Back to News & Press Further casting announced for Dreamgirls Thursday, 2 June 2016 Sonia Friedman Productions is delighted to announce further casting for the long-awaited UK premiere of Dreamgirls which will have preview performances at the Savoy Theatre from 19 November and Opening Night on Wednesday 14 December 2016. As previously confirmed, American actress and singer Amber Riley will star as Effie White. Ms Riley will be joined by Ibinabo Jack as Lorrell Robinson and Liisi LaFontaine as Deena Jones, making up the soulful singing trio ‘The Dreams’. Nicholas Bailey will play Marty, Adam J. Bernard will play Jimmy Early, Tyrone Huntley will play C.C. White and Joe Aaron Reid will play Curtis Taylor Jr, with Ruth Brown and Karen Mav alternating the role of Effie White at performances when Amber Riley is not scheduled to perform. The cast of Dreamgirls will also include Jocasta Almgill, Callum Aylott, Hugo Batista, Samara Casteallo, Chloe Chambers, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Joelle Dyson, Kimmy Edwards, Candace Furbert, Nathan Graham, Ashley Luke Lloyd, Gabriel Mokake, Abiola Ogunbiyi, Sean Parkins, Kirk Patterson, Ryan Reid, Rohan Richards, Noel Samuels, Durone Stokes and Tosh Wanogho-Maud. Sonia Friedman, Producer: “It was wonderful to announce our star Amber Riley a few weeks ago. Now, having seen more than 1000 performers audition over many months, I am thrilled that we can reveal most of our Dreamgirls company. It is 35 years since its Broadway premiere, so to finally be the ones to bring it to London with our world-class creative team and incredibly talented, exciting young cast is an honour and privilege. I believe we now have the perfect team to create a sensational production that I hope will be well worth the wait.” Amber Riley is best known for her role as ‘Mercedes Jones’ in the Golden Globe Award-winning musical comedy, Glee. Additional television appearances include playing ‘Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North’ in the NBC live performance of the musical, The Wiz and competing in Dancing with the Stars, which she won in 2013. Riley’s numerous theatre credits include Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Into the Woods and Mystery on the Docks with the Los Angeles Opera. In November 2012, she made her New York stage debut to rave reviews in New York City Center’s Duke Ellington’s Cotton Club Parade. Ibinabo Jack’s stage credits include Legally Blonde The Musical (Savoy Theatre), The Color Purple (Menier Chocolate Factory), Little Shop of Horrors (Manchester Royal Exchange) and The Bodyguard on UK Tour. Liisi LaFontaine was a finalist on The Winner Is (NBC) as part of a singing duo The LaFontaines with her mother Nita Whitaker. Her stage credits include Ti'Moune in Once on This island (LACHSA production), Mimi in Rent (Skylight theater) and Trisha in Dog Sees God (Skylight Theater). Her first EP titled Golden is now available on iTunes. Nicholas Bailey is best known for playing Dr Anthony Trueman in EastEnders (BBC One) and Carl in The Archers (BBC Radio 4). Stage credits include The Duke of Burgundy in Richard Eyre’s production of King Lear (National Theatre), Gabriel in Breakfast with Mugabe (Theatre Royal Bath), Julius Caesar (Manchester Royal Exchange) and Dreaming (Manchester Royal Exchange/West End). In 2006, Bailey was a contestant on ITV’s Soapstar Superstar. Adam J. Bernard can currently be seen in Thriller Live! (UK Tour), having previously starred in the West End production. Further theatre credits include I Can’t Sing (London Palladium), Hairspray The Musical (Asia Tour). Television and film credits Star Wars VII, Drifters (Channel 4), Random (Channel 4), Holby City (BBC), Legends (TNT). Tyrone Huntley’s stage credits include The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales), Porgy and Bess (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Sister Act (UK Tour), Hairspray (Leicester Curve), Aladdin (King’s Lynn Corn Exchange). He was most recently seen as Gator in Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre). Joe Aaron Reid is currently starring as Benny in In The Heights (Kings Cross Theatre). Broadway theatre credits include If/Then, Chicago, Curtains, Ghost, Catch Me If You Can and Finian's Rainbow. He also appeared in the NBC drama Smash for two seasons. Ruth Brown found fame in the first series of BBC’s The Voice, reaching the semi-finals under the mentorship of Sir Tom Jones. She has since gone on to release her first UK single ‘P.O.P.’ and is soon to debut her new album, Letters of Truth. Karen Mav was recently a contestant on the 2015 series of ITV’s The X Factor where she wowed TV audiences and judges with her take on Etta James’s ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ and the Whitney Houston version of the classic ‘I Will Always Love You’. Full information on performance schedules and further casting will be updated on the official website Dreamgirlswestend.com As previously announced, Dreamgirls will be Directed and Choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award®-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set Design by Tim Hatley, Costume Design by Gregg Barnes, Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone, Sound Design by Richard Brooker and Hair Design by Josh Marquette. The Musical Supervisor will be Nick Finlow, the Orchestrator will be Harold Wheeler, with Additional Material by Willie Reale. Dreamgirls transports you to a revolutionary time in American music history. Dreamgirls charts the tumultuous journey of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called ‘The Dreams’, as they learn the hard lesson that show business is as tough as it is fabulous, and features the classic songs ‘And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going’, ‘I Am Changing’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’. With Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger, the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony Awards®. The original cast recording won two Grammy awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.’ In 2006 it was adapted into an Oscar winning motion picture starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. Amber Riley and Liisi LaFontaine are appearing with the support of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity. Up Up

Back to News & Press The Stage 100 – 2014 Friday, 3 January 2014 It has been a remarkable year for Friedman, the highest riser in this year’s Stage 100. She is now firmly established as the West End’s – and, arguably, Broadway’s – key producer of ‘quality, serious theatre’. What made 2013 particularly special was that she also had her finger in the pie for the most successful new musical of the year, The Book of Mormon, and its most lauded – a revival of Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. She was a co-producer on both. Her play output hasn’t slackened either, with a high-class revival of Harold Pinter’s Old Times, West End transfers of Almeida hits Chimerica and Ghosts, not to mention the US transfer of Mark Rylance’s Shakespeare double bill, which has been breaking house records on Broadway. This year will see her produce a stage adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s film Shakespeare in Love. It has the whiff of a sure-fire hit. Sonia Friedman Productions is a subsidiary of the Ambassador Theatre Group – an arrangement that seems to be working well for both parties, as Friedman helps supply product for many of ATG’s venues. Read full article here . Up Up

Back to News & Press Booking opens today for The Children's Hour Friday, 5 November 2010 The Children’s Hour will have its first preview at the Comedy Theatre on 22 January 2011 with press night on 9 February and is booking until 2 April 2011. Further casting will be announced shortly. Dates: 22 January - 2 April 2011 Press Night: 9 February at 7.00pm Address: Comedy Theatre, Panton Street, London SW1Y 4DN Performances: Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm Wednesday and Saturdays at 2.30pm No matinee on Wednesday 9 February at 2.30pm Replacement matinee on Tuesday 8 February at 2.30pm Website: ambassadortickets.com/comedytheatre Ticket prices: £60 - £25 Box Office: 0844 871 7622 Up Up

Back to News & Press Harry Potter and the Cursed Child wins Evening Standard Award Monday, 14 November 2016 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play at last night's awards ceromony. The best play award was given in association with the Evening Standard’s official arts partner Hiscox. It was accepted by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and Noma Dumezweni, who plays Hermione Granger in the production. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman featured in the telegraph magazine Monday, 13 April 2015 Sonia Friedman, 49, is one of Britain’s most prolific and influential theatre producers, having started her career at the National Theatre. She has produced more than 145 shows in the West End and on Broadway. At the 2014 Laurence Olivier Awards she was the first producer to win the awards for best new play (Chimerica), best new musical (Book of Mormon), best play revival (Ghosts) and best musical revival (Merrily We Roll Along) in the same year, picking up 13 in total; this year she is up for 17 at tonight’s Olivier awards ceremony. Friedman lives in a converted pub in east London with her boyfriend and two bichon frisé dogs, Teddy and Buddy. Daily routine The dogs sleep on the bed and I often wake up with Buddy sucking my ear. I’m a terrible morning person – so I stumble around making coffee, then check my BlackBerry in bed for overnight US business, before leaving for my office at the Duke of York’s Theatre. I’ve currently got 10 shows running, closing, or getting ready to transfer or tour, and many more in development, so it’s impossible to get home before 11. Piano My mother got this piano [pictured] for me, so I’m sentimental about it. She wanted to be a concert pianist, but when she was 32 her husband left her with four children under the age of 10 so she gave up her dream and did whatever she could to support us. She was an Egyptologist and a London guide, and she lectured at the National Gallery. At 83 she still teaches the piano; I’m in awe of her. As a wilful child, I resisted learning piano, but I’ve been teaching myself – it’s one of the things I do to unwind. I’m very self-conscious, though; I play when the house is empty. Childhood We were tricky children because we’re all creative and single-minded and have an issue with authority. My mother sort of gave up on trying to get us to do things normally, and let us create our own world. We’d sit around the dinner table eating scraps from the fridge while my brother Ricky, who’s a musician, made music from anything that was around. Then we’d make his music into a story, or record it with my sister Maria [Friedman, the actress] and me singing. It was heaven. Education I trained as a stage manager at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and last year they made me an honorary fellow [certificate pictured]. It’s particularly special to me because I had a pretty sketchy education. I left my first school because of bullying, was expelled from my second, left my third because we couldn’t afford the fees, and didn’t complete my A-levels because I got run over. I truanted a lot between the ages of 11 and 13 and missed a crucial period of my education, but it also formed who I am. Pub living I bought the pub about 15 years ago, when it was only half-converted and full of bar stools and pumps. There’s still a dumb waiter in the basement, which is now the room I watch films in. Over the years I’ve had a lot of people living here – nine at one point. It’s quite theatre-free, so when I come home it’s not all about work. Shed When I bought the property the garden was just a garage but there was this gorgeous little shed [click for picture ] in the corner. A few landscape gardeners have told me to take it down, but I can’t bring myself to. Inside it’s a beautiful place to sit and contemplate or read. Light-bulb moment I fell in love with theatre when I was about 13. Maria was in Oklahoma! at the Palace Theatre and invited me to watch from the wings. I sat on a stool in the prompt corner and soon realised I was much more interested in what was going on behind the scenes. Eventually I tried to sign up for an evening class in make-up, but it was full. They convinced me to take stage management and swap to make-up if anybody dropped out. But I fell in love with stage management. Bear This bear is about 110 and lived at my grandma’s house, where I spent a lot of time when I was growing up. I always slept with the teddy, and when my grandma passed away he was the only thing I wanted, even though the house was full of beautiful furniture and antiques. He doesn’t have a name; I feel like he’s still my grandma’s and I’m just looking after him. First job My first job interview was with Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright in their kitchen in the King’s Road. They wanted a stage manager for a double bill in Edinburgh. I don’t know why I was interviewed by them – it wouldn't normally happen like that. I don’t think my grandmother and mother were ever more proud than the day I got that job. Country escape What I like doing more than anything is taking long walks with my boyfriend and dogs. I have a Tudor cottage in Hampshire, which is my haven, my therapy. It’s set on hundreds of acres of private land, so we walk for miles. I go for a weekend and it feels like being away for a week. Table I produced Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece Arcadia in 2009, and this table [click for picture ] was designed for it. I immediately knew that, come the end of the run, it was coming back home with me – partly because it’s a work of art but also because Tom is one of my best friends. Now I have a constant reminder of the beauty of the man. Instincts I’ve never known how I choose shows that end up being so successful but I do have a strong hunch when something won’t work, and I’m usually right. I choose shows to nourish myself, too, and I feel a responsibility to champion certain types of work. When I first saw The Nether [a dark play about the future of the internet] I knew that it had to have a life beyond the Royal Court, but I was already so busy. I asked the director, ‘Is there really no one else that will transfer this?’ He said there wasn’t so I took it on. I will be very disappointed if it doesn’t work commercially but proud to have done it. Poster In the mid-to-late 1980s I became very passionate about the Aids cause and felt I had to do something. My friend [the actress and director] Kelly Hunter and I came up with an idea to have celebrities working in all of Covent Garden’s shops, pubs and restaurants for one day. We called it Shop Assistance [click for picture ]. We created a huge day of fundraising and awareness that led to people shaking buckets in theatres on World Aids Day, which is now one of the biggest fundraising campaigns in theatre. I’m often asked what I’m most proud of, and in many respects it’s that. I can sit in theatres on December 1 and think, ‘I did my bit.’ Click here for full article. Up Up

Back to News & Press Mojo extends due to unprecedented demand Friday, 29 November 2013 Ian Rickson’s critically acclaimed West End revival of Jez Butterworth’s award-winning Mojo today announces a further two weeks of performances due to public demand. Mojo, which is playing to packed houses at the Harold Pinter Theatre, will now complete its run on 8 February 2014 with its original cast - Brendan Coyle (Mickey), Rupert Grint (Sweets), Tom Rhys Harries (Silver Johnny), Daniel Mays (Potts), Colin Morgan (Skinny) and Ben Whishaw (Baby). Designs are by Ultz with lighting by Charles Balfour, music by Stephen Warbeck and sound by Simon Baker. Mojo is produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions who also produced Butterworth and Rickson’s internationally-acclaimed Jerusalem. Up Up

Back to News & Press The Inheritance is nominated in the 2020 Drama Desk Awards Monday, 20 April 2020 The Inheritance has received a total of six nominations in this year’s Drama Desk Awards: Outstanding Play The Inheritance, by Matthew Lopez Outstanding Actor in a Play Kyle Soller, The Inheritance Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Paul Hilton, The Inheritance Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Lois Smith, The Inheritance Outstanding Director of a Play Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance Outstanding Sound Design for a Play Paul Arditti and Christopher Reid, The Inheritance The 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards will take place on Sunday, May 31 and winners will be revealed online instead of at the annual Town Hall ceremony. Additional details on the digital ceremony will be released at a later date and we will let you know as soon as they become available. The full list of nominees can be accessed on the Drama Desk website at the address below. https://www.dramadeskawards.com/nominees/ Up Up

Back to News & Press King Charles III General Bookings Open Today Sunday, 29 April 2007 Tickets for the Almeida Theatre’s acclaimed production of King Charles III go on public sale today. The production will play at the Wyndham’s Theatre from Tuesday 2 September until Saturday 29 November. Tim Pigott-Smith will once again play Charles. The cast also includes Richard Goulding, Nyasha Hatendi, Adam James, Margot Leicester, Tom Robertson, Nicholas Rowe, Tafline Steen and Lydia Wilson. Further casting is to be announced. Tickets for King Charles III are now available to buy from Delfont Mackintosh Theatres 0844 482 5120 or kingcharles3play.co.uk as well as from the Almeida Theatre on 020 7359 4404. The Queen is dead: after a lifetime of waiting, the prince ascends the throne. A future of power. But how to rule? Mike Bartlett's controversial play explores the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain's most famous family. The production played to sell-out crowds at the Almeida Theatre, and has received international critical acclaim. Directed by the Almeida Theatre’s artistic director Rupert Goold, King Charles III is designed by Tom Scutt, music composed by Jocelyn Pook, with lighting by Jon Clark and sound by Paul Arditti. King Charles III is produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions, Stuart Thompson Productions and the Almeida Theatre. Up Up

Back to News & Press Exclusive Behind the Scenes Images for STEREOPHONIC Released, Taken by Renowned Photographer Emilio Madrid Wednesday, 3 September 2025 Available to download HERE . Behind the scenes images of the Stereophonic cast have been released, showing insight into life behind the on-stage recording studio. Taken by celebrated photographer, Emilio Madrid , the images give a behind the scenes ‘sneak peek’ into the celebrated hit play. Stereophonic is written by David Adjmi , directed by Daniel Aukin , and features original music by Will Butler , formerly of Arcade Fire . This ‘fine-grained audacious work’ (The Standard ) grants you intimate fly-on-the-wall access to the discord and disharmony of the creative process. Please click HERE for the latest Stereophonic trailer, featuring the song ‘ Bright ’. Step into the studio with Stereophonic, the hit West End play hailed as ‘an extraordinary, electrifying odyssey’ (The Guardian ) and ‘an instant classic’ (Rolling Stone ). Plug into the electric atmosphere of an up-and-coming rock band recording their second album in 1976. The one that could propel them to superstardom. As the tape rolls, egos flare, relationships break down, tensions run high and something extraordinary takes shape. This is how great art is made. One take at a time. This critically acclaimed masterpiece offers intimate, fly-on-the-wall access to the agony and ecstasy of the creative process. Portraying an ambitious rock band struggling to record their new album are: Zachary Hart as Reg the bass player, Lucy Karczewski (recently nominated for Best Performer in a Play at 2025 The Stage Debut Awards) as Diana the charismatic lead singer, Jack Riddiford as Peter the guitarist and Nia Towle as Holly, the keys player. They are joined by Andrew R. Butler and Eli Gelb as sound engineers Charlie and Grover, and Chris Stack as Simon the drummer, all of whom are reprising their roles from the acclaimed Broadway production. Understudies include Sam Denia (Reg, Charlie, Grover), Rima Georges (Holly), Lucy Gray (Diana) and Steve Shirley (Simon and Peter). Stereophonic originally had its World Premiere at Playwrights Horizons before transferring to Broadway on 3 April 2024. Stereophonic became the most Tony-nominated play ever after receiving a record-breaking 13 nominations. The hit play will next embark on a US tour from October 2025. The Stereophonic creative team includes David Zinn (scenic designer), Enver Chakartash (costume designer), Jiyoun Chang (lighting designer), Will Butler and Justin Craig (Orchestrations), Ryan Rumery (sound designer), Justin Craig (music director) and Robert Pickens & Katie Gell (hair & wig design). UK Casting is by Julia Horan CDG with US Casting by Alaine Alldaffer CSA, Lisa Donadio and Taylor Williams CSA. Stereophonic is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Seaview, Linden Productions and Ashley Melone & Nick Mills, and Playwrights Horizons: Adam Greenfield, Leslie Marcus and Carol Fishman. Up Up

Back to News & Press Tickets now on sale for The Ferryman at Broadway's Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Monday, 5 March 2018 Producers Sonia Friedman Productions and Neal Street Productions are pleased to confirm that tickets for the Broadway engagement of Jez Butterworth ’s acclaimed new play The Ferryman go on sale today (March 5th) at 10AM through www.telecharge.com . Directed by Sam Mendes , The Ferryman will begin previews Tuesday, October 2nd at Broadway’s Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th Street, New York) ahead of the opening night on Sunday, October 21st. Developed by Sonia Friedman Productions and produced with Neal Street Productions and The Royal Court Theatre , The Ferryman opened at The Royal Court in May 2017 to huge critical acclaim and was the fastest-selling play in the theater’s history. The sold-out show transferred to the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End, and will end its thrice-extended, year-long run on May 19, 2018. In London, The Ferryman received an extraordinary 24 five-star reviews. The production has won three 2017 Evening Standard Awards, including Best Play and Best Director; three 2018 Whatsonstage Awards, including Best New Play and Best Director; and was named the Best New Play at the 2018 Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. The Ferryman marks the first time Jez Butterworth and Sam Mendes have worked together on stage. They previously collaborated on Spectre and Skyfall from the James Bond franchise. Jez Butterworth’s acclaimed Broadway debut, Jerusalem received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Play. His other plays seen in New York include Mojo and The River . Butterworth has been called “arguably Britain’s most successful living playwright” (Time Out London ) and “a visionary fast becoming a theatrical great” (The Guardian ). Sam Mendes received the Academy Award for his direction of American Beauty . Mendes’ New York stage productions include Cabaret and The Blue Room on Broadway, and Richard III, As You Like It , The Tempest , The Cherry Orchard and The Winter’s Tale as part of the Bridge Project at BAM. The Ferryman ’s 30-plus member Broadway cast will be announced at a later date. The Ferryman is set in rural Northern Ireland in 1981. The Carney farmhouse is a hive of activity with preparations for the annual harvest. A day of hard work on the land and a traditional night of feasting and celebrations lie ahead. But this year they will be interrupted by a visitor. The Ferryman is designed by Rob Howell , with lighting by Peter Mumford , and sound and original music by Nick Powell . Other members of the Broadway creative team will be announced at a later date. The Ferryman is produced on Broadway by Sonia Friedman Productions & Neal Street Productions with Scott M. Delman, Ronald Frankel, Roy Furman, Rupert Gavin, Gavin Kalin Productions, Kallish Weinstein Creative, Ron Kastner, Scott Landis, Stephanie P. McClelland, Starry Night Entertainment, Tulchin Bartner Productions and 1001 Nights. TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets are now available at www.telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200 or 800-447-7400. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman Productions, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and HAMMER announce their new co-production The Haunting of Hill House Sunday, 28 June 2015 Sonia Friedman Productions is proud to announce the forthcoming production of The Haunting of Hill House at Liverpool Playhouse. The production is a collaboration with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and HAMMER to create the first major UK stage adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel, which became the legendary horror movie The Haunting in 1963. This stage version is adapted by Anthony Neilson (The Wonderful World of Dissocia, National Theatre Scotland; Realism, Edinburgh International Festival) and will be directed by Olivier and Tony Award nominee Melly Still (Coram Boy, Nation; National Theatre). An alternative theatre experience over the festive period, the 150-year-old Playhouse is the perfect setting for this terrifying psychological thriller. At Liverpool Playhouse from 7 December 2015 to 16 January 2016. Up Up

Back to News & Press Last chance to see critically acclaimed 1984 at the Playhouse Theatre Sunday, 9 August 2015 Sonia Friedman Productions, Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Tulchin Bartner Productions The Headlong, Nottingham Playhouse and Almeida Theatre five star production of 1984 must end its limited run at the Playhouse Theatre on 5 September 2015. Following hugely successful runs at the Almeida in the West End last year, two national tours and prior to a forthcoming international tour, 1984 has been revived to continued success at the Playhouse Theatre this summer. More than a third of the tickets for this year’s run (38%) have been sold at the accessible £19.84 price band. This ticket initiative was set up by the show's producers to encourage new audiences. As a result, 1984 has one of the youngest audiences in the West End. Since 1984’s first performance in 2013, 264,000 people have seen the show across 459 performances in 18 different venues across 3 countries. 1984 is adapted and directed by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan, and designed by Chloe Lamford, with lighting designed by Natasha Chivers, sound designed by Tom Gibbons and video designed by Tim Reid. George Orwell’s 1984, published in 1949, is one of the most influential novels in recent history, with its chilling depiction of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance and incessant public mind-control. Its ideas have become our ideas, and Orwell’s fiction is often said to be our reality. Filtering the spirit and the ambition of the novel through the lens of contemporary culture, this radical new staging explores surveillance culture, identity and thinking two plus two can equal five. Up Up