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. 

Best Understudy and Cover Stories of 2019

Standbys, understudies, alternates and swings are integral to the running of a show. They save the day on a daily bases all around the country in all kinds of shows. In a time where some shows champion their covers on social media and in the actual theatres, some shows still restrict the cast members on the publication of dates and information about their cover dates. But to prove how incredible they actually are, we looked back at the past year with our friends at @WestEndCovers and put together a list of the Best Understudy and Cover stories of 2019!  

"This year the recognition for standbys and alternates has been greater than any before. Some newer shows with smaller casts like Six, Come From Away and Dear Evan Hansen rely on their standbys (who do not perform unless on for one of their cover roles) and alternates (who weekly scheduled shows as their cover) rather than the more common understudy and swing model for shows with a larger ensemble. The difference is that understudies may be a member of the ensemble or a swing who steps up to cover a principle role and a swing steps in to cover ensemble tracks." - @WestEndCovers 

And we must mention but our beloved West End Understudies account are in their 5th Year in 2020!  Here's to the next 5 years of celebrating our fantastic covers all across the theatre industry! 

Take a look at some of these extrodinary stories and tweet us any you think we missed out! @PocketSizeBlog

FIRST LOOK: The Rink at the Southwark Playhouse, starring Caroline O’Connor and Gemma Sutton

Caroline O’Connor and Gemma Sutton star as Anna and Angel in The Rink at the Southwark Playhouse, opening tonight, with Stewart Clarke, Ross Dawes, Michael Lin, Elander Moore, Ben Redfern and Jason Winter will play Dino, Lino, Lucky, Benny, Lenny and Tony respectively in the first London revival in 20 years of Kander and Ebb’s THE RINK. 

The new production of THE RINK will play at Southwark Playhouse for a limited season from 25 May to 23 June 2018, with a national press night on Tuesday 29 May. 

Anna, an Italian housewife who runs a roller-skating rink on the Eastern seaboard, is about to sell it to developers until her estranged daughter, Angel, returns after a long absence, hoping to save the rink and patch things up with her mother.

WICKED 10: Jason Winter

Firstly, tell us what part you played and what year(s) you were in the company! 
I was ensemble and first cover Fiyero from 2012-2013. 

Do you remember seeing WICKED for the first time? When and where was it?
In February 2005 I saw it on Broadway. It blew my mind! The only time in my life I've ever been truly speechless. 

Did you ever think you’d be in the show one day?
I always told myself I would be, it was a massive dream, but I don't think I ever really thought I'd get it. And I definitely never thought I'd get to play Fiyero 

What is your best memory from your time at WICKED?
It's hard to pick one, but I'd have to say my first shows on as Fiyero, they were the last two shows before Christmas, best present ever!