Back to News & Press The Sunshine Boys tickets for Neil Simon's classic comedy go on sale this Sunday Thursday, 18 July 2013 David Krumholtz joins Danny DeVito and Judd Hirsch in Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Sunshine Boys,” which goes on sale Sunday, July 21, 2013, at 11 a.m. at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre box office at the Los Angeles Music Center, through CTG’s Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 and online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org . Directed by Thea Sharrock, previews for “The Sunshine Boys” begin September 24, with the opening scheduled for October 2. Performances will continue through November 3. David Krumholtz is known for his vast array of characters over the many years, most notably in “Numb3rs” with Judd Hirsch (who played Krumholtz’s father). This summer he co-starred in the ensemble comedy “This Is the End,” and he recently starred in “Partners” and recurred on “The Newsroom.” Other TV includes “Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie” and “The Playboy Club.” Film credits include “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” “Superbad,” “Walk Hard,” “Bobby,” “Ray,” “Serenity,” “The Santa Clause 2,” “Slums of Beverly Hills,” “The Mexican,” “Sidewalks of New York,” “Scorched,” “Ten Things I Hate About You,” all three “Harold and Kumar” films and Barry Levinson’s acclaimed “Liberty Heights.” DeVito and Hirsch are reuniting on the Ahmanson stage 30 years after they both starred in the landmark television series “Taxi.” In “The Sunshine Boys,” Willie Clark (DeVito) and Al Lewis (Hirsch) are former vaudevillian stars who, after a partnership of over 40 years, are no longer speaking to each other. When Clark’s nephew, Ben (Krumholtz), gets a lucrative television offer for Lewis and Clark to give one last show, the two are lured into a grudging reunion and sparks fly in this classic comedy of showbiz and friendship. Up Up

Back to News & Press New York’s Lyric Theatre Marquee Takes Flight Ahead of the Broadway Premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two Wednesday, 28 February 2018 With a design by the production’s Set Designer Christine Jones and International Scenic Supervisor Brett J. Banakis , the building now features a 150 foot, 50,000 pound wing spanning from the theatre’s marquee up the side of the building. The iconic nest with child adorns the top of Lyric Theatre , overlooking 43rd Street. “It is a thrill to have the Lyric as a canvas, both inside and out, for our production,” said Christine Jones and Brett J. Banakis . “One of the many gifts the Lyric Theatre provided us is over 200 feet of frontage on 43rd street, which includes the beautiful historic facade of the original 1903 building. The producers tasked us with taking advantage of this expanse of space with a visual gesture that relates to the show and connects the old facade with the rest of the newer (1996) facade. We drew inspiration from the wing artwork from the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child poster art, and tried to translate that imagery into a large, metal installation on the side of the building, to serve as a beacon, a gathering spot, and a piece of public sculpture, here in the heart of Times Square.” Harry Potter and the Cursed Child begins preview performances on March 16, 2018 and the official opening is April 22, 2018 at the fully renovated Lyric Theatre . Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling , Jack Thorne and John Tiffany , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne , directed by John Tiffany . The production is one play presented in two parts. Both parts are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings, or each part can be seen separately. Up Up

Back to News & Press Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch to star in A Little Night Music on Broadway Sunday, 6 June 2010 A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC currently stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury, who will play their final performance on Sunday, June 20th. The production will be dark until performances resume on Tuesday, July 13th starring Bernadette Peters as Desirée Armfeldt and Elaine Stritch as Madame Armfeldt. In addition to Catherine Zeta-Jones as Desirée Armfeldt and Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt, the production also currently stars Alexander Hanson as Fredrik Egerman, Aaron Lazar as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, Erin Davie as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Leigh Ann Larkin as Petra, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka as Henrik Egerman and Ramona Mallory as Anne Egerman. The cast also includes Stephen R. Buntrock, Bradley Dean, Marissa McGowan, Katherine McNamara, Betsy Morgan, Jayne Paterson, Kevin David Thomas, Keaton Whittaker, Karen Murphy, Erin Stewart, Kevin Vortmann. Alexander Hanson is appearing with the support of Actors’ Equity Association. The producers gratefully acknowledge Actors’ Equity Association for its assistance to this production. Based on Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night, A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is set in a weekend country house in turn of the century Sweden, bringing together surprising liaisons, long simmering passions and a taste of love’s endless possibilities. Hailed as witty and wildly romantic, the story centers on the elegant actress Desirée Armfeldt and the spider’s web of sensuality, intrigue and desire that surrounds her. A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC – featuring a score by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler – originally opened in 1973 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre and ran for 601 performances. Produced and directed by Harold Prince, the production garnered six Tony Awards® including Best Musical and Best Original Score. The Sondheim score features one of the composer's best-known songs, “Send in the Clowns,” as well as “Every Day a Little Death,” “The Miller's Son” and “A Weekend in the Country.” Trevor Nunn’s production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC debuted to critical acclaim at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory in November 2008 and subsequently transferred to the West End where it played a successful limited engagement through July 25, 2009 at the Garrick Theatre. The first Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC began performances on November 24, 2009 and officially opened on December 13, 2009 at the Walter Kerr Theatre starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angela Lansbury and Alexander Hanson. The creative team for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC includes Lynne Page (Choreography), Caroline Humphris (Musical Supervision), David Farley (Set & Costume Design), Hartley T A Kemp (Lighting Design), Dan Moses Schreier and Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Paul Huntley (Wig Design), Jason Carr (Orchestrations) and Tom Murray (Musical Direction). A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is produced on Broadway by Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, The Menier Chocolate Factory, Roger Berlind, David Babani, Sonia Friedman Productions, Andrew Fell, Daryl Roth/Jane Bergère, Harvey Weinstein/Raise the Roof 3, Beverly Bartner/Dancap Productions, Inc., Nica Burns/Max Weitzenhoffer, Eric Falkenstein/Anna Czekaj, Jerry Frankel/Ronald Frankel, James D. Stern/Douglas L. Meyer. Up Up

Back to News & Press Toby Jones and Richard Armitage to star in Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre Tuesday, 24 September 2019 In the heat of summer, Sonya and her Uncle Vanya ( Toby Jones ) while away their days on a crumbling estate deep in the countryside, visited occasionally only by the local doctor Astrov ( Richard Armitage ). However, when Sonya’s father suddenly returns with his beautiful new wife declaring that he intends to sell the house, the polite facades crumble and repressed feelings start to emerge with devastating consequences. Olivier Award-winner Conor McPherson ’s stunning new adaptation of the Anton Chekhov masterpiece, Uncle Vanya , is a portrayal of life at the turn of the 20th century, full of tumultuous frustration, dark humour and hidden passions. Critically acclaimed director Ian Rickson returns to Chekhov for the first time since his landmark production of The Seagull in 2007, reuniting with BAFTA and Olivier Award-winner Toby Jones (The Birthday Party ) alongside Richard Armitage , who returns to the UK stage six years after his Olivier Award-nominated performance in The Crucible . Uncle Vanya is the eleventh collaboration between Ian Rickson and Sonia Friedman Productions , with previous productions including Rosmersholm , Jerusalem, The River , Betrayal and The Children’s Hour . Uncle Vanya is designed by Rae Smith , with lighting by Bruno Poet , music by Stephen Warbeck , sound by Ian Dickinson and casting by Amy Ball CDG . Full casting will be announced soon. British actor Toby Jones will play the title character of Uncle Vanya. He is known for his performances both in the theatre and on screen. Earlier this year he starred in Don’t Forget The Driver, a series he co-wrote with Tim Crouch for BBC Two. Toby has recently been cast in Louis Wain alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy and in The Sands of Venus . He has newly finished filming A Boy Called Christmas and The Last Thing He Wanted , written and directed by Oscar nominated Dee Rees. This Autumn Toby will return to the Royal Court Theatre in Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp ; four plays written by Caryl Churchill and directed by James Macdonald. He will also voice the role of The Reverend Chasuble for the animated adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost and can currently be seen in the Netflix prequel series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance . In 2018 Toby appeared in the revival of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party. He went on to star on screen in French comedy film Naked Normandy for Philippe le Gay, Lionsgate’s World War One Drama Journey’s End and the blockbuster, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom . Toby reprised his BAFTA-award winning role in the third and final season of the award-winning comedy series Detectorists . His other works include ‎ Infamous (Best British Actor, London Film Critics Circle Awards), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Oscar-nominated) and The Girl (BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy nominations). Toby also starred in Peter Strickland’s multi award-winning film Berberian Sound Studio . In 2014, Toby starred as the lead in the BBC Two BAFTA winning drama Marvellous, and in Matteo Garrone’s fantasy horror, Tale Of Tales . Further screen credits include; The Snowman , Kaleidoscope and Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or nominated film, Happy End . Atomic Blonde , Sherlock , Dad’s Army , The Secret Agent , The Witness For The Prosecution, Morgan , Wayward Pines , Capital , The Man Who Knew Infinity , The Hunger Games series, the Harry Potter series, Captain America: The First Avenger , Captain America: The Winter Soldier , Leave to Remain , Andrew Kotting’s By Ourselves , My Week With Marilyn , The Adventures Of Tintin, Frost/Nixon , W and The Painted Veil . Theatre credits include: Circle Mirror Transformation (Royal Court Theatre), The Painter (Arcola), Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre), Parlour Song (Almeida Theatre), Dumb Waiter and Other Pinter Pieces (Oxford Playhouse), Measure for Measure (with Complicite) (National Theatre), The Play What I Wrote ( winner: Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor) (West End/Broadway). The role of Astrov will be played by Richard Armitage. Richard is a multi-award-winning stage and screen actor best known for his role of Thorin in Peter Jackson's trilogy of The Hobbit and more recently as Daniel Miller in Epix Berlin Station , as well as Claude Becker in Oceans 8 . Armitage also voices Trevor Belmont in the Netflix series Castlevania & Logan in Marvel’s Wolverine podcast. Richard recently shot independent The Lodge , directed by Severin Fiala & Veronika Franz which premiered at Sundance, and was just in Toronto where he was promoting independent feature My Zoe , written and directed by Julie Delpy. Armitage has just wrapped shooting the lead in serialized thriller The Stranger for Netflix/Red Productions. Written by Harlan Coben, based on Coben’s #1 New York Times best-selling novel of the same name. In theatre, Richard is well known for his critically acclaimed performance as John Proctor in The Crucible at the Old Vic Theatre. He was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance. Richard’s leading role in the Off-Broadway play, Love Love Love directed by Michael Mayer also garnered critical acclaim. Conor McPherson's plays include Rum & Vodka , The Good Thief , This Lime Tree Bower , St Nicholas , The Weir (Olivier Award, directed by Ian Rickson), Dublin Carol , Port Authority , Shining City (Tony Award nomination), The Seafarer (Olivier, Tony and Evening Standard Award nominations), The Veil , The Night Alive (New York Drama Critics' Circle Award), and most recently, the Olivier Award-winning musical, Girl from the North Country , with Bob Dylan. Ian Rickson was the Artistic Director of the Royal Court from 1998 to 2006, where he directed The River (also Broadway) Jerusalem (also West End and Broadway), The Winterling , The Night Heron and Mojo (also Chicago), all by Jez Butterworth; Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen and This is a Chair by Caryl Churchill; Dublin Carol and The Weir by Conor McPherson (also Dublin, Chicago, West End and Broadway); The Seagull by Anton Chekhov (also Broadway); Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett; Alice Trilogy by Tom Murphy; The Sweetest Swing in Baseball and Boy Gets Girl by Rebecca Gilman; Fallout by Roy Williams; Mouth to Mouth by Kevin Elyot; The Lights by Howard Korder; Pale Horse and Some Voices by Joe Penhall; Ashes and Sand by Judy Upton and Killers by Adam Pernak. In the West End, Rickson has directed Edward Albee’s The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Rosmersholm (The Duke of York’s Theatre); The Birthday Party , Old Times, Betrayal and The Children’s Hour (all at the Harold Pinter Theatre); and at the National Theatre, Translations by Brian Friel, Evening at the Talk House by Wallace Shawn, The Red Lion by Patrick Marber, The Hothouse by Harold Pinter and The Day I Stood Still by Kevin Elyot. Productions at the Old Vic include Electra by Sophocles. Productions at the Young Vic include The Nest , Now We Are Here and Hamlet . Productions at The Almeida Theatre include Against by Christopher Shinn and Parlour Song by Jez Butterworth. Work on screen includes Fallout (Company Pictures for Channel 4) and Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett (BBC4) and on radio In Therapy (BBC Radio 4). Rickson also works with PJ Harvey and Kate Tempest on their music and poetry shows. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman Productions wins four Tony Awards for Matthew Lopez's The Inheritance Sunday, 26 September 2021 At the 74th Tony Awards ceremony last night at the Winter Garden Theatre, Sonia Friedman Productions - alongside co-producing partners Tom Kirdahy and Hunter Arnold , won four Tony Awards for The Inheritance – Best Play for Matthew Lopez , Best Direction of a Play for Stephen Daldry , Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Andrew Burnap , and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Lois Smith – becoming the oldest performer to win a Tony Award for acting. This marks the 3rd consecutive win in the Best Play category for SFP, with previous wins for Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman (2019) and Jack Thorne’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (2018) – mirroring the Olivier Award of each preceding year. Sonia Friedman said today, “Last night’s Tony Awards was an extraordinary event that heralded the return of Broadway and live performance following the devastating 18 month shut down due to the global pandemic. It was an honour and a privilege to share in that moment here in London, with Matthew Lopez’s extraordinary play The Inheritance , which meant so much to so many, winning four Tony Awards – Best Play for Matthew, Best Direction of a Play for Stephen and much deserved acting nods for Lois and Andrew. A big thank you to all who voted for the production, and congratulations to all the fellow nominees for their incredible work. “It also marked a moment for us at SFP with our productions winning the Best Play Award for the 3rd consecutive time following Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and The Ferryman . The achievement is testament to the hard work, dedication and resilience of our team, and our amazing investors, without whom none of this would be possible.” The Inheritance originally opened at the Young Vic Theatre in March 2018, before transferring to the Noël Coward Theatre in September 2018, winning a host of awards, including the Evening Standard Award, Critics’ Circle Award, WhatsOnStage and Olivier Award for Best New Play, as well as the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. The production opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on 17 November 2019, with previews from 27 September, closing on 12 March 2020 when theatres closed in New York, receiving a total of 11 Tony Award nominations. Up Up

Back to News & Press More tickets released for Bend it Like Beckham! Friday, 27 March 2015 Taking sales at the Phoenix Theatre to 24 October 2015. London previews begin on 15 May 2015 with opening night on 24 June 2015. Jess needs extra time. She is facing the most important decision of her life: live up to family expectations of university, career and marriage, or follow in the footsteps of her hero David Beckham. When the talented teenager is spotted playing football in Southall, a world of unexpected opportunities opens up before her. But as her sister’s traditional Indian wedding approaches, can she keep her family happy and still follow her dreams? Bend It Like Beckham is a joyous new British musical about where we are now. Featuring an original score with a Punjabi kick, it brings a unique cultural fusion of musical theatre to the stage for the first time. This reimagining of the much-loved hit film sees generations, cultures and communities brought together in this joyous and uplifting story about bending the rules and scoring that deciding goal. Opening week’s ticket prices for Bend It Like Beckham are £15 - £49.50 with some ‘Book It Like Beckham’ seats at £15 each in prime positions throughout the house. For group bookings there is a 5-a-side rate of £49.50 per ticket and an 11-a-side rate of £39.50. Natalie Dew will play football crazy Jess with Lauren Samuels as Jules, a player with the Harriers, a local women’s football team, and Jamie Campbell Bower as their coach Joe. Sophie-Louise Dann now plays the role of Paula with Jamal Andréas as Jess’ good friend Tony. Preeya Kalidas plays Pinky, Jess’ sister, with Tony Jayawardena and Natasha Jayetileke as her parents, Mr and Mrs Bhamra. Sohm Kapila, Buckso Dhillon-Woolley and Harveen Mann play Aunties, Irvine Iqbal and Karl Seth play Uncles, with Sejal Keshwala, Serina Mathew and Sharan Phull as Cousins. Rakesh Boury, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Tom Millen, Daniel Bolton play footballers, with Teetu played by Raj Bajaj. The Harriers are played by Michelle Bishop, Lisa Bridge, Chloe Chambers, Genesis Lynea, Kirstie Skivington and Danielle Young. Rekha Sawhney and Shahid Khan are the production’s Indian Heritage Singers. They are accompanied by swings Kayleigh McKnight and Leanne Pinder. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, with original music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by Charles Hart, Bend It Like Beckham has a new book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha; choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins; set design by Miriam Buether; costume design by Katrina Lindsay; lighting design by Neil Austin; sound design by Richard Brooker; musical direction by Nigel Lilley and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra. Bend It Like Beckham is produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions, Deepak Nayar Productions and Bend It Films. On film, the British comedy drama Bend It Like Beckham starred Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis and Archie Panjabi, and was released in 2002, directed by Gurinder Chadha and written by Gurinder Chadha, Guljit Bindra and Paul Mayeda Berges. Following the international release of Bend It Like Beckham the film, produced by Deepak Nayar and Gurinder Chadha, went on to win multiple awards worldwide. Up Up

Back to News & Press BRITISH VOGUE: Mad About The Bear: An Afternoon with Paddington, The New Toast of the West End Friday, 28 November 2025 Original article here . In a world of lovable, smarter than your average bears – Yogi, Pooh, Baloo – none have endured in the public imagination quite like the marmalade-guzzling Peruvian, Paddington. You already know this, but “the bear” (as he’s known to close friends) arrived by boat, a tiny suitcase-wielding refugee from “darkest Peru” in Michael Bond’s 1958 inaugural Paddington adventure. Readers (and his adoptive family, the Browns) were asked to “Please look after this bear”. The British public – and latterly, it seems, the entire planet – happily obliged. After nearly seven decades in London, multiple books and three films, Paddington Brown (he took his adopters’ name) is a British institution. Now he has made his West End debut in a musical extravaganza (and sure-fire instant classic) at the Savoy Theatre. In between shows and meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales backstage at the Royal Variety Performance, he found time to pop into The Savoy hotel to be photographed for Vogue in its Royal Suite (“only the best for the bear” is what the hotel told Vogue ’s features desk). Paddington is less anthropomorphic bear, more a safe space for our adult psyches, a bastion of naivety, guileless optimism and resilience. Whatever the year or state of things, he will always inhabit a comforting world where neighbours are neighbourly and umbrellas are a cumbersome commitment, where boiled sweets are sold in imperial measures and it’s always somehow time for a polite afternoon tea (never a boozy dinner). Bar a few disapproving hard stares at people who’ve irked him, Paddington is a distinctly unproblematic slice of British life – the Royal Mail without the delays, Blue Peter where no one was ever fired for bingeing drugs. He is a PR dream who’s never got his paws dirty – he’s never had a grotty Sunday red-top splash, ne’er been embroiled in a scandal that needed spinning, nor an apology written on the Notes app. He is an emblem of liberal Britishness – inclusive, culturally diverse and accepting, the poster boy for immigrants making good – and an emblem for the arguably more toxic, flag-shagging Britishness that wants to stop the boats. Paddington is an escorting-the-queen-to-heaven illustration of blindly patriotic near-jingoism as well as a sanctuary for yummy mummies smearing marmalade on their children’s wholegrain Waitrose bread. That is to say, in these polarising, bordered and territorial times, Paddington’s allure crosses political, social and generational divides – from war vets to toddlers, from grannies to graduates, from fledglings to fashionistas. Where Pooh’s rotundity doesn’t allow for trousers, Paddington’s blue duffle is a mainstay of British design, a bare necessity for drizzly London. It’s woven through with the restrained practicality that’s come to define British values – we are sensible, we are unshowy, we endure. We’re able to find the frightfully romantic in plain felted wool. The coat is a romanticised childhood personified, reminiscent of the evacuees on which Bond based Paddington’s character, and an everlasting classic like the bear himself. Who among us would pooh-pooh a stay-at-home parent toggling us into a cosy overcoat with a pocketful of marmalade sarnies nestled in greaseproof and string? Pads’ duffle is a girl-friendly, dad-friendly, snowball fight-friendly coat. It got him across the Atlantic, it will get you through rush hour. Is his appeal nostalgic? Certainly. But Paddington remains the right side of saccharine, swerving the sentimental. His origin story might feel distant, but his life is a contemporary reassurance – nobody stopped his boat, our embrace of him could not be any more open-armed. He epitomises the cultural richness of immigration and embodies the unquestionable modernity of any immigrant thriving in London. In the grand heritage of It girls , Paddington has that affable quality that transcends the sum of his square parts. It’s not just the coat. It’s not just the hat. It’s not just the feeling of deep-rooted Britishness. Paddington is an It bear. Pass the marmalade sandwiches. Up Up

Back to News & Press 24 Olivier Award Nominations for Sonia Friedman Productions Monday, 10 March 2014 The nominations for The Olivier Awards 2014 with MasterCard – the most prestigious event in the UK’s theatrical calendar – were announced today (Monday 10 March) by Nigel Harman and Leigh Zimmerman with the full list of nominations available below and online at www.olivierawards.com . New musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along lead the list with seven nominations, followed by the Best New Musical nominees Once, The Book of Mormon and The Scottsboro Boys each receiving six nominations. A good year for the Almeida is marked with ten nominations including two in the Best New Play category for Chimerica and 1984, and a Best Revival nomination for Ghosts. In the coveted categories of Best Actor and Best Actress, Jude Law and Judi Dench receive nominations for their performances in Henry V and Peter and Alice respectively, both part of the successful Michael Grandage Season at the Noël Coward Theatre, which receives four acting nominations in total. They compete with Tom Hiddleston, Henry Goodman and Rory Kinnear for Best Actor, and Anna Chancellor, Lesley Manville and Hayley Atwell for Best Actress. The Best New Comedy category makes a welcome return with original productions The Duck House, The Full Monty, Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense and The Same Deep Water As Me all vying for the award. Women dominate the Best Director category with Maria Friedman (Merrily We Roll Along), Susan Stroman (The Scottsboro Boys) and Lyndsey Turner (Chimerica) up against Richard Eyre for his staging of Ghosts. The highly anticipated shortlist for the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award – the only Olivier Award voted for by the public – is Matilda The Musical, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. Contemporary dance is strongly represented with nominations split between the Royal Opera House, the Barbican and Sadler’s Wells. Notable opera nominations include Les Vĕpres Siciliennes at the Royal Opera House and English National Opera’s new staging of Berg’s Wozzeck up for Best New Opera Production. English Touring Opera and the Royal Opera House are both nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Nominations for the Affiliate category cover the breadth of London with Theatre Royal Stratford East and the Bush Theatre competing against the Soho Theatre and the Tricycle Theatre for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. The star-studded 2014 Olivier Awards ceremony will take place at the Royal Opera House on Sunday 13 April with a full television highlights package broadcast on ITV later that evening. MasterCard will make tickets for the 2014 ceremony available to the public on Monday 10 March at www.pricelesslondon.co.uk . Mark Rubinstein, President of the Society of London Theatre, said: “Congratulations to all of this year’s Olivier Award nominees whose incredible talents lit up the West End and contributed to another record-breaking year. Thank you to MasterCard and all of our sponsors for ensuring the Olivier Awards are such a tremendous celebration of London theatre.” Paul Trueman, Head of Marketing, MasterCard UK & Ireland, commented: “We are delighted once again to be supporting the Oliver Awards. Through this partnership we will be surprising and delighting theatre fans with Priceless experiences that bring them closer to their passion and the 2014 Olivier Awards and from today, tickets for the night are available on www.pricelesslondon.co.uk . Our support of London theatre continues after the Oliver Awards with the West End Live weekend in June and our work with independent theatre shows through the year. For more information on how to be part of our Priceless experiences, please follow @MasterCardUK.” To keep up with the latest Olivier Awards news and engage with the Awards online visit Facebook.com/olivierawards, Twitter and Instagram @OlivierAwards #oliviers. Up Up

Back to News & Press Dreamgirls will commence its first ever tour of the UK in December 2021 Wednesday, 21 April 2021 A full tour schedule and booking links can be found at dreamgirlsthemusical.co.uk . Featuring the classic songs ‘And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’ , this sensational, multi-award winning production of Dreamgirls had its critically acclaimed West End Premiere in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway. Meet The Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Join the three friends as they embark upon a musical rollercoaster ride through a world of fame, fortune and the ruthless realities of show business, testing their friendships to the very limit. As previously announced, Nicole Raquel Dennis will play the role of Effie White in the UK tour of Dreamgirls . Her London stage credits include Alana Beck in the original West End cast of Dear Evan Hansen (BBTA winner – Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), the original West End cast of Waitress (Adelphi Theatre), The Book Of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre) and Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre). A finalist on ITV’s The Voice in 2019, Nicole Raquel Dennis wowed viewers and judges at her blind audition, performing Dreamgirls mega-hit ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’ alongside team mentor Jennifer Hudson. Hudson won an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress) for her portrayal of Effie White in the 2006 Oscar-winning motion picture adaptation of Dreamgirls which also starred Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. Nicole Raquel Dennis will play the role of Effie White in the Dreamgirls UK tour at certain performances with further casting to be announced soon. This award winning production is Directed and Choreographed by Olivier® and Tony® Award winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon , Mean Girls , Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten!), with Set and Costume Design by Tim Hatley , Lighting Design by Hugh Vanstone , Sound Design by Richard Brooker , Hair Design by Josh Marquette and Music Supervision by Nick Finlow . With Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen and Music by Henry Krieger , with Additional Material by Willie Reale , the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls was Directed by Michael Bennett who Co-Choreographed the show with Michael Peters . The production opened in 1981 and subsequently won six Tony® Awards with the original cast recording winning two Grammy® Awards for Best Musical Album and Best Vocal Performance for Jennifer Holliday’s ‘And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.’ The Original London Cast Recording of hit West End musical Dreamgirls is available via Sony Masterworks Broadway. The UK and Ireland tour of Dreamgirls is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions , Greenleaf Productions, Fakston Productions, Rupert Gavin/Mallory Factor, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Griffin Dohr in association with 1001 Nights Productions, Steven Rivellino. The show’s opening is subject to the government allowing indoor performances to begin with sufficient notice, understanding what restrictions on social distancing and audience attendance caps are imposed, the public health status, and the availability of insurance cover either from the market or more likely from a government indemnity scheme. Up Up

Back to News & Press Louis McCartney to reprise his award-winning performance as 'Henry Creel' on Broadway in the Olivier Award-winning theatrical event Stranger Things: The First Shadow Thursday, 24 October 2024 Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions are thrilled to announce that Louis McCartney will reprise his award-winning, universally acclaimed performance as ‘Henry Creel’ in the Olivier Award-winning, “mega five-star hit” (Sunday Times) theatrical event STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW , which will mark his Broadway debut. Louis McCartney made his professional stage debut originating the role of ‘Henry Creel’ in the West End production of STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW , which earned him The Stage 2024 Debut Award for Best Performer in a Play and the Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Newcomer. His titanic performance was heralded as “excellent” by Time Out, “spellbinding” by the Daily Telegraph and “one of the most breathtaking debut performances in the West End” by Deadline. Louis McCartney will play his final performance in the West End production of STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW on Sunday, November 10, 2024. Director Stephen Daldry and Co-Director Justin Martin said, “Louis is an astonishing actor, and we are unbelievably proud of the incredible life he has breathed into the role of Henry Creel onstage in the West End. From the moment we first met him, we knew he was special, and we are thrilled that Broadway audiences will have the opportunity to witness his extraordinary performance.” Additional casting will be announced at a later date. STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW will begin performances Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre (210 West 46th Street). Based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers , Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry , and rooted in the mythology and world of the Netflix global phenomenon, STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW is a new play written by Kate Trefry , directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin . Before the world turned upside down. Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy…and the shadows of the past have a very long reach. From Netflix and the multi-award-winning Broadway producer Sonia Friedman Productions comes STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW. Winner of two Olivier Awards including Best Entertainment, this landmark production is brought to life by an award-winning creative team including director Stephen Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot, The Inheritance, The Hours, The Reader) and co-director Justin Martin (Prima Facie, The Inheritance). With stunning special effects, extraordinary performances, and a storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this gripping, stand-alone adventure will take you right back to the beginnings of the Stranger Things story. Tickets are now on sale at www.StrangerThingsBroadway.com and start at $86. Up Up

Back to News & Press Sunny Afternoon extends to October 2016 Thursday, 19 May 2016 Due to public demand, the multi-Olivier award-winning hit British musical SUNNY AFTERNOON has announced another extension to its West End run, until 29 October 2016. The extension will take the show’s West End run past the two year mark. This summer will also see the 50th anniversary of the release of The Kinks’ hit single Sunny Afternoon, which was released on 3 June 1966 and reached Number One on 7 July 1966 – just as England were winning the football World Cup. To mark this anniversary, 50 top price tickets for every performance in July will be on sale for £19.66. The critically-acclaimed new musical tells the story of the early life of Ray Davies and the rise to stardom of The Kinks. It has established itself as a firm favourite with audiences and critics alike since it opened at the Harold Pinter Theatre in October 2014, and it begins a UK tour at the Opera House, Manchester, on 19 August 2016. Ray Davies said: "I am delighted that Sunny Afternoon is extending in the West End and starting the national tour, playing many of the same venues The Kinks played on the road. Every time I visit the West End show I see people discovering it for the first time with the performances going from strength to strength.” Danny Horn (Doctor Who; The Dead Dogs) plays Ray Davies, with Oliver Hoare (Antony and Cleopatra, Chichester) as Dave Davies, Tom Whitelock (Times Square Angel, Union) as bassist Pete Quaife and Damien Walsh (Dreamboats and Petticoats) as drummer Mick Avory. At certain performances, the role of Ray Davies will be played by Ryan O’Donnell (Romeo and Juliet, RSC; Quadrophenia). Full cast: Jason Baughan, Niamh Bracken, Christopher Brandon, Harriet Bunton, Alice Cardy, Oliver Hoare, Danny Horn, Gillian Kirkpatrick, Megan Leigh Mason, Jay Marsh, Ryan O’Donnell, Stephen Pallister, Charlie Tighe, Gabriel Vick, Damien Walsh and Tom Whitelock. Understudies: Alice Cardy, Lia Given, Lloyd Gorman, Vicki Manser, Kay Milbourne, Nick Sayce, Robert Took, Alex Tosh, Robbie White. Sunny Afternoon was the best performing show at the 2015 Olivier Awards, winning four awards. The production won Best New Musical, Ray Davies won for Outstanding Achievement in Music, John Dagleish won Best Actor in a Musical and George Maguire won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. Fifty years ago this year, The Kinks were sitting at Number One in the UK charts with their single ‘Sunny Afternoon’. The band’s popularity has not faded since the 1960s, with crowds of all ages filling the Harold Pinter Theatre night after night. Featuring some of The Kinks’ best-loved songs, including You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset and Lola, Sunny Afternoon shows the music of The Kinks is still as popular as ever, more than 50 years since the band’s rise to fame. Following a sold-out run at Hampstead Theatre, this world premiere production, with music and lyrics by Ray Davies, new book by Joe Penhall, original story by Ray Davies, direction by Edward Hall, design by Miriam Buether and choreography by Adam Cooper, opened at the Harold Pinter theatre on 28 October 2014. Lighting is by Rick Fisher, sound by Matt McKenzie and the Musical Supervisor and Musical Director is Elliott Ware. Up Up

Back to Productions BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM This production began performances on 15th May 2015 and closed on 5th March 2016. ★★★★★ Irresistible. An end to end joy. Wonderfully life-affirming Daily Mail Jess needs extra time. She is facing the most important decision of her life: live up to family expectations of university, career and marriage, or follow in the footsteps of her hero David Beckham. When the talented teenager is spotted playing football in Southall, a world of unexpected opportunities opens up before her. But as her sister’s traditional Indian wedding approaches, can she keep her family happy and still follow her dreams? ★★★★★ The best British musical in years. A premier league triumph. Exhilarating. Sunday Express Bend It Like Beckham is a joyous new British musical about where we are now. Featuring an original score with an Indian kick, it brings a unique cultural fusion of musical theatre to the stage for the first time. This reimagining of the much-loved hit film sees generations, cultures and communities brought together in this joyous and uplifting story about bending the rules and scoring that deciding goal. Gurinder Chadha directs the world premiere of the new British stage musical Bend It Like Beckham. With original music by Howard Goodall a nd lyrics by Charles Hart , Bend It Like Beckham has a new book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha ; choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins ; set design by Miriam Buether ; costume design by Katrina Lindsay ; lighting design by Neil Austin ; sound design by Richard Brooker ; musical direction by Nigel Lilley and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra . Sonia Friedman Productions , Deepak Nayar Productions , Bend It Films , Fischer & Vaswani Prodcutions , Tanya Link Productions & Zeilinger Productions , Lost Marbles & Two Way Split , Delman Jacobson , Doit M&E India and Reliance Entertainment present “BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM”. ★★★★★ Joyous. Gorgeous score. Witty lyrics. Exhilarating choreography. An uplifting celebration of multi-cultural Britain The Independent CAST NATALIE DEW – Jess LAUREN SAMUELS – Jules JAMIE CAMPBELL BOWER – Jor SOPHIE-LOUISE DANN – Paula JAMAL ANDRÉAS – Tony PREEYA KALIDAS – Pinky TONYJAYAWARDENA – Mr Bhamra NATASHA JAYETILEKE – Mrs Bhamra SOHM KAPILA – Aunty BUCKSO DHILLON-WOOLLEY – Aunty HARVEEN MANN – Aunty IRVINE IQBAL – Uncle KARL SETH – Uncle SEJAL KESHWALA – Cousin SERINA MATHEW – Cousin SHARAN PHULL – Cousin RAKESH BOURY – Footballer JORELL COIFFIC-KAMALL – Footballer TOM MILLEN – Footballer DANIEL BOLTON – Footballer RAJ BAJAJ – Teetu KIRSTIE SKIVINGTON – Harrier MICHELLE BISHOP – Harrier CHLOE CHAMBERS – Harrier DANIELLE YOUNG – Harrier LISA BRIDGE – Harrier GENESIS LYNEA – Harrier KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT – Swing REKHA SAWHNEY – Heritage Singer SHAHID KHAN – Heritage Singer CREATIVES HOWARD GOODALL – Music CHARLES HART – Lyrics PAUL MAYEDA BERGES AND GURINDER CHADHA – Book GURINDER CHADHA – Director ALETTA COLLINS – Choreography/Musical Staging MIRIAM BUETHER – Set Designer KATRINA LINDSAY – Costume Designer NEIL AUSTIN – Lighting Designer RICHARD BROOKER – Sound Designer NIGEL LILLEY – Musical Director HOWARD GOODALL AND KULJIT BHAMRA – Orchestrations