is extensive and we were surprised the West End hadn’t snapped him up sooner! Prior to appearing in the Book of Mormon, he had played Morgan in the UK tour of the Dusty Springfield Musical ‘Dusty’, played Munkustrap in the South Korean tour of Cats and played the lead role of Adam/Felicia in the UK tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. His long CV also includes Starlight Express, Chicago, Bare, Grease, Taboo, Jest End and Edges. 

COMING HOME: Lauren Byrne, currently in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s journey to open Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre has probably been one of the most documented and talked-about stories in relation to the reopening of theatres. This new retelling of the classic fairytale opened on the 25th June 2021 with an opening night of the 20th July, this has been changed due to performances being suspended because of a COVID related case. With music by Lloyd Webber Himself, lyrics by David Zippel and a book by Emerald Fennell, the show is one of the handful of new musicals opening theatre again after the closure of theatres because of the pandemic. 

Lauren Byrne is appearing in the shows ensemble and is also covering the title role. Making her West End debut in the musical, she was previously playing the role of Jane Seymour in the UK Touring production of Six the Musical. Her other credits include Swing and cover Cynthia and Carole in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (UK Tour), Mabel and Dance Captain in Blondel (Union Theatre) and Understudy Rasa, Peggy, Gwen and Joyce in Sunny Afternoon (UK Tour). Lauren is the co-founder of the new training system ‘In3 Arts’, providing part-time training alongside her ex-Six cast member Harriet Watson. 

COMING HOME: Alistair So, just opened in Anything Goes at the Barbican

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Alistair So has managed to almost bookend the pandemic with two major shows. Before theatres shut back in March 2020, he was appearing in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera, covering the role of Raoul. He is currently appearing in the London revival of Anything Goes at the Barbican. But Alistair is under no illusion of how lucky he has been to have been employed and to be going into employment again, “Some of us are fortunate enough to be going back to a job or starting a new one; many of us will not be. Additionally, no doubt there are performers who may be leaving performing behind entirely for all sorts of reasons related to Covid. To get back on stage while the UK heals and the rest of the world continues to fight off the virus, is a very special blessing.” 

Having only graduated in 2017, he has racked up a very impressive CV. He made his professional debut in the UK touring production of Miss Saigon covering the role of Thuy, made his West End debut in the Broadway revival transfer of The King and I at the London Palladium covering Lun Tha, played Jimmy Winter in Nice Work if You Can Get It at Upstairs at the Gatehouse and also appeared in Amour at the Charing Cross Theatre. 

COMING HOME: Yukina Hasebe, soon to open in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

The Phantom of the Opera is a musical classic, one of the longest-running musicals in the world it's a huge tourist attraction and has been seen by millions. With numerous productions around the world, the show is setting up to return to the West End at Her Majesty's Theatre, reopening from the 27th July 2021. After a 16 month absence from London, fans of the show and musical theatre nuts are eagerly awaiting its return and its opening of the exciting new cast, led by Lucy St Louis who is making history as the first black actress to play Christine. 

Yukina Hasebe is no stranger to the show, having previously appeared in the short-lived UK touring production of the show (that was closed down due to the pandemic), as well as in the German production. She returns to the show in its original home in the West End. Chatting to her she is obviously excited to not only be making her West End debut but to be returning to this wonderful show, “I can’t wait for the first show and to hear the overture! It’s epic and you can feel the magic in the air! I’ve missed feeling the lights on my face and moving through a different world on stage, it is a very special feeling.” 

COMING HOME: Alex Tranter, appearing in The Best of the West End at the Royal Albert Hall and will reopen in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre

 Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

The reopening of the West End and theatre in general has been an exciting and also excruciatingly painful time, with the buzz of shows opening around the country and the West End also came the disappointments of cancellations due to venues not opening or for isolation purposes. As hard as it's been, we’re getting closer to the end of the tunnel and what better way to celebrate than with a big concert at the Royal Albert Hall, ‘The Best of the West End’ will play tomorrow (21st July 2021) and will celebrate all things musical theatre. 

Alex Tranter will be appearing in the show, he will also be returning to his roles in & Juliet when it reopens at the Shaftesbury Theatre on the 24th September 2021. Alex appears in the ensemble of the show and also covers the roles of Romeo, Shakespeare and Lance. Previously he has also appeared in White Christmas at the Leicester Curve, Eugenius at The Other Palace, The Glenn Miller Story at the London Coliseum and on tour, Closer to Heaven at the Union Theatre and on the UK tour of Our House. 

COMING HOME: Chiarina Woodall, soon to be back in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

The smash-hit of this century is undoubtedly Wicked. The untold story of Oz follows the back story of the witches of OZ and is filled with tunes you will be belting out in the shower. If you’ve not already seen this show, where have you been?! Celebrating 15 years in London’s West End this autumn and 18 years on Broadway, the show has seen many international productions including numerous UK tours. A story that everyone connects to and with music by Stephen Schwartz, this show is a musical theatre staple and the West End just wouldn’t be the same without that green witch. 

A dream show for many, Chiarina Woodall appears in the ensemble of the show and was before theatres shut back in March 2020. She is returning to the show when it reopens on the 15th September 2021, almost 18 months after she last appeared in the show. She tells us she cannot wait to get back and perform the show to an audience once again, “Wicked is an incredible show, something I've always wanted to do. Being able to entertain and inspire people is so rewarding for me.” 

COMING HOME: Christopher Tendai, last seen in Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre and Artistic Director of Dance Company CTC

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

An up and coming choreographer and creative himself, as well as an accomplished West End performer, Christopher Tendai was appearing in the London production of Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre. Appearing in the ensemble and covering the role of Rudolpho before the theatres shut their doors back in March 2020. Over the pandemic, he has been keeping himself very productive with his creative work but he also went on to appear in the National Theatres pantomime, Dick Whittington, in December. He was the Dance Captain and Swing on the show but the run was short-lived due to London being moved into tier 4. 

After Matilda and Dick Whittington being cut short for Christopher, he has been through his fair share of disappointments through this but he remains positive, telling us that if he could give out a piece of advice to people it would be “to take each day at a time. Don’t beat yourself up if your body takes longer to get back to where it was. We have all suffered trauma over this pandemic so make sure to be kind to yourself.” 

COMING HOME: Megan Cerys-Holland, recently graduated from the Arden School of Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back!

Over the pandemic, the theatre industry has been hit hard. There's no denying it, we’ve all struggled. Maybe some have been in better positions than others, but we’ve all had our livelihoods on the line. But out of this uncertainty, so many wonderful things have happened, and as much as it is important to acknowledge and not forget the struggle we’ve been through we must also celebrate the wonderful things that have come out of this situation. One of them being, the celebration and support of recent drama school graduates entering this industry. 

Its always been difficult coming into this industry as a fresh graduate but more so right now than ever because the industry hasn’t really existed! However, there have been a few projects and companies supporting those and giving them a chance to shine, something that wasn’t necessarily available prior to the pandemic. Megan Cerys-Holland, a recent graduate of the Arden School of Theatre, is one of the graduates who has been featured in some of these fantastic opportunities. 

COMING HOME: Jonathan Andrew Hume, about to return to his roles in Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

We were lucky enough to grab some time out of Jonathan Andrew Hume's schedule, being a new Dad we almost felt bad for taking him away from his new little baby boy! He has been playing Kevin J, Ali and others in the West End production of Come From Away. Before the theatres closed, he has just begun his second contract with the show, having appeared in the original West End company. 

For his roles in Come From Away, he was nominated for ‘Best Male Actor in a Musical’ at the Black British Theatre Awards which comes as no surprise because he is one talented gentleman. His other roles include Simba in the Lion King both in the West End and in Singapore, featured in the cast of Alice in Wonderland at the Rose Theatre in Kingston and was a soloist in Bernstein’s Mass at the Royal Festival Hall.

COMING HOME: Maddison Firth, about to head out on tour with Heathers the Musical

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back!

In the return of theatre, one of the shows that has come back is Heathers. The hit Off-Broadway show made its London debut in a staged concert at the Other Palace which lead to a fully staged production at the same theatre and then transferred into the West End. The show is now back in London at the same theatre it transferred to, the Theatre Royal Haymarket, and the production is launching its first UK tour opening on the 28th July 2021 at the Leeds Grand Theatre. 

Maddison Firth will be starring in the UK tour of the show as Heather Chandler. She was a swing for the Cruise production of SIX The Musical and was actually due to play Katherine Howard in the same production but this was cancelled due to the pandemic. After many self tapes and Zoom auditions, the disappointment of a cancelled job soon went away when she was offered the UK tour of Heathers! A few push backs later, Maddison couldn’t be more excited to be heading back into a theatre. “Knowing so many people will be back in jobs they love, and back spreading that love to audiences across the country brings me so much joy.” 

COMING HOME: Callum Evans, soon to head out on tour with The Rocky Horror Show

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Before theatres closed their doors in March 2020, Callum Evans was eagerly awaiting to start another performing job. He was due to open in the international touring production of Cats, with an opening night that would have been in May 2020, almost exactly a year before our shoot day. But it's not all sad: it has recently been announced that Callum will play the role of Rocky in the touring production of The Rocky Horror Show, a role he is very familiar with, having played the part back in 2019. Our shoot with Callum took place at the Harold Pinter Theatre, formerly known as the Comedy Theatre. This was one of the many London homes of The Rocky Horror Show. 

As well as having done The Rocky Horror Show previously, he played Troppo and covered Nigel in Salad Days on tour, he has also played Eugene in the UK tour of Grease, was in the revival of Chess at the London Coliseum, played Sportacus in Lazytown Live, was in Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre and appeared in Cool Rider at the Lyric Theatre. As well as a successful career in theatre, he is also a hugely accomplished acrobatic gymnast, having won the Welsh championship and coming 2nd in the British Acrobatic Gymnastic Championships, as well as competing in the international arena.

COMING HOME: Samantha Bingley, soon to head out on tour with Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Since March 2020 the entertainment industries have been through one of the hardest times we could ever possibly face. From the moment the theatres closed things went from bad to worse with financial help almost nonexistent for most and being told we should retrain in other industries. However, recently it's been a pretty exciting time for theatre! With shows opening up in London and productions starting rehearsals for West End shows and now, excitingly, touring shows! Tomorrow (July 5th 2021) Beauty and the Beast starts rehearsals for its new UK tour. The show finally makes its return back to the stage and is coming to a theatre near you! 

We met Samantha Bingley outside the Dominion Theatre, the original UK home to the show where it opened in 1997 and ran until the end of 1999. Samantha has been cast in the new touring production as the Wardrobe and couldn’t be more excited to hit the road with this show. 

COMING HOME: Felipe Bejarano, just reopened in The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

The West End premiere of the new musical production of ‘The Prince of Egypt’ had opened at the Dominion Theatre on the 5th February 2020, but this exciting new opening of an original show in London was soon cut short by the closure of theatres due to the pandemic back in March 2020. After a long wait, it's back and reopened its doors yesterday (1st July 2021) well over a year since it closed along with every theatre around the country 

Felipe Bejarano was featured in the ensemble of the show, as well as covering the role of Ramses before the show shut its doors at the Dominion Theatre. In the reopening of the show, he returns to his roles! Before appearing in The Prince of Egypt, he was in the groundbreaking revival production of Evita at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in the ensemble and covering Peron. His other credits include playing Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls at the Mill At Sonning, playing Sundeep and Nikos as well as covering Kyle in the UK Tour of Legally Blonde and made his West End debut in Mamma Mia at the Novello Theatre in the ensemble and covering both Sky and Pepper. 

COMING HOME: Angela Marie Hurst, soon to open in The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Disney is a huge producer of massive spectacular theatrical productions which are remembered by those who see them for the rest of their lives. One of their most successful shows is The Lion King. Having run in the West End’s Lyceum Theatre since 1999, on Broadway since 1997 and with countless productions all over the world, it is not only one of Disney’s biggest theatre success stories but it's a huge phenomenon in the theatre world.

Since the show has been running for such a long time, it's come to the time where those who were in the show as children are now old enough to feature in the cast as adults! Angela Marie Hurst is one of them! Back in 2001 she played Young Nala in the production and now returns to the show as an adult in the ensemble of the show and understudying the role of Nala. Prior to appearing in the show when it reopens at the Lyceum Theatre on the 29th July 2021, Angela was part of the West End productions of Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre and Motown at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

COMING HOME: Michael Afemaré, appearing in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Michael Afemaré was due to perform in the transfer production of Evita. The show was revived in a brand new production at the Regent’s Park, Open Air Theatre in 2019 and was meant to be taking over the Barbican in the summer of 2020. But, with the closure of theatres, the production, unfortunately, didn’t go ahead. What that meant for Michael was that he had lost out on a wonderful job. But, we mustn’t focus on the negatives because the day before we met Michael, it was announced that he would be joining the original London company of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella. Having previously been in the original London cast of Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre, he is no stranger to a West End premiere! 

Over the past year, so many issues have been brought to the surface and highlighted in our industry. So many important conversations have been going on and with theatre now planning on reopening, this is the time for the change and progress we’ve been campaigning for. Michael feels incredibly passionate about the lack of representation of ethnicity within the industry, in particular artists of Indian and Asian heritage. Something interesting that he also brings up is, this isn’t just about the casts and people we see on stage, it goes way beyond that, “I am always trying to fight the fight for more equal opportunities, but these opportunities also need to exist beyond theatre casts. I would love for there to be a world where representation and diversity can be noted and appreciated in more positions of power; creative teams, directors, choreographers, casting directors - the list is endless.” 

COMING HOME: Aimée Moore, soon to be on the UK Tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Disney has been providing theatre magic to audiences all over the world since bringing their first full scale musical of Beauty and the Beast to the Broadway stage back in 1994, since then we’ve seen stage adaptations of The Lion King, Tarzan, Frozen, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Newsies and so many more on our stages. With their productions of Mary Poppins and The Lion King announced to reopen in London’s West End and with the much-anticipated production of Frozen at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane opening this year, its only natural that Disney adds to this list and brings back the much-loved classic, Beauty and the Beast. 

After a hugely successful run at the Dominion Theatre and a few tours later, we’re finally seeing this beloved story being told again. Aimée Moore will be appearing in the ensemble of the show and also covers the role of Babette. Aimée was last seen in The Wedding Singer at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in early 2020, her other credits also include Rumpleteazer in Cats at Kilworth House, playing the role of Connie and understudying the role of Stephanie in Saturday Night Fever on tour and playing the role of Amber in the UK touring production of Hairspray. She will also be seen in the new musical movie ‘Tomorrow Morning’, starring Samantha Barks, Ramin Karimloo, Fleur East, Omid Djalili, Harriet Thrope and so many more musical stars! The film, which is being directed by Nick Winston, is based on the musical of the same name and started shooting in May, we absolutely cannot wait to catch it when it's released! 

COMING HOME: Richard Meek, opening in the UK tour of Hairspray

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

We meet Richard fresh from the cast announcement of the UK tour of Hairspray, in which he will be playing the role of Corny Collins, a role and show he says is one of his dream jobs. We met Richard at the Playhouse Theatre, a place he is pretty familiar with! He appeared in The Rocky Horror show playing Eddie/Dr. Scott at the Playhouse, he later went on tour with the show in the same roles before taking over the role of Brad Majors, a role he had played previously. 

With a CV almost as long as my arm, Richard has had a really wonderful career. He’s appeared as Rooster in the UK Tour of Annie, as Trevor Graydon in the UK Tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie, starred as Leo Bloom in the international production of The Producers, played Sir Galahad in the UK Tour of Spamalot, played Dustin and covered Greaseball in the Bochum production of Starlight Express and has played the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, to name but a few of his many credits! 

COMING HOME: Amelia Atherton, soon to be touring the UK in Waitress the Musical

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

The pandemic has been a terrible time for theatre, no doubt. Not only has work been sparse or completely shut down but the lack of finical help for freelancers working across our industry has been catastrophic. It's not a time to compare people experiences because this is a time we all must pull together and rebuild this amazing thing we once had and to also build it back up with the knowledge and awareness we now have to make this a safer and better industry. A group of people who have been highlighted as a priority to make sure we are looking after is our recent graduates, those who left drama schools in 2020 and now those who are leaving as fresh 2021 graduates. Leaving drama school and entering this crazy industry is tough for anyone but for those who have entered it when the industry has been pretty much derelict, well, I can’t even imagine how intimidating that might feel. 

Someone among these students who have been released into this industry in these uncertain times is Amelia Atherton. Graduating from the Performance Preparation Academy, she finished her training in the middle of this pandemic. Speaking to Amelia about how she feels she’s changed since graduating and living in this strange world right now, she tells us how amazing she thought her experience in drama school was but how she almost lost who she really was; “I think the three years had just really tired me out. I learnt so much but I do feel that I’d almost forgot who I was. This year has helped me remember I’m a whole person with a whole life outside of being an actor.” So whilst this has been a testing year, there are many lessons we as creatives must take away from this. The industry can be very consuming and we mustn’t ever forget our identities as people, we’re not just theatre people, there is so much more to all of us. 

COMING HOME: Joaquin Pedro Valdes, about to open in Heathers at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back! 

Theatres were some of the first things to completely shut down when the pandemic hit. After the news of Broadway closing, it wasn’t long before the West End and theatres up and down the country followed suit. Joaquin Pedro Valdes was appearing in the UK and International touring production of The King and I. The show had previously had a hugely successful run in America and had subsequently transferred to the London Palladium with this tour following. However, due to the pandemic, the production was shut down in March 2020. 

Joaquin was appearing in the ensemble of the show and was also covering Lun Tha and the Kralahome. After this amazing show being shut down, Joaquin was actually one of the first people to be employed again in a fully staged theatre production, as he appeared in ‘Fanny and Stella’ at the Garden Theatre in the summer of 2020. This was the first stage show to be fully mounted since the pandemic hit. The theatre continued with this success and opened productions of Pippin, Next Thing You Know and Naked Boys Singing, to name just a few!