Jenny Ell - Page 3

David Mamet's play, Glengarry Glen Ross, debuted at the National Theatre in London in 1983 to critical acclaim, winning the Pulitzer Prize the following year, in addition to opening the production on Broadway. The play recently enjoyed a successful run at the Playhouse Theatre in London, directed by Sam Yates (who also directs this UK tour) and featured a star-studded ensemble cast.

With the TV series having only finished in December, Strictly Come Dancing 2018 is still very much fresh in people's minds. Last night saw the opening of the arena tour in Birmingham, starring seven much-loved celebrities from the show, alongside an ensemble of professional dancers.

Excitement has enveloped the internationally acclaimed stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, since its London opening in July 2016. The show is now playing on Broadway and will soon have productions opening in Melbourne, San Francisco and Hamburg - the latter marking its first non-English production. Last month, it was announced that an album would be released showcasing the music of the show, created by the multi-award-winning British musician, composer and producer Imogen Heap, who has already earned a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play for her work on Cursed Child.

Not to be confused with the misunderstood silverback gorilla soon to be playing on Broadway, the Original London Cast Recording of South African musical King Kong is being released by Stage Door Records on CD this week.

Mischief Theatre's A Comedy About A Bank Robbery has recently embarked on its first UK tour, opening at the Rep in Birmingham this week. This production is the company's third large-scale show, following The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and it's also been running in the West End since March 2016.

SimG Records' latest release is a National Youth Music Theatre commission entitled Imaginary, which was performed at The Other Palace in London in August 2017. This brand new musical about childhood and growing up received great acclaim and was recorded live across four performances, featuring 30 talented young performers.

Critically acclaimed musical The Quentin Dentin Show has gone down a storm with audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe and in London and now supernatural game show host, Quentin Dentin himself, will be releasing his debut album next month.

Originally premiering on Broadway in 2000, the musical production of The Full Monty is a respectfully adapted version of the 1997 film about a group of unemployed men who decide to become strippers for a night to raise money. Surprisingly, the more recently produced play didn't reach the stage until 2013. A triumph in itself, the musical is lesser known but works equally as well, despite the fact the location has been moved to Buffalo in the States. The Old Joint Stock in Birmingham have produced their version of the show, which officially opened last night.

Rock musical Bat Out of Hell had its debut performance in Manchester in 2017. Following a limited run at the London Coliseum soon after this, the production took over the Dominion Theatre in the West End in April this year. The show is loosely based upon a Peter Pan and Wendy-type story but is instead set in a post-apocalyptic world and consists mainly of songs made famous by Meatloaf in his trilogy of Bat Out Of Hell albums.

After a staggering 60 years in the business, theatre producer Paul Elliott recently announced that he will be retiring from his company, Paul Elliott Ltd. However, he's leaving in style, releasing his memoir, Keeping My Balls in the Air, to celebrate his time in the industry.

Five years after the release of her well-received album 'Someone Else's Story', Meredith Braun brings us a new solo album, 'When Love Is Gone'. This release combines both specially selected songs and a couple of original numbers written by Braun herself. Inspired by a domestic abuse storyline on popular radio show The Archers, each song has a relationship with the next and the greatest success on this album is the choice and arrangement of song and the lyrics within them.

Natasha Barnes is a remarkable talent. After breaking onto the London theatre scene in the original London production of the award-winning Spring Awakening in 2009, she has performed in a large number of musicals. However, it wasn't until April 2016 when she was truly brought to a wider audience's attention.

Notes of Love is Oliver Boito's debut CD and first venture into releasing his own music. An artist and photographer, in addition to writer and composer, Boito has an impressive set of skills to his name and Notes of Love is something that he should be incredibly proud of.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is quite possibly the most recognised and mainstream composer in the musical theatre industry. Love him or hate him, he has penned the music for some of the world's most famous musicals and continues to write today. In celebration of his 70th birthday this year, he is releasing an ultimate hits collection named Andrew Lloyd Webber Unmasked: The Platinum Collection and is being released in March as a two or four CD recording.

Currently enjoying a West End revival at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 42nd Street has also released a brand new cast recording.

The enigma that is West End Producer - or WEP to his friends - has released a second book, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Theatre (But Were Too Sloshed To Ask, Dear).

Cinderella must be the most performed of all the pantomimes in the UK, and is probably the most well-loved. Experienced writer for Imagine Theatre, Iain Lauchlan returns once again to write, direct and star in the show; this year as Ugly Sister Dyspepsia. Also in similar fashion to previous years, Mark Walters brings his glitzy set and costume design to the Belgrade Main House.

Sci-fi epic The War of the Worlds has received a number of adaptations over the years, and now, in time for its 120th anniversary, Midlands-based company Tin Robot Theatre have given the masterpiece a modern twist. It's an immersive and sensory experience, bringing the classic into today's world.

Drake's Dream enjoyed a limited run at London's Shaftesbury Theatre in the late 1970's following its earlier opening at the Connaught Theatre in Worthing. It is a biographical musical based on Sir Francis Drake's iconic sail around the world during the 16th century and in 1977, was commemorating his 400th anniversary. The show was recorded prior to its West End run before another playwright was brought in to revise the production - it then went on to play the Westminster Theatre early the following year.

What better stocking filler could there be than the newest release from SimG Records? In September this year, Robert J Sherman's new musical comedy Bumblescratch received a charity concert at the Adelphi Theatre in London, starring West End performers Darren Day, Jessica Martin, Michael Xavier and Ilan Galkoff. The debut was greatly received by audience members and critics alike with an array of four and five star reviews. The original band and cast have since featured in the London Concert Cast Recording which is due to be released on Monday 19 December.