|
Post by Lynda on Sept 14, 2007 10:46:42 GMT
Anthony Hansen
An Audience With Antony Hansen tickets on sale NOW!
Join Antony with special guests - Zoe Tyler Johndeep More Chris Crosby Eclipse Oxford Symphony Orchestra 14th October 2007
New Theatre, Oxford
ONE NIGHT ONLY!!!!!
Dont miss out!!!
Hits from show such as - phantom of the opera whistle down the wind woman in white Joseph Evita And Jesus christ superstar
All money raised will be going to the drama departments at didcot boys and girls schools!
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Sept 15, 2007 19:05:12 GMT
I hear Lewis was on Identity. HMPF!! why wasnt it announced, I didnt see it. mwhaaaaaaaaaaa. He has a myspace it should have been on there.
Lynda xxx
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Sept 24, 2007 20:57:08 GMT
20 Questions With… Daniel Boys Date: 24th September 2007
Any Dream Will Do finalist Daniel Boys – who stars in the UK premiere of US musical I Love You Because, opening this week – reveals his real thoughts about reality TV, Andrew Lloyd Webber & being too ‘nice’.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like eventual winner Lee Mead, Any Dream Will Do finalist Daniel Boys was already a professional actor when he entered the BBC One reality TV competition to cast the lead in the current West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Since Boys was voted off on the series’ sixth live knock-out television sing-off last May, he has appeared in the star-studded presentation of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd - along with Welsh tenor Bryn Terfel and West End favourites Maria Friedman, Philip Quast, Daniel Evans and Emma Williams – as part of the reopening festivities at the Royal Festival Hall.
Boys now stars in the UK premiere of the 2006 Off-Broadway hit I Love You Because, which has a limited season at the fringe Landor Theatre. Billed as a “modern-day musical love story”, I Love You Because centres on two New York brothers - greeting card writer Austen Bennett (Boys) and his slacker brother Jeff - and the girls they fall in love with.
I Love You Because has music by Joshua Salzman and book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham. The pair met, and began writing the songs for the show, while on New York University’s graduate writing programme for musical theatre. Boys is joined by Richard Frame, Debbie Kurup, Cameron Jack, Jodie Jacobs and Lucy Emma Williamson in Robert WcWhir’s production.
Prior to Any Dream Will Do, Boys’ West End credits included Roger in Grease at the Victoria Palace and Rent at the Prince Edward, where he alternated with Adam Ricketts in the leading role of Mark. He reprised the role in a 2006 European tour of the Jonathan Larson musical. Boys’ other credits have included Sunset Boulevard, West Side Story, The War of the Worlds and the pantomimes Peter Pan, Jack and the Beanstalk and Snow White.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date & place of birth Born 26 March 1979 in Yateley, Hampshire.
Lives now in Greenwich, south-east London.
Training Guildford School of Acting.
Why did you want to become a performer? It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I remember being at primary school and loving doing all the school plays. I’ve always loved singing and acting. I don’t know where I got it. No one in my family is an actor or singer except my grandfather. My parents took me to see musicals, though, including Starlight Express.
If you hadn’t become a performer, what might you have done professionally? When I was younger, I was obsessed with farms and farm toys so maybe I could have become a farmer! I also would have liked to have been a veterinarian, but I’m not smart enough.
First big break I’d say that was one of my first jobs, which was understudying Adam Ricketts as Mark in Rent. I became the alternate when the show came into the West End and got some great reviews. That was an amazing opportunity. Last year, I understudied Russell Watson in the world premiere of Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds, and I got to go on on the first night. It was a very high-tech show. We had Martian fighting machines that hovered over audience.
How did Any Dream Will Do affect your career? I’ll put my hand and admit that this time last year when the Maria programme was on, I was one of those saying, I can’t believe reality TV is taking over. I was against it. But then over the past year, I started getting really frustrated going up for roles. It seemed like, unless you were a soap or TV star, you just didn’t get a look in. So I thought I’d give in and try. I told friends I felt guilty about it, but they said I shouldn’t. The truth is, it’s worked - I have more of a profile now than I ever have.
What were you high and low points on Any Dream Will Do? The high was just meeting Andrew Lloyd Webber. He’s world famous, and ever since I was a kid, I’ve been obsessed with Joseph and Starlight Express. To sing to him every week really was a dream come true. But I don’t think the public really got to see how stressful the thing was. We only had three days to learn two group numbers and a solo number, you don’t see your family and friends, you’re all living together. And of course being criticised on live television, that was hard. I felt like I was in this constant battle with the judges who kept saying I was too nice and had no charisma. I do have charisma, I’m not just nice. The most frustrating thing was that we didn’t even get to choose our material. The judges said, we need to see the angry Daniel, and then I got a cheesy pop ballad to sing!
What do you think of reality TV casting in general? It feels like soon the whole of the West End will be cast by reality TV, which would not be good. But the public obviously likes it. Maria Friedman and I were talking about it when we did Sweeney Todd. We were saying that, on the positive side, these programmes are creating musical theatre stars again and they’re getting people into theatres. It amazes me that the whole X Factor thing is still going because nothing ever happens with those people. At least when you win on these shows, you get a West End contract for a year.
Other career highlights to date When I was younger, I saw Grease ten times so to get a part in that … well, I was over the moon - and I sang “Mooning” in the show! And meeting so many influential people has been incredible – being friends with John Barrowman, working with Maria Friedman, Daniel Evans and Philip Quast. Just the fact that Andrew Lloyd Webber knows my name now.
Favourite directors At college, I got to work with Ken Caswell, who used to be the associate director of Les Miz. He was fantastic, but I think he’s retired now. I’d love to work with Trevor Nunn – who wouldn’t? – or maybe Sam Mendes.
Favourite musical writers I love Boublil and Schonberg show, I would love to do one of their shows. I know it was a huge flop on Broadway, but I’ve listened to The Pirate Queen and thought the music was green. Les Miz I think is looking a little tired now and maybe needs to go, but you still can’t deny that it’s absolutely beautiful. I also really like Jason Robert Brown. I wasn’t a huge fan to start with but now I am. I auditioned for Parade.
What role would you most like to play still? Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. I think that’s the best piece Andrew’s ever written. The music is so much meatier. His songs are usually very simple melodies - and they’re fantastic – but the music in Sunset Boulevard is more complex, and it captures the period perfectly.
What's the best thing you've seen on stage recently? It wasn’t very recently, but I saw His Dark Materials at the National two years ago and thought it was one of the best pieces of theatre I’d ever seen. I love the books anyway, but I found the plays absolutely captivating. Because I’m an actor myself, when I go to shows sometimes, I can’t help noticing if the cast are looking bored or whatever. That wasn’t the case here. The performances were inspiring and the designs, especially with the daemons, were so clever. I was mesmerised.
If you could swap places with one person (living or dead) for a day, who would it be? I’d love to swap with the Queen, just to see what her day-to-day life is like. I can’t imagine her walking round making a cup of tea or what it must feel like to rule a country.
Favourite holiday destination I love the Greek islands. I’ve been quite a few times. My favourite is a little tiny island called Paxos. The sea is so blue and I love the very relaxed way of life there.
Favourite books I’m reading the final Harry Potter. The films are rubbish but I love the books. I was dubious at first. If there’s a book that everyone’s reading, I’m usually sceptical. But these are so well written. You really are brought into this world of wizardry. The disappointment with the movies is that the world on screen is too different from the one my imagination has created, and I don’t think Daniel Radcliffe is right either. I may feel upset when I finish reading this last one, but if I’m honest, I’m a little Harry Pottered out.
Favourite websites I’ve become obsessed with Facebook. And, if I come across an actor I don’t know, I’ll Google them. I also like to look at the gossip on Whatsonstage.com and DressCircle. I like hearing what people are talking about – but I’ve never posted anything!
Why did you want to accept your part in I Love You Because? Basically, I got given the script and then I looked on the show website and listened to the music. And I just thought it was a great piece with really beautiful music. It’s about love and finding that one person. It will appeal to lots of people because the subject matter is something we all can relate to.
Tell us about the character. Austen is – I hate to use word - a geek. He writes poems for naff greeting cards. He loves the job and he’s happy in life. But in the first scene, you find out that the girl he’s been with for years is sleeping with someone else. His brother tells him to go out and find someone completely wrong for him to get over it and he ends up falling in love. In rehearsal, I find myself thinking, ah, Austen’s so sweet, I feel sorry for him because people are so horrible to him. But he’s a loveable character.
In the US, it was billed as a gender-swapped retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I know, but we don’t like to say that. It’s really nothing to do with it. The only slight link is that Pride and Prejudice is about sisters trying to find men, and in this, me and my brother are trying to find women. It actually reminds me of an episode of Sex and the City and Friends rolled into one. It’s sexy, funny, real and very American in the sense of that dry Friends-like humour.
What’s your favourite number from I Love You Because? There are a few. The opening number, “Another Saturday Night in New York”, is fantastic. I get to sing two songs: “Goodbye” and “Maybe We Just Made Love”. If I had to pick one favourite from those, it’d be “Maybe We Just Made Love”. Austen has had this drunken night with a girl and gone to bed with her. It’s something so alien to him, he’s never done that before, so he’s convinced he’s in love. It reminds me of some of Jason Robert Brown’s songs.
What’s the funniest thing that happened in rehearsals? Richard Frame plays my brother and he’s always got us in stitches. We just laugh because of way he says his lines, his comic timing is brilliant. His character keeps getting words wrong. In one scene, he finds an abacus in a trashcan and he says, look I’ve found an albatross. It doesn’t sound that funny, but the way Richard says it, it is.
This is the UK premiere of a new musical that’s been written by two guys who met while at New York University’s graduate writing programme for musical theatre. Do you think there’s enough happening to support new musical writing in this country? No I don’t. In the States, they cherish their musical theatre writers and stars. Here, something has changed in the past 15 to 20 years. We don’t cherish or respect musical theatre at all. Most people will just go to see a musical if their favourite soap star is in it. It’s very sad. I’m not sure what can be done.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I Love You Because opens on 26 September 2007 (previews from 19 September) at the Landor Theatre, where it continues until 20 October.
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Oct 6, 2007 20:37:09 GMT
Chris Crosby. - If you click onto the following link, you will be able to see stills of Chris on stage in Half a Sixpence. www.birminghamhippodrome.com/
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Oct 15, 2007 12:36:00 GMT
a belated happy birthday to Anthony (12th October)
xx
|
|
|
Post by Roisin C on Oct 20, 2007 14:44:08 GMT
Hi I've read on the Whats On Stage discussion board that Daniel is taking over as Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q (from December 3rd, I think but I don't know if the start date has been confirmed).
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Oct 23, 2007 15:55:17 GMT
23 October 2007
LEWIS Bradley was the third placed runner-up in Andrew Lloyd Webber's search to find a new West End star for Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat earlier this year. Despite missing the top prize, which actor Lee Mead took, 18-year-old Lewis has not rested on his laurels and is currently starring in revue show Chicago and Beyond which comes to Malvern Theatres on November 2. The Worcester Standard caught up with him to find out how life has been since Any Dream Will Do.
Lewis Bradley is as sweet and unassuming as he seemed on TV during Any Dream Will Do. It's clear that the youngster has not let fame go to his head. But at the same time, it is also obvious that Lewis, who only celebrated his 18th birthday during the show, has been given justified confidence in his abilities by both the show and his success since it ended. Chicago and Beyond is a revue show featuring hits from West End musicals and Lewis shows off his voice in songs such as Maria from West Side Story and Luck Be A Lady from Guys and Dolls - songs which he also performed alongside other contestants on Any Dream Will Do. Zoe Tyler, who was a vocal coach on Any Dream Will Do, was originally due to star alongside Lewis but had to pull out. But Lewis was not daunted at the prospect of starring on the same billing as his former mentor. "I was really looking forward to it because I hate the whole student teacher situation and I was looking forward to performing on the same level." He also speaks highly of Zoe's replacement, Celena Cherry from girl band the Honeyz, who he describes as a lovely girl. And it is not just Chicago and Beyond that Lewis has been busy with. He may not have come first in the TV show, but he will still get to live out the dream as he is covering Lee Mead's holiday in Joseph at the Adelphi Theatre next year. "I was ecstatic," he says, of his reaction when his agent told him of Lloyd Webber's plans. And Lewis openly admits he would love to be asked to take over from Lee when his current contract expires in June although he says nothing has been mentioned yet. He says he is not worried by comparisons between he and Lee - who has received rave reviews for his portrayal of the famous dream-interpreter - because they have such different styles of performance. "We are two totally different people and performers - we are so different I don't think we will be able to be compared," he says. But he says he and Lee speak frequently and Lee had helped him with tips for the show. "He has been really nice," says Lewis. "And I have been to see Joseph quite a few times to prepare," he laughs. Lewis seems to be always laughing. Despite his frequent tears on the TV show, he is obviously an upbeat and optimistic guy. He puts his emotional state on the show down to the intense pressure the contestants were under each and every week. One of the occasions when Lewis succumbed to tears was when Daniel Boys - who had also been tipped for success on the show - was voted off. Lewis and Daniel were put in a 'sing off' against each other, only for Andrew Lloyd Webber to save Lewis. Their performance of Bring Him Home from Les Mis was one of the highlights of the show. But the pair had been prepared for such an eventuality happening. Lewis says: "Daniel was my friend. We had spoken about it the night before and said you watch, it will be us [in the sing off]. "Daniel said 'he [Lloyd Webber] would save you' and I said 'no, he'll save you'." Bring Him Home was a highlight for Lewis as well, who relished the chance to get to sing such a big show tune. "I got to sing three musical theatre songs [in his sing offs] and they were such powerful songs." He also enjoyed his song in the final - Kiss, and said he performed it the way he wanted to, rather than being torn in different directions by the judges who were advising the contestants. And during Kiss, Lewis was given chance to exhibit his dancing skills with a few spins - he admits to being a bit disappointed that he did not have more opportunity to do so. Because of the hectic schedules of many of the contestants who have secured roles in shows across the country, Lewis has not had chance to catch up with many of his friends from the show. He is still in touch with some of them, including Daniel, and was disappointed not to be able to see Daniel's latest show, I Love You Because, in Clapham recently, because he was on stage himself. Other memorable moments for Lewis since the show include going to the memorial concert for Diana, Princess of Wales and meeting Prince Harry at the aftershow party. He says the whirlwind journey to fame does not always feel real to him - and is kept grounded by his friends and family. "No-one treats me any differently, and I wouldn't want them to," he says modestly. Despite his feet being firmly fixed to the floor, Lewis' legions of fans will make sure and let him know how popular he is. But the man himself is still getting used to all the attention. "I still find it a bit weird - people are writing to me," he chuckles. • Lewis Bradley stars in Chicago and Beyond at Malvern Theatres on November 2. Tickets are available by calling 01684 892277.Contact the Editor about this story«Back The Bigger Picture
Lewis Bradley will appear in Chicago and Beyond at Malvern Theatres. (s)
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Oct 28, 2007 15:35:55 GMT
Daniel on TV
Daniel will be a guest on It Takes Two on Monday 29th at 6.30pm on BBC2
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Oct 29, 2007 9:20:28 GMT
Daniel's appearance on Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two has now been rescheduled to Tuesday at 6.30pm on BBC2 (not Monday as previously adverised).
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Oct 31, 2007 15:01:09 GMT
Ben Ellis in Hairspray Hairspray Five years on from its Broadway opening, this Tony Award-winning musical inspired by John Waters’ 1988 cult movie finally reaches London, and what a breath of fresh air it turns out to be. The action takes place in Baltimore 1962 where plump 16-year-old schoolgirl Tracy Turnbald dreams of dancing on the local Corny Collins TV show. Sadly for her, station producer Velma Von Tussle is nearly as prejudiced about people’s weight as she is about the colour of their skin. And so Tracy finds herself in the front line doing her bit to campaign against intolerance, while still finding time to win the heart of cute crooner Link Larkin. Article continues In tackling such a scenario, director Jack O’Brien could have easily overplayed the sentimentality, but instead he offers a fast-paced, feel-good and irresistibly entertaining adventure from start to finish. In fact, O’Brien ensures that the narrative flow slickly integrates Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan’s witty libretto, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s memorable score and Jerry Mitchell’s high-energy choreography. The latter’s contribution is outstanding, particularly in production numbers like I Can Hear the Bells and You Can’t Stop the Beat. Add to the mix the vibrant colours of David Rockwell’s sets and William Ivey Long’s costumes and the sixties transformation is complete. Within an impressive ensemble, spirited Leanne Jones may be making her professional debut as Tracy, but she has all the talent and confidence of a seasoned professional. Ben James-Ellis is charming as love interest Link, while Elinor Collett proves she has a gift for comedy as Tracy’s best friend Penny. Credit also to Tracie Bennett’s grotesque Velma Von Tussle, Adrian Hansel’s quick-stepping Seaweed and Johnnie Fiori as Motormouth Maybelle, who provides the real goosebump moment of the show in I Know Where I’ve Been. In what has become something of a tradition, a man plays Tracy’s mother Edna, a role it appears Michael Ball was born to play and he is obviously loving every minute. Production information By: book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Based on the New Line Cinema film, written and directed by John Waters Composer: Music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Management: Stage Entertainment with Margo Lion, The Baruch/Viertel/Routh/Frankel Group, New Line Cinema in association with others from the Broadway producing team Cast: Michael Ball, Leanne Jones, Mel Smith, Tracie Bennett, Natalie Best, Dermot Canavan, Elinor Collett, Johnnie Fiori, Adrian Hansel, Paul Manuel, Wendy Somerville, Rachel Wooding, Gavin Alex, Fem Belling, Philip Catchpole, Lewis Davies, Helen Dixon, Emma Dodd, Tim Frater, Kate Gillespie, Ewan Gillies, Nicky Griffiths, Jenii Hicks, Holly James, Sandra Marvin, Terel Nugent, Michael Peters, Adam Price, Charlotte Riby, Dominic Shaw, Neil Toon, Michael Vinsen, Zara Warren, Jacqui Zvimba Director: Jack O'Brien Design: David Rockwell Sound: Steve C Kennedy Lighting: Kenneth Posner Costumes: William Ivey Long Choreography: Jerry Mitchell Musical direction: Lon Hoyt Website: www.hairspraythemusical.com Production information can change over the run of the show. Run sheet Shaftesbury London October 30 2007-25 2008By Lisa Martland
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Nov 1, 2007 17:21:50 GMT
from: Daniels myspace
We are pleased to able to officially confirm that Daniel has been cast in the roles of Princeton/Rod in the West End production of Avenue Q.
He is currently in rehearsals and his first performance will be on Monday 3rd December at the Noel Coward Theatre.
|
|
|
Post by Lynda on Nov 28, 2007 22:40:47 GMT
|
|