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Back to News & Press Finalist scripts announced for the Women's Prize for Playwriting 2021 Wednesday, 19 January 2022 The Prize is designed to celebrate and support exceptional playwrights who identify as female by providing them with a national platform. The Prize is awarded to a full-length play (defined as over 60 minutes in length), written in English, and the winning playwright wins £12,000. The Prize is sponsored by Samuel French Ltd , a Concord Theatricals company, who are the official publishing partner of the prize. The founding sponsor of the Prize was PER People . In its inaugural year two First Prizes of £12,000 were awarded. Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me by Amy Trigg premiered at Kiln Theatre to critical acclaim in May 2021, directed by Charlotte Bennett. An audio version was produced by Audible the following month. You Bury Me by Ahlam, directed by Katie Posner, had a staged reading at the Lyceum Theatre in August as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. Ellie Keel , Founder Director of The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, today said, “'I couldn't be more proud of this list and the writers on it. The Women's Prize for Playwriting is above all an adventure, and these plays embody that spirit of adventure, challenge, and artistry in a glorious and exciting way. Here we are, hopefully coming to the end of the pandemic and easing into a period of recovery, and I know that all of these plays are worthy of enriching this new phase and being amazing pieces of theatre for audiences in the UK and Ireland .” Katie Posner and Charlotte Bennett , joint Artistic Directors of Paines Plough, added, “From 850 to 8 plays, we are so excited to share the finalists for this year’s Women’s Prize for Playwriting. The plays couldn’t be more different - each transport you to another world full of characters you can love and loathe, ideas that push the boundaries of your imagination and stories that stay with you for a long time afterwards. We can’t wait to celebrate these incredible women with our phenomenal judging panel” Jessica McVay , Emily Carewe and Charlie Lees-Massey from 45North said, “We are thrilled to platform this incredible selection of finalist scripts for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2021. They are representative of the unique, electrifying, and diverse voices of female writers in our industry, and we cannot wait to see them all on large stages across the UK. ” The judges for this year’s Prize are Arifa Akbar , Mel Kenyon (Chair), Lucy Kirkwood , Jasmine Lee-Jones , Winsome Pinnock , Indhu Rubasingham , Jenny Sealey , Nina Steiger , Nicola Walker and Jodie Whittaker . The list of finalist are: MOUNTAIN WARFARE by Abi Zakarian Birdie by Alison Carr A Bouffon Play About Hong Kong by Isabella Leung FURIES by Isley Lynn Consumed by Karis Kelly upright enuf by lydia luke 4 Decades by Paula B Stanic HOW I LEARNED TO SWIM by Somebody Jones The winner(s) will be announced at a ceremony in London in early March. More details about each of the writers can be found on www.womensprizeforplaywriting.co.uk Twitter: @WomensPlayPrize Up Up

Back to Productions MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG – DIGITAL Cinema screenings took place in the UK in October 2013, and in early 2014 in the United States. ★★★★★ It is, make no mistake, one of the great musical productions of this or any era. The Independent The production was filmed by Digital Theatre and distributed by Cinema Live in the UK, and SpectiCast and Fathom Events in the US. The film was released in more than 1000 cinemas around the world, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands, Russia, and the United States. Merrily We Roll Along was the first Digital Theatre film to be screened in the United States. The one-night-only screening took place on October 23, 2013. The screening was sold out in advance, and late-night screenings were added to help meet the demand for tickets. Starting in December 2013, Digital Theatre made the film available for digital download for almost a year. On October 22, 2014, Digital Theatre held a “final online global watchalong,” encouraging viewers to share the viewing experience by tweeting with the hashtag #MerrilyOnScreen. After the global online screening, the film was removed from the site. ★★★★★ Maria Friedman’s glorious revival, rightly transferred to the West End. The Daily Telegraph Set over three decades in the entertainment business Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between three friends Franklin, Mary and Charley. Starting in 1980 and travelling backwards in time, this powerful and moving story features some of Sondheim’s most beautiful songs including ‘Good Thing Going’, ‘Not a Day Goes By’ and ‘Old Friends’. ★★★★★ The most intelligent, gripping, brilliant musical in town, perfectly realised. Anyone with a heart should come out reeling. The Times CAST MARK UMBERS – Franklin Shepard DAMIAN HUMBLEY – Charley Kringas JENNA RUSSELL – Mary Flynn CLARE FOSTER – Beth Spencer JOSEFINA GABRIELLE – Gussie Carnegie GLYN KERSLAKE – Joe Josephson ZIZI STRALLEN – Meg MATTHEW BARROW – Ensemble MARTIN CALLAGHAN – Ensemble AMANDA MINIHAN – Ensemble AMY ELLEN RICHARDSON – Ensemble ROBBIE SCOTCHER – Ensemble CREATIVES GEORGE FURTH – Book STEPHEN SONDHEIM – Lyrics and Music MARIA FRIEDMAN – Director CATHERINE JAYES – Musical Director JONATHAN TUNICK – Orchestrations TIM JACKSON – Choreographer SOUTRA GILMOUR – Designer DAVID HERSEY – Lighting Designer GARETH OWEN – Sound Designer

Back to Productions KING OF HEARTS This production began performances on 28th February and closed on 31st March 2007. The handsome young heir to the throne is in love. His fiancee is attractive, intelligent, cultured – and a Muslim. Suddenly it’s not only the future of the Royal Family under question but the very identity of Britain itself, as a panicked Prime Minister grapples with the possibility of a Muslim monarchy. Princess Di, Wallis Simpson – why is it always affairs of the heart that send the Windsors into meltdown? In Alistair Beaton ’s delicious new satire, love, politics and royalty collide to hilarious effect. CAST ZAHRA AHMADI CHRISTIAN BRASSINGTON ALISTER CAMERON TOBY DANTZIC CAROLINE LONCQ RODDY MAUDE-ROXBY ANTHONY O'DONNELL JEFF RAWLE BEN RIGHTON JUSTIN SALINGER CREATIVES ALISTAIR BEATON – Playwright MAX STAFFORD-CLARK & RAMIN GRAY – Directors TIM SHORTALL – Designer JOHANNA TOWN – Lighting Designer IAN DICKINSON – Sound Designer

Back to News & Press Shifters, Bush Theatre's smash hit play by Benedict Lombe and directed by Lynette Linton, transfers to the West End this summer Thursday, 20 June 2024 Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Chuchu Nwagu Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions today announce that the Bush Theatre’s production of Shifters , Benedict Lombe’s intoxicating and fierce new romance will transfer to the West End this summer following a sell- out run at the Bush Theatre earlier this year. Heather Agyepong (School Girls; or The African Mean Girls Play, Lyric Hammersmith) and Tosin Cole (Netflix’s Supacell, BBC’s Doctor Who ), whose electrifying performances received critical acclaim in the original production, will reprise their roles as young lovers Des and Dre for a strictly limited season of nine weeks at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London directed by BAFTA-nominated and Evening Standard Theatre Award-winner Lynette Linton (Blues for An Alabama Sky , National Theatre; Clyde’s Donmar; August in England , Bush Theatre). Press Night on Wednesday 21 August 2024. Previews are from Monday 12 August and tickets from £20 go on general sale at 9am on Thursday 20 June 2024, with 50% of tickets for the first four weeks available at £40 or under. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience the production from the intimacy of the stage with on-stage seating for every performance. This epic and universal love story is about the enduring power of memory and young love. Meet Dre and Des, they are young, gifted, Black. He stayed. She left. Years later they come crashing back into each other’s lives, carrying new secrets and old scars. Caught in the space between memory and reality, they struggle to navigate the shifting borders that threaten to rewrite their past and reshape their future. Shifters’ transfer to the Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London marks a ground- breaking moment for Benedict Lombe who follows in the footsteps of Natasha Gordon (Nine Night) and Yasmin Joseph (J’Ouvert ) as the third Black British female playwright to have her play staged in the history of the West End. Benedict Lombe (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize-winner for Lava , 2022, Bush Theatre) comments: "Shifters’ transfer is a big moment. Our dreamy, tender, unrepentantly romantic show about two lost souls finding a connection that can't be forgotten was a hit with Bush audiences. Now we get to recreate our magic on a bigger stage! I hope what Shifters does – as well as invite new audiences to fall in love with Des and Dre – is accelerate the pace for the next wave of Black British female playwrights in the West End.” Director and Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre Lynette Linton said: ”We're incredibly proud that Shifters is moving from the Bush to the West End - our second transfer this year. At the Bush we’re all about supporting writers to build sustainable careers, and we’ve loved working with Benedict over three commissions. Benedict writes dialogue and romance in a way that no one else can, and it is my privilege to get to direct her words and reunite with Heather and Tosin. We are so excited to tell this story of Black love on such a big platform - I can't wait for audiences to discover the beauty in this tender, funny and relatable show that is the perfect summer romance.” Heather Agyepong comments: “Shows written by Black British women or plays centering two dark skin leads often don’t reach West End stages so it really feels like we’re part of a legacy. Our stories in all their nuance and beauty have always mattered but it’s great to be on a bigger platform to allow them to shine a little brighter.” Tosin Cole adds: “It’s an honour to have Shifters transfer to the West End. I’m really excited for a second chance to tell this amazing story and to work with this group of talented people again.” Set and Costume Design by Alex Berry , Lighting Design by Neil Austin , Sound Design by Tony Gayle , Composition by Xana , Movement and Intimacy Direction by Shelley Maxwell , Production Dramaturg is Deirdre O’Halloran , Voice Coach is Joel Trill and Casting by Heather Basten CDG . Shifters was originally commissioned by Bush Theatre, supported by Jerwood Foundation. For more information and to book, click here. Up Up

Back to News & Press Complete Casting Announced for the Broadway Transfer of The Ferryman Wednesday, 5 September 2018 As previously announced, The Ferryman ’s 30+ member cast will feature most of the play’s acclaimed London cast members on the Broadway stage, including Paddy Considine in his stage debut as Quinn Carney, Laura Donnelly as Caitlin Carney, and Genevieve O’Reilly as Mary Carney. The cast will also include Dean Ashton , Glynis Bell , Gina Costigan , Charles Dale , Justin Edwards , Fra Fee , Fionnula Flanagan , Tom Glynn-Carney , Stuart Graham , Mark Lambert , Carla Langley , Conor MacNeill , Colin McPhillamy , Rob Malone , Dearbhla Molloy , Glenn Speers , and Niall Wright . Rounding out the company are Audrey Bennett , Peter Bradbury , Trevor Harrison Braun , Will Coombs , Carly Gold , Holly Gould , Matilda Lawler , Michael McArthur , Bella May Mordus , Griffin Osbourne , and Brooklyn Shuck . Four babies, who join the cast to rotate in the role of Bobby Carney, will be announced at a later date. For cast bios, ticketing details, and other information about The Ferryman, please visit www.theferrymanbroadway.com . 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 theatre’s history. The sold-out show transferred to the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End, and ended its thrice-extended, year-long run on May 19, 2018. In London, The Ferryman received an extraordinary 24 five-star reviews. The production won three 2018 Olivier Awards, including Best New Play (marking Jez Butterworth ’s second Olivier win), Best Actress Laura Donnelly and Best Director Sam Mendes (marking his fourth Olivier win). The Ferryman has also won three 2017 Evening Standard Awards, including Best Play and Best Director, as well as the Emerging Talent Award for Tom Glynn-Carney ; three 2018 Whatsonstage Awards, including Best New Play, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Fra Fee ; and was named the Best New Play at the 2018 UK Critics’ Circle Awards. 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 ’s full Broadway creative team is Rob Howell (scenic and costume design), Peter Mumford (lighting design), Nick Powell (sound design and original music), Amy Ball CDG (UK Casting), Jim Carnahan , C.S.A and Jillian Cimini C.S.A. (US Casting), Scarlett Mackmin (choreography), Tim Hoare (associate director), Ben Klein (resident director), Campbell Young Associates (hair, wigs and makeup design), William Berloni (animal trainer), Terry King (UK fight director), Thomas Schall (US fight director), Majella Hurley (UK dialect coach), and Deborah Hecht (US dialect coach). The Ferryman is produced on Broadway by Sonia Friedman Productions & Neal Street Productions with Ronald Frankel , Gavin Kalin Productions , Roy Furman/Ben Lowy , Scott M. Delman , Stephanie P. McClelland , Tulchin Bartner Productions , Kallish Weinstein Creative , Ron Kastner , Starry Night Entertainment , Scott Landis , Steve Traxler , Richard Winkler , Rona Delves Broughton/William Damaschke , 1001 Nights , Burnt Umber Productions , Rupert Gavin , Scott Rudin , Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler , Sam Levy/Lauren Stevens , and Ramin Sabi/Christopher Ketner . Up Up

Back to News & Press 'Powerful' women in theatre named Wednesday, 4 March 2009 Sonia Friedman has been listed as one of the UK's 20 most powerful women in theatre in Harper's Bazaar. "Sonia Friedman's staggering drive has helped make Boeing Boeing a success on Broadway and in London and Sally Greene's Billy Elliot is a phenomenal worldwide hit." Read more here . Up Up

Back to News & Press DAILY TELEGRAPH: The remarkable 1536 is the West End hit of the year Wednesday, 13 May 2026 Read the original article here . A year after it was first seen at the Almeida , Ava Pickett’s remarkable debut play already has an adaptation into a BBC series in the works. Now, with Barbie star Margot Robbie on board as a producer, the production transfers to the West End. Set in May 1536, the month of Anne Boleyn’s arrest, trial and execution, it’s a vision of Tudor England from the vantage point of lowly but lively Essex folk: a trio of young female friends. It moves apace from some of the freshest, funniest writing around to some of the most devastating, with nuanced performances to match. Set amid high grasses, a boldly conceived first scene finds the heroine, Siena Kelly’s rivetingly insouciant Anna, with her back to a tree trunk, vigorously having it off with a chap (Oliver Johnstone’s ardent Richard) whose hose are round his ankles. With barely a word spoken – he gives her a bracelet as a token of his devotion – this announces a rustic world of impulse and groping instinct, in which influence can be wielded by beautiful women. Like Boleyn, Anna captivates powerful men ; but also like Boleyn, she learns how quickly patriarchal authority can turn vicious. Too often, historical drama adopts a strained register, creaking beneath an excess of exposition and, worse, saddled with olde worlde speak. Pickett’s inspired approach is instead to make these Essex lasses sound garrulously, often swearily, contemporary while maximising the dramatic force of their period ignorance. Scoffing disbelief greets the gossip about what’s afoot far away at court. There are belly laughs, especially at the expense of the credulous youngest, Liv Hill’s Jane (betrothed to Richard). But her conformist mindset comes to seem more tactically astute than Anna’s rebel spirit as the local men start to take their brutish cue from kingly despotism and the atmosphere darkens. Completing the cast are Tanya Reynolds as Mariella, a midwife, and George Kemp as William, another powerful married man (all forced charm) with whom she is embroiled. From a quizzical sideline, Mariella comes to stand at the bloody centre of a denouement marked by dissent, death and a gathering storm of communal violence. Lyndsey Turner’s direction manages each beat of the action impeccably, assisted by a superb design, lighting included. The building momentum and deepening sophistication are perfectly judged, and the accusatory message about women’s constrained lives, then and now, emerges via consummate craft. The last breathless line of the play is “Run!”. Indeed: run to catch it now. Up Up

Back to News & Press Tickets go on sale for Dreamgirls Tuesday, 29 March 2016 At every performance there will be 100 accessibly priced seats, including £20 seats available in advance and £15 day seats available on the day of the performance. Savoy Theatre, London with reduced ticket price preview performances from 19 November 2016 and Opening Night on 14 December 2016. The UK stage premiere will star Amber Riley as ‘Effie White’ and will be Directed and Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw , as previously confirmed. Further casting for the production is still to be announced. Sonia Friedman Productions announces today that tickets for the long awaited UK premiere of Tony Award-winning musical Dreamgirls go on sale this week. The brand new production begins preview performances at the Savoy Theatre from 19 November with Opening Night on Wednesday 14 December 2016. As previously confirmed, American actress and singer Amber Riley will make her West End debut playing soulful singer ‘Effie White’ in the production, which will be Directed and Choreographed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon , Disney’s Aladdin and Something Rotten! ). Dreamgirls will have 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 . Inspired by R&B music acts in 1960s America, 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. Up Up

Back to News & Press Asmeret Ghebremichael joins the company of Dreamgirls Thursday, 23 March 2017 Sonia Friedman Productions is delighted to announce that Asmeret Ghebremichael has joined the company of Dreamgirls to perform the role of Lorrell Robinson. She began performances this week. Ghebremichael is best known for her performances in The Book of Mormon (West End and Broadway), Legally Blonde , Elf The Musical , Spamalot and Wicked (Broadway). She also appeared in the US television production The Wiz Live! . The critically acclaimed, hit UK premiere of Dreamgirls has been nominated for five Olivier Awards and stars American actress and singer Amber Riley as Effie White with Marisha Wallace and Karen Mav alternating the role of Effie, Liisi LaFontaine as Deena Jones and now Asmeret Ghebremichael as Lorrell Robinson making up the soulful singing trio ‘The Dreams’. Ghebremichael replaces Ibinabo Jack who has had to withdraw from the production due to health reasons. Joe Aaron Reid plays Curtis Taylor Jr, Adam J Bernard plays Jimmy Early, Tyrone Huntley plays C.C. White, Nicholas Bailey plays Marty and Lily Frazer plays Michelle Morris.The highly anticipated Original London Cast Recording of the new, hit West End musical Dreamgirls , will be released on Sony Masterworks Broadway mid-April and is available to pre-order now via Amazon. The cast of Dreamgirls also includes Michael Afemaré , Jocasta Almgill , Callum Aylott , Hugo Batista , Samara Casteallo , Chloe Chambers , Carly Mercedes Dyer , Joelle Dyson , Kimmy Edwards , Candace Furbert , Nathan Graham , Ashlee Irish , Ashley Luke Lloyd , Gabriel Mokake , Siân Nathaniel-James , Sean Parkins , Kirk Patterson , Ryan Reid , Rohan Richards , Noel Samuels , Durone Stokes and Tosh Wanogho-Maud . Full information on performance schedules can be found on the official website www.dreamgirlswestend.com/ticket-information Dreamgirls is 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 is Nick Finlow , the Orchestrator is Harold Wheeler , with Additional Material by Willie Reale . Swarovski is delighted to be the Set and Costume Design partner for Dreamgirls , bringing to life the incredible visions of Tim Hatley and Gregg Barnes . Over one million Swarovski crystals have been incorporated into the production, adorning 275 costumes and 3 crystal curtains. 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. Liisi LaFontaine, Asmeret Ghebremichael and Marisha Wallace 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 Productions TWELFTH NIGHT & RICHARD III – BROADWAY This production began performances on 15th October 2013 and closed on 15th February 2014. ★★★★★ Sensational double bill. Mark Rylance is dazzling. A glorious star performance. Sublime. Daily Telegraph Direct from a sold-out run in London’s West End, the critically beloved, Shakespeare’s Globe productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III come to Broadway for a 16-week limited engagement. Two-time Tony Award®-winner Mark Rylance (Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing ) will star on Broadway in two startlingly different performances in repertory: as the suddenly love-struck noblewoman Olivia in Twelfth Night and as the ruthless and conniving title monarch in Richard III . Twelfth Night Outrageous high comedy ensues as the pangs of unrequited love affect the unforgettable characters of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. While the lovelorn Duke Orsino plots to win the heart of the mourning Olivia (Mark Rylance ), an alliance of servants and hangers-on scheme against the high-handedness of Olivia’s steward, the pompous Malvolio (Stephen Fry ). When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola (Samuel Barnett ), who has disguised herself as a young man under the name Cesario, to plead with Olivia on his behalf, a bittersweet and hilarious chain of events follows. Richard III Richard Duke of Gloucester (Mark Rylance ) is determined that he should wear the crown of England. He has already dispatched one king and that king’s son; now all that stands in his way are two credulous brothers and two helpless nephews – the Princes in the Tower. And woe betide those – the women he wrongs, the henchmen he betrays – who dare to raise a voice against him. Monstrous, but theatrically electric, Richard is Shakespeare’s most charismatic, self-delighting villain, revelling at every moment in his homicidal, hypocritical journey to absolute power. Sonia Friedman Productions , Scott Landis , Roger Berlind , Glass Haf Full Productions / Just for Laughs Theatricals , 1001 Nights Productions , Tulchin Bartner Productions , Jane Bergere , Paula Marie Black , Rupert Gavin , Stephanie P. McClelland , Shakespeare's Globe Centre USA , Max Cooper , Tanya Link Production s and Shakespeare Road present Twelfth Night and Richard III . ★★★★★ A gloriously successful transfer. Superb. Remarkable. The Independent Direct from a sold-out run in London’s West End, the critically beloved, Shakespeare’s Globe productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III come to Broadway for a 16-week limited engagement. Two-time Tony Award®-winner Mark Rylance (Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing ) will star on Broadway in two startlingly different performances in repertory: as the suddenly love-struck noblewoman Olivia in Twelfth Night and as the ruthless and conniving title monarch in Richard III . Twelfth Night Outrageous high comedy ensues as the pangs of unrequited love affect the unforgettable characters of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. While the lovelorn Duke Orsino plots to win the heart of the mourning Olivia (Mark Rylance ), an alliance of servants and hangers-on scheme against the high-handedness of Olivia’s steward, the pompous Malvolio (Stephen Fry ). When Orsino engages the cross-dressed Viola (Samuel Barnett ), who has disguised herself as a young man under the name Cesario, to plead with Olivia on his behalf, a bittersweet and hilarious chain of events follows. Richard III Richard Duke of Gloucester (Mark Rylance ) is determined that he should wear the crown of England. He has already dispatched one king and that king’s son; now all that stands in his way are two credulous brothers and two helpless nephews – the Princes in the Tower. And woe betide those – the women he wrongs, the henchmen he betrays – who dare to raise a voice against him. Monstrous, but theatrically electric, Richard is Shakespeare’s most charismatic, self-delighting villain, revelling at every moment in his homicidal, hypocritical journey to absolute power. Sonia Friedman Productions , Scott Landis , Roger Berlind , Glass Haf Full Productions / Just for Laughs Theatricals , 1001 Nights Productions , Tulchin Bartner Productions , Jane Bergere , Paula Marie Black , Rupert Gavin , Stephanie P. McClelland , Shakespeare's Globe Centre USA , Max Cooper , Tanya Link Production s and Shakespeare Road present Twelfth Night and Richard III . The most astonishing Shakespearean performance I've ever seen New York Times CAST RICHARD III MARK RYLANCE – Richard III LIAM BRENNAN – Clarence/Lord Mayor PETER HAMILTON DYER – Brakenbury/Catesby PAUL CHAHIDI – Hastings/Tyrrell JOSEPH TIMMS – Lady Anne Grey TERRY MCGINTY – River/Scrivener/Blunt/Holy Man SAMUEL BARNETT – Queen Elizabeth MATT HARRINGTON – Dorset/Bishop of Ely/Guard ANGUS WRIGHT – Duke of Buckingham JETHRO SKINNER – Murderer 1/ Cardinal/Ratcliff/Halberdier/Guard COLIN HURLEY – King Edward IV/Stanley KURT EGYIAWAN – Duchess of York/Richmond MATTHEW SCHECHTER – Prince Edward HAYDN SIGNORETTI – Duke of York TWELFTH NIGHT LIAN BRENNAN – Orsino MATT HARRINGTON – Curio/Officer/Olivia's Servant KURT EGYIAWAN – Valentine/Officer SAMUEL BARNETT – Viola TERRY MCGINTY – Sea Captain/Priest COLIN HURLEY – Sir Toby Belch PAUL CHAHIDI – Maria ANGUS WRIGHT – Sir Andrew Aguecheek HAMILTON DYER – Feste Peter MARK RYLANCE – Olivia STEPHEN FRY – Malvolio PAUL CONNOLLY – Antonio John JOSEPH TIMMS – Sebastan JETHRO SKINNER – Fabian CREATIVES TIM CARROLL – Director WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE – Playwright JENNY TIRAMANI – Designer CLAIRE VAN KAMPEN – Music STAN PRESSNER – Lighting

Back to News & Press Sonia Friedman named in TIME's 2018 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World Thursday, 19 April 2018 TIME named Sonia Friedman to the 2018 TIME 100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The full list and related tributes appear in the April 30, 2018 issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, April 20, and now at time.com/100. The list, now in its fifteenth year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals. TIME editors have said of the list in the past, “The TIME 100 is a list of the world's most influential men and women, not its most powerful, though those are not mutually exclusive terms. While power is certain, influence is subtle. As much as this exercise chronicles the achievements of the past year, we also focus on figures whose influence is likely to grow, so we can look around the corner to see what is coming." Up Up

Back to News & Press Danny Devito to reunite with Judd Hirsch in Neil Simon's classic comedy The Sunshine Boys Thursday, 27 June 2013 Two stars of the landmark television series “Taxi,” Judd Hirsch and Danny DeVito, will reunite on the stage of the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in Neil Simon’s “The Sunshine Boys,” directed by Thea Sharrock. The previously announced DeVito is joined by Hirsch in Simon’s classic comedy which opens the Ahmanson’s 2013-2014 subscription season and runs September 24 through November 3, 2013. The opening night is set for October 2. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks. Danny DeVito starred with the late Richard Griffiths in the critically acclaimed production of “The Sunshine Boys” which played to packed houses in London’s West End last summer. According to DeVito, “Sharing the stage with Richard was one of the happiest times I've ever spent. He was a great actor and became a good friend. Richard Griffiths was and is a national treasure. Look at his body of work, it’ll blow your mind.” In Neil Simon’s play 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 a lucrative television offer for one last show lures them into a grudging reunion, sparks fly in this classic comedy of showbiz and friendship. Up Up