New Musical from ROCKY HORROR Team, THE STRIPPER, and More Among St. James Lineup, This Fall; Tickets on Sale Today!

Tickets for all shows will go on sale to St. James Theatre members and friends on Monday 09 May at 10am and on general sale on Tuesday 10 May at 10am.

James Albrecht, Creative Director of the St. James Theatre comments:

"I am delighted to announce our summer and autumn programme. In an exciting deviation from the norm, the Studio will present two longer running shows. For six weeks from July 'The Stripper' will transform the Studio into an underworld of mystery, pulp fiction and sleaze - as we might expect from the creators of The Rocky Horror Show. And in late August, New York Fringe Festival award winner 'Waiting for Waiting for Godot' comes to the Studio in a new production directed by 'The Comedy about a Bank Robbery' director, Mark Bell."

"In the main house, smash hit 'The Pianist of Willesden Lane' returns for a six week encore. This is the first time we have brought a show back to the St. James, but Mona Golabek's remarkable account of her mother Lisa Jura's escape from Austria on the Kindertransport, her subsequent survival of the London Blitz and elevation to concert pianist, captured the hearts and imaginations of our audience in unprecedented numbers."

Niall Bailey and Chris Wheeler for Scala Theatre Ltd.

THE STRIPPER

Thursday 7 July - Saturday 13 August 2016

Press night: Monday 11 July at 8pm

The St. James Studio will be transformed into sleazy nightclub 'The Club Extravaganza' for the run of musical whodunnit The Stripper, based on the pulp fiction story by Carter Brown, with music and lyrics by Richard Hartley and Richard O'Brien, the writers of cult classic The Rocky Horror Show. Benji Sperring will direct, fresh from rave reviews for The Toxic Avenger at Southwark Playhouse. Sperring's other stage credits include the acclaimed first production of Shock Treatment, the sequel to The Rocky Horror Show.

The year is 1961, the place is Pine City, California, and some broad is threatening to throw herself off the top of the fanciest hotel in town. There's trouble brewing and Lieutenant Al Wheeler wants answers.

First stop, Club Extravaganza where we meet delectable Deadpan Dolores. Her name says it all... she's not shy, so what's she hiding?

As Wheeler is thrust into a sleazy underworld of strip-joints and lost lonely hearts, the truth isn't the only thing he uncovers.

The Stripper was first staged at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch on 28 August 2009.

European Premiere

Libby Brodie Productions present

WAITING FOR WAITING FOR GODOT

Tuesday 30 August - Saturday 24 September 2016

Press night: Thursday 1 September at 8pm

Mark Bell, the critically-acclaimed director behind the Olivier-award winning hit The Play That Goes Wrong and the recently acclaimed The Comedy About a Bank Robbery directs the European premiere of Dave Hanson's off-Broadway comedy at St. James Studio for a four-week run this autumn.

Two hapless understudies occupy their time backstage, trying to understand art, life, theatre and their precarious existence within it. Described as "delectable" by The New York Times and "gleefully absurd" by Time Out New York this hilariously witty comedy ponders Beckett, showbiz and just what on earth it's all about. Turns out, the only people who truly understand Beckett's Waiting For Godot, are the understudies.

Mark Bell says: "I am very, very excited to be directing Waiting For Waiting For Godot, the funniest play I have read in a long time. It is wonderful to be working on a piece of new American writing making its debut in London. Dave Hanson has written a sharp and intelligent comedy and I am very much looking forward to working on it."

HERSHEY FELDER PRESENTS with Samantha F Voxakis, Karen Racanelli and Robert M. Birmingham

THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE

07 September - 16 October 2016

Gala night: Tuesday 13 September at 7.30pm

Following the sold out success of its UK premiere earlier this year, The Pianist of Willesden Lane returns to the St. James Theatre for just six weeks.

Adapted and directed by Hershey Felder, performed by Mona Golabek, with design by Hershey Felder and Trevor Hay, lighting design by Christopher Rynne and Jason Bieber, costume design by Jaclyn Maduff, sound design byErik Carstensen and projection design by Andrew Wilder.

Set in Vienna in 1938 and in London during the Blitz, The Pianist of Willesden Lane tells the true story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish pianist who is dreaming about her concert debut at Vienna's storied Musikverein concert hall. But with the issuing of new ordinances under the Nazi regime, everything for Lisa changes, except for her love of music and the pursuit of her dream - as she is torn from her family and set onto the Kindertransport to London.

Featuring some of the world's most beloved piano music played live on a Steinway concert grand piano, The Pianist of Willesden Lane is based on performer Mona Golabek's family story.

Mona Golabek said: "Performing 'The Pianist of Willesden Lane' at the St. James Theatre has been the highlight of my life. I shall forever cherish the audiences that came and embraced my mother's story with such open hearts. I am so honoured to be invited back for an encore run and can't wait!"

Based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen.