Following a sell-out tour of the stage adaptation of Dead Simple, the Belgrade Theatre is thrilled to welcome the hit UK touring production of The Perfect Murder starring Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace from Tue 29 Mar – Sat 2 April.
 
Peter James and producer Joshua Andrews are delighted that Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace will appear on stage together for the very first time in The Perfect Murder and are pleased to announce that completing the cast will be Simona Armstrong, Stephen Fletcher and Benjamin Wilkin.
 
Directed by Olivier award-winner Ian Talbot and adapted by award winning writer Shaun McKenna, this highly acclaimed dark comedy thriller delighted and frightened audiences across the country in 2014, with its darkly funny and gripping storyline.
  
The Perfect Murder tells the story of Victor Smiley and his wife Joan who have been married for a long time. But their marriage has reached crisis point and Victor has decided there is only one way to get Joan out of his life forever... but he’s about to get a nasty surprise... As a young Detective Roy Grace starts to investigate his very first homicide case, dark forces intervene and Grace begins to fear that nothing is quite as it seems quite as it seems.
 
Tickets for The Perfect Murder are  priced from £18.50 - £34.25. For tickets, call the Belgrade Theatre Box Office on 024 7655 3055 or visit the website www.belgrade.co.uk where cheaper tickets are available.
 
Due to popular demand, an extra matinee performance has been programmed on Thu 31 March at 2.30pm. For more information, visit the Belgrade's website.

The Old Joint Stock are looking for 2 men to join their cast for USHERS.

This is a brand new musical and here at the Old Joint Stock we are one of the first companies in the UK to secure the rights to perform it. It will be rehearsed intensively for the week before the show (4-9 April) with performances taking place 12-17 April (7 performances).

• 1 x male, playing age 18-30 - Stephen (Part-time Usher, part-time "leading man") Needs a strong vocal and good movement ability.
• 1 x male, playing age 30-50 - Robin (The Theatre Manager) A great character part with a strong vocal. Robin's rehearsal times & dates may be slightly flexible.

Directed by Adam Lacey & Karl Steele, with Choreography by Sarah Haines and under the Musical Direction of Nick Allen this will be a great fun project to be a part of, with a professional feel to rehearsals & show week. Making up the rest of the cast are Cecily Redman, Hannah Kilroy, Aidan Cutler & Brad Walwyn.

If you would like more info, send an email to ojsmtc@gmail.com.

Musical lovers look set to enjoy a heavenly dose of song and dance this week when Stratford Musical Theatre Company performs the hit show Godspell at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new Studio Theatre at The Other Place.
 
This modern twist on a timeless tale portrays Jesus’ teachings of kindness, love and tolerance using inspiring parables from the Gospel of Matthew. 
 
Packed with energetic games and storytelling techniques, the 13-strong cast will sing and dance their way through Jesus’ life, up until his moving crucifixion.   
 
This unique musical, composed by multi-award winner Stephen Schwartz whose other hit shows include Wicked and Pippin, features an eclectic mix of songs, including Day by Day, Save the People and Bless the Lord,   
 
Stratford Musical Theatre Company’s (SMTC’s) Godspell will be one of the first performances at the RSC’s new 200 seat Studio theatre, situated inside The Other Place.  
 
The opening of the new theatre, which features two new rehearsal rooms, research space and home to RSC’s 30,000 piece costume store, coincides with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.  

SMTC Chairman Phil Ingle said:
“We feel privileged to produce this show this Easter in an exciting new venue, and with such a talented cast of existing and new members.  This production will capture the original spirit of this important musical, and we hope, capture the hearts of our audience too.”
 
Directed by Alan Gill and choreographed by Julie Bedlow-Howard with musical direction from Gary Lewis, Godspell will perform at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new Studio Theatre at The Other Place, from Tuesday 29 March to Saturday 2 April at 7.30pm, with a matinee performance on 2 April at 2.30pm. 
 
Tickets cost from £12 and available from www.rsc.org.uk/godspell.

The Lichfield Garrick has announced a five day run of the terrifying thriller, The Woman in Black this September.

Continuing its record breaking run at the Fortune Theatre in London's West End, The Woman in Black now embarks on a major UK Tour, stopping off at the Lichfield Garrick from Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 September 2016.
 
Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story will come dramatically alive in Stephen Mallatratt’s ingenious stage adaptation.
 
This gripping production, directed by Robin Herford, is a brilliantly successful study in atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror.
 
A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black, engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.
 
It all begins innocently enough, but then, as they reach further into his darkest memories, they find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes and moaning winds.
 
Join the 7 million theatregoers worldwide who have experienced "The most brilliantly effective spine-chiller you will ever encounter" (Daily Telegraph).
 
Tickets are now on sale, and can be booked online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com or by calling the Box Office on 01543 412121. 

The Belgrade Theatre Coventry is thrilled to present the UK premiere of Liz Mytton’s Red Snapper, playing until Saturday 19 March, starring BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated actress Cathy Tyson.
 
Jamaica, 1962. The island is alive with the excitement of independence and the thrill of providing the setting for the iconic James Bond movie, Dr. No.
 
But for five women and their husbands on the council, this is a time of mixed fortunes and uncertainty, as personal and political tensions simmer against a backdrop of mass emigration and unrest. With local people increasingly excluded from the beaches, so as not to ruin the view for the growing tourist trade, a planned visit from nearby Cuba’s communist leader, Fidel Castro, has the islanders in a spin. Will the high profile visitor bring further prestige and glamour, or will his presence incite the island’s downtrodden fishing community to rise up?
 
Shining a spotlight on the stories of five women swimming against the tide of political and social change, Red Snapper is the stunning debut play by Liz Mytton and the first full production to come from the Belgrade Theatre’s acclaimed playwriting project, Critical Mass for emerging playwrights from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities.
 
Writer Liz Mytton said:
“I wanted to tell this particular story, set in Jamaica fifty-plus years ago, which required an all-black cast. I didn’t set out with a black agenda, just a desire to share something close to my own heart. I was, however, fascinated by the opportunity afforded by an all-female cast to represent the story of women during this particular period in world history. Often it’s men who are seen to be at the forefront of historical change. The wives, mothers and partners, by contrast, tend to be presented as subordinate to their husbands. Having the men played by women in this piece will hopefully ensure that the audience never loses sight of whose story is paramount.”
 
With an all-female cast, including BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee Cathy Tyson, playing a collection of vibrant characters. Dawn Hope, who was last seen at the Belgrade as Clarity in the UK premiere of Cougar The Musical in 2015, will join her on stage. Completing the cast is Gabrielle Brooks in the role of George/Dannette, Debra Michaels as Manny/Miss Myrtle, and Karlina Grace-Paseda as Gloria/Lincoln.
  
Red Snapper plays until Saturday 19 March. Tickets are priced from £9.50 - £17 and are available from the Belgrade Box Office on 024 7655 3055 or via the Belgrade Theatre website at www.belgrade.co.uk.

The Olivier Award-nominated production of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather comes to Birmingham Repertory Theatre from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12 March, following a sell-out West End season at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London.
 
With beautiful storytelling, spectacular circus tricks, original songs and live music, this terrific adventure story offers the perfect treat for the whole family.
 
Roll up and join Hetty on her escape from the foundling hospital. Tremble as she faces Matron Stinking Bottomly. Be thrilled as she discovers the squirrel house and Tanglefields Travelling Circus. Gasp as she endures a night locked in the attic. Quake as she braves the scary streets of Victorian London and cheer as she overcomes all in the search to find her real mother and a true family of her own.
 
Sally Cookson directs a cast including Phoebe Thomas as Hetty Feather. Joining Phoebe will be Matt Costain (Jem/Matron Bottomly), Sarah Goddard (Peg/Ida), Nik Howden (Saul), Mark Kane (Gideon) andNikki Warwick (Madame Adeline). Musicians Seamas H. Carey and Luke Potter perform live music byBenji Bower.
 
Hetty Feather is the first in a series of books by best-selling author Jacqueline Wilson, which includes Sapphire Battersea, Emerald Star, Diamond and Little Stars. The series has been hugely successful not just in the UK, but also internationally. It has been adapted as a new 10 part television series currently airing on CBBC.
 
For more information and to book tickets call 0121 236 4455 or visit birmingham-rep.co.uk.

Tamworth Arts Club is bringing the rip-roaring, rock and roll intergalactic comedy, Return to the Forbidden Planet to Landau Forte Academy on Ashby Road from Tuesday 29 March to Saturday 2 April.

Although set in outer space, fans of the cult show describe it as 'Shakespeare's forgotten rock and roll masterpiece' as it is based on his famous work The Tempest. A tale of lost love and new found romance spanning generations, Return to the Forbidden Planet sees the spaceship Albatross fall prey to an evil extra terrestrial that mysteriously appears when the ship attempts to navigate a meteor shower and finally lands on a seemingly deserted planet.

Winning the Olivier award for Best New Musical in both 1989 and 1990, the production is punctuated with some of the finest chart hits from the 1950s and 1960s including Good Vibrations, It's A Man's World, Great Balls of Fire, Teenager in Love and Go Now.

Director, Andy Bird said:
“This energetic show is renowned for being the cheesiest live entertainment experience around and our production does not hold back, featuring many ad-libbed geeky references that sci-fi and fantasy fans will love. But the wonderfully hammed-up acting performances, lively chorus choreography and outstanding line up of well known rock and roll classics, means Return to the Forbidden Planet truly offers something for everyone.”

Tickets are available through the Tamworth Information Center on 01827 709618 or through the website by clicking here.

For more information about the production, follow Tamworth Arts Club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Tudor Musical Comedy Society are getting 'egg-cited' about their latest production, Honk! a modern British take on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Ugly Duckling, coming to Sutton Coldfield Town Hall this month.

Since it first hatched in 1993, Honk! - a charming twist on the classic tale, full of witty lyrics and great comedy numbers - has winged its way around the world in over 8,000 productions.

Seen by over 6 million people, Honk! has won multiple awards, including in the West End the 2000 Olivier Award for Best Musical, beating both The Lion King and Mamma Mia!

“Imagine the colour and wit of Disney’s Jungle Book, mixed with the vivacity of ‘40s Hollywood musicals, exuberantly staged, and you still only have some idea of how stonkingly brilliant this treat is...”  
Time Out on the award-winning National Theatre production.

Society Chair Charlie Ward is looking forward to the company’s return to the Town Hall, this time bringing a new musical to the town. She says:
“We cannot wait to share this exciting new show with our audiences. It is refreshing for our company to work on original music and comedy, and we know the quality of this will ensure a thoroughly entertaining – and different - night out.”

Honk! tells the tale of Ugly, born - of course - as a duckling although it soon becomes clear that he is no ordinary duck. Mocked on the farmyard then pursued by the ever-hungry Cat, Ugly finds himself lost on a nearby marsh in the middle of a duck-shoot and embarks on an odyssey through the countryside, meeting a battery of colourful characters and finding himself, and love, along the way. 

Tudor is an award-winning society which has grown a reputation for bringing high quality musical theatre to Sutton Coldfield, including last year’s Jesus Christ Superstar and the sell-out success of Annie in 2014.

Honk! is being performed nightly at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall from Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 March, with a Saturday matinee. Tickets are available on 0333 666 366 or by clicking here. 

It’s back and it was originally 10, but we stretched it to 12 this month! Take out your diaries and pop in the important dates this March…
 
7 – 12 March
Sweet Charity
Knowle Musical Society at Solihull Arts Complex
More info here

8 – 12 March
Oliver!
Walsall Operatic Society at Lichfield Garrick
​More info here 
 
9 – 19 March
Party Piece
Grange Players at Grange Playhouse, Walsall
​More info here 
 
14 – 19 March
Jesus Christ Superstar
CATS at Chaddesley Corbett
​More info here 
 
15 – 19 March
Honk
Tudor Musical Comedy Society at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
​More info here 
 
15 – 19 March
Jackie the Musical
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
​More info here
 
16 March
The 25th Annual County Spelling Bee
SSC Performing Arts at Lichfield Garrick
​More info here 
 
17 – 19 March
Witches of Eastwick
BOA at The Old Rep
​More info here http://www.oldreptheatre.org.uk/witches-of-eastwick.html
 
19 – 26 March
The Government Inspector
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
​More info here 
 
29 March – 2 April
Godspell
SMTC at RSC’s Other Place
​More info here 
 
29 March – 2 April
American Idiot
LGYT at Lichfield Garrick
​More info here 
 
29 March – 2 April
Return to the Forbidden Planet
Tamworth Arts Club at Landau Forte Academy
​More info here 

Producers Karl Sydow and Paul Elliott are delighted to announce that the UK and Ireland tour of the brand new production of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage will come to the New Alexandra Theatre next Spring. The show is the classic story of Baby and Johnny, featuring the hit songs 'Hungry Eyes', ‘Hey! Baby’, ‘Do You Love Me?’ and the heart stopping ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’, and follows two blockbuster West End runs and two hit UK tours. Casting will be announced in the spring.

Full of passion and romance, heart-pounding music and sensationally sexy dancing, the record-breaking musical is even better than before in this all new production created by an innovative new creative team; directed by Federico Bellone, choreographed by Gillian Bruce and with design re-imagined by top Italian set designer Roberto Cometti. The production premiered in Milan in July 2015, subsequently packing out the 15,000 seat Roman Arena in Verona, and has played a season in Rome, and will shortly be embarking on a major Italian tour.

It’s the summer of 1963, and 17 year- old Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman is about to learn some major lessons in life as well as a thing or two about dancing. On holiday in New York’s Catskill Mountains with her older sister and parents, she shows little interest in the resort activities, and instead discovers her own entertainment when she stumbles across an all-night dance party at the staff quarters. Mesmerised by the raunchy dance moves and the pounding rhythms, Baby can’t wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of Johnny Castle the resort dance instructor. Her life is about to change forever as she is thrown in at the deep end as Johnny’s leading lady both on-stage and off, and two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.

Dirty Dancing –The Classic Story On Stage originally opened at London’s Aldwych Theatre in 2006 with a record-breaking advance of £15 million, making it the fastest ever selling show in West End theatre history. The production became the longest running show in the history of the Aldwych Theatre and played to over 2 million people during its triumphant 5 year run.

Since its Australian debut in 2004, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage, has become a worldwide phenomenon, with productions staged in New Zealand, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore and throughout Europe, consistently breaking box office records. Recent sell out tours include France, Germany and Australia. The first ever UK tour of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage, which launched in 2011, took an unprecedented £42,000,000 at theatres across the country. In 2013, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage returned to the West End and played at the Piccadilly Theatre in London until 23 February 2014, prior to launching a second UK and Ireland tour.
​
Produced by Karl Sydow, Joye Entertainment and Paul Elliott, in association with Lionsgate and Magic Hour Productions, and written by Eleanor Bergstein, script writer of the phenomenally successful 1987 film, the production features the much-loved characters and original dialogue from the iconic film, with exciting extra scenes added in.

For more information visit www.dirtydancingontour.com.