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: 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! 

COMING HOME: Aisha Jawando, soon to return to the starring role in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych 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! 

If you haven’t heard of her already, you will very soon. Aisha Jawando will be starring in the title role in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre when it reopens on the 28th July 2021. Aisha has been playing the lead role of Tina since October 2019 but before that was the alternate to the role. Prior to this, she was part of the original West End company playing the role of Tina's sister, Alline Bullock. Tina Turner is a producer herself on the show so not only does Aisha have the pressure of winning over audiences (she already has, she is wonderful in the part!). She has to also get approval from the boss lady herself. When asked about Aisha, Tina Turner said “It has been special to watch her journey with us and see the development of her extraordinary talent.”  

Prior to performing in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, Aisha played the title role in Cinderella at the Hackney Empire, played Pilar in Legally Blonde for the Curve in Monaco, played Carmen in The Life at the Southwark Playhouse, was featured in the original casts of both Motown and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical in the West End, was a Swing and understudied Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre, played an Ikette in Soul Sister on tour around the UK and at the Savoy Theatre, was in the ensemble of the Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre and was in the original London cast of Fela! at the National Theatre. 

COMING HOME: Rob Madge, about to open their solo show ‘My Son’s a Queer (But What Can I Do?)’ and will be appearing in Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks

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 the pandemic, a lot of us didn’t have a clue what TikTok even was. Now, whilst some people have managed not to get the TikTok bug, for some, it's actually brought them a lot of joy throughout this really difficult time. Someone who has absolutely catapulted in this social media world is Rob Madge, perhaps a name you might not have heard before 2020 - but if you own any social media accounts and are stagey, you will definitely know who they are! 

On TikTok, Rob now has over 90,000 followers and over 3 million likes! With videos varying from their childhood productions put on in the living room to the out of time Glinda, these videos have provided so much entertainment to people through this tough time. Rob is also such a wonderful role model for all those across our industry, identifying as non-binary Rob has spread not only laughs across the internet with their comedy, but also a message to live as your authentic self. We spoke about this and Rob reflects on how it actually was quite intimidating, “being known for working in musical theatre as a ‘boy’ was a hugely daunting experience and I hope that one day this won’t be such a trepidatious concept for others. This industry needs to be our sanctuary, a place where all identities can be embraced. It’s an exciting time for theatre if people are willing to open their eyes to the possibilities of what we can all bring to the table in our own individual way.” 

COMING HOME: Laura Pick, soon to return to the role of Elphaba 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! 

Wicked is one of the biggest musical theatre hits of the 21st century so far. With productions all over the world, an 18 year run on Broadway plus almost 15 years in the West End, it’s safe to say Wicked is a modern musical theatre staple. The lead roles of Glinda and Elphaba have made stars of those who have played them. Some of the wonderful ladies to have played these roles here in the UK are now some of the top musical theatre performers we have; Kerry Ellis, Rachel Tucker, Alice Fearn, Louise Dearman, Diane Pilkington & Gina Beck to name just a few - Laura Pick is now following in their footsteps. 

Laura started in the show as the standby to Elphaba. She covered Alice Fearn (now starring in the London production of Come From Away) and Nikki Bentley (soon to be starring in Joseph at the Glastonbury Abbey) before taking over as the principal role at the beginning of 2020. After a short run as the full-time lead, her new Elphaba journey was cut short due to the theatres closing. Laura will be returning to play the most famous green girl in London when it reopens on the 15th of September 2021. A year and a half after having last played the role, Laura says she cannot wait to be reunited with the cast, telling us how much she is looking forward to sharing this show with audiences once again; “I can’t wait to be able to tell this beautiful story again, it continues to be relevant and I want to connect with the wonderful audiences that we always get at the Apollo Victoria.” 

COMING HOME: Liam Dean, about to head out on tour with 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! 

Before the pandemic, Liam Dean’s career in theatre was really kick-starting. Having only just graduated in 2019, Liam joined the touring cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert as a swing and also had another job, the touring production of Hairspray, on the horizon. Joining Priscilla in February meant his time with the show was cut incredibly short and his next venture was also in jeopardy. But after a long year, things are starting to look much better. We met with Liam at the Shaftsbury Theatre, the original home to Hairspray when it made its London debut!

Although the tour of Priscilla will start up again, Liam will finally be joining the Hairspray tour playing Fender and also covering Corny Collins. Although he is sad to be leaving the Priscilla bus behind, he moves onto another one of his dream jobs and can’t wait to see his fellow Queens fly the flag around the UK. “This show (Priscilla) will always have a special place in my heart and I would love to see the show back up and running and see all my colleges from that show giving the incredible performances I got to witness!”. 

COMING HOME: Emma Mullen, about to star in Mamma Mia at the Novello 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! 

In April of this year, MAMMA MIA! Hit the big ’21’. Opening at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1999 and later moving to the Prince of Wales Theatre, the current home of the show is the Novello Theatre in which the show will return to the West End and re-open its doors on the 25th August 2021. The show is currently the 7th longest-running show ever in London, and the West End wouldn’t feel right without it. 

Emma Mullen was playing the role of Sophie Sheridan in the UK touring production of the show and will open in the London production when it returns. She found out in March last year she would be making her West End debut in the show in June 2020 and a week later, all theatres across the UK closed their doors due to the pandemic. Almost a year on from her cancelled West End debut, she is preparing to finally get the chance to do it! 

COMING HOME: Jason Winter, soon to be appearing in Frozen the Musical 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!

It’s time to “Let It Go”, as the live stage production of the hit movie Frozen finally makes its way over to London, opening at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on the 27th August 2021. After a number of pushbacks we cannot wait for this show to finally make its premiere in the West End. Jason Winter, who is no stranger to the West End stage, will be appearing in the show in the ensemble and as assistant Dance Captain. 

Jason has a CV to die for, with West End credits including Kinky Boots, Matilda, Wicked and Chicago. Other shows include The Rink, Gypsy, West Side Story, Flashdance, The Producers, Cats, Happy Days and Top Hat - this guy is very much one of the performers at the top of his game. Not only has he been featured in some of the most wonderful shows across the industry, he has also experienced the choreographer side too, having been the associate on the UK tour of Bring It On as well as an assistant on the Rink and Our House. 

COMING HOME: Tanisha-Mae Brown, about to head off on tour with Chicago 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 theatre industry has been hit incredibly hard over the pandemic. Performers, creatives and freelancers across the whole entertainment industry have been affected hugely, but a group of people who the industry has pulled together to try and help are the 2020 graduates. Coming into this industry is usually an exciting and scary thing, but for those who entered it during this pandemic, I can’t even begin to imagine what it felt like to come into an almost destitute industry. 

Tanisha-Mae Brown graduated from the Arts Educational Schools last year and although it's been a challenging time for theatre, she has thrived and has an exciting future ahead of her. She was featured in the Garden Theatre production of Pippin last summer playing Catherine. The theatre was built in a pub garden and was one of the first to open up with live productions. Her next venture will be on the UK tour of the smash-hit musical, Chicago. Our photoshoot with her took place at the Cambridge Theatre, one of the many homes to Chicago in its time in London. 

COMING HOME: Danny Becker, soon to be back in the West End cast of 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! 

Danny was in the original London cast of ‘The Prince of Egypt’ at the Dominion Theatre, a show he had only been with for just under a month when theatres shut their doors. With the recent announcement that the Dominion will be reopening its doors on the 1st July, Danny takes time to reflect on how it might be when the show returns; “I can’t wait for the end of our opening number, ‘deliver us’ when we hit that button and the light shine on the audience, it’s going to be electric!”.

Danny was in the ensemble of the show and was also covering the roles of Aaron and Moses, he didn’t have the chance to go on for either of these roles before the show closed but it won’t be long until he’ll get the chance! His other credits include covering the role of Fabrizio Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza at the Royal Festival Hall, understudying the title role in Disney’s Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre, The Who’s Tommy at the Greenwich Theatre and playing Niki in Out of this world at the Old Rose & Crown. 

COMING HOME: Lizzy Parker, about to feature in the UK touring production of Heathers

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! 

Heathers is a cult classic in every sense of the word. The 1989 film has a huge following and following the musical version opening Off-Broadway in 2014, the story was suddenly introduced to a whole new audience. Now a cult classic musical in its own right, the show originally premiered in the UK in a public workshop at the Other Palace in 2017 and later opened for a full-scale production run at the same theatre the following year. After a hugely successful run at The Other Palace, Heathers transferred to the West End and played at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, which will reopen on the 21st June 2021 for a limited run until the 13th September 2021. Simultaneously, the show will head out on its first-ever UK tour, opening at the Leeds Grand Theatre on the 28th of July 2021 and is currently booked to go through to December 2021. 

Lizzy Parker is a name you may not know right now, but there's no doubt you will very soon. Lizzy makes her theatre debut in Heathers as Heather McNamara. This being her first show after graduating she’s bagged herself a pretty good job, don’t you agree?! Lizzy only graduated from the London College of Music in 2018, since then she has been featured in the workshop of No Limits: A Song Cycle by Sam Thomas. The show was featured in ‘From the Wings’ with Musical Theatre superstars like Laura Pick and Dougie Carter singing Sams work. Lizzy is featured on the concept album but other than this show, Heathers will be her professional debut. We spoke to her about how she feels about finally getting back to theatre and she is obviously excited, "I can’t wait to be back in a rehearsal room again being creative - it’s been so long. Also, just thinking about being part of an audience, sat waiting for a show to begin gives me goosebumps!”

COMING HOME: Kody Mortimer, soon to be in the revival of Hairspray at the London Coliseum

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! 

Due to make his West End debut back in April 2020, Kody Mortimer was meant to be appearing in the London revival of Hairspray. But with the closures of theatres back in March, he didn’t make it to the stage of the London Coliseum and make his West End debut, however, he still will! 

Hairspray is due to open at the London Coliseum on the 21st June 2021, meaning Kody will finally make his West End debut in this fabulous show. Kody will be playing the role of Thad and appearing in the ensemble. A recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Music, he was in the new production of Gypsy at the Manchester Exchange and over lockdown was a part of the original concept album for the new musical, Black Widows. Kody tells us what it was like to work on his first original piece of work Black Widows: “it was great fun, I learnt new material no one had ever done before and got to record and it just felt amazing!” 

COMING HOME: Serina Mathew, soon to be appearing in Pretty Woman: The Musical at the Savoy 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! 

Before the theatres closed, Serina Mathew was appearing in the London premiere of the musical version of the classic hit movie, Pretty Woman. With the show only just making its debut in town before lockdown, she will be returning to the production when it reopens at the Savoy Theatre on the 8th July 2021. 

Serina has previously appeared on the UK tour of Fame in the ensemble and covering Carmen, Miss Bell and Miss Sherman, as the Havana Girl in Guys and Dolls at the Kilworth House, played Buffy and covered Pearl in the German production of Starlight Express and played Rimpy and covered Jess in the West End premiere of Bend it Like Beckham at the Phoenix Theatre. 

COMING HOME: Richard Carson, just reopened in Les Misérables at the Sondheim 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!

Richard Carson is no stranger to Les Miserables, having been in the show previously at the Sondheim Theatre and in the concert production at the Gielgud theatre. He has played Combeferre whilst also covering the role of Javert and will return to the show in its West End home once again in the reopening. The concert production returned on the 20th May 2021 with an all-star cast, Richard included. 

A truly well-seasoned performer, Richard has had the pleasure of being in a wide variety of shows across his career; from classics like Oklahoma for the BBC at the Royal Albert Hall, the lead role of Sky in Guys and Dolls for the Mill at Sonning and the recent London Palladium revival production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to modern musical staples like covering Fiyero in Wicked on tour, playing Sky in Mamma Mia and even covering Chris in the revival of Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre. With this crazily impressive CV, he tells us of the importance of really relishing in each and every single moment; “the key will be to savour each moment that little bit more. Go out, see the world, see friends and family, and enjoy yourself.” A tip I think we all can learn from. This past year has been hard-hitting and we could all do with treasuring each moment we have a little bit more.