WITH PERFORMANCES FROM DREAMGIRLS, HALF A SIXPENCE, SCHOOL OF ROCK, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, ALADDIN, THE GIRLS AND SUNSET BOULEVARD
WhatsOnStage today announce that Simon Lipkin and Vikki Stone will present the 17th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards in the sold-out concert at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 19 February.
Also confirmed today is the full line up of performers with Gary Trainor and company singing ‘Teacher’s Pet’ from School of Rock – currently running at the New London Theatre; Tyrone Huntley performing ‘Heaven on their Minds’ from Jesus Christ Superstar – returning to the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer; Joanna Riding performing ‘Scarborough’ from The Girls accompanied by Gary Barlow – currently in preview at the Phoenix Theatre; Amber Riley and Liisi LaFontaine performing ‘Listen’ from Dreamgirls – currently running at the Savoy Theatre; Trevor Dion Nicholas and Dean John-Wilson performing ‘Somebody’s Got Your Back’ from Aladdin – running at the Price Edward Theatre; Ria Jones singing ‘As If We Never Said Goodbye’ from Sunset Boulevard ahead of a new national tour; and the company of Half a Sixpence performing ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop’- currently running at the Noël Coward Theatre.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child leads the field with 11 nominations – the first time a play has dominated the nominations. It is in the running for Best Actor in a Play for Jamie Parker, Best Supporting Actress in a Play nominations for both Noma Dumezweni and Poppy Miller and Best Supporting Actor in a Play nominations for Anthony Boyle and Paul Thornley, Best New Play, Best Direction nod for John Tiffany, Best Set Design for Christine Jones, Katrina Lindsay for Best Costume Design, Finn Ross and Ash Woodward for Best Video Design and Neil Austin for Lighting Design. Leading the musical theatre categories is Half a Sixpence, with 8 nominations including Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Charlie Stemp.
The entire Chichester cast have transferred to the West End, starring newcomers Charlie Stemp as ‘Arthur Kipps’ and Devon-Elise Johnson as ‘Ann Pornick’ – alongside three times Olivier-nominated actor Ian Bartholomew as ‘Chitterlow’ and three times Olivier-nominated actress Emma Williams as ‘Helen Walsingham’.
This new stage version of “HALF A SIXPENCE”, the musical adaptation of H.G. Wells’s semi- autobiographical novel ‘Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul’, is a completely fresh adaptation which reunites book-writer Julian Fellowes (Oscar-winning screenwriter and creator of Downton Abbey) with George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, the musical team that co-creator Cameron Mackintosh first put together to create the hit stage adaptation of “Mary Poppins” with Disney. The score is inspired by and features several of composer David Heneker’s exhilarating songs from the original production, including ‘Flash Bang Wallop’, ‘Money To Burn’ and ‘Half A Sixpence’.
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Arthur Kipps, an orphan and over-worked draper’s assistant at the turn of the last century, unexpectedly inherits a fortune that propels him into high society. His childhood companion, Ann Pornick, watches with dismay as Arthur is made over in a new image by the beautiful and classy Helen Walsingham. Both young women undoubtedly love Arthur – but which of them should he listen to? With the help of his friends, Arthur learns that if you want to have the chance of living the right life, you need to make the right choices.
“HALF A SIXPENCE” is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh who recently directed Wind in the Willows, as well as the Olivier nominated Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the Open Air Theatre. The production is designed by Paul Brown, with choreography by Andrew Wright (Chichester/West End production of Guys and Dolls, the UK Tour of Barnum and Moby Dick at the Union Theatre) with orchestrations by William David Brohn. The musical supervisors are Stephen Brooker and Graham Hurman, who also conducts; with lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter and video design by Luke Halls. The original 1963 musical was written by Beverley Cross and David Heneker.
Photography – Manuel Harlan
LISTING
NOËL COWARD THEATRE
St Martin’s Lane, London, WC2N 4AU
Tickets: Prices are from £12.50 – £77.50. A limited number of £20 seats will be released each day at 10am in person at the box office.
Performance Times until 18 March
Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm
Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm
From 20 March 2017 the new performance schedule will be:
