Production news round-up: Prince musical to tour and Mark Rylance will perform anti-war readings

Plays

Elaine Page, Charlie Stemp and Ashley Banjo have been cast in Dick Whittington at the London Palladium. They join previously announced cast members Nigel Havers, Julian Clary and Paul Zerdin. It runs from December 9 to January 14, with press night on December 13.
Author: Alan McHugh
Director: Michael Harrison
Producers: Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for QDos Entertainment
Read original story here

Theatre Royal Bath has announced two international UK premieres for its autumn season in the Ustinov Studio. Christmas Eve, a new work from German writer Daniel Kehlmann which is translated by Christopher Hampton, will run from October 12 to November 11 with press night on October 18. The Open House by Will Eno, a co-production with London’s Print Room at the Coronet, will show at the Ustinov Studio from November 23 to December 23.
Read original story here

Michael J Shannon and Hayley Squires will join Sienna Miller and Jack O’Connell in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the West End. The production will open for previews in the West End at the Apollo Theatre on July 13, with press night on July 24, and it will run until October 7.
Author: Tennessee Williams
Cast includes: Lisa Palfrey, Brian Gleeson and Richard Hansel
Producer: The Young Vic
Read original story here

Full casting has been announced for Racing Demon at the Theatre Royal Bath. The production, about four clergymen, will run from June 21 to July 8.
Author: David Hare
Director: Jonathan Church
Cast: Sam Alexander, Michelle Bonnard, Anthony Calf, William Chubb, Paapa Essiedu, Ian Gelder, Andrew Fraser, Rebecca Night, Amanda Root and Ashley Russell
Producer: Theatre Royal Bath

HighTide has announced its 2017 season, which will transfer to a temporary space in Walthamstow after its run in Aldeburgh. Shows include Heroine by Nessah Muthy, Kanye the First by Sam Steiner and Girls by Theresa Ikoko. It runs in Aldeburgh from September 12 to 17 and in Walthamstow from September 26 to October 8.

Scott Ellis has announced his first season as artistic director of Theatre N16 in London. Highlights include a production of Deadline Day by John Hickman and Steve Robertson, and Olympilads by Andrew Maddock. Ten emerging artists will debut a selection of works exploring feminism in Maiden Speech: A festival of fresh feminist voices, and End of the Line Theatre will present Poverty Porn by Catriona Kerridge.

London’s Print Room at the Coronet has announced its autumn/winter season, which includes a production of Trouble in Mind, directed by Laurence Boswell to show from September 14 to October 14. Other highlights include The Open House by Will Eno, and Dead Poets Live with Glenda Jackson on September 24.

London’s Lyric Hammersmith has announced a series of summer events, including performances from Far From The Norm, Zest, DanceWest and the Lyric Young Company as part of HammersmithLondon’s annual free summer festival. Young Lyric will be creating a new musical called How to Fail at Being Perfect based on a dystopic version of Peter Pan and the Lyric’s company of disabled and non-disabled young people, Journeys, will create a new piece of work to be performed in the Lyric Studio.

A play exploring family bereavement called Mumburger will show at London’s Old Red Lion from June 27 to July 22.
Author: Sarah Kosar
Director: Tommo Fowler
Cast: Andrew Frame and Rosie Wyatt
Producer: Hannah Tookey

Sam Phillips, Beverly Klein and Julien Ball have joined the cast of Deathtrap, which opens at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre on September 5 before embarking on a 12 week tour. It will visit venues including Brighton’s Theatre Royal, Cardiff’s New Theatre, and Richmond Theatre in London.
Author: Ira Levin
Director: Adam Penford
Producer: Mark Puddle in association with Paul Tyrer and Jamie Clark for TBO Productions

Musicals

A new musical featuring the songs of Prince will begin a national tour in 2018. Purple Rain will feature a cast of 26 dancers, musicians and singers. It runs from February 1 to July 21, 2018.
Author: Prince
Director: Gary Lloyd
Producers: Adam Spiegel, Mark Goucher, Claire-Bridget Kenwright
Read original story here

Diana Vickers has been cast in upcoming Dusty Springfield jukebox musical Son of a Preacher Man. The production will tour from September 4, 2017 until July 7, 2018 at venues including Manchester’s Palace Theatre, Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre and the Liverpool Empire.
Authors: Dusty Springfield (music), Warner Brown (book)
Director and choreography: Craig Revel Horwood
Producers: Brian Berg, John Sachs, Andrew Berg and Kimberley Sachs for Eclipse Live, Michael Park for The Infinite Group, Paul Tyrer and Jamie Clark for TBO Productions, Churchill Theatre Bromley and executive producers Andrew Green and Ben White
Read original story here

Louise Redknapp and Will Young will star in UK tour of Cabaret. It will tour the UK from September 21 to December 9, visiting venues including the New Wimbledon Theatre, Blackpool Opera House and Milton Keynes Theatre, with further tour dates to be announced.
Authors: Joe Masteroff (book), Fred Ebb (music), John Kander (lyrics)
Director: Rufus Norris
Producer: Bill Kenwright
Read original story here

The world premiere of Bat Out of Hell – The Musical has extended its season at London’s Coliseum by two weeks. The rock’n’roll musical, which was originally due to run until July 22, will now show until August 5, opening for previews from June 5.
Author: Jim Steinman (book, music and lyrics)
Director: Jay Scheib
Producers: David Sonenberg, Michael Cohl, Randy Lennox and Tony Smith
Read original story here

Shitfaced Showtime’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz will run at London’s Leicester Square Theatre from July 2 to 23, with press night on July 2. The show sees a different cast member get drunk during each performance.
Author: Frank Baum
Director: Tamsyn Kelly
Choreographer: Meg Matthews
Producers: Dora Rubinstein and Issy Wroe Wright

Other

Mark Rylance and Kika Markham are to take part in a series of dramatic readings about war. Rylance will read Howard Zinn’s speech Three Holy Wars and Markham will read an extract from Erich Maria Remarque’s novel The Road Back. The charity event takes place on June 18 at 7pm, with proceeds going to the Stop the War Coalition.
Read original story here