NEWS ROUNDUP: 19th - 25th October

We've all enjoyed an extra hour of sleep this weekend, so there should be no excuses not to want to dive right into another weekly news digest, as we have another array of headlines to round off this week, and there are some good ones...

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PRETTY WOMAN

Initial casting announced for new UK tour

Following the announcement that it would be embarking on a new UK and Ireland tour in 2027, the first casting has been revealed for "Pretty Woman: The Musical", to open in the spring at the Wimbledon New Theatre. Leading the cast will be Molly Rainford as Vivian Ward in her professional stage debut, opposite Danny Walters as Edward Lewis, and Bernadette Bangura as Kit De Luca. They are joined by Selena Barron, Jabari Braham, Jack Campbell, Cletus Chan, Josh Crowther, Sophie Cullen, Benjamin Dawson, Sian Gentle Green, Rebecca Ibbott, Kai Cameron Jay, Callum Martin, Brogan McFarlane, LJ Neilson, Matthew Prime, Alana M Robinson, Roshaan Saulnier, Morgan Scott, Ellie Seaton, Sario Solomon, Tomas Wolstenholme and Tara Yasmin.

Originally premiering in Chicago prior to a run at the Nederlander Theatre on broadway, the musical made its UK debut in February 2020, being forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, later reopening at the Savoy Theatre in July 2021, where it ran for just short 2 years. Following its run in Wimbledon, the new UK touring production will then perform in Manchester, Milton Keynes, York, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sunderland, Southampton, Hull, Stoke, Leeds, Oxford, Bristol, Liverpool, Nottingham, Woking and Aberdeen. Head on over to the Pretty Woman website to find out more.

SISTER ACT

New UK tour to commence in latter part of next year

Hallelujah! The convent is hitting the road once again, as the Alan Menken and Glenn Slater musical adaptation of “Sister Act” is set to tour the UK and Ireland from autumn 2027, with initial casting having already been announced. The tour will begin at Wimbledon New Theatre on the 11th of September, before going on to perform in Sunderland, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, Southend, Birmingham, Cardiff, Nottingham, Brighton, Dartford, Plymouth, Hull, Southampton, Belfast, Derry and Oxford, with a stop in Dublin to be confirmed in due course.

Leading the cast will be Zoe Birkett (Tina) as Deloris Van Cartier, Craig Revel Horwood (Annie) as Mother Superior, and Paul Chuckle (The Rise And Fall of Little Voice) as Monsignor O’Hara. Further casting will be revealed at a later date, and tickets will go on sale from the 21st of October. Revel Horwood will not appear in any dates from Southend onwards, with Birkett performing up until and including Birmingham. You can find out more, book tickets, and sign up for further news, via the official Sister Act website.

WARRIORS

Cast revealed for new Eisa Davis and Lin-Manuel Miranda musical

Can they survive the night? We now know who will be taking to the stage in the world premiere of "Warriors", the latest musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, in collaboration with Pulitzer nominee Eisa Davis. Originally a concept album released two years ago, the musical is inspired by several layers of adaptation of Ancient Greek soldier and philosopher Xenophon's 4th century B.C.E. autobiographical work "Anabasis", most notably adapted into the 1979 action film "the Warriors" starring Michael Beck and David Patrick Kelly. Reprising their roles from the concept album will be Aneesa Folds (Cleon), Amber Gray (Ajax), Julia Harriman (Mercy), Sasha Hutchings (Cowgirl), Gizel Jiménez (Rembrandt), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Swan), Kenita R. Miller (Cochise).

They will be joined by Jaci Calderon (Fox), Sasha Allen (Cyrus), Casey Likes (Luther), and Donald Webber Jr. (Masai). Likes also featured on the album, but in a different role. "Warriors" begins previews at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on the 9th of March 2027, with an official opening on the 8th of April 2027, and tickets now on sale via BroadwayDirect. Head on over to the official Warriors website to find out more.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

Initial casting revealed for immersive stage production

Secret Cinema have today revealed who will be featuring in the cast for the immersive “Pirates of the Caribbean” experience, to open in early 2027. Olivier winner George Maguire (Burlesque) will lead the cast as Captain Jack Sparrow, alongside Phil Daniels (Teetn 'n' Smiles) as Captain Barbossa, Lily Blunsom (Witness for the Prosecution) as Elizabeth Swann, Harrison Wilde (Kiss Me, Kate) as Will Turner, and Gleanne Purcell-Brown (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) as Anamaria.

With direction by Matt Costain, the show's creative team will include theatrical adaptation by Kait Kerrigan, costume design by Susan Kulkarni, wigs, hair and makeup design by Helen Keane, and musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Alan Williams. Further cast and creatives will be revealed at a later date, and you can find out more, as well as book tickets, via the production's website.

THE HISTORY BOYS

New revival of Bennett play to open in London

The boys are back, and they’re heading back to the west end, as the National Theatre production of Alan Bennett’s Tony and Olivier-winning play “The History Boys” is set to return to London next spring. Originally premiering in 2004 at the National starring Richard Griffiths, the play returned to the same venue the following year, and later opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on broadway to rave reviews, before returning to London for two separate runs at Wyndham's Theatre between 2006-2008. It was also adapted to the big screen, with Griffiths reprising the role he originated at the National Theatre.

The revival, to be directed by the play’s original director Nicholas Hytner, will open on the 10th of April 2027 at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, where it will run for a limited 16 week engagement, closing on the 24th of July. Further details will be revealed in due course, with full casting to be announced in January. To find out more or book tickets, you can drop into the venue's box office, or head on over to their website.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Old Vic production announces full cast for Lowry run

The full cast for the upcoming run of the Old Vic production of “A Christmas Carol”, to play in Salford this festive period, has been revealed. Previously announced is John Thomson as Scrooge, who will be joined by Laura Baldwin as Belle, Hayley Canham as Little Fan, Marilyn Cutts as Ghost of Christmas Past, Hadrian Delacey as Father/Marley, Peter Dukes as Nicholas/Schoolmaster, Christian Edwards as Bob Cratchit, Kamilla Fernandes as Ghost of Christmas Present/Mrs Fezziwig, Seb Harwood as Ferdy/George, Emma Lucia as Mrs Cratchit, Annell Odartey as Jess, Ben Redfern as Fezziwig, Joe Usher as Fred, and Connor Wood as Young Ebenezer.

Sharing the role of Tiny Tim will be Ronan Caldwell, Chloe Gay, Franklin Gimson and Kharia Thompson, and the cast is completed by swings / covers Jamie Doncaster and Rachel Moran. Directed by Olivier and Tony winner Matthew Warchus and based on the classic novel by Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” will run at the Lowry from the 11th of December until the 10th of January, with tickets now on sale from the venue’s box office and website.

OH, MARY!

Jane Krakowski to lead west end production

Following her critically acclaimed, completely chaotic run in the show on broadway, it has been announced that star of stage and screen Jane Krakowski (Here We Are) is set to reprise the lead role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the west end production of Cole Escola’s Tony and Olivier winning comedy “Oh, Mary!”. She originally played the role at the Lyceum Theatre in New York, taking over from departing Jinkx Monsoon, performing for 8 weeks in late 2025. She joins a cast that also includes Lucy Frederick as Mary’s Chaperone, J R Ballantyne as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant, Vinnie Heaven as Mary’s Teacher, and Syrus Lowe as Mary’s Husband.

Krakowski takes over from the departying Lolly Adefope, beginning performances on the 7th of December, having previously performed in London last year at the National Theatre in Stephen Sondheim's last musical "Here We Are", and she will perform for six weeks only until the 16th of January 2027, with casting from the 18th of January onwards to be revealed at a later date; you can purchase tickets both through the venue's box office, as well as via the ATG Tickets website, with tickets now on sale through to the 5th of June 2027, having extended booking earlier this week.

THE NOTEBOOK

West end transfer for Tony and Grammy nominated musical

At long last, the west end premiere of the musical adaptation of “The Notebook” has been announced, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the original novel by Nicholas Sparks. With a score by Ingrid Michaelson and book by Bekah Brunstetter, the musical first premiered in Chicago back in 2022, before opening at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on broadway two years later, where it ran for 10 months and was nominated for three Tony Awards, as well as the Grammy Award for best musical theatre album. The show will run at the newly renamed Judi Dench Theatre in the spring, currently operating as the Shaftesbury until February 2027.

Preview performances will begin on the 10th of March, with an official opening on the 13th of April, and an initial booking period until the 11th of December. You can find out more, as well as book tickets via the venue's box office at the Judi Dench Theatre, as well as via the Notebook website.