Stephanie McKeon will play Anna in the West End premiere of Frozen. She joins the previously announced Samantha Barks as Elsa, in a production directed by Michael Grandage. Frozen will reopen the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane in October 2020. The two actresses met up several weeks ago and snapped this photo.
CurtainCall launches a series of live virtual performances starring Jenna Coleman, David Morrisey, Denise Gough and others. Presented through Zoom, these will be live, one-of-a-kind performances involving actors, creatives and technicians. Find more info here.
Happy birthday, Mamma Mia! The West End production just celebrated its 21st birthday. Check out our brand new video celebrating the hit musical’s legacy around the world.
Audible will release audio productions of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Audra McDonald and more. The 2020 Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts will this year take place on the audio platform Audible. Audio productions will include A Streetcar Named Desire starring Audra McDonald, Bobby Canavale and Carla Gugino. Productions will be available globally on Audible. You can find more info here.
Hope Mill Theatre will stage an online concert of Rodgers & Hammerstein music. The theatre was planning to host the UK premiere of the Broadway version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella before the COVID-19 shutdown. Now, a live-streamed concert featuring the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein is planned for Sunday 26th April at 7 pm, featuring West End stars like Maria Friedman, Louise Dearman, Sophie Louise-Dann and the cast of the cancelled production of Cinderella. A crowdfunder launched the same night will help raise money for the theatre to reopen after the shutdown ends.
Missing your theatre fix? Here are some of the top streaming options for the coming week.
The National Theatre streams Jane Eyre through 16 April. A collaboration with Bristol Old Vic, the five-star adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic is available to stream for free on YouTube. Find more info here.
Playbill will stream the Broadway musical Bandstand from 8 PM EST April 10. The first in a new series of Playbill streaming musicals, Bandstand will be available to rent via Playbill’s website, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Actors Fund. Available through April 17, the stream will also feature an interview with the stars of the show, Laura Osnes, Corey Cott and Beth Leavel, along with members of the Tony winning creative team. You can find more info here.
Andrea Bocelli will perform a solo concert on Easter Sunday. On 12 April at 6 pm, the Italian opera singer will perform in an empty Duomo, the historic cathedral of Milan, Italy. The concert will be able for streaming on YouTube at this link.
The Metropolitan Opera streams Roméo et Juliette, Cosi fan tutte and more. Catch the sumptuous Roméo et Juliette starring Diane Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo starting today. Or watch Donizetti’s Don Pasquale starring Anna Netrebko from 11 April. Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (starring Kelli O’Hara) is available from 12 April. Highlights for the coming week include Rusalka starring Renee Fleming and Madama Butterfly. Find more info here.
Kander and Ebb’s Tony Award winning musical Curtains will stream 14 April. The musical mystery stars Jason Manford, Carley Stenson and Ore Oduba. The live stream begins at 7:15 pm, with the musical officially starting at 7:30. Profits will benefit Funds for Freelancers. Find more info here.
On Easter Sunday, Peter Michael Marino will stream Desperately Seeking the Exit. This show chronicles the making (and unmaking) of his West End musical Desperately Seeking Susan, which opened on the West End in back in 2007 and closed a month later. Find more info here.
Need a little boost? Watch this video of 70 West End stars performing Do You Hear the People Sing from their homes.
