Marisha Wallace, Toby Gad & More to Perform in NUTCRACKER NIGHTS at The Tuff Nutt Jazz Club

Underbelly, Francesca Moody Productions and Southbank Centre with Rachel Edwards and Winkler Smalberg, today announce further live music sessions as part of Nutcracker Nights at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club featuring Emma Rawicz and David Preston, Gabrielle Brooks, Mark Kavuma,Jasmine Gardosi, Luca Manning and Mei Kirby, Marisha Wallace with Toby Gad, Ni Maxime, Bronté Barbé, Parthenope Wald-Harding and Matt Henry.

Nutcracker Nights is a series of live sessions from leading jazz and music artists. Following performances of The McOnie Company's Nutcracker, Thursday – Sunday, audiences are invited to continue a fun and festive evening at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club, London's hottest new pop-up venue, putting audiences at the centre of one of the coolest jazz clubs in town.

Admission for Nutcracker Nights is included in tickets purchased for Nutcracker. There will also be a number of tickets available on the door and on the Southbank Centre's website.

The critically acclaimed world premiere production of Nutcracker is directed and choreographed by Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie. This new version of the festive classic is playful, mischievous and a lot of fun. Dive into a glittering wonderland head-on and prepare to reimagine everything with a jazz-infused twist.

The McOnie Company's Nutcracker is a thrilling reinvention of the timeless holiday classic.

Tchaikovsky's world-famous score is reimagined by multi-award-winning jazz artist Cassie Kinoshi for a swinging onstage jazz band, with dancers moving in and amongst the cabaret style seating bringing the storytelling and wild-spirited adventure of the Nutcracker to life.

The cast for Nutcracker includes Amonik Melaco (Action Man), Sam Salter (Clive), Mark Samaras (Clive)  and Patricia Zhou (Sugarplum) with Chanelle Anthony, Will Bozier, Christie Crosson, Tim Hodges, Lukas Hunt and Rachel Muldoon. 

Nutcracker is composed by Cassie Kinoshi with additional music by Rio Kai, venue and set design by Soutra Gilmour, costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight, music supervision by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, lighting design by Joshie Hariette, sound design by Simon Baker, and casting by Will Burton.

Nutcracker is a McOnie Company production produced by Underbelly, Francesca Moody Productions and Southbank Centre with Rachel Edwards and Winkler Smalberg.

NUTCRACKER NIGHTS

The producers of Nutcracker are delighted to be working in collaboration with the Southbank Centre's long-term partner Tomorrow's Warriors, a pioneering talent development organisation, creative producer, learning and training provider, giving a platform to some of their astonishing jazz musicians.

A Black-led organisation founded in 1991 by Janine Irons OBE and Gary Crosby OBE, Tomorrow's Warriors plays a vital role in the UK music scene, pushing young talent to the forefront of the vibrant UK jazz scene and supporting those from challenging circumstances.

Emma Rawicz and David Preston - Friday 8 December 9.45pm

Emma Rawicz is a multi-award winning young saxophonist and composer, already making waves on the UK music scene and beyond. She has been described as "An astonishing new talent" (Jamie Cullum – BBC Radio 2), 'a force to be reckoned with' (Jazzwise) and 'a fast-rising star' (London Jazz News). At the age of 21 she has already recorded and released an eagerly awaited debut album ‘Incantation' featuring Ant Law, made up entirely of her original compositions. Emma's second album Chroma recorded in summer 2022 and features an all-star band of Ivo Neame, Ant Law, Conor Chaplin and Asaf Sirkis and was released August 2023. She regularly plays at major London venues such as Ronnie Scotts and The Jazz Cafe.   Emma is a recipient of the 2021 Drake Yolanda Award and winner of ‘Best Newcomer' at the 2022 Parliamentary Jazz Awards, has a Jazz FM award to her name, as well as being a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician competition.

Gabrielle Brooks - Saturday 9 December 9.45pm

Gabrielle has just finished a run of Mlima's Tale directed by Miranda Cromwell at the Kiln Theatre. She was recently part of Michael Buffong's radio play Bess Loves Porgy. Gabrielle received an Olivier Award nomination for her outstanding portrayal of Rita Marley in the West End Musical Get Up Stand Up. Other credits include; Shadow & Bone (Netflix), Once On This Island, J'ouvet (Harold Pinter Theatre), Anna Bella Emma (Arcola), Twelfth Night (Young Vic), The Way Of The World (Donmar Warehouse) and is the creative director of the Mawa Theatre Company.

Mark Kavuma - Sunday 10 December 6.15pm

Discover Kavuma's music and enter a world where vibes, blues and rhythm collide with gospel, soul, and spiritual jazz. With over a decade of experience playing the trumpet and piano in London's rapidly expanding jazz scene, his lyricism, soulful tone, and grace of technique spread infectious joy and mutual excitement among audiences and fellow musicians alike.

His debut album, ‘Kavuma', (2018) was voted among the best albums of the year by Downbeat magazine. ‘The Banger Factory' sequel continued to up the ante, further demonstrating his unique and distinctive sound. Ever the restless creative, Kavuma launched his own label ‘Banger Factory Records', in 2021 with their first release: Kavuma and The Banger Factory - Arashi No Ato.

He has since released Zaitz & Kavuma - Back to Back (2022) Warriors (2022) and the latest release Erskine & Kavuma – Ultrasound (2023). 

  

A gifted educator and inspirational creative enabler, Mark is an associate music leader for the Tomorrow's Warriors programme and brings his maverick ways to the acclaimed Nu Civilisation Orchestra, Jazz Jamaica Small band, and Jazz Jamaica All Stars. He is also a brass tutor and leader at London based carnival band Kinetika Bloco, having also released their debut album ‘Legacy' (2022) on his label. 

Jasmine Gardosi - Thursday 14 December 9.00pm

Jasmine Gardosi is the current Birmingham Poet Laureate. She is a multiple slam champion, beatboxer, winner of the Out-Spoken Prize for Poetry and winner of the Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Performer.

Her work exploring identity, LGBTQ+ issues and mental health has appeared on Button Poetry, at the Tate Modern, Glastonbury Festival and across BBC Radio, including BBC Radio 3's The Verb, Radio 4 and BBC Asian Network. She was featured on Sky Arts' BAFTA-winning show, Life & Rhymes, and her poem about the pandemic, filmed on a rollercoaster, was broadcast across America on PBS after going viral on Twitter. Her performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall was broadcast on BBC Four and can be watched here.

A two-time recipient of an Honorable Mention for Outstanding International Entry in the Button Poetry video contest, her work has been featured on their channel to tens of thousands around the world. Her video-poem about trans voices, 'Say It Anyway', was commissioned by the Brontë Parsonage Museum as their Writer In Residence to mark the bicentenary of Anne Brontë, and was recently featured at Flatpack Festival.

Her commission for Standard Chartered saw her showcased globally as part of International Women's Day 2018 and she is a previous BBC Arts Young Creative and Poet in Residence for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. She was invited by the British Embassy in Tallinn to headline Estonia's historical, first-ever queer poetry slam as part of Baltic Pride.

She was commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre to create 'Dancing To Music You Hate', her debut show exploring gender identity, which features poetry, beatbox and Celtic dubstep. The show premiered to standing ovations, won Best Spoken Word Show in the Saboteur Awards, and just completed an ACE-funded national tour.

Jasmine led West Midlands Poets' Place for eight years. She now continues to run school and community workshops around the country and abroad.

Luca Manning and  Mei Kirby - Friday 15 December 9.45pm

Luca Manning is an artist embracing the unknown. They use sound, performance and improvisation as a means of discovery, connection, provocation and self creation. They currently explore what it means to inhabit a transitioning body in a damaged world, the imagination as a vital muscle in imagining otherwise, as well as the ubiquitous chaos and beauty present in their experiences. Their background is born in a love for femme ferocity and the human voice, leading them into the world of Jazz and Improvisation, now journeying onwards to explore the world of experimental electronics and sounds of transcendent natures. Their world oscillates between gentleness and agitation, a continual journey of asking more questions than seeking to provide answers.

As a performer Luca has performed in a diverse range of settings from London's iconic Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Brighton's Great Escape Festival, Roundhouse, Islay Jazz Festival, We Out Here Fest, Cadogan Hall, Paisley Abbey, The Glory, VFD, Camp Trans, Glasdgow's May Day Rally & Wilderness Fest to opening for artists such as Jools Holland, Holysseus Fly and Tom Rasmussen.

As a collaborator, Luca has most recently worked on the AudioVisual adventure ‘Welcome To Asteria' which featured collaborations with filmmaker Marco Alessi and Fashion Artifact and Millinery Designer Leo Carlton.

As an independent artist, Luca's releases have been featured on BBC Radio 6 Music and Charles Jeffrey's Loverboy Radio.

As a facilitator, Luca has led workshops on Creativity and Songwriting in partnership with the Scottish Trade Union Congress and delivered voice and movement for wellbeing programmes across communities in London.

Marisha Wallace with Toby Gad - Saturday 16 December 9.45pm

Singer and actor Marisha Wallace is a Broadway and West End sensation, best known for having starred in Something Rotten, Dreamgirls, Waitress and the role of Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. She is currently playing the role of Miss Adelaide at The Bridge Theatre, earning herself a Best Musical Performance nomination at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and last year she starred in the smash-hit Oklahoma! at the Young Vic, earning herself an Olivier Award and Evening Standard Theatre Award nomination. Marisha toured her album and EP around the UK in 2021, whilst also making her TV debut starring in season 2 of Netflix's Feel Good and fronting a Charlotte Tilbury campaign.

Toby Gad, Grammy-winning German music producer and songwriter, is a globally acclaimed figure with over 6.7 billion Spotify streams, a prolific catalogue of 400+ released songs, and a Diamond Award for writing John Legend's song "All Of Me". His career initially took flight when he moved to New York in 2001, co-writing "Big Girls Don't Cry" with Fergie, which later became a global hit. His influence continued with Beyoncé's "If I Were a Boy," performed at the 2009 Grammys, and collaborations with Madonna, contributing nine songs towards her "Rebel Heart" album. Gad's impact transcends charts; he later composed the "Lovesong to the Earth" anthem for the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, featuring legends such as Paul McCartney and John Bonjovi. Adding to his accolades, Gad starred in 18 prime-time episodes as a judge on "DSDS" (German Idol) in 2022.Recently Toby decided to re-imagine all his greatest hits on an album called Piano Diaries

Multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and actor Marisha Wallace releases original Christmas single Little House in the Snow, a collaboration with GRAMMY-winning songwriter Toby Gad. Currently on stage in the critically-acclaimed Guys & Dolls, Marisha is one of Broadway and the West End's biggest names. Multi-talented, Marisha has fronted Charlotte Tilbury campaigns, starred in a Netflix series alongside Lisa Kudrow, performed everywhere from Strictly Come Dancing to The Royal Variety, released a chart-topping charity single at the height of the pandemic for the NHS, earned Radio 2's Album of the Week and received Olivier and Evening Standard Theatre nominations this year alone. Little House in the Snow is inspired by Marisha's own story of never being allowed to celebrate Christmas growing up in North Carolina. Secret traditions were made with her mother, who handed out gifts to Marisha and her siblings from a black bin bag in private, and their new toys had to be hidden as soon as their father returned home for the day. From a sad, yet magical time created by her mother, Marisha now brings all the emotion and nostalgia to her new song which effortlessly highlights her powerful, soulful voice in a stripped back, emotional piano ballad. "I would watch Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Scrooge, The Muppet Christmas Carol and imagine that I would have those Christmases that you see on television and in the movies. Now, I try to make memories at Christmas that I couldn't make when I was little. I will decorate and bring all that Christmas spirit that was kept from me for so long. Christmas to me means creating the life you want to have. Everybody's Christmas is different, but if you have family and each other then you have everything ,and Christmas is everything."-Marisha Wallace Teaming up with Grammy-winning hitmaker Toby Gad (John Legend All of Me, Beyonce If I Were A Boy, Fergie Big Girls Don't Cry),the pair have created a heart-felt original Christmas track that sums up what the festive season is really about.

Ni Maxime – Sunday 17 December 6.15pm 

The award-winning British Neo-Jazz Singer-Songwriter, Ni Maxine, hailed a ‘Black Woman at The Forefront of the UK Jazz Scene' (Black Ballad), is sparking intergenerational conversations for change through song, exploring themes of home, identity, self-esteem and belonging.

Compared, by audience members, to Billie Holiday, Sade and Erykah Badu, her conscious & political lyricism and timeless vocal have taken her to the main stage at Liverpool's Africa Oyé, Gilles Peterson's ‘We Out Here' & the EFG London Jazz Festival.

Bronté Barbé - Thursday 21 December 9.45pm

Bronté has recently reprised her role of 'Kathy' in Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder on their UK tour after a successful run at last year's Edinburgh Festival. Recent work in theatre includes Katherine Plumber in the Original London production of Newsies (Troubador Theatre London); Mary Western in What's New Pussycat (Birmingham Rep); Ado Annie in Oklahoma (Chichester Festival Theatre); Carole King in Beautiful (UK Tour); Princess Fiona in the UK tour of Shrek. Other credits include: Years & Years (BBC), Call the Midwife (BBC).

Accompanied on the piano by Matthew Floyd Jones (Frisky & Mannish, Kathy and Stella).

Parthenope Wald-Harding  - Saturday 30 December 9.45pm

Parthenope is a saxophonist and singer and at 22 years old has already made her mark on the UK music scene. Originally from Leeds, she writes jazz influenced, danceable songs that incorporate improvisation and jazz harmony with catchy melodies and introspective lyrics. Her highly anticipated debut was as a part of the ‘Bluenote Reimagined Vol.2' compilation album, combining ‘today's finest artists in UK jazz'. With more releases rolling out in 2024, Parthenope is one to watch.

Matt Henry - Saturday 6 January 9.45pm

Matt was awarded an MBE in the Queens New Years Honours list 2017 for his work in Musical Theatre. Winner of The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his esteemed performance as Lola in Kinky Boots, voted Best Actor in a Musical at the What's On Stage Awards and also nominated for a Grammy Award for his solo performance in the London Kinky Boots cast recording.

Recently, Matt can be seen playing the doctor in the new 2022 film of Matilda and has also appeared in the smash hit series Bridgerton. Henry is billed as one of the co-creators and finished performing in the Olivier nominated show The Drifters Girl Musical at the Garrick Theatre originating the role of ‘Clyde McPhatter' in October 2022.

Matt also toured the UK promoting his debut album Red Flare supporting Grammy and Tony winning pop icon, Cyndi Lauper. His debut album Red Flare was recorded live at the studio of Dan Gillespie Sells (The Feeling) and produced by Mr Hudson and is available on iTunes.

Previous credits include; Drifters Girl (Garrick Theatre), Hushabye Mountain (The Hope Mill Theatre), Our Lady of Blundellsands (Liverpool Everyman), Shakespeare Globe in a production of The Two Noble Kingsmen, Avenue Q (Noël Coward Theatre and UK tour); Lion King (Lyceum); Miss Saigon (UK tour); Saturday Night Fever (Apollo Victoria); Hair (UK tour); The Rat Pack Live from Vegas (Adelphi and UK tour) The Harder They Come (Stratford East and UK tour); The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (Royal & Derngate) and The Frontline (Shakespeare's Globe).

Matt Henry also enjoys his appearances as a solo artist at various west end musical concerts and events as well as holding his one man Cabaret show at The Crazy Coqs in London's West End.

About The McOnie Company

The McOnie Company is the hot-blooded theatre company with ‘Rock n' Roll swagger' (The Observer). The company is led by Producer Georgia Gatti and Olivier Award-winning director and choreographer Drew McOnie, whose work has been described as having ‘the explosive feel of barely contained ecstasy' (Chicago Sun Times).

The company was launched to celebrate the power of visual storytelling and holds audiences at the centre of its creative mission. We are committed to creating exhilarating stories for today that push boundaries. Our wild-hearted company presents both known titles reimagined for the stage and screen, alongside brand-new work.

The McOnie Company holds a proud association with The Old Vic Theatre and Birmingham Rep.

The company's productions include the forthcoming stage adaptation of the academy award-winning film The Artist; the award-winning dance-thriller reimagining of Jekyll and Hyde at the Old Vic, the song and dance revue Drunk at the Bridewell Theatre, Making Midnight at Jermyn Street Theatre, Slaughter at The Place and Be Mine at the Robin Howard Theatre.

www.mconiecompany.com

Twitter: @McOnieCompany

Instagram: @mconiecompany

About Underbelly

Underbelly is a UK-based live entertainment company founded in 2000 by Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood that specialises in producing and programming ground-breaking theatrical productions and the creation of city-centre cultural events and festivals from theatres to roundabouts from London to Asia. Most recently, Underbelly, alongside ATG Productions, transformed The Playhouse into the Kit Kat Club for the Olivier Award winning Cabaret.

Underbelly is currently producing Macbeth starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma alongside Wessex Grove opening in late 2023, the trailblazing cabaret show La Clique in Manchester, Edinburgh and London, and, in 2024, The McOnie company's The Artist.

One of the largest producers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Underbelly has previously presented Fleabag in 2013 and Six in 2018. In 2019, pre-COVID, we welcomed more than 9 million people to our productions, events, and festivals. 

About the Southbank Centre

The Southbank Centre is the UK's largest multi-arts centre and engages the most diverse audiences of any performing arts organisation in the UK. Our biggest venue, the Royal Festival Hall (2,700 seats) is the lasting legacy of the 1951 Festival of Britain and the ambition and values of that project – that arts, ideas, innovation and culture can heal communities and should be available and accessible to everyone – are still our guiding principles today.

The Southbank Centre is uniquely able to offer a wide-ranging, inclusive and world-class artistic programme spanning contemporary visual arts, music, dance, performance, literature, comedy and spoken word across the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, the Hayward Gallery and our free spaces. We are also home to the National Poetry Library, the National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) and six resident orchestras (Aurora Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Philharmonia Orchestra).

www.southbankcentre.co.uk

About Creative Engagement at the Southbank Centre

The Southbank Centre runs a packed programme of Creative Engagement projects and participatory events to engage and inspire children, families, young people and adults from all backgrounds. Our Emerging Artists and Young Creatives programme nurtures and champions the next generation through our courses, workshops and performances in visual arts, dance, music, literature and poetry. We are proud to work in partnership with a number of leading youth music and talent development organisations including Tomorrow's Warriors and Kinetika Bloco.

For more information visit https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/creative-learning

About Francesca Moody Productions

Francesca Moody Productions is an Olivier Award winning and Tony Nominated Theatrical Production company.  

Current and upcoming productions include: Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder (Underbelly Edinburgh, Bristol Old Vic, HOME Manchester), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Lyric Hammersmith), An Oak Tree (Festival d'Avignon, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh), Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible is Going to Happen (Bush Theatre).

Recent productions include: A Doll's House (Hudson Theatre, New York), A Streetcar Named Desire (Phoenix Theatre), Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons (Harold Pinter Theatre), Berlusconi: A New Musical (Southwark Playhouse Elephant), Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder (Roundabout), Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible is Going to Happen (Roundabout), Mum (Soho Theatre), Leopards (Rose Theatre), Baby Reindeer (Bush Theatre, Roundabout).

About Tomorrow's Warriors

Tomorrow's Warriors is a pioneering talent development organisation, creative producer, learning and training provider, charity and consultancy specialising in jazz. Founded in 1991 by The Queen's Medal for Music recipient Gary Crosby OBE and Janine Irons OBE, Tomorrow's Warriors supports aspiring artists from diverse backgrounds to discover their magic and achieve creative ambitions.

A black-led organisation, Tomorrow's Warriors has played a vital role, transforming the UK music scene for over three decades, supporting those from challenging circumstances whilst pushing young talent to the forefront of the vibrant UK jazz scene, mentoring, and providing training to the likes of Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia (Nérija), Femi Koleoso (Ezra Collective, 2023 Mercury Prize Winners), Shabaka Hutchings (Sons of Kemet) and many more.

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