John Barrowman Joins Menier Chocolate Factory's La Cage aux Folles 9/14

John Barrowman is set to join the cast of Menier Chocolate Factory's La Cage aux Folles, stepping into the roll of Albin on 9/14. The roll is currently being played by Roger Allam.

According to JohnBarrowman.com, "Having created the role of Captain Jack Harkness in the first series of Russell T Davies's revamped Doctor Who for BBC TV, the character created such an impact that he was given his own spin off series, Torchwood, which premiered in the Autumn of 2006 on BBC3 and BBC2. It received the highest viewing figures of any drama on a non terrestial channel, and a second series subsequently aired on BBC2. John returned to our screens in Doctor Who series three and four, and Torchwood has successfully premiered around the world, garnering the best viewing figures ever on BBC America. Torchwood series three will air on BBC1 in 2009.

John's multi talents have gained him a high profile on a variety of primetime television shows, whether judging on the award winning BBC1 entertainment shows searching for new West End leading stars, I'd Do Anything, Any Dream Will Do and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, hosting the family game show The Kids Are All Right for BBC1, as a celebrity skater on the ITV show Dancing On Ice, or simply being a hugely amusing and memorable guest on The Jonathan Ross Show and Never Mind the Buzzcocks and guest host on The Friday Night Project. He has co-hosted Live From The Red Carpet at the BAFTA Film Awards for E! Entertainment Television, guest presented This Morning for ITV and The National Lottery Live for the BBC, and opened and closed the 2006 Royal Variety Show. He has guested on episodes of Hotel Babylon and My Family for BBC1, judged on the Canadian How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? for CBC, and was the subject of a BBC1 documentary entitled The Making of Me, investigating the science of homosexuality.

In Spring 2009 John's new primetime Saturday night entertainment show Tonight's The Night will air on BBC1, in which John sings and dances, and helps ordinary people from around the country fulfill their performing dreams. This show is a co production with John's Production Company, Barrowman Barker Productions.

In November 2007 John's solo album Another Side was released by Sony Music and went Gold. In November 2008 Sony's Epic label released Music Music Music, and John was seen singing the single ‘What About Us', written by Gary Barlow, on the Royal Variety Show. He will soon be heard singing the role of ‘Raoul' in the concept album recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new Phantom musical Love Never Dies. In January 2008 his autobiography Anything Goes, which he wrote with his sister Carole E. Barrowman, was published by Michael O'Mara Books and reached number 2 in the Sunday Times best seller's list, remaining in the top ten for 13 weeks. The paperback version was published in February 2009, and a follow up autobiography I Am What I Am will be published in October 2009.

John undertook a sell out solo UK concert tour in April 2008. In May 2009 he will undertake a second UK concert tour, culminating in one night at the Royal Albert Hall, and will play various summer concerts throughout the UK.

Born in Glasgow, where he spent his early years, John moved with his family to the United States, living in Illinois, and later studied Musical Theatre at the US International University in San Diego, California.

Whilst taking further study in the UK in 1989, he landed his first professional role, starring as Billy Crocker opposite Elaine Paige in the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes at the Prince Edward Theatre. This catapulted John into a career as a leading man in musical theatre, with further West End credits including Matador opposite Stefanie Powers at the Queen's Theatre, Chris in Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Raoul in The Phantom Of The Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre, The Beast in Beauty And The Beast at the Dominion Theatre, Sam Mendes' premiere production of The Fix at the Donmar Warehouse (for which John received an Olivier Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical), Claude in the 25th Anniversary production of Hair at the Old Vic, and Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard at the Adelphi Theatre, playing opposite both Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige. He subsequently reprised the role on Broadway, where he also starred opposite Carol Burnett in the Stephen Sondheim revue Putting It Together, which also played in Los Angeles and was aired in the USA as a television special. Other theatre work includes Alex in the Irish premiere production of Aspects Of Love in Dublin, Che in Evita at the 6,000 seat Spektrum Arena in Oslo, and Brandon in Rope at Chichester Festival Theatre.

After a very successful run as Bobby in Stephen Sondheim's Company at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, John returned to London theatre in a hugely successful revival of Anything Goes, directed by Trevor Nunn at the National Theatre, which subsequently transferred to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Whilst at the National John also appeared as Dumaine in Shakespeare's Love's Labours Lost also directed by Trevor Nunn. He subsequently played Billy Flynn in Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre, before making his West End straight play debut, playing opposite Rob Lowe in A Few Good Men at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. He made his pantomime debut as Prince Charming in Cinderella at the Wimbledon Theatre and the following year he played a sell out run in the title role in Jack and the Beanstalk at the New Theatre, Cardiff. In 2007/8 he played the title role of Aladdin at the Birmingham Hippodrome, breaking all box office records, returning for the 2008/9 season in the title role of Robin Hood, breaking all box office records again!

John's movie roles include playing the Lead Tenor in the movie of the Mel Brooks' musical The Producers starring Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Uma Thurman. He played the role of Jack opposite Kevin Kline in De-Lovely, with Liz Hurley in Method and the cult classic Megalodon - Shark Attack 3.

He was a regular on American television, playing Peter Williams in the Aaron Spelling series Titans for NBC, and guest starred in Aaron Spelling's Stop at Nothing. He also starred in Darren Star's Central Park West for CBS.

John was a regular presenter on Live and Kicking (BBC). He then presented Electric Circus (BBC) and hosted two series and two Christmas Specials of The Movie Game (BBC) and also presented 5's Company, a weekday magazine programme for Channel 5. He has presented the American travel show Keys to the Castle and co hosted the BBC Wales coverage of Children in Need 2008 with Gethin Jones.

John guest presented Elaine Paige On Sunday for BBC Radio 2, and the Breakfast Show on Capital Radio, and has starred in several solo concerts for BBC Radio 2. He starred opposite Tyne Daly in a concert version of Call Me Madam, a Jerry Herman Concert with the Boston Pops and hosted the Andew Lloyd Webber 60th Birthday Party in the Park concert for Radio 2, and their Jerry Herman Gala, sang Tony in Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story Suite in the open air in Munich with Lea Salonga and headlined at Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival in North Wales with Jodie Prenger and Daniel Boys.

John made his cabaret debut in 2002 to great critical acclaim in Chicago's Park West and Empire Room, and at Arci's Place in New York, the Lincoln Center in New York and on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC. In July 2005 John made his London cabaret debut at Pizza on the Park, and his European debut in Belgium.

John can be heard on original cast recordings of Anything Goes and The Fix for First Night records, as Danny Zuko in Grease for TER, Hair for EMI, and the all star cast album of Godspell. His previous solo albums include John Barrowman Swings Cole Porter,John Barrowman: Reflections From Broadway, and John Barrowman: Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber."

La Cage is directed by Terry Johnson, with choreography by Lynne Page, set design by Tim Shortall, costumes by Matthew Wright and lighting by Nick Richings.

To book tickets contact the box office at 0870 060 6631 or visit www.lacagelondon.com.

 

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