a The World of Musical Theatre from the Mies. atl to Broadway and beyond . rs a MusicalsMagazine.com Plus! Go behind the scenes ea ale) Guys & Dolls Mame lca tices eTeliale) eel talks Sweeney Todd, Hairspray and returning 2 pa ci Love a | Cot er ay Oa Queens t, Into the Woods bli fr] bit} ety i \ye West End, Broadwe ee mc) — ETM curlers PETE fe oxy Ae Eley ELT Erte ler 1gDOWNLOAD / STREAM / CD FROM 12TH MAY “‘BRITAIN’S MOST BEAUTIFUL VOICE’ Seng Wiese CUM EVAR CMB Ul at ae am Clg Be Me eek RAD A Sel a SU aed AL Aso SA RAAT : she has become synonymous. rded in LA and London, and produced by the award-winning Mike oR ees ie Lennox, ELO, a pee Dalelmarey RENCE eno Sia Cate Te lSM Teale Maya olyMUSICALS (MA Muse Lesure & Travel Mark Allen MusicaloMagazinecom Its exciting: the audience for Musical Theatre is changing here are some Musical Theatre experiences that, without being too dramatic, lave you forever changed. Standing at the Skys Edge (see our reviews on page 56 and page 77) is ‘one such show. Thad been urged to see this transfer to the National Theatre by several Sheffield friends, who were fiercely proud ofthis homegrown treasure but also wary of how it would translate for London audiences ‘They neednt have worried. Ves, the setting is the Stel Cty, but the story is universal. What makes a home ‘more than just‘a box to keep the rain out’? Its about ‘community, putting down roots, struggling to survive, ‘belonging. And like Newsies, currently playing in ‘Wembley (see our interview with ‘Rising Star Michael _Ahomika-Lindsay on page 16 and our review on page 153), which also features industrial action, there are parallels with the here and nov As Harry says in Sky Eide, ‘We strike to feel seen; to say, “Were still here But what about the musict On paper the concept of layering pre-existing pop songs by Pulp’s Richard Hawley on top of Chris Bush’ astounding new book seems flawed. In reality although we know these songs had a life oftheir own before ths, its hard to believe that they werent written for the show. Not because the Iyries completely match what the characters might be thinking (though they often do), but because the sound world, the atmosphere, the raw ‘emotion, all scem to inhabit these characters as naturally as ifthey were breathing. And this i exciting, Hawley’ fans have, in their droves, been coming to see Sky’ idge vhich means thatthe audience for ‘Masical Theatre is broadening, Similarly, our preconceived notions ‘of what musicals should look like are being challenged by a production that is so much more than a jukebox ‘musical (not that there anything ‘wrong with those). band as part ‘ofthe action? Why not, Characters stepping forward and grabbing a mic? Sure thing. Choreography that seems improvised, executed by actors of different body types, ages and abilities? Hell yes. Rater like the global phenomenon that is SIX (see ‘our feature on page 38), Sky’s Ege speaks toa new audience, and opens up the possiblities of what our art form can achieve, And that can only be a good thing. But that’s not to say out with the old, in with the new. ‘The Golden Age Broadway and West End musicals are known as such for a reason, and sil deserve to be celebrated, Take Guys and Dolls (see our feature on page 32, and our review on page S1), currently enjoying a thrillingly immersive revival from Nicholas Hytnerat the Bridge Theatre, Or Daniel Fist’s dark, gritty production of Oklahoma! at Wyndhams Theatre (ee our interview with Jud Fry, aka Patrick Vall, on page 22, nd our feature review on page 54). With Scores as timeless as these, and books with the potent tobeas relevant now as when they were written, these are show that can withstand radical reinvents Speaking of which, what can we expect from the forthcoming revival of Aspects of Love? On page 24, ‘our wonderful cover star Michael Ball teases us with some ofthe surprises this new prodlction has instore. ‘Were also running a competition (see page 7) to giveaway copies of Balls fist novel The Empire Do visit our website to enter, and while you're there why not consider subscribing to our now bi-monthly magazine? Wei also love you to ‘write to us via info@musicalsmagazine.com with any feedback or suggestions you may hhave, Selected letters will be published next issue, wit the star letter writer receiving a fantastic prize, We look forward to hearing from you! INTRODUCING THIS ISSUE'S FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS... Tact vee roo | Seirccatone | Tea Some | crotencaren | Mat Fees Te hes ey Soe ide sed creme ished Heer ee eae teaser pucinhcannccterstes same ee aerate cee aes Matthew Hemley the sept er The Sage rewszper uber Bee otter the pass Yeas Hestuedacting areton Hl Uiversty feeds andhasa particu pasion fr asst Theatre - Wet tes when asa Jason Donovan in doseph andthe Amazing Teehncolor Oremcotinthe 190: ats foourt hows nce Ei, The Intenso ask Te Pram ofthe ‘Opera and On YourFeet Youean ea Mat’ leshow reviews on page and pape Lauratottsateeice vet ad avarwinsng ‘hort story author. She sbased inne Wlnds, nase erate anim at tne Unversity Warwick She regulary reviews este fo Brsdy ers Uk hd Vest End est rend apna About acess wii hein. our tea New Yor tore riimas and experienced te vablaig must ‘POP inal ts Sroaanay lary -youesn ead hervevew out US seetononpage Music eue 2 MBWhat to expect, from news and features to expert reviews of live shows and recordings, in Issue 2 of Musicals magazine 6 Curtain Up! Luck be a lady ‘The latest Musical Theatre news, at the Bridge plus featurettes, uest vrter Classic musical bxclusive interviews and more Guys & Dolls Elaine's Page atthe fi ndon ‘Musical Theate icon Elaine Paige th audiences inches her exciting new sari to the New York streets forus, casting an expert eye and steamy Havana nightclubs. over groundbreaking musicals, Mate Wolf gets the inside scoop irs.up: i's Rodgers and from director Nicholas Hytne Hammerstein s beloved Oklahoma Performer Marisha Wallace (ou Star last esuel, and 38 Our Queens rule the world 24 Love changes everything How ald homegrown mi for Michael Ball SIK, about the beleaguer ary leading man on why ‘of Henry Vil, become a global he's returned to Aspects of Love (and phenomenon? As the West End whether hell eprise his breakout hit and Broadway-cenquering show in this major West End revival, Plus, fopens in Korea, Tim Bano chats ‘and Edward Seckerson look to creators Toby Marlow and Lucy bback on his traneformative roles Maes and the show's producers in Sweeney Tedd and Hairspray about this right royal success story MusictsMagarine comWay and beyond, including A Beautiful Noise, Kimberly Akimbo, KPOP, Merrily We Roll Along, Some Like It Hot, Titanique and Parade Recordings the latest Musical including Cabaret, Footballers’ Wives [pictured bel Into the Woods, The Musi Matilda and the tiumphar of The King and | Show Listings My Musicals Star of | Haydn Gwynne talks haped her Musiatagazine.comMusical Theatre leading lady Kerry Elis has announced her fourth solo album ang a corresponding UK tour. Mest recently seen tapping up astorm land belting out Blow, Gabriel Blow ae Reno Sweeney in the 2022 UK tour and subsequent Barbican residency of Kathleen Marshall's sensational revival of ‘Anything Goes, Elis has previously made name for hersel in Scclaimed London and Broadway productions such as Wicked, Les Misérables and Cats Thenew album, Kings & ‘Queens’ due for release on Westway Music on 12 May bul ‘on Bliss past form of fusing her signature Musical Theatre syle with contemporary country and rock, Her fruitful relationship with ‘Queen guitarist Brian May, who produced Eli's debut album ‘Anthems’ in 2010, is further ‘cemented here = not least in the tile ofthe album, which pays tribute both to May and to the impending coronation (of Charles I May also plays guitar EAM bac! Thelen showcase of nem rth Musa Tete wing teen presented Mercury Musical Development MD} and Muscat Theatre Network HTM) returnsfrits fourth Instalment, BEANO, on 25 and 26a, wt Mstalsmagszne as meta partner For the fest time the event 's eng presertedcusiect London — atthe OnoréPayhouse torte the ‘hanging landscape of how new musicals aredereopng withmany emersng Showssuchas The Great British Bake OFF ‘Masia and Standing the ys ioe) ow ecevng tei fisstagingsinte regions befor transfering to London ‘Aswerepotdin ut auch sue fuss BEAM is ahey event in cry producer alent Across two ay exp tom sever musicalsn Royal ouch: Kery Elis new albums dec ‘onthe ballad Battlefield, writen for Elis by UK-based songwriter Charlie Turner. ‘Other original songs on the 42track album include Mean The Word To Me, writen by Eis and Bish singer-songuriter Ben Adams, and I Wil Find You! by another UK-based singer songwriter, Jamie Lawson. “There are also a number of cover tracks, including James evelopment 2 thea ae presente, alongsite pane dscusons ans interactive workshops. tis sdrctor Nate Gotedge as dere, ie Canes, proves that sical Testis alve and elie US. Todt, mere than 35 BEAM muses ve gone be fly staged nctcing Spits Operation Mincemest wtichis linge Feta Tete previously ometothelngunning Woman in lack from 23 Marco Jl and which wel West End Queen Kerry Ellis launches album and tour e Tender With Me Baby. and ‘are Underwood's Lave ins ~ all given anew spin by lis and her producer Mike Stevens, known for his work With Annie Lennox, £LO, James Morrison and Take That, and whom Ellis eredts with edging her into.s new direction’ The Kings Queens tour starts at The Lowy, Salford, on 14 May, NEW MUSICALS TO BE SHOWCASED AT BEAM2023 berevewingnournest sue Andeven thosethat do etches up have achanceo!gongontobe developed furs, perhaps by ancrgansatn such 25th Youth Music Theat BMT) - hich, sone the mos poi ‘onmisonersofnew Musical Teste, putsonupto eight shows year ands aluzyslecing or, asceaive decor Emily Grays the germ ofan ie Thisyearstine-up promisestobe oneotthe most ectng yet showcasing 2 hugerange of shows atareus sages ‘of evelopment rom The Boy Who Sale the Ocean in an ech ordan Lith baedon the novo he sane same. 10 Once Upon 2 Carivalby Lean Jon Baptiste ang Pry Mes Ferinformao, vist beamsbowcasecom: Torches wstexorpzyhouse com ted to Brian May and Chartes I ‘Taylor’ ‘ite & Rain, Tina Tuer Curtain Up! The latest Musical Theatre news, plus exclusive interviews, reports and competitions it visits Birminghamns Town Hall fon 15 May, and concludes at London's Adelphi on 16 May. As Elis told Musicals magazine, che is eager to get started: Tam beyond fexcited for everyone to hear Kings ® Queens" Im £0 proud of this album and all the new songs: itis the perfect-sounding summer record for youto play in your car, fon the move or hanging around athome. love every track and cant wat to play themall ve fon our launch tour Get ready! Kings 6 Queens is avaiable to reorder at westwiaymusi com (our tickets are avaiable from See Tickets, Ticketmaster and ‘at each of the tree venues Intimate Westway Sessions relocate to Crazy Cogs. Launched by Westway Musi, the Westway Sessions - now with Musicals magazine as thee media partner ~ have moved to London's Crazy Coas from 1 May to 2 dune, The line-up ineludes Cassidy Janson and Alice Fearn Visi brasseriezedel.comievents PRODUCER KATY LIPSON HOSTS PITCHING DAYS Producer Katy Upson founder of ia erties held an inaugal Open ching Dyn London give writers thechanceto present thelrnew usc, regu how developedthey ae (OntSand 4 March Lipson and Aas ‘sear Manage Toe ansay watched ewig of Smite lots romerenves ho had signed up beforeandon is cone fest-erved bas The panto he toecomea twice yal opportunity for wrtesto connect det with th team bind the From Page to Stage etal ‘The Chamber Masia Ava andshows suchas lust The Lowry an Creat the Duchess Theat, Upson and Ramsay were hile t how thad gone: ehabeena fast opportunity tomes witersandhex2bout shows tarousstages of evelopment Forde, vistarie-etertinmentcom 6m mussels 2i The Empire: win copies Is there anything our wonderful cover star can't do? As well as preparing for the much: “anticipated revival of Aspects fof Love and continuing to perform and record with Alfie Boe, all the while stil presenting his hugely popular Radio 2 show {see our feature on page 2 Bal is steadily growing his reputation as a writer His first novel The Empire ie now available in paperback, and its sequel will be published in hardback thie auturnn, The Empire draws on the ‘actor's theatrical passion and experience, witha triling tale Set ata grand theatre in the 20s. Our heros Jack Treadwell. a war vetaran with a hidden past, who stumbies into a rehearsal and falls in love with this business wie call how He begins as the doorman, gradually sing through the ranks to impresario, giving us a thiling glimpse behind the scenes at how a production is actually put fn. Unsurprisingly i turns out theres just as much drama backstage as there is onstage, Ball's colourful characters include Lady Lillian Lassiter, ‘a showgit-turned-theatre owner, Plus, there's her scheming val, the beautiful starlet Stella Stanmore; Hollywood heartthrob Lancelot Drake; and the quietly brillant Grace Hawkins, who of Michael Ball’s novel might just save the day. Amid famiy tensions, financial greed ‘gangsters and sabotage, the show must go on if the theatre “This ripping yarn is aso full of, Ball's wry wit, plus fascinating insights from someone who knows the industry ike no one flee. We have five copies of The Empire in papervack 0 give away, each to include signed bookplate by the author plus a Bookmark and postr, all courtesy of Bonnier Books. ‘You have until 25 May to be in wrth a chance of winning this Cline competition, Good luck! Visit musicalsmagazine.com for more details on how to enter THE EMPIRE Sondheim's Old Friends reunited ized oston cts to Cameron Nackintstsone-right-ony altar Sondheim galas yea? Youein uc sekintosh as now announced fl, 16-meekrun atthe hate dedicated tothe ate great composerand cst, from eptember 2025toanuary 2028 (ta Friendswilonce again esture Sondheim's ereemed alborte, oaduay legend Bernadette Peters— now making her ofcil West End debut. Shelbe joined by an exciting new cast member, th rat ea Salonga (retuning tothe West Ed forthe st timein27 years plus aie De, Bonne Langtor, remy Secomb, christine ‘Aldo, Joana Rising. 23cYrow and roe Matthew Bourne wil resume recing dues, werking sid by side with ts Mek Mackintosh commented Steve was always Broadway by at hea. ‘o'mdalighted that have been abe toput together onelast great hurrah formy olden, containing many ofthe greats sons ever writen foc Musical Theatre. in oe “res ig Broadway show just se wanted Fortickes, vst sondheimoliendscom BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS Yes, Li- Manuel Miranda's Hamilton is heading out an ite frst ever UK tour ~ meaning the whole nation can be part ofthis ‘musical evolution kicks off at Manchester Palace Theatre in November 2023, then heads tothe Festival Theatre in Edinburgh in February 2024 More venues and dates willbe announced soon, along with casting ~ and you can definitely fexpect some great talent in these coveted roles Homiton has been playing at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End since December 2017, and audiences have fully embraced this tale of Americas forgotten Founding Father — featuring a hip hop/ap/RB score ~ with an enthusiasm we could never have imagined’ according to producer Jerey Seller. Fellow producer Cameron Mackintosh added: Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamiton is indisputably the most brilant, groundbreaking musical of modern times’ He alzo Pointed out that Edinburgh snot far from where the real story of Alexander Hamilton began in Ayrahire, where his father was bom in the 1700s, before he moved to Nevis in the West Ines For dates and tickets, isc hamitonmusicalcom Interval Chatter The Tony-wining,nnd-benig rmeaicona A Strange Lop - about a young, a, lackwter~smaking Ts Ulett the Babian nde es awhole new wort! Disneys ‘addins touring the Ut ad relat forthe frst tine kekingoftin Fainburghths October Marana Mis casting set Sophie ard hy via TVcomest Have 2Oream - and anyone cnet line inGrece, Indust exper wilde and mentor Concord Tess as aunched ‘nen abl, Concord Thestials Recordings. ecentreeser incite ‘me, Carousel a Come Fom Away Shrek sasts Kandel our in Pymouthin uy. Retare Antony Lanenc, came lito, James Gland Brandon LeSeats ‘The Time Traveler Wie: ‘The Masel statstering tothe West nd Octobe staring vid Hunter and Jeans Woodard ‘Sond msi Here We Are, witha bookby Davies, begins prrlomancesatTheshed's tin Tester Ne Yr in September 2025, Ivano Tro, Rebecca Mens and John Paige ae saving re new Everybodys Talking About amie or romSeptember Getsome more sume vin? Greets othe Domi Teste ‘on2 June wih is 2022 led cast— lus Louse Redknapp as Teen Ange Olver Tompsetisjoning Pretty Woman: The Musial ‘or Iss al months The West End stow ‘ores on18 un, abendof tour Muralsesue 2M 7Countdown to Opening Night ‘Tosh Wanogho-Maud shares his excitement about the Temptations musical Ain't Too Proud Isaucipsof ie Broatnay version ages ago ad thought, Gosh aly wantto be part tat! but Covi it soln sie would happen Then while doing Te riters Get Iwas cle int audio forth le of aa Wan shin you sould see mefor Dai Rtn: you havea strong eng for a character youshould shootyour shot, >My guy: Tosh Wanogho-Maud as David Rustin Anditworked! Telus Zhangarts}hasa glint orginal moves while at Davi. intheeyejustihe ise relectinghom dice HeésaBlackman trom Kendricks and Cameron has developed, Ws moe Aaverreliioushousehald | (Berard Jones quiet inca fast-paced who ranggospelThenhe _ butwie tke Melvin and punchy Anitties touredtheSouth nesting _Fanin ndtimthe together perfect wth people ike Marvn Gaye mostoutgingone the the songs andthe book, sndJames Brown, R's —_ joker ofthe group, viene tong. Swonderatry of his Idi the usince wit tet stedom butabio Mow about he be pleasay suprise howhesgovemedhy his TheTemptaionshawe its bothenteriningand pas, comingtromabusve | aglorousbackentloque.hae-itng This Obs parents Kseantostyhes | Myouputout My Git” actuals hand story — abadperson.buthehas tot. itwouldbeahit _ yougeta piece of history, reatcapaciyfor good. they were ahead of, Hezlookingforaplace theetine. Thishow Doyouhaveany toteong- nhc etnds | wilavemassve tos: opening nightrituals? withthe Temptations. generational appest: alas pray. Ite, The Temptations ae still inklots of wate speak Did he cast touring slingcut tomy mum. By this poat pretty icky? arerasilewithfans youre ready youre gnrom he get-go ofalages.Thermusic _bursingwith excitement itsbeenatrathemnood. —_realytouches people. Thsisgongtabe an Wereal our characters incredleevert leant SifsoMazbuko| isthe Plusyouvegotsome ator poopietoseeit- arm fathei igure, smocthaoves ight? especial the big al, Ue Otis Wiliams Kyle Was greatabouSergo _ wherewe'eallon tage (Con seer. tke UTryjitorschoreography together Pus there's PoulWilns; Michel sitpyehomageto ther acheeky eure. ‘Ain Too Prouds showing atthe Prince Edward Theatre fom 3 March {01 October formore information vst intooproudmuieal co.uk Jountdown to closing night It's behind you! Anna-Jane Casey on soon finishing her touring run in panto Mother Goose How did you get the tole of Cla Quack? just done Cabaret for producers ATG an was lays okig outing the oldest tancerin at show, ‘the menopausal woman and hata the stp for ila Quack She's menopausal goose, butshe staying aps agin, andtheye de. So, when Met Gldroychadto pul out 40 days before rehearsals jumpedin, gg-celent entertainment, Anna-Jane Casey Did he aig the role? Yes.Jorathaniarey What si¢tke toring © usin Chichester ana sit hadorginaly writen he through to Apel? Thasthemostfun ve iRalforMel Theni got imoldenaughto hadnt as 10 years thse dafttrough remember when panos witha bignumer Dont didgoon thoughthe Wiebe hardsayng ain On Parade: Iwas sping. issametting goodbye tothis worriedatfist ater pies Nother oosestar in brillant company? Intheface arewegeing Mellen ely waned Were property coe: tonoldanaudencefor _tobringback Salers IDousjustgotourears theee-and-ahlfminues — my hometown and pierced together We ‘ithoniyme singing? we'lbetneren Exeter havecompany cuties, Bitlchlyeverore ——week-tratbejst_ to, sothatlastone well nous thesong and gorgeous. te ying becying teint our they just mad golden stregge_ torma Were oly smal, ‘Motus and everyones Soaudences Hasthe material Beanso supportive and loving changed overtime? atthe top of heirgame Onyeslitspuejoy __‘Theesthecddline, Soe. Lbe sae, but Comingatyou-whether —theinsteadot ing do need aie down - Its600peopleathe _2poicehecopterinthe and never warto see Dukerkstinthe —shyitrecntybecame another eg, West dl. or2000in 2 Chinese spy baloon Liverpon Josthans We'ealiotallored Wha sup next for you? averyfunyman:there—thingstowhchevertown _Ivegetsomenice frelaugsin yer, you wetein Ksaboutaking concetthrough the justheep going. Hard peoplecuto enselves summer Andy next 2eitistodo.tascaly _ duingatoughtine. big project when et runningfortwo hous, lite old who was home s doing wp thereSpothing helt 10Ayeas ol came upto ourktchen ‘Mother Goose, staring lan McKellen nd John Bishop, concludes ts tour inBistlon 6 Api formere information visit mothergooseshowcoukDETTE mT: the World of Musical West End to Broad ‘The Wotld of Musical Theatre from the Re Crea tSy, Oy Cee pena a ‘The ultimate teading'man ’ Oe Reset Gp aaaeerded castes clones eet on ook pereonstinne papoose ecco esatary Which of his Musical Theatre soundtracks do you think composer Stephen Schwartz Considers his best? No, not Wicked or Godspel of Pippin ~ but Chilsren of Eden, That may seem puzzling: the show has hardly ‘enjoyed great commercial success (certainly nt compared withajuggeraut ike Wicked, ‘and yet there is aot of love out therefor It So. isittime fora West End or Broadway revival? Schwarte weote Chicken of Eden with John Card co-cirector of Les Misérables ‘ith Trevor Nunn it’s loosely inspired by the Book of Genesis: from the creation myth and Adarand Eve's expulsion from Eden, to ‘confit Between the duo and their sons Cain {and Abel, and ending with Noah and his ark Schwartz intially worked on the musical with Chatles Lisanby. who had envisaged 2 grand pageant. But within that spectacle {and spirtuaty), Schwartz and Caird could spy universally resonant themes, lke the relationship between parents and chien, ‘embracing second chances, and breaking ‘a destructive generational cyte. That ‘captured ina sincare, tiring score with breakout songs like ‘Stranger tothe Rain Bring Back That Show! Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden “The 1991 London production at the Prince Edward Theatre directed by Caird starred Ken riginal Broadway Old Deuteronomy Page in Cate ae the Father. or God, plu Richard Lloyd-King, Martin Smith, Shezwae Powel Kevin Colson, Anthony Barclay, an two familar West End leading ladies: Frances Rurfelle and Ruthie Henshall, However, poor Frances Ruffle (ront eft) leads the 1991 cast reviews and box office the latter impactea by the Persian Guif War) ad to a ewift closure That aso put the kbosh on a Broadway transfor. But, following further reworking, Children of den was given a lavish staging ‘at New Jersey’ Paper Mil Playhouse in 1997, plusan official cast recording. That licensed production has since been a favourte of community theatre groups and at regional ‘venues, thanks to its huge cast (which also includes a chor of storytellers ‘Conversely, that remain a barrie for Broadway. As Schwartz has noted, t would take a concession from unian Equity ‘make teconomically feasible Butisit possible? Chien of Eden does remain popular: there was a 3Oth-anniversary concert at London's Cadogan Hall in 2021 led by Rob Houchen, Emma Kingston, Shan Ako and a returing Henshall, and another at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre in 2022 starting Destiny's Chie niger Michelle Wiliams. I's now rumoured tha the latter venue is planning a ful, Broadway-aiming production. Ifany show coulduse second chance it's this one. Ov Where? 149 West ASth Sret between 6th and 7th Avenues — Not to be confused, of course, ‘with the Lyceum Theatre in enue Focus Lyceum Theatre, Broadway theme with three levels of marble décor, canvas murals leat from above; his wife, Margaret ington, appeared in mary of in Manhattan’s theatre cstnct Significant dates Bult in 1903 The facade became a designated landmark in 1974, and the interior including the lobby and auattorium, became designated in 1987. twas the fet Broadway theatre tobe orented this oficial landmark status, [Architect Designed by Henry Herts and Hugh Talla. alot oftheiroriginal Beaux-Arts architecture remains today, ineluding the arching marquee andmarole stars, Capacity 922 [About The Lyceum Theatre is a true relic of Broadway history as. the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in New York London's own West End. currently home to The Lion King AU120 years od, the American venue has Staged everything trom Hamlet ‘and Gentlemen Prefer londes to islatest musical Strange Loop It's changed ownership merely thrice in so many years from producer Danie Frohman, who lost the Lyceum inthe Great Depression: toa syncicate of theatre producers, directors and playwrights (George § Kaufman, Max Gordon and Moss Hat) and finally The Shubert Organisation, ‘hich hae run itsinee 1950 The exterior of the building isa magnificent neo-classical structure of grand proportions, with a grey limestone facade ineluding large Muted columns, French windows, and engravings of six stone theatrical masks, The interior continues the Roman moulding on each auditorium box, ‘nda sculpture ofthe goddess Pallas Athane above the stage, ‘alongside female representations ‘of music and drama Atthe very top ofthe theatre, theresa space which curently hosts the Shubert Archives Headquarters, but was once the penthouse office and apartment ‘ofthe previous owner, Daniel Frohman. This apartment allowed Frohman to watch performances these productions. its rumoured that Frohman would gesture from a window and signal to her witha white handkerchiet when he thought she was everacting! The Lyceum is one of the few Broadway venues to still be operating under original name, and one ofthe fst theatres built near Times Square in the eaty 20th century to create the thriving Manhattan theatre dlstit thot we have today, 10 Me Muscalsisue 2G From the Green Room Edward Seckerson on the genius of the late Musical Theatre composer Lucy Simon, in particular her adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden “There's a treasured photograph in my halay: Lucy and Carly Simon, young and carefree aie terlly tree-hugging in the Summer of Love The Simon Sistors. as they were known, performed together They wore identical dresses and shared guitar. The photo was taken by their brotner Peter and given tome by Lucy asa souvenir of our enduring fiendship, ‘Asa joualist, one meets alot of inspiring people over the years but vary few can tat be called kindred spirits. Lucy was one. She passed last year, but she and her tunes endure The ist of those tunes to ross my path was something alld ‘Lil's Eyes and i popped up on the CD playerin a fiend’s car as we sped along the Pacific Coast Highvay in Caifornia las you do). Two male voicesin rapturous conflation knew nothing of its origins and nothing of ts context. and the fst hing I thought of was that duet from Bizet’ The Pear Fishers There was something heretical and operatic about t ‘The disguised mockdation a the climax almost sent me through the sunroof. nd that wast My fiend enlightened me ‘about the new musical version of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden that hadjust ‘opened on Broadway, and after investigating the whale score Teommentedon iin the context of anartcle| was writing for The Independent newspaper about our own Howard Goodall ‘and in particular his masterpiec The Hired Man. The connection, 2s saw it was the elevation of folk sie to an altogether stander means of expression Iwas only @ couple of ines, but Lucy saw them and wrote to me, ‘Wed found each other. Foran American, Lucy kinship with English cuture and folklore ‘was uncanny. As well as The ‘Secret Garden, she made ‘Above Sera Boggess in Te Secret Garden, LA soe page 66) Right award Seckerson wi musicale of Wuthering Heights and the gloriously entiled Fanny Hackabout Jones (a kind of female Tom Jones sat in 1sth-century England), and she reveled in the earthines andihigh romance of those sources, She once told me that s0 much of who she was as a person came from the tings she read to her chidten when they wee litle ~ tke The Secret Garden, which coulda’ have chimed more precisely with Lucy own sensbities, musical and otherwise Her father Richard L Simon was co-founder ofthe publishing Sian Simon 6 Schuster, and Ley childhood home was Filed wit visits from the likes of (sear Hammerstein land Arthur Schwartz, whose musical A Tree Grows in Brooklyn iwas a great love of mine and hers, The song Make the Man Love ‘Me! was Barbara Cook's audition number and Lucy would sing t atthe drop of ahat She sang everything tthe drop of ah Sindee thats how she hi always writen, Melody created inthe singing oft Agi given toso very few. “The greatest compliment | ean pay to Lucy's sore for ‘simon The Secret Garden isto say thatthe characters and theirmusic simply belong together Forme there int one misplaced or counterfeit note. Songs like Race Youto the Top ofthe Morning’ or How Could Ever Know (the ultenate song of letting go) are inseparable from and true to the {emotional pul ofthe book and its sentiments, When Archbala Craven asks Mary Lennox if theres anyghing she would the, she replies simply ‘abit of earth And that was the fis ine of The greatest compliment Ican pay to Lucy's score is to say that the characters and their music simply belong together song for Lucy andlyricist Marsha Norman: A bit of earth / She want a tte bit of earth, Shell plant some seeds’ Those ‘words, according to Lucy, set themselves, Later in the release or midale-eight ofthe song comes the ine, Why car't she 35k fora treasure? / Something that money cant buy’ and with it Lucy comes through with abit cof melody that money can't buy Melody ike that ist writen it evolves and endures. ‘Atthe time of writing. Warren Calves reimagining of - The Secret Garden has just been ayingaat the Bhmanson Theatre in Los Angeles with Siera Boggess in the role of Liy Mary Lennoxs late aunt) - whose spit tke Lucy’, speaks tous trom beyond the grave, to heal to enlighten, to inspire (Boagess is guest on my frst Musicals Pxicast. to be released atthe end of April). Also inthe offing is 7 May at the London Palladium, of Lucy, Amy Powers and Michael Kone’ Doctor Zhivago, Ramin Karimioa stars Inthe early tages ofits genesis, lemember Lucy siting down a the piano and playing usta few bars of music that felt ntnsically Russian. In the final show they morphed into-a cong called In This House’ ~ but have the original demo with Brian Stokes Mitchel and the late Marin Mazzle from when it was called (poignanty) ‘ane Time Stood Stl. shall heepitclose. For Doctor Zhivago tickets lwtheatres co.uk: for more on our Musicals Podcast, visit magazine.com i Muscat lsve2 M11you WILSG \) NOVEMBER 2023 AND kG 4 BASINGSTOKETHE ANVIL ONT OF LONn, 5 BRIGHTON’ //DOME, ow a Oy 6 tonpon / / /ROYAL\ALBERT HALL * fax | 7 CARDIFF ‘$T. DAVID'S HALL LIVE IN CONCERT! Ag Pa Cc ALSWROCHEST | SupmmeHas SYMPHONY HALL HOLLY Wee i 1) GATESHEAD SAGE GATESHEAD 12/LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL’ GREATEST HETS 13 GLASGOW —ROYAL CONCERT HALL. kk kK HHH PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS 1% & X14 NOTTINGHAM ROYAL CONCERT HALL A 15 MANCHESTER BRIDGEWATER HALL. TICKETLINE.CO.UK ROM near OR VENUE BOX OFFICE Can't Take That Away From Me SANE surowsorionooncou encod cuales ars ever a uae cLy Ene Siete E ican treet) SOR ee cee eeieaikcntElaine’s Page Canes Musical Theatre legend Elaine Paige launches her new series on groundbreaking musicals with Rodgers and Hammerstein's first collaboration, which she originally encountered as a child ‘This year, 2023, marks 80 years ‘since the premiere on Broadway ‘of Oktahomal and that makes it worth celebrating just to begin With, But of course i also got ‘the most ravishing score of all, time ~ one that changed the face ‘of Musical Theatre Youve got ‘Oh, What a Beautiful Moenin’ {or starters, and then The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, which Iremember particularly well from the movie. [used to lave playing remember this great sense of discovery and the audience going ‘crazy, but that also has lotto dowith the piece itself People recognise that this “People Wil Say We'e in Love’ Eighty years on, Oklahoma! stil being radealy reinvented forthe stage ‘on my BBC radio show = that was afavourte of our dear late The frst time | ever really sawit (Queen and Prince Philp. When onstage was the National Theave Iperformed forthe Queen in revival in 1998 that Teevor Nunn «private concert at Windsor id wth Susan Stroman. And Caste, Isang that song especially there onstage, forthe fis ime {or the two of them and they for most people in that audience, looked at each other and you saw | was this Australian performer the old sparks: it wastheirsong, called Hugh Jackman = huge Iwas iestmade aware of the Hugh: tall, handsome, beetcake songsasachild. Mymumhad | of aman. And you tellin ove with ‘allthe El Fitzgerall albums him before he even did anything, ‘and Rodgers and Hart and jut by the mere lock of him. Rodgers and Hammerstein and remember Maureen Lipman (Oklahomal of course was the _ a Aunt Eller in that production, fist Rodgers and Hammerstein too I canstillsee inry mind collaboration. Itkind of broke the her sitting there on the stage and ‘mould of Musical Theatre: there | how real tet, Maureen brings wasno splashy opening - you a sincerity to everything she does heard Curty sing his opening ‘deen the 1955 movie with song before yousawhim, and | Gordon Macflae and Shirley the setting was Oklahoma when. Jones and ovedit, but seeing ‘tas frontier country before that National version, with Hugh, ithad even become a state ‘And then you had this Dream ‘was.a whole diferent ballgame ie the show that really tarted the whole development of the book musica and theyre responding to that even they dont know what itis fist sae the current West End revival when it was on Broadway at Cirle in the Square, and | was seated in the front row on an ‘ie, recall clearly the lights being up ~ and the show started and the lights were stilup. And because | asso close, andit \wasin the roun. remember fecling a | was part of this ‘community and was inthis town, Hoved the stripped-back fel of the production and Curly atthe a aeert nee - Oklahoma! kind of broke the mould of eee ‘Musical Theatre: there was no splashy ‘these different components opening — you heard Curly sing his that added up to the most beaut construction, MusiaaMagazine com opening song before you saw him beginning. just picking away on his guitar The entire production felt ike a dramatic deviation from the traditional view of Oklahoma! YYoussaw more depth for instance to Jud Fry [played curently inthe West End, as on Broadway, by Patrick Vail, which, in turn, made youunderstand why Laurey right be attracted to this bad boy. You reat felt the character's loneliness end isolation, Iwas so taken by itthat afterwards I went tothe stage door tke afar to wai for Damon Daunnno, who played Curly, I waited and waited and out he came and | gushed all over hen. We talked at length about the production and then he said that his wife Kirsty Woodward) came from Kent, and thought: That’ quite an unexpected and amusing thing to happen, she ‘and | now both in New York ‘many thousands of miles ava | was never lucky enough in my career to be in Oklahoma! but sed to sing Ado Annie’ Caint Say No'as my up-tempo audition umber inthe 19606: i's got such briliant yrcs. But heres also Kansas ity, Many @ New Day! There’snota ut song in justlook at the marriage of the 'yrie writing long with those melodies. Those songs get stuck in your head forever. atoidto Matt Wot Read our backstage interview with Patrick Vail on page 22, and our (Oklahoma! feature review on page 54: Elaine Paige on Sunday’ {0m BBC Radio 2at Jom follow heron Twrter @elane_paige Museslesue2 M13yt MUSICAL THEATRE SOF ORT OLO) SINGING OFTINE EXAM AVAILABLE FROM SEPTEMBER 2023 SS Ui i% Broadway Bulletin Back in his home city, Matt Wolf discovers Musical Theatre stars performing in heavyweight plays How much versatility do we allow cour performers? That question gota thing answer of sorts during a Christnae-season canter ‘around Broadway that found ‘any number of Musical Theatre names lending thes talentsto heavyweight plays ~ and very memorably, 00, It a8 thriling, forinstance, to experience Tom Stoppara's ecades-spanning Leopeldstadt afresh, ths time in a Broadway transfer that folded a handful of holdovers from the London cast (Oscar in 2016, Room was fist into an ensemble numbering staged, cans Warren, at Theatre 538 people inall Patck Marbers Above Pat LuPone a Royal stratford Eastin 2017), heartfelt production of Stoppard _ Below Audra McDonald lends dramatic power to Ohio State Murders Patti LuPone, soan to be 74, ‘most personal play has been needs scant introduction, but extended through 2 July et Uhad admired Uranowitz Several days eater Ihadthe | itsworth remembering that the Longacre Theatre inthe frombis ivewire, carion-voiced good fortune tocatch an even Brosdvays original Eva Peron self-evident hope tat t wil presence on Broadway in An ‘mote formidable Broadway {and, overtime, a three-time win Tony Award to gowith the American in Pars andFalsettos presence ~ six-time Tony-winnar _Tory-winnet rained inthe Olivier that followedion from ts = but wasn'tin any way prepared Audra McDonald ~ lending dlassis at dullard and has London premiere forthe gravitas thathe brings ashivery powertoaone-act pay, long coupled her Musical “The ply unfolded acrosstwo to hi dual assignments in Ohio State Murders by Theatre projects with ‘acts.atits London opening early anion-musical outing that, as O-year-old Adrienne challenging pays. with Leopatastadt of artists: in the rencing service of at greater than themselves. ‘variation on this theme was {ue withthe April Broadway premiere (now postponed) of Room 2 play-with-musc las distinct from armusical that was toreturn Adrienne Warren to the New York stage forthe first me since her rool-rasing turnin Tina: The Tina Turner Musical farren would have played the role that won Bre Larson an in 2020, amonth belore the a Jewish performer himself,has Kennedy that Tani think of pandemic shut theatres down. clearly touched him ta the core, courses with the abetterway to ‘When it reopened the West The same indelible ensemble potential for have closed out End the following year hod noone get ster bling in violence implicit 2022 than by been fileted downto asingle act Leopoldstact- includes inthe tle The catching her running wo-hours-plusthathad = Broadway's orginal Elsa from plays limie latest cabaret the effectofa pressure cooker _ Frozen, Cassie Levy, playing fun was cut 3854 Below. that bull to an emotionally ermann's sister Eva: an short, a casualty Enttles Songs cathertc release at the close, example ofan artist perhaps of FromaHat the The London company was submergingherstarpowerto audiences evening consisted, dominated by the excellent the collective benefit of adeeply conditioned to forthe most pan, of ‘ation Searborough, who won an meaningful pigce. Ard those songs pulled from atop hat, Oliver Award for his performance | missing Ley’ inimitable vocal W coupled with ongoing banter ‘asHermann, the Jewish patriarch bel fear not: she willbe back shedlidduring night off rom withthe crow. This meant that, of amanufacturing frmin the inLondontoleadthe Donmar _herplay, orinanyofthe many atthe performance | attended, Leopoidstadt area of Vienna premiere in Augustof Next to musicals that have led to her we got the LuPone signature But intend no disservice tthe | Normal, a Musical Theatre rear-legendary status song Meadowlark alongside the Broadway inhertor ofthat same _ workout fever there was one But doubt anyone atthe ‘elicious seasonal entry ‘Santa role, David Krumhott ince ‘matinee attended wilforget___LostaH, which found the replaced by Joseph Malina, to her utter devotion ~ not to servers at the club joining in Uke covertding pat ofthe play ‘vn right anda reminder, ae spades ~toact Ml E| gemevatmesorsnewtek | aati Lupone «| mastmcttutete | reer dnatenrnrerot ths should win this Ue out for and shone, inber nth decade, Fp with severe atorch song, too. j| Merrestonuies touched the Amaronctncnents fen emma 1 | Shine seme femty whose fates heart, and then deflected to ansmage of knows that the frst and best | the Holocaust. which forms an let rip too {gesture was a class actin its = which LuPone possessesin MusiasMagazine com Musletsesue2 15A Rising Star Michael Ahomka-Lindsay There's no stopping this charismatic young performer, currently tearing up the stage as Jack Kelly in Newsies ‘Thefacts cel Anomla-Lnsay ishe26 yearldatormuscan seri acento leading man ‘ante evenbefore he gradi ‘rom heya Const of Seotand RS) when e ppd _ Bean enttthe Hope Mil Thaavein202 He then toed vith Miche Feria’ TheLion fhe ichandthe rdrobo Maugin before playingEmmett Forestin acy Mossash-it proton of egal Blonde t Feent' Pat Open Ai Taare tstsummer Ava Blackactr ‘bkngon ack, ole normaly associated witha wie pevorner,Ahonic-Lindsay els tu andhorourediobe part tise of change, BesinningsAhomia Unday ad nomadic upbringing courtesy of Nistatherswekin ube ratons, ih seis famty move rom ‘theUKte Zana then Kg, ‘area a Ghana Ext exposure tomusiccame tom sparen yds huge Bob Mayan’ esas, Wedlstentoregee dco, hight on ae alte das ~ reheat ane, Donna Summer pus Michael {Releon and aes Bown Early opportunites Singing vasjetforfun~Teroped itatng people ants, Heals pliyed ian and gua, _ndlovedtodsnce. Theres fal igo whee wa over tosiondenstate ands arcing wth Eenore starsleking2tme Misson compl He remembers “amuseteneerstchot wo ave hin the opportunity sig ‘naneducaion’ TV progamme 4 ewasin chat ara inabigwas,prorming shows tha tional Tea nha Ohepsjehcegalesonin cenfonting ts humongous proscenium ach was hess, poe moment) Buttes ‘perincng the Ghanian ast jolie n concert at had ‘heblggestinpac Iwas exposed ‘oshoumansi,toonning te stage forthe fistme: Maes mene 016, hora Unda oveback oa, othe Uae a tity and valid Velingon College Incrowthorn, Bers. He ‘oaksingng sonst Kae orca augithin alas foundation Wesang ara in French German andl an dpe hin vw his le ané ‘calcd someting ave ‘otrninamusca vay Ath pot ne was pushed aches ‘odkopdamaAlevelBacausit wast atensesle sl, He at ‘hee years studying meine ews Unorsty whan erally ‘oakthe purge ard actioned forerana school needs he was heavy meted in every element ana and mae walters him ander iam nt thathewouldmis Sam ects butnererarehes someting chek, He uioneaor CS, gctnand was anode he Ane oy Webber Foundson Scholarship hichcovreistees forthe years Heidt ook back Conseratire ie loved the ibe heramenber vas deansenatore soitwastt jist About Teste thatolaboron wa posible isceurse fcusedon he inegratono dancin, cng ad musanshig: took the ‘arophne, air that ing ctor mis" deepens your comectonioa pice ent Hope Mi remains sec placeforAhomla-indsy, Ter ‘retveteam ered tle ariskincasin someone ie re whowasistoutof rama schoo He til ecto of rehearsal seeing theseincreble ‘eto who erable transcend ther waningincrvertobe Tuy engagedin threat. Representation Lepily Blonde abl Anaad 0 be inspired Courmey Bowman “how shina cast ae crew howshe ca esl Iwata ined experience Irae lea him gue ono hows performer How ould ma net authentic The charactesigsof roning pin ‘he Roxbury uns an ara t aa ue tack population Perhaps hetous, tiscould feat chips thangs abou Reseachin for Newsies he founathat oneal re newsbye stiiginNew Yorkin 1855 own ori owing speeches, vase Bak Wonder You lookin the history, and here's ths whele wroteon thas thacesing ts Black perfor ‘Newsies at London's Troubadour Wembley Pak Theatre hasbeen extended unl 30 July 2025 for ‘moreinfrmation vst newsestemusical ou you can read ou review of Newsies on page 53 16 M Mustale eve 2 Youth music theatre steps up Bh Youth Mase Theat (BYHT) has announced its 2028, season The UKs leading new Musical Theatre company for 14 to year-olds le performing sit new musicals, including Hary Greta by Lewis Cora, therecipent of DYN 2025 New Music Theatre Award. Tisrsteling of ‘the Brothers Grimm ry tl, which ses the eponymous ‘characterstryng to survivean eo disaster, willbe performed atthe Hew sey Theat, puch, rom do August. Another hghightisLukeSaydon and Car Milr’s The Naughty Carage ‘onthe Orphan Tain at Dundee Rep Thea tom 25026 ‘og, howcazed at BEAM 2020721 nd cubeequenty picked upand developed Says creative decor Emil Gra: Wehave brought together fantastic teams of profesional creatives towork alongside our diverse 2025 company and rng these ideas tom historical happenings tofature imaginings tote Formoreifornatin, vst ritshyouthmuscteatre og ‘The originacastecorcing ot Henrie anew mascalby ‘Alex Parker an aie Lam as een elesed, etn Amsterdam in 1844 dringthe Nar occupation and focusing on asprky child who Adacovers secret that rocksher hale ienty, the show was rst prtormed by Nationa Youth Music Theatre NYT) in 2028, Thee recordings avaiable rom all mor digtal pliers. For more infomatonboutNYMT vist nymtorguk King and | on tour... and more? ‘Amajor UK and Ireland tour of The King and | isunder way, starring Cal the Micwufe’s Helen George as Anna “The Tony Award-winning production directed by Bartlett Sher the creative genius behind the recent My FairLady atthe Londen Coliseum and on tour) had its frstrun on Broadway in 2015, then transferred te the London Palladium in 2018, along wit ts two leads Kel O Hara and Ken Watanabe, leading to th biggest global ive event cinema release of the year This revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’ Ath ‘musical sees George play opposite Darren Lee as The king. Lee featured in the 2002 mavie Chicago, and performed roles in Guys and Dolls and Miss Saigon on Broadway before refocusing his tenergies on directing and choreography. Two ‘original Palladium cast members, Dean John- Wilson and Cezarah Bonner, return as Lun Tha and Lady Thiang respectively The tours currently scheduled tofrish on 1 July 2023 in Dublin, but there are rumours a West End Tunis also in the pipeline. As for George, she's very ‘much enjoying returning to her first love’ of theatre, having previously performed in Company, Love Never Dies and The Woman in White: ‘Anna is such strong, passionate and determined character, and Tm going to relish binging her to life every night. For farther information on the 2023 tour, and te buy tickets, visit kingandimusicalco.uk% = Vi Y Behind The Song Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's ‘America’ from West Side Story The singer, pianist and songwriter Joe Stilgoe on the song that perfectly juxtaposes celebratory cross-cultural music with blistering social commentary CClaves bagin. The click of wood ‘on wood, That happy, insistent rhythm ~ itcould be abird hituping away ina fig tree ‘or children playing with sticks inthe pork, but to many it just the sound of home. it sa clave rhythm, meaning keystone’ in Spanish, the basis ofa Latin [American music, The song is ‘about home, about place. Tike tbe in America Leonard Bernstein's parents ‘were fom Ukraine. Stephen Sondheim's grandparents were from Germany and Lithuania, They knew whatit was ike to seek anew land for a beter ite “Ok by me in America’ The same goes for win Kostal and Sid Rarrin who, helped Bernstein arrange ‘and orchestrate the music Everything free in America / Fora small fein America Wiest Sie Story, We know the tale, the intractable link vith Romeo, Juliet and the tragic confusion precipitated by the tension between two rival, factions. Tony is American rom ‘America. Matiais from Puerto Rico, and ke her frends and family, desperate to make a new home In America Weve met the Jets, the Sharks ‘we've had ‘Something's Coming! ‘weve even had Tonight the beginning of which possesses think the loveliest tune anyone has ever written, ‘Only you. you're the only thing Il see forever ‘They're already ilove. The balcony scene makes us fall for these doomed teenagers. But we reed to know more about Maa, mote about where she's rom, So, we go to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico, you lovely island / ‘sand of tropical breezes, ‘Always the pineapples growing” Pineapples yes please! ‘The Aiatican Dream? Arana OeBee and Davia Alvarez inthe 2021 movie "And the money owing {h, OK Sondheim's earning his ‘com now: he goes hard on the sarcasm ~ his natural wit and cynicism beginning to dstort Bemeteins beautful iting seductive music. The time signature changes to 6/8, normally a waltz Butts not waltz Where are ws? The thytric pulse that propels the song kicks off ~ Bernstein vrtes Tempo di Huapango. Huapango isadance myth from north bast Mecca, More fusion here: it an essence of the Caribbean, but ot necessarily from Puarto Rico, “Tis ees tke something ew (certainly in 1957) ~ they were bringing New Yorkjaz2 instrumentation together wth Latin American rhythm and European dance time, but al with very American eiatonic harmony that owes more to folk than to jazz Isa heady mix and coming atatime when rockin had It’s all so brave ane started to sweep the country “Ike to be in America / OK by me in America” Butwe already know these girls have discovered the ruth, "Industry boom in America / Twelve ina room in America This s the realty of their new le, and the songwriters are twisting the knife. The score startin 4/8 ime. Very common, very American, The clave makes itseund diferent though = & doesn't sound tke compound time, its ating, Then we get the orchestra joining, celeste, guitar, flute, softinstruments Playing trpiets (across the beat tke gentle waves creeping up beach. Ths s the introduction ofthe 68 time that eventually takes over the song and creates the energy that gives that ineredibty excting it-off ater on Once were atthe chorus, ‘we move between C major for the song and A flat major for the dance sequences, two \d exciting and still, nearly 70 years on, one of the most exhilarating mom ents in theatre Unrelated keys which when brought together create something great nd dramatic. ‘The lyrics have changed over the years, Sondheim amending for the theatreand fi versions, but inthe lates version we have think 90 back to San Juan / Iknovra boat yeucan get on / Everyone there wil give big ‘cheer / Everyone there wil have moved here! ‘Agag to close before the huge dance sequence wich takes Uso that fina Key change to E major It's cooking nov, with the orchestra almost in unison, ‘and Jerome Robbins's choreography bringing in extra claps and stamps and stomps. IRsallzo brave and exciting and stil nearly 70 years on, tne ofthe most exhilarating moments in theatre ‘Sondheirn and Bernstein changed Musial Theatre. Taking ‘what Hammerstein, Rodgers, Letnet, Loewe and others had started, which was to intoduce real drama and emotion into a traditionally frothy art form, they brought git and wit and street slang into a classical story of ove andl tragedy, I's funny fone thi: haw ean a song musically beso celebratory ‘and such great fun while also Containing social commentary fon poverty and persecution? Maybe it happens more than we know ~ youide the message in the muse, anit might do more good than standing on {3 soapbox wth a megaphone WestSide Story the perfect minture of tragedy ‘and comedy, and ths song itsbest example. M ‘Joe Stigoe's show A Couple of ‘wells with Liza Pulman runs Lunt June ~ for information, vis izaandjoe com: Jason Carr explores the genius of WestSide Story on page 20, Muscat teove2 ba 47A Day in the Life of.. Paul Taylor-Mills, producer The artistic director of The Other Palace in Victoria and The Turbine Theatre in Battersea gives us a fascinating sneak peek into a typical ‘day at the office’ ise and shine be in a show at The Other Palace mot normaly home unt (or The Turbine — both smal, ‘midnight, and ll goto sleep at F spaces = they need tobe rice! ‘am, so Iimnever up before Bam. For the recent Heathers Fthave acoffee and a Berocea I auditions, this was the frst ime and then doa spin class or go weld done casting for both the forarun. | find that exercise show and the tour atthe same really focuses men my job time. We were auditioning during Fm dealing with high stress, ; the final two working hours of but starting off the day ike this 4 ‘each day — thats 12 people each ‘makes me calmer less agitated Ge y with a 10-minute slotin which to ‘nd emotional. When Imdone, performa song and ascene. All the world isan easier placeand Heathers has been a record-breaking hit at Tayor-Milss The Other Palace the auditions took place at Bil’ mable to approach tings in office [Bil Kenwright, Heathers ‘amore level-headed way. Producing can beisolating, marketing meetings about shows co-producer. He loves auctions so producers keto share bits at The Turbine Theatre and mote than | dol Most of the Cfinformation wth eachother _sleewhere. Welllook trends in creative tam are American, You spend alotof time dealing sales, social media performance, so we tend to come up with With emotions, talent. ego and programme designs, press night a shortlist and send fm ci of Compliints <0 there'snot alot | organisation. Are we spending thei auditions tothe team Ik ean Cfjoy! People see the glamour moneyin the right places? take anything from 24 hours to ecepting awards, oing to nice ‘8 month to make a decision, dinner every day ~ Nandos ismy events —butthatsathinslce of Afternoon stening life! Ihaveaforensicknowledge the reality were dealing with This year MTFestUKranacross Noes for the wicked ofthe location of every Nando's both The Turbine Theatreand love seeing showin the ineverycity my shows tourto, ‘Troubleshooting and teamwork The Other Palace, and we ‘evening ~ thats how| get ‘and know the menu off byheart. | Once a week, touch base with showeased eight new musicals inspired. recently saw Best Food, glorious food For breakfast ifm out and about Fthave Eggs Benedict, or It return home and have yoghurt and berries | ke what know, have Nando'sfor lunch and For neh. Ilthave butterfly the venue team at The Other i's uid process the festival of Enemies by James Graham Chicken with rie and broscol. Palace, to work out happenseach February and i's ~ he's one ofthe best writers, For dinner, have a chicken or ‘any preblemsand | amixef commissions and open we haven this country. Fl know pitta wrap Ifa Nando's Delveroo ealwith pitches submissions. From October, someone from the show, llsay ver comes othe theate, people forfuture shows. start working through allthe hello and have a drink afterwards now is for me. [also make | 300-o¥-s0 applications ater But actually quite alot of my regular tris lunch, inbetween meetings or tiends work outside the theatre, Meetings, meetings, meetings toMaida Vale whenever! have time, really ‘hich can be useful Sometimes end to hate meetings, s0Itry where we have (Once Ive made my choices, producers get so absorbed by {odo them in person or else get in-person ‘work with 2 casting drector what wee doing that we forget clstracted. My frst meating of the tocastshows that come without _ were just making shows. say day might be with a fellow ‘a creative team already attached, this with love and respect othe producer who has ashow Sometimes, though, It want fans, but 've had to earn how Ina venue Im going into toshakeup a show andgivet to protect myself from the noiee. For something like My ‘anewiife Thats whathappened If can, ll disappear to the Son's Queer at The with Eugenivs! too when| saw Curzon ona Saturday afternaon Ambassadors, or itatThe Other Palace |adoted and watch an indie im know example, meet it/butthisrunat The Turbines nothing about ~ on my own! M. the producer of the a chance for me to redoit using For detalis of the Heathers tour, theatre's current show 23 cfferent cast and creative tearm. visit eathersthemusical com: atsomenhere tke for details of Heathers Soho House to tak Audition time at The Other Palace. vist about pricing, ‘minvolvedin most casting theotherpalace.co.uk: Eugenius! backstage protocol decisions. and seeing peoplein is at The Turbine untl 28 May hhow we might b= Person gives youamuch better vist theturbnetheatre.com: ‘able to share font- view of ther personally. Yes, they | My Son's a Queer runs unt ofhouse costs need talent, butifyoure gong to 1 Apnl ~ vst atgickets.com 18 W Musica teve2 MuscalsMagarie comodode London-based blogger Daz Gale picks his personal highlights from an action-packed few weeks of attending Musical Theatre shows, concerts and events FQ) JANUARY 2023 as excited to attend gala right at Moulin Rouge! to celebrate new cast ining tisviual spectacular athe Plcadily Theatre & showin oe with henitopenedin 202, there's alvaysuncetsinty bout how anew caztilleompare othe et. Butthere was no need to worry: Melsaames agave a sensational perormance as Satine an Jomie usateprovedonce again tat an incre talenthe ‘swith amesmersingporvayaof Christin Stitone ot ‘he most fun rights inthe theate youl ever have Try andseetisamazing new cast you can can ca @ sanvary 2023 Bestknownas one-third of comedy group Fascinating ‘io, Lia Putman ranches ou on her own fo two Concerts at The Other Palace [or The Spare Palace. She cali promatingher ecentaloum The Hear ct Trtutesto predominant female songwriters ‘rete ast 100 yearsledto ase from asmatering cf musicals including A Stars Bor Ragtime and The ‘Ward Oe Uteryehaming, with te mest beatiul Soprano voice Puiman was accompanied by Awol band Iwas ee ‘apport with the audence tat realy endeared her tous hough shemade eye contact ‘hroughout Tis might nt be ‘how for those ho prefer bit of angstin her perormances, but ‘eimimate naire made for aspecal evering with no shortage of heart EB sawuary 2023 AULT Festival tures io The Vaults in Waterloo forthe istimein tee yeass. The 2023lie-up boastedmore than 50 shows appearing rom January to March Among the were osprinking of new musical incuding The Phase and The Unconventional ‘One| managed tose wasn Clyro Jack Mies, and Rebecca Simmonds Based cna tue toy, ‘hisone-woman sho setin Pain the 1950: stand Rosalind Fords the pairtr Mare Berthe Cain Ford’ perfomance bought the bautfl musical, umber to ite the ys were parca tong Ite specalto watch hismusial atte sat oftsourney and was a reminder of why fstals suchas AULT, which champion new and developing work. ateso valor theatre theatre At the ine of going to pres the search was ‘onfr VAULT tind new home Letshopeit ds ane, and soon All That AN bout (ow BD vzsrvary 2025 Yuma kn Benjamin Rauhal rom hse a rusia tector for suchlegendaryBrosévay srs asJeremy Jordan ad ara DeBose. This ee was bck ntondon leading his own show with numer of his West Eraser a Cadogan Mall A surprising selstsan singers taking on amature of casicpop ‘ngs and Musical Theat numbers, schas Frances Mayk McCann tacking riney peas and Max Harwood ‘aking on Wensies The concertalso featured Rauhals ungue nusical mash-ups, with Jodie Stale melding Sam Smith and in Petras smash ‘Unholy into ‘Dead Gil Wingo Heaters The ight culminated th four powerhouse performs meting theaudence’s hear wit LetltGo' om Faze before the entire cast ame together perform the tite number Hom the Spice Gets musica Vira Forever Rahal nt ony nincedibly ged musical directa, heals exudes jy I face hr rom snag ate this ana evening FE} wEBRUARY 2023 ‘Mter wowing audencs wither turnin The Rise and Fall liti Vie and The Ward of Oz (soontobe ‘ena the London Plain before gong on tu, Christina Blanco was back ealrig he Onn show forthafistineinoverayearfrtwe gigs at ‘The Pheasanty in Chelsea While she maybe est known for er egendry impressions, these ook aback seatformostf the evenings she performed in er ‘wnvoice fora change nhs el-proclamed selish ‘hoy, there were nad tart in ur Gitin Pars andan ngeriousesonofliza Minna ize Wiha” relecting people geting her ounrame wrong. ours, the impresione dd make ting appestance thanks oer uncanny bility to recreate the voices of Broednay legends suchas na Menzel Kristin Chenoweth, Pat LuPone andBemadeti Peters and Gwen Stefan singing a Crstmas song in Februar is abit teatel never knew needed, No matter who she's being, iano isneverlssthanaphenomeral ‘alert anda show fom hel alway wou audiences, Fl) FEBRUARY 2023 ‘The Turbine Theatre inBatesea as pied islfon beng ahoene for new Mail Thea. necert months itjoined up wiser vere The (the Palace to puton the annual Test where future shows getter Feetouting Buta wea that a rané-new song cycle Played short un-and thi one was something News Curtain Up! odode spectacular Witten by Sar Thomas, Mo Limits featured aseresof songs rom characters lat acrosrodsn thee they share ter successes, flack here wth the ends Is success as downto conssety exquisite songs, performed yay impressive castincuting Westend royalty Natale May Pars, whose performance ofthe tite ‘umber ookthe rt ofthe Tartine Witha hom as remartbleas hs, the ature rely suite, EG rEpruary 2023 Fouryeore teri astrocked the West End, helagerthan- lifemusical Bat Outof Hel, based onthe songs of the ate Sim Stelnmanand Neat oa, retuned for alimed seton ithe Peacock Theatre. The show has changed alot since tas graced a West Endstage with cut songs and ew dialogue Whe cera elements were mised itdoes mean the madnes othe show males abt rmoresense. Let's be honest though = you don.goto {show tke Bat Out of elfor the water thin lt “oure there forthe classic songs, performed hereby an expert cast Glenn Adarson and elie Grauck Showeasedincedie vocals 3s Stat and aver while ‘tial as members Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton comtined to steal fecusasFaloand Scan Itmight othe the mestintlactial show, buthere eye Something undoubtedly fun an carefree aboutt Wibo needs a story that males completesensewithacastand Songs this ood? Afra, two out of tree ain bad, MARCH 2023 Eight years afterconcidngits West ndrun, Once vas bekin London atthe Palladium les for ‘one-igh-only concert perfomance Every bitas Laut asthe last inet as sen tas erated ‘hanks toa eam casted by Carrie Hope Rletcher and Jamie Muscat reuniting on stageatter playing vers inHathers Therinviualtalent,notto mention unr chemisty, made the story comealvein thissenstve sow ful sou and hour, Musical highlights included Care's sensational vocals on You ant Me’ and heavenly acapella repre of ‘Gold I'sallaboutone iconic number though, and ‘pleased torepor tht Fling Sony remsingan Incredible song ~ tickets to tis show were worthit just tear that gorgeous number lone Fellow AThat Dazle on Twitter Instagram and Facebook - @ATOazles- and ep up wth al the test reviews atalltatdazles ak MusiaaMagazine com Muscat eve? M19yg ye Keeping Score! West Side Story Something's coming... The respected composer, lyricist, orchestrator and accompanist Jason Carr explains the genius behind this most beloved of musicals by Leonard Bernstein In 1944, composer Leonard Bernstein and choreographer Jerome Robbins made one of my Favourte shows, On the Town, which is set in New York Ci and blends elements of musical ‘comedy and classical ballet However, a with the ballets created by Agnes de Mile for Rodgers and Hammerstein, the elements remained essentially tlscrete With 1957's WestSide Story, things were about to ge fon to create Gypsy together, with ‘composer Jule Styne ~ another ‘monumental piece of Musical Theatre, We should also note that the young producer was Harold (Hal) Prince and that he would later become adector creating ‘Sk consecutive shows with Sondheim in the 1970s, ‘There's lots more totale bout | havent mentioned Anita, whose nurmbers America ‘Above Fis Brosday ast Below Carol Lawrence (Mai and Lary Kert{Tony) and’ Boy Like That are so a vnc tot more tegrated Consume, aerate tiring Wiest Ste Stay mpsstight —_Whichbrngsusto Tony and finaly breaks backin,trumpets and devastating. thatthe chy invithsomethingnew starting Mata who, to compensate Screaming and drums going actess playing the pat general the Prolegue hacnodinging or pethapstora'young compary | cary Hs compltely clectryng. walks aay wh the show dologve,jsttheJetsendthe thot as chosen pranariy forts _Itmightaurpse people hat haventertoned te 961 Shore ghing overt turt_ dance sls are equedto”_-Bemstem dditorchesate West roe adaptation wth ts Ballet mightseem actus havethevocaltechniquet Side Storyhimsel Buthehad record-breaking 10 Oscar physical voesbularyforsuch” ——acarscallytrened soprano many dermands onistime, and wins, nor the 2021 Speberg seat hide yet Robbins Sriitenorandyet persuade ue _-eworkedverycozay ith nwin_remoke ~ not popular, bat choreography vas perfectly thatthayrestiltyoung and Kowal and Sid amin Kostas Inventive and lovngy made sttunedto he choacters Unsophisiated This remains workyou defintely ow rom” Whather reverent estaged Bemsteris must, fral hs a chalenge fr casing crectors! mos lke Mary Poppins with Rs orginal dances, sven vith saxophone, ves and Going Back Coo: here “ihe other pence igures_innovetve new production electric gutarcombos pays, youll find the most extraordinary _ Ive not yet mentoned are ty the tes of We van Hove Crusty echelon games om tnomentinthe whole score It” bookwnter Arthur Laurens and on Broad or wanda for thestart Slrtsasanalmestinnocious fit Stephen Sondheim here. tesereen Hest Side Story isthe opening sparing realy choracersong for Rit eager making i Brosday debut, remains a nique actevernet Wicksoft notes novrthe waking’ oftheJete But then instead) arent. Sondheim and “ymasterace Theres po arsine esubly autof ame," ofthe accustomed dance Robbins woutdshortiy go (=_-N¥ other possible word m the abowerdancingon toes, arangement ta job often = looking to getan unexpected jab handledby the choreographer's ~~ y paths opponent esting. favurte rehearsal pant Bernstan tacemarc Bernstan here writes a devilish ‘One much remarked-upon fugue with material not derived feature ofthe score its from the song. When the theme three-note theme, arising fourth followed by a rising triton ~ let's callthe notes G,C andF sharp. It fst heard in the moves) as —_-West Side tory (08C 19571 | thedets whising theme before Carol Lawrence, Lary Kert, Cita Rivera ctl 2] the orchestra plays, then Criginal readvayOrchesta F.| eroughouttne Prologue: As C-__StereoSony/Columbia 3 | Esharp-G, t's the ‘hook’ of, ‘Asisso often the case, the Original roadway Cast FE | ‘Coot: and, transposed up third, abumisa deine documer Te tenpos we | itbecomes Maia. This certainly tiling ast and Chia RerasAnita merits all | | anesthe score afeeting of the ciché adjecves ions legendary, nsipseed Cohesion, even though this last Notevey ote thee acts wee uravoisble lise ofit is somewhat surprising: te rononeLP, bts sen stern I you wank a more aden recording ifthe threernotes area Wagnerian however canal ecommend the 202 move soundvack on Hallywood leitmoti representing the Jets, Records gan there ae onesions, although pat ol the alti erly then why use thern to represent repurposed oa the cty anak sequence Unite the 1961 movi soundtrack the love that spurs our Polish the Tey and ara proie theron singing. cunding beauty natal. The Romeo to seek a new way of feted mano wits dazing wumpe solos is atasy chery onthe cake living with his Latin Jue? 20 i Nusteat sve 2 MusieatsMagaziecomShining the New Musicals Spoulight on... To the Streets! Theatre songwriter Tim Connor on an uplifting work by Tim Sutton and Roy Williams Characters who are more established in Bristol adopt archaic English phrases in their Iyres Burt those straight off the plane sing Jamaican patois (Pack {youbag an cum to gland J Cum fe ine your family). instead of saying He ran fast yyou say “Hien run, en ran him runt” Suton explains, There's this dea of intensincation | ‘through repetition There's no sound ute ke it First atchy basine sets of aninfectious groove Pucked reqgze guitar stars to ply the ‘warm sunsune. And cue the ska Brass now the party realy gets going. Trumpet tired th Saxophone A holimatk of CCanbbean muse its tose perfect-fourth intervaexplains Tm Suton composer ands of new musical To The Streets They havea ighly offer subversive ‘Andean energy that refuses o sete perfectstyme. Wihatbetermuical language | Above StCret as Loraine Right Ahork-Lindsy Pau / fay. pact wth toheiptel the story ofa pivotal “pss because “and:wrongly forgotten ~ tipping | composer and rcs Sutton, Just as Joan in patos the tof point in Black Brien history? who had worked extensively wth Littlewoods Oh, ‘part ie dropped. It's Bristol, 1963, Paul the National Theatre and the What ALovely IRtakes a vilage Stephenson and members Royal Shakespeare Compary. = War! holds up an of passionate ‘of the West Indian Development didn't know about the Uncomfortable mor ‘champions to bring new ‘Counecilhave heardarumourthat | boycott tomy shame, recalls to the nation amidst rousing work tothe tage, the Bristol Ormnibus Company is Sutton. But my dad is from patriotic melodies, theres To The Streets! was ‘operating aracst hiring policy. | Bristoland my grandad was serious intent behind Sutton and commissioned by the Despite alabour shortage, the a techrical draftsman forthe Willams’ piece too. Acouple —_-Commorweath Games bus company keeps refusing Company that made the buses, | of minutesinto the opening Ctra programme, Warwick toemploy Black or Aslan drivers" Mymumalzo came over songoof To The Streets! comes Arts Centreand Cy of ‘and conductors Stephenson to England from Jamaica in the ric Harmonisingisn'talways | Wolverhampton Council ‘and his colleagues set out to the 1950s, How my parents very pretty settingup the twin supported by RPG Creative Prove tis injustice ~ buthave got together. asa white man themes of race and music Itthen had an acclaimed todo coby stealth, anda Caribbean woman. svery "The year 1963 agit for three-stop outdoor concert “They procure an interview personal tome, We've woven _ composer! says Sutton, staging in surnmner 2022, fora Black candidate, one Guy theminto various characters, "grew up with my mum's love | co-produced by China Pate Bailey, When Bailey i turned. alongside real-life figures rom of Motown and reggae, alongside _ and Birmingham Hippodrome, ‘aay, they have al the proof the boycott. ny dadslove of lasical music as part ofthe Birmingham 2022 they need to campaign against The team next brought on and comedy songs ~ people Festival with the cast led by the bus company’s actions, They | boatd the respected playwright Uke Flanders and Swann’The Michael homka-Lindsay (see setoffachain of evertsin Bristol Roy Willams (Death of England _ scoreineluces many nods to ‘ur interview with him on Sand acrssthe country that | atthe National Theatre towrte | thepperiod. ftom acrickeing page 16)and Chaltte St Cro lead tothe passing ofthe Race the book Asst happened. calypeo nthe ste of Lord ight now the teams seeking Relations Acts of 1965 nd1968, | Willams had conldered Beg) toa li Richard partners toreaizeaful-sale Gack 2018 dector Chris | creating aTV drama aboutthe | esquesong forthe ace white | production n 202 ~ideny Haydon came acrosstisttue | boyeottsome 20yearseaer ‘Bris Teddy Boys. 2 tour then apelin London story facts and alyhin ‘an upiting serous, in the Guardian He was heading totaly original lack Bish ‘ut to meet Paul Warwick forn What better musical language to musical plying inthe heart producers China Plate to discuss fare projects. Bot felt this charged tale had ‘musical bones. They approached of theatreland? Now that would be just cricket. mt To find out more about the show, Wisi tothestreets cou tell the tale of a pivotal, forgotten tipping point in Black British history? MusiasMagazine com Muscaislesue2 M22How Long have you been with this Oklahoma! production? Sixteen years! This started white [iyas at Bard Colege lin New York], asa student production cone spring. At the time, it fl tke {his fantasticaly chaotic, rough show packed withideas, andits now this gorgeous streamlined thing that sas ight asa drum, Did you ever foresee such longevity with this show? aughs] Of course not mot erazy What was your initia response to getting the part of Jud? remember fist feeing confused and working onthe role aif Ives going to have some sort cof Raging Bull-esque experience! mean, why on earth had they ast this sight far-aired boy as ‘Jud Fry? What happened was that reall tellin love with the book cf the show: everybody knows the songs are great, but not everybody knows that around those songs is one ofthe strongest Books inthe canon, How would you describe your relationship tothe show at this point? Despite the fact that. as an ‘actor you make a decision to bea wanderer we nonetheless do have acraving to have some stabilty evenif we've chosen a ile without ane. n a werd way, iumeans that Okiahoma! and Sud Fry have gen me stability ‘and a spine across 16 years: itsnot lost on me that mm BY DEFINY ‘Swing /swin / noun — cast member who covers multiple roles in a show The role ofa swing is widely Considered to be one of the most challenging jobs in Musical Theatr, as swings are responsible for memor'sing multiple tracks (meening roles, but including choreography, 22 M Musiais ise 2 incredibly lucky — andit= increalbly rare ~ wo have sucha long relationship with something. How do you fel about moving such an immersive production into the West End? Thisis the most intimate staging that has ever been done ofthis piece. The stage at Wyndham's Theatre isthe smallest we've doneiiton, anda would say to people wo saw the shove at the Young Vie and think they ve seen tand dont have to again if "You are incorrect: t= different and very scary and very sexy and very funny ~ it's really thriling, Whatisit about the show that ‘keeps your experience of doing itfresh? Itjust doesn’ get old 50 much of how we have ‘been concitioned to work fon the snows that we are 412 people walking onto that stage every single night, and the only thing we can be certain of is that someone is going todie atthe end of the night. This a production that has this strange, robust power i tarts moving and you just have to 90, with it eet asifit ‘maintains this power tohold my entire attention and my enti tbody, and think rot alone in that, blocking, tines and prop placements at the same time Swings have tobe ready to stepin at a moment's notice and can even go on midway through a performance if an injury or accident occurs. Howhave you adjusted to life inLondon, as one of only two ‘Americans [James Patrick Davis, as Will Parker, isthe other] to ‘transfer from New York with the show? That's been a realy special aspect of allthis. sort of came to London and felt a i's returned here from somewhere this castisa realy special group. Atthe Young Vic. they had ths wonderful backstage set-up where they had this room with three shower stalls so ater the show Anoushke [Lucas paying Laurey| and Arthur (Darl, playing Curly and found ‘urseves privately showering in the same room, The three of us Ia company has multiple actors off sick, swings may even be required to perform multiple twacks (known asa ‘cut tack’ or split track) simultaneously. Swings are often dubbed theatres unsung heroes Patrick Vaill, the Broadway actor currently wowing West End audiences with his alternative portrayal of Jud Fry in Oklahoma! Backstage with... i allhave blood on usa the end Of the show, so needed to shower that off and aleo do our veal cool-down, ‘So you've developed a special bond with your co-stars? Yeah, it meant that we were all leaving the theatre atthe same time and reconnecting together torreal life. could go home and hhave a cup of tea and beans fon toast and watch TV, but Teouldnt do that a easy it Upadn't come down off the show with those two. Any specific health tips to getting through elght shows aweek? Ethel Merman said that someone ‘once told her thai you want to {doa musical comedy you have tole Uke a fucking nun, and Ieome to you tagically and crestfallen to say that there is ‘ruth in that. Shouting in a bar ‘ea fun thing to da but not i you have to sing the nextday. Does this fel lke your last hurrah, or is there further Jud You mean the Old Yeller version? Obviously | would never say never but taking ths tothe ‘West End feels tke the ultimate: If this ends up being the lst time lever doit lean put my boots away and say, Well done, and bbe really, eally astonished at the trajectory ofthis thing. Astoidto Matt Wot (Oklahoma! is Booking until, 2 September: visit ‘oMlahomawestendicom Many established Broadway ‘and West End performers Started thei careers as swings, including Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, Hamilton) ‘and Karen Olivio (Rent, West Side StoryTake that — it’s Kym Marsh! ‘Thirty yar after Take Tat’ ist Uk umber onesngle ray, Greatest Days anew mute feturingmore than dS ofthe band's it songs sembarking ‘ona UK nd elandtour Staring TV's Ky arch ander daughter Emile unlit, the show — witha book by TimFit (Calendar Gs Kinky Boot) ~followsa group fie bes ends lathe 1990s who are cbessed ith, their favourite boy ban: 20 years later, they reunite withaplantosee thelr hearthrobs one atime The musical Began 5 The Band, hich opened in Manchester in 207 iteurantneastion bled "The Official Take That Musial. witho- granmavansaatoms Come and meet those dancing feet ‘choreography by Aaron Rntee opens In romly on 6 May Sid Mah: iméelighiedtobereturingtothe Whe itcom theate and Wile bewotking and shaer spect with my daughter too. catwalk to sharethestage with er: Foret visit gratstaysmusicalcam Ri ues Whi musical that delivers casting annou winning stage show audiences just can't g Pera fof those dancing feet wihose wealth why the hype is the produc The anticipation has only increased since the recent 7 Ever fevealed thatthe legend 1983, which End leading lady Ruthie Henshall willbe playing ene shaw hin-a show's diva lead, oS MRI Soccriacte | heterice ‘and Rob Jones, which opens eicester. on 17 May fore enjoying a season at Wells and then ‘embarking on 8 UK tour, footed ingénue freshly arved in New York dreams seeing her name in lights With music by and lyrics by Al irepressible hits such a5 Money, ‘Lull wt perfect accompaniment to me breathtaking tap dance Hines, So, as the song goes, youve gota lit spare, [want take y For Curve i ime to vist 42ndstreettourcom CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER IS OUR NEXT COVER STAR! ‘Musical Theatre superstar Cartie Hope Fletcher, who wed London Palladium audiences in a concert performance of Once with Jamie Muscato 1 page 19) willbe the next cover star usicals magazine, The June/July issue, com 26 May, features a with Fletcher about impressive career t when she played Young Eponine in Les Mis ‘28 a child. Of course, Hope Fletcher has nce revisited the show to play Eponine {and Fantine too: the only British actress to plete that triple Also. don't miss our tap-tatic feature examining the key role that this joyful dance MusiasMagazine com style plays in musicals, frorn the Golden & tothe presen ty in curent shows ike 42nd Street, above, and Crazy for Yeu, soon coming to London! Plus well be talking tothe great Maury Yeston, composer of the acclaimed music now touring the UK = marking anniversary ofthe show's London And before all ofthat. at the end of Apri. wellbe releasing our frst Musicals Podcast, in which Edward Seckerson speaks to ernationa leading lady Sierra Boggess about The Secret Garden, Love Never Dies land much, much more, Don't miss i! Vist musicalemagazine com to download ‘our podcast. and to find information on how {o subscribe to our bi-monthly publi24 M Musicale eve?ASPECTS | = of Michacl Ball As the iconic Musical Theatre star gears up for a revival of the show that made his name, Michael Ball talks to Edward Seckerson about his remarkable career trajectory to date — and how ‘Love Changes Everything’ might not have left his repertoire for good 25avery young, svelte fresh-faced, dimpled Michael Ball lying solo Act One duet ‘Seeing i Believing’ from Andrew Lioyd ‘Webber's Aspects of Love, The iony of the song title wil nat be lost on Ball When he watches that video again, Nor will the passion ofthe melody wit iiewtnes video clip currently circulating on social media of inthe bi so large inthis most intimate of chamber musicals. Back in 1989 it could hardly have sat more comfortably for hs silky baritone but what is equally apparent watching this clips the effortless musicality, the rapt phrasing, the gorgeous tone. His has always been a virile voice, for sure, but the flutter, the breathiness, in the sound made it sexy too, Small wonder he was th romantic lead of his generation. Thirty-four years on from the opening of that show, Balls popularity is ‘undimmed, From his seamless graduation from juvenile leads through 1 succession of progressively more interesting character roles, solo concert, albums, toa shrewd partnership with the other 'B (Boe), we may no longer witness Ball sporting the top B he whacked out twice nighlly and four times on matinee days in Aspects hit number‘Love Changes Everything but the acto inthat lop B. The pre-show-released single reached number two in the UK charts it established Ball as a household name, anit sold countless tickets ingerin him has continued to evolve. There was alot of dosh for the production before it had even opened. think Aspects of Love is a deeply underrated work in the Lloyd Webber an enduring example of his enviable lyric gifs resonating all the ‘more meaningfully forthe intimate nature ofthe show itself. And it was only ‘matter of time before Ball brought his journey with it fll circle let Alex Dillingham to the memory ofall who saw him pay tand assumed the role of Alex’ uncle George Dillingham, But in this new incarnation, opening in May, wil he still get to sing ‘Love Changes Everything’? WVesiinina pero in Op: Ses Barns ‘where most of Balls solo albums have originated. He is recalling the very first tryout of Aspects at Lloyd Webber country estate, Sydmonton. 26m Mu Above Michael Ballin the orginal production of Aspe ‘ve with Arn Crum Right At Rado 2 with ne ‘amie Bogye Below ight With duo pa Look, ‘Love Changes Everything’ is the big song and in the original production it was given away straight at the top of the show. And it doesn't need to be MusictsMagarine comMusiasMagazine com He was, [believe the only memiber ofthat workshop cast to make it into the West End production, His Radio 2 colleague Elaine Paige reckons isan unvritten law that if you do the workshop you never get the pat. Ball now the feeling, He tried out Sunset Boulevard thereand Kevin Anderson was cast, I still smarts But look who's still her. There isa sense, though, that Aspects of Love is where many of Balls fans came in, Before i there was Les Misérables, ofcourse ~ and some of us will remember catching hours than three, and the hal-houe call forthe evening iat the Barbican when it was closer to fou show was going out when the cast were bately offstage from the matinee. And, yes, Marius grew up to be Javert inthe Ball canon, But Aspects and that hit single was where most people joined the journey and where 1 (oecause {had friends in the show) really ook note of him. I could see why hei opted forthe acting rather than the Musical Theatre course at drama school and I could hear the wnschooled musicality when it was song that carried the narrative forward Shortly after Aspects came his stint (with Jason Care) in the series Dina at the Donmar following laminaries like Patti LuPone, Betty Buckley, Audra McDonald, Barbara Cookand Kristin Chenoweth, Notonly was Ball the only male in this august company but he did something that none ofthe others did ~he and his director Jonathan Buttrell [Everybody's Taking About Jamie| fashioned a show without spoken ward, a show driven entirely by the song narratives. celebration ofthe power of songs to ella story. At the openi ofthe second act there was a medley comprising close 30 different numbers (checkout the album) and it ‘vas in that moment that Bal, the actor singer, took on whole new dimension. Those of us (like yours truly) who had been around a bit by then began to take him alot more seriously ut back to Aspects. Ball makes the point that after Phantom ofthe Opera the expectation for this new show, visually, was not to hol back. To that end the designer of Phan Maria Bjérnson, came through with a design that, though mightily impressive with its cracked sky/French Alps backdrop, somewhat dwarfed the piece. Expectations were for bigand glossy atthe time and Aspects was small and perfectly formed. T remember sitting next to Claude-Michel Schonberg ata fringe revival ofthe show a couple of yeats back and he cited the litle faux French folksong that rans through the shovr as being the number that really dictated its flavour Like ‘Edelweiss in The Sound of Music, it sounded authentic but was infact the purest pastiche Rallis guarded about saying too much of what he and the creative team for the revival have instore for us, but with new orchestrations and the ‘emphasis very much on the intricacies (the aspects) ofthe human drama, he is confident that they will fashion something closer tothe spirit of Lloyd ‘Webber original conception, where the scale ofthe show will entirely be in keeping withthe intima enature ofthe material. The director is Jonathan Kent, who made something traly Orwellian of Sondheinis Sweeney Todd (more on that anon) and playing Alex willbe amie Bogyo, who made quite ‘asplash at the 2019 Stephen Sondheim Ss recently starred as Christian in Moulin Rouge, He and Ball have already ducted in Love Changes Everything! dent Performer o and is out there on YouTube ~ but howa never worked PME MAU IS eT TR a aes Teme LS CNC nT i) ) it will manifest itself in the revival is yet tobe seen, All Ball wil say is:‘Look its the big song and in the original it was aight atthe top of how. And it doesrit need to be. Because "Lov 5s Everything’ the ay [think ofits that its something sung by someone who has wisdom and sid has had a numberof intense relationships throughout their how does that ft? Just putting tout there number Balland this revival is ort Aspects aside I did briefly want to reflect on R departure from nal production. It seemed to al of us that anextraord casting, Ball remembers well the turnin 5 the thing that finished it for him was the sitpre during rehearsals, In the rearsmagnificent, effortless. The characterisation wasall there, head a lovely voice, Absolutely effortless. But you knovr, having jst the pianist inthe room, it feels safe, Here wa ‘mam in his early sixties who had never been onstage letalone done a musical And now he’ being required to do not just a character number, buta relly dilfcul, intricate, musically challenging role. And you could see him getting more to the lity of ithappening. We got to the sitprobe which, by tradition, isthe gre We all lie fori is that fusion of everything ~ the first and more unsettled as we got get nearer and n jest moment in the rehearsal process time with the orchestra, the only time you get to see the ‘orchestra Its just fabulous ~ for those of us who were used to it For Roger, though, not having the sa the pianist there banging tout, hes suddenly distracted by ines coming from the clarinet or whatever ~ and ty of just then comes the dificult quartet tthe end of Act Two. Really tricky music. And I could just see him going in on himself, and panicking, Afterwards he went back to his hotel and wrote me the most beautiful letter saying hed decided to withdraw. He just couldat bring himself to talk on the phone, Kevin Colson had been there from the start as is walking cover so as it happened it was ‘natural transition, Itotally understood why he what he did, and in the Tong run it was probably beter for the shows. He signed off the letter saying, “Anyway done dear boy, the show should be yours” How generous, But I still wish we could have seen that performance’ Left As Sweeney Todd with Maia Friedman Right in the same role at Chichester Fetval Theatre, with Imelda Staunton MusiasMagazine com TT irae vo thing sou Mich Bal tat haves mid ‘outside of his self-evident talent: his work ethic (you wont catch im ‘going off witha broken fing To that end his trajectory, though seemingly effortles, has been clearly thought through. Lett ot be assumed that roles lke Edna Turnblat in Hairspray and the tite role in Sweeney Todd simply fll int his lap. Quite nail) and his proactive sense that a career needs the contrary. He instinctively knew that roles lke these were unlikly to be offered to him. There were far too many preconceptions about who Michael Ball, the Musical Theate star, was. He would need to go after them. So he auitioned - yes, auditioned ~ for Edna T did the queuing up outside with eve your thing at the table of death, And I havent done that fora very, very long body, waiting to go in and do time nove But Id seen the show five years ear, with Harvey [Fierstein] Geeat part, great musical. Ia too young then but I thought ifthere is ever chance... Anyway it comes up, ive yeas later, Im right frit Ive pat on righ? ~ he laughs ~ and Fa grown a beard. So [asked to auction, and I went in, and you know when the stars align? And I nailed the bejsus out ofthat audition, [ast knes that I got it. And, ofcourse, I got alot of lack fom people saying, “What a terrible idea.” But Lknew! Again, an actor’ instinct. And the will ~and talent -to amuse an to surprise, Edna has been one of Balls gre accomplishments in my view Likeall the best performances he and she became inseparable, But where does a middle [was something so much more than astar turn in dr Jing man ina dress go from there? A black-hearted barber hell bent ese?! Having bared all iterally) in Stephen Sondheims Passion and restored inthe two-act London version the number ‘No One Has Ever Loved Me’ ~ which for this writer constitutes the five most glorious ‘minutes Sondheim ever penned ~ Sweeney beckoned. And it was when Imelda guest on his radio show that he popped the question to her and set the project in motion. Jonathan Church at Chichester bit hishand off Ball was almost unrecognisable in Sweeney, and fans were said to Staunton was have been complaining at the interval that he wast on. He took that asa huge compliment T've never worked so hard in my life, But I discovered that the real power of Sweeney is that everything i internalised. Everything until ‘Epiphany ‘where eis suddenly and visibly insane and deiven Jonathan Kent and Thit on the idea that Sweeney has to be a myster and that the people around him just drit know whats going on. "Theres something very, very