This week, we’ve got all the latest news in London theatre for your perusal. Learn about new casting for Doctor Zhivago, Come From Away, 9 to 5 and more. Plus find out about the next Waitress karaoke night and what’s going on with that James McAvoy Cyrano.
Doctor Zhivago announces full casting for its UK concert premiere. Joining Ramin Karimloo as Zhivago and Celinde Schoenmaker as Lara Guishar will be Rhys Bailey, Maisey Bawden, Isabella Djuve-Wood, Emma De-Anne Edwards, Darcy Jacobs, Kelly Mathieson, Charlie McCullagh and Matthew Woodyatt. Doctor Zhivago will play at Cadogan Hall on 1 September at 2 and 6:30 pm.
David Thaxton joins Come From Away. Best known for playing the Phantom of the Opera and starring in Passion, Les Misérables and Love Never Dies, Thaxton will replace David Shannon from 9 September, playing Kevin T/Garth and Others. Come From Away, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical, is currently running at the Phoenix Theatre.
Further details have been announced for Cyrano de Bergerac starring James McAvoy. The revival of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play will form part of Jamie Lloyd’s new season at the Playhouse Theatre. Directed by Lloyd, the production opens 27 November and will book until 29 February 2020. Tickets are expected to go on sale to the general public in September.
Chelsea Halfpenny will play Judy Bernly in 9 to 5 the Musical. Known for her roles in Emmerdale and Casualty, Halfpenny will make her West End debut in the role starting 2 September, when she will take over from Amber Davies. Bonnie Langford, Brian Conley, Caroline Sheen and Natalie McQueen will continue in their current roles.
The Prince of Egypt announces further casting. The lineup includes Joe Dixon as Seti, Debbie Kurup as Queen Tuya, Gary Wilmot as Jethro, Adam Pearce as Hotep, Tanisha Spring as Nefertari and Silas Wyatt-Barke as Aaron. They join Luke Brady as Moses, Liam Tamne as Ramses, Christine Allado as Tzipporah and Alexia Khadime as Miriam. The Prince of Egypt runs from 5 February 2020 at Dominion Theatre. Further casting will be announced later.
Mischief Theatre announces full casting for Magic Goes Wrong. The ensemble cast will include Bryony Corrigan, Roxy Faridany, Dave Hearn, Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, Jonathan Sayer, Nancy Zamit, Natasha Culley, Laurence Pears, Sydney K. Smith and Liv Spencer. Magic Goes Wrong runs from 14 December at the Vaudeville Theatre.
Lucie Jones and Marisha Wallace will host the next Waitress karaoke night on 14 August. Audience members will be able to sing one minute of any Waitress song onstage at the Adelphi accompanied by the show’s musical director.
Olivier winner Maria Friedman is set for a reading of new musical The Trojan Women. Adapted from Euripides, the reading will take place 9 August at Covent Gardens. The Trojan Women features a libretto by Ellen McLaughlin and music by Sarah Taylor Ellis.
Legendary theatre producer and director Harold Prince died Wednesday at the age of 91. The recipient of 21 Tony Awards, Prince directed the original production of The Phantom of the Opera, as well as productions of Company, Evita and Show Boat. He worked as a producer on musicals like Fiddler on the Roof and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
