If Heathers the Musical was on 25 years ago...

With all the Heathers buzz thats going around it got us thinking, if this show was on 25 years ago who would be in it? Well, that made our minds go crazy and we had to put our dream casting into an article for you! Make sure you tweet us your thoughts and ideas! @PocketSizeBlog

Veronica Sawyer | Lea Salonga or Linzi Hateley

Carrie Hope Fletcher plays the role in this West End production and does it ever so brilliantly! Instantly we thought of Lea Salonga and Linzi Hateley, both would sing the role incredibly and I'm sure would have played it just as well as Ms Fletcher. 

Jason "J.D." Dean | Norman Bowman or Jason Donovan

The slightly crazy and misguided role is being played by Jamie Muscato in the shows London premiere, but after seeing Norman Bowman and Jason Donovan in countless shows over the years we're sure they would have been a perfect match back in the day!

Full casting announced for Caroline, Or Change at Hampstead Theatre

That old copper statue by the Courthouse downtown, honouring the dead Confederate soldier, ain’t there no more...’ 

Hampstead Theatre presents Tony Kushner’s and Jeanine Tesori’s celebrated musical Caroline, or Change following its critically acclaimed sell-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre last summer. Sharon D. Clarke will reprise her role as Caroline Thibodeaux in this highly anticipated transfer which is directed by Michael Longhurst. 

1963. In quiet Lake Charles, Louisiana, the destruction of a Confederate statue might just signal that change is in the air... But, what ever the progress of the civil rights movement, in the Gellman household things seem just the same – for now at least. Eight year old Noah, heartbroken by the death of his mother and his father’s remarriage, sneaks down to the basement to spend time with the black maid he idolises, Caroline Thibodeaux: Caroline who runs everything. Whilst the basement may seem a fantastical place - even the appliances have a voice of their own - Caroline’s work there is repetitive and badly paid. But when Mrs Gellman comes up with a way for her to take a little more money home, the consequences for Caroline and Noah’s relationship are not what anybody might have expected...

CAROLINE, OR CHANGE to transfer to the Hampstead Theatre with UK premiere of Sarah Burgess’ DRY POWDER

The UK premiere of Sarah Burgess’ breathtakingly witty Dry Powder will be directed by Anna Ledwich. 

Tony Kushner’s and Jeanine Tesori’s celebrated musical Caroline, or Change transfers to Hampstead following its critically acclaimed sell-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre with Sharon D. Clarke reprising her role as Caroline Thibodeaux.

Artistic Director Edward Hall comments, 

‘We’re delighted that Sarah Burgess will make her UK debut at Hampstead with her new play Dry Powder. As the recipient of The Laurents/Hatcher award, one of America’s largest grants for new writing, Sarah is clearly making waves in the US, and we’re proud to introduce this bold new voice to British audiences. Anna Ledwich will direct following her critically acclaimed production of Beth Steel’s Labyrinth last autumn. Tony Kushner’s work continues to enthral audiences around the world and we are thrilled that he will be returning to Hampstead after iHO with his musical collaborator Jeanine Tesori and their multi-award winning musical. Partnering up with our friends at Chichester, this will be our first musical offering since Sunny Afternoon and I know it will be a special experience hearing Jeanine’s score in our intimate Theatre as the phenomenal Sharon D. Clarke makes her Hampstead Theatre debut.’

Clive Rowe to star in Hackney Empire 2014 pantomime Mother Goose

Celebrated grande dame of pantomime Clive Rowe will make his much-anticipated return to Hackney Empire this Christmas in Mother Goose. Rowe will star in the title role, for which he received an Olivier Award-nomination in 2008.  

Olivier Award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke will play the good enchantress Charity opposite Rowe in this glittering celebration of inner beauty.  

Both Rowe and Clarke return to Hackney Empire after starring in the critically acclaimed Blues In the Night here earlier this year. They will appear in London’s number one pantomime following previous starring roles; Rowe was last seen in a  Hackney Pantomime as Dame Daisy in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2010 and Clarke returns after 2013’s Puss in Boots. Mother Goose will again be directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director Susie McKenna with music by Steven Edis. The production will run at Hackney Empire from 22 November 2014 to 4 January 2015.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre presents Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS

Rehearsals have now started, for  the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess which will run at Regents Park Open Air Theatre from 17 July to 23 August with Opening Night for press on 28 July. Celebrated as a landmark piece of American theatre with iconic songs including‘Summertime’, ‘I Got Plenty of Nothing’, ‘I Loves You Porgy’ and ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’, Porgy and Bess will be directed by Regents Park Open Air Theatre’s Artistic Director Timothy Sheader, with a book adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and a musical score adapted byDiedre L. Murray.

Drawing on talent from both sides of the Atlantic, Rufus Bonds Jr plays Porgy and Nicola Hughes plays Bess, with Phillip Boykin as Crown, Cedric Neal as Sportin’ Life and Olivier Award-winning Sharon D Clarke as Mariah.

The full cast of Porgy and Bess also includes David Albury, Angela Caesar, Jade Ewen, Alex Giannini, Owain Gwynn, Tyrone Huntley, George Ikediashi, Claudia Kariuki, Arthur Kyeyune, Oliver Lidert, Leon Lopez, Jay Marsh, Tania Mathurin, Ellen O’Grady, Golda Rosheuvel, Yemie Sonuga and Marvin Springer.

Goodbye WE WILL ROCK YOU! A look back at the productions history...

Having rocked over 6.5 million people in a record-breaking 12 years at London's Dominion Theatre, the smash hit Queen & Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You is due to close on 31 May 2014. Now the longest running show ever at the Dominion by a margin of nine years, the show takes its rightful place in West End history, sitting proudly in the Top 10 longest running musicals of all time.

The show has now been performed in 28 countries around the globe, and has been seen by a more than 16 million people.

From its opening night at the Dominion on 14 May 2002, We Will Rock You quickly became the overwhelming people’s choice of musical in the UK and overseas. In its second year at the Dominion it won top honours in five categories in the Theatregoers Choice awards presented by whatsonstage.com, including Best New Musical. In 2011, nine years after the curtain first went up, the show won the prestigious Olivier Audience Award, the only category voted for entirely by the public. The show went on to win a number of international awards for productions around the globe.

Lead cast announced for Regents Park PORGY AND BESS and HOBSON'S CHOICE

Nicola Hughes 

Today, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has confirmed lead casting for Hobson’s Choice and the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Mark Benton will play Henry Hobson in Hobson’s Choice, with Jodie McNee as his daughter Maggie. Rufus Bonds Jr and Nicola Hughes play the title roles in Porgy and Bess with Phillip Boykin re-creating his Tony Award nominated performance as Crown, and Sharon D Clarke as Mariah.

Mark Benton is best known for his television roles in Early Doors, Northern Lights and Waterloo Road. His stage credits include Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Front Page (Donmar Warehouse), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Nottingham Playhouse) and the 2013 UK tour of Hairspray. In September 2013 Mark was a popular contestant on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Jodie McNee has previously appeared in King Lear (Shakespeare’s Globe), Twelfth Night (Liverpool Everyman), The Empty Quarter (Hampstead Theatre) and A Life of Galileo, Written on the Heart and Measure for Measure (Royal Shakespeare Company).

Hobson’s Choice will run from 12 June to 12 July and will be directed by Nadia Fall whose credits include The Doctor’s Dilemma and Home (National Theatre) and Disgraced (Bush Theatre). The set and costumes will be designed by Ben Stones whose credits include Creditors (Donmar Warehouse), The Kitchen Sink (Bush Theatre), and Doctor Faustus (Royal Exchange) for which he won the MEN Best Design Award 2011.

Rufus Bonds Jr is an American actor who has appeared in The Color Purple (US National Tour), Disney’s The Lion King (US National Tour) and the original Broadway production of Parade for which he was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.

Nicola Hughes revisits the role of Bess following her Olivier Award nominated performance in Trevor Nunn’s 2006 production at the Savoy Theatre. Her stage credits also include The Color Purple (Menier Chocolate Factory), Fosse (Prince of Wales Theatre / Olivier Award nomination), and Velma Kelly inChicago (Adelphi Theatre).

Porgy and Bess will also star Phillip Boykin who will reprise the role of Crown, for which he received Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for the 2012 Broadway production (Tony Award, Best Revival of a Musical). Double-Laurence Olivier Award nominee Sharon D Clarke, whose credits include We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Ghost (Piccadilly Theatre) and The Amen Corner (National Theatre), will play the role of Mariah.

Rufus Bonds Jr and Phillip Boykin are appearing with the permission of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity.

Celebrated as a landmark piece of American theatre, the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess will run from 17 July to 23 August, directed by Timothy Sheader, with a book adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and a musical score adapted by Diedre L. Murray. The set and costume will be designed by Katrina Lindsaywhose credits include Table and London Road (both National Theatre), Cabaret (West End and UK Tour), and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Broadway) for which she won the 2008 Tony, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award for Best Costume Design. Choreography will be by Liam Steel whose credits include the musical staging and choreography for the film of Les Misérables and at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, co-directed and choreographed Into the Woods which was remounted at the Delacorte Theatre in New York’s Central Park in 2012.

Further casting for the season will be announced shortly. 

Ghost the Musical: Theatre Review

The image of Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore behind the pottery wheel is one of the most iconic images in Hollywood history; to translate this onto the stage could have turned out to be an awful way of making some money off the GHOST franchise or it could have been an amazing musical.
Ghost the musical first opened in Manchester for a 'pre West End' run, then opening in London at the Piccadilly Theatre. The show has since opened on Broadway and they are even panning on taking the production to Australia soon. When the show opened it received ok reviews, from what critics had said it wasn't that great of a musical but it was good entertainment. From what I heard from other people, it was amazing. I'm not one to have my mind made up by other people but I wasn't rushing to get a ticket to the show. However, when the opportunity had come up to see it I didn't turn it down. I was sceptical about the show and am still thinking I might struggle to put what I think about it into words.

There is a hype surrounding the show which I'm sure everyone knows about! Unfortunately the show doesn't live up to this, in fact it doesn't even come close to it. The show is ok, not much more can be said to be honest. Not everyone has seen the original film (I haven't... don't judge!) but you know a rough outline of the storyline even if you haven't watched it.