Laurence Olivier News

In its 15th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant, recently becoming the highest-grossing Broadway show in history. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 19 productions around the globe have been seen by more than 64 million people, grossed over $4.8 billion and, cumulatively, run a staggering 91 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is the sixth longest running musical in Broadway history and only the second show to produce five productions running 10 or more years. (more...)

Mississippi Mud Productions will present four performances of Marcy Lafferty’s VIVIEN LEIGH: THE LAST PRESS CONFERENCE, in New York, NY, July 6 – 9, 2012 at the Alexander Technique Center For Performance And Development, 330 West 38th Street, Suite 805. (more...)

Full casting has been announced for the UK and Ireland tour of hit comedy stage adaptation The Ladykillers. The principal cast will include Paul Bown (Professor Marcus), Clive Mantle (Major Courtney), Chris McCalphy (One-Round), William Troughton (Harry), Shaun Williamson (Louis) and Michele Dotrice as Mrs Wilberforce. (more...)

Steven Berkoff directs the World Premiere of his latest play, 6 Actors in Search of a Director, a comedy set on a movie location set, for a West End season at Charing Cross Theatre now through Saturday 23rd June. See below for photos of Sarah Chamberlain, Philip Voss, Ruth Everett, Paul Trussell and Neil Stuke in the production, which opens tonight! (more...)

Dee Dee Bridgewater has received the Tony Award; London theater's West End equivalent, the Laurence Olivier Award; France's top honor, the Victoire de la Musique; and garnered three Grammy Awards, the most recent for Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie with Love from Dee Dee (2010). Ms. Bridgewater celebrates her birthday May 27th by bringing her band back to the Blue Note the following week for the first time since 2010, featuring Edsel Gomez (piano), Craig Handy (saxophone), Kenny Phelps (drums), and Kenny Davis (bass). (more...)

Happy Birthday, Laurence Olivier! Born in 1907, Olivier remains one of the most revered actors of the 20th century. He was the first artistic director of the National Theatre of Great Britain and its main stage is named in his honour. Olivier's career as a stage and film actor spanned more than six decades and included a wide variety of roles, from the title role in Shakespeare's Othello and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night to the sadistic Nazi dentist Christian Szell in Marathon Man and the kindly but determined Nazi-hunter in The Boys from Brazil. Olivier played more than 120 stage roles: Richard III, Macbeth, Romeo, Hamlet, Othello, Uncle Vanya, and Archie Rice in The Entertainer. He appeared in nearly sixty films, including William Wyler's Wuthering Heights, Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus, Otto Preminger's Bunny Lake Is Missing, Richard Attenborough's Oh! What a Lovely War, and A Bridge Too Far, Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Sleuth, John Schlesinger's Marathon Man, Daniel Petrie's The Betsy, Desmond Davis' Clash of the Titans, and his own Henry V, Hamlet, and Richard III. (more...)

The New Victory Theater will launch its 2012-13 season with the U.S. premiere of URBAN by Circolombia, an edgy, thrilling and inspiring circus featuring young Colombian performers who share their real-life stories through acrobatics, aerial work and tremendous feats of strength. URBAN, which was originally commissioned by Roundhouse London as part of CircusFest 2010, will run from October 12 through October 21. (more...)

Life is imitating art for leading man Raza Jaffrey, as CHICAGO producer, Barry Weissler spotted him in the new Steven Spielberg TV series Smash, and immediately offered him the role of Billy Flynn in the West End production of the musical. He just began his run in CHICAGO at the Garrick Theatre and will continue through July 14, playing the role between David Bedella, and Olympian Robin Cousins, who joins on 17 July. (more...)

Enchanting audiences of all generations worldwide, Disney's Beauty and the Beast casts its spell in Chicago Shakespeare's Courtyard Theater on Navy Pier June 28 to August 26, 2012. Tickets are $18–$25 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40 percent parking discount at Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com. (more...)

In its 15th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant, recently becoming the highest-grossing Broadway show in history. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 19 productions around the globe have been seen by more than 64 million people, grossed over $4.8 billion and, cumulatively, run a staggering 91 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is the sixth longest running musical in Broadway history and only the second show to produce five productions running 10 or more years. (more...)

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, adapted for the stage from the MGM Motion Picture by Jeremy Sams and Ray Broderick with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman will open at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from the 16th of November. The show will be directed in Australia by Roger Hodgman and features sets and costumes by renowned English designer Anthony Ward. (more...)

In its 15th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant, recently becoming the highest-grossing Broadway show in history. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 19 productions around the globe have been seen by more than 64 million people, grossed over $4.8 billion and, cumulatively, run a staggering 91 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is the sixth longest running musical in Broadway history and only the second show to produce five productions running 10 or more years. (more...)

Derren Brown’s 2012 Olivier award-winning show SVENGALI will take up residence at London’s Novello Theatre for 27 performances only, from July 12 – Aug 11. This is the last chance to see the live show that has performed in over 150 venues across Britain. (more...)

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is currently presenting, William Shakespeare's rarely produced Timon of Athens, directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and featuring Tony Award winner Ian McDiarmid in the title role. Performed in CST's Courtyard Theater from through June 10, 2012, Gaines' production also features Sean Fortunato as Flavius, James Newcomb as Apemantus and Danforth Comins as Alcibiades. Performances began April 24, 2012. Production highlights have been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a look below! (more...)

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the 2012 Shakespeare Festival, performed in repertory in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. (more...)

In celebration of 25th anniversary, Dave Clark’s “TIME – The Album” now available on iTunes. This ground-breaking, critically-acclaimed 80s musical broke box office records, was seen by over 1 million and was the most technically advanced musical in London’s West end history. (more...)

Cameron Mackintosh announced today full casting for the spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. (more...)

Cindy Adams writes in today's New York Post that James Lapine will executive produce a documentary on Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim. The film, due out next year, will include 'material is on Sondheim’s life, fresh interviews he’s not given before, videos and new versions of his songs.' (more...)

In its 15th year, THE LION KING remains ascendant, recently becoming the highest-grossing Broadway show in history. Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, 19 productions around the globe have been seen by more than 64 million people, grossed over $4.8 billion and, cumulatively, run a staggering 91 years. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), THE LION KING is the sixth longest running musical in Broadway history and only the second show to produce five productions running 10 or more years. (more...)

Tim McArthur hosts a brand new weekly theatreland chat show, launching on Resonance 104.4fm on Friday 11 May 2012. The Curtain Up Show will take a light-hearted look at the current state of London theatre, showcasing established and up-and-coming talent, both on stage and behind the scenes. (more...)