 |
| Dreamboats & Petticoats |
|
| Share |
Musicals Extend: Priscilla, Thriller, Petticoats, LNDDate: 2 November 2010
A number of West End musicals - including screen-to-stage hit Priscilla, Disney's The Lion King, rock ‘n’ roll compilation show Dreamboats and Petticoats, Michael Jackson tribute Thriller Live and Phantom sequel Love Never Dies - have recently announced extensions to their booking periods.
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical has extended its booking period at the Palace Theatre to 7 January 2012.
Adapted from the 1994 Oscar-winning cult Australian film starring Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp, Priscilla follows Sydney drag queen Mitzi (aka Tick) and her two fish-out-of-water friends, Felicia (Adam) and transsexual Bernardette, as they head west across the desert to Alice Springs in their battered old bus.
The current cast of the Olivier and Whatsonstage.com award-winning musical is led by
Don Gallagher (Bernadette),
Ben Richards (Tick),
Oliver Thornton (Adam) and
Ray Meagher (Bob).
Fifties and sixties compilation musical Dreamboats and Petticoats, which reopened in its new West End home at the Playhouse Theatre in January this year, has announced a 12 month extension to its booking period, with tickets now on sale until 26 November 2011.
The stage musical, which is based around the hits from the compilation album series of the same name, had its West End debut on 27 July 2009 (previews from 22 July) at the Savoy Theatre, where it finished on 31 October to make way for the Broadway import of screen-to-stage musical Legally Blonde.
The show reopened at the Playhouse Theatre on 6 January 2010 where it replaced the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of La Cage aux Folles which transferred to Broadway. The show is also still on UK tour, with dates announced until 4 December.
Dreamboats and Petticoats is directed by Bob Tomson and designed by Sean Cavanagh, with choreography by Carole Todd, lighting by Mark Howett, sound by Ben Harrison and musical supervision by Keith Strachan. It’s produced by Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield in association with the record label Universal Music.
At the Lyric Theatre, Michael Jackson tribute show Thriller Live has extended until 5 June 2011. The show opened on 21 January 2009 (previews from 2 January), initially for four months only, but increased demand after Jackson's death last year has led to numerous extensions in the West End – as well as the launch of a separate, extensive world tour.
Billed as a concert show, Thriller Live includes Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 chart-toppers such as “I Want You Back”, “I’ll Be There”, “Earth Song”, “Blame It on the Boogie”, “Billie Jean”, “Beat It” and, of course, the title song, “Thriller”, from best-selling albums including Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory. It’s directed by Gary Lloyd and written by Adrian Grant, with design by Jonathan Park. The cast is led by three 13-year olds who rotate in the role of Young Michael.
Meanwhile at the Adelphi, Love Never Dies, the follow-up to blockbuster musical The Phantom of the Opera, with a cast led by Ramin Karimloo as the eponymous masked man and Sierra Boggess as his muse Christine, has extended its booking period by six months, taking bookings up until 28 May 2011.
As previously reported, the musical has also announced a four night closure, taking place from 22 to 25 November, so that rewrites developed over the summer could be worked into the show. Last week also saw the official announcement that the next worldwide production of Love Never Dies would open in Melbourne, Australia in May 2011.
Music is by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Glenn Slater. Love Never Dies is directed by Jack O'Brien, designed by Bob Crowley and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.
Finally, at the Lyceum Theatre, The Lion King has added six months to its schedule and is now taking bookings up to 24 July 2011. The Disney screen-to-stage adaptation opened on 19 October 1999 (previews from 24 September). The current company features Shaun Escoffery as Mufasa.
Based on Disney's 1994 animated feature film, the stage adaptation opened first on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre in November 1997. The original Broadway creative team, led by director and designer Julie Taymor, reunited for the London production. The Lion King features 15 songs, including the five from the film and new songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, with additional numbers by South African-born Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Hans Zimmer and Julie Taymor. The book is by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi.
Related Content
| Internal Links |
 | O'Connor last wizard? Kenwright's Love Never Dies tours Jan? - 2nd May 2012 gossip |
| Tim Rice to be honoured with Special Award at Oliviers - 16th Mar 2012 news |
| The Lion King launches UK tour, dates in Bristol & Manchester - 6th Feb 2012 news |
| Disney Prep Long-Running Lion King for UK Tour??? - 2nd Nov 2011 gossip |
| Could You Take Part in a Facebook Thriller??? - 7th Oct 2011 gossip |
| Musicals Extend: Wizard, Mamma Mia! & Thriller Live - 4th Oct 2011 news |
| Photos: Rice Joins Lion King to Celebrate 5000th Show - 14th Sep 2011 photos |
| The Lion King  - 14th Sep 2011 reviews |
| Des O'Connor Joins Dreamboats & Petticoats from 3 Oct - 2nd Sep 2011 news |
| Brief Encounter With ... The Lion King’s Gary Forbes - 30th Aug 2011 interviews |
| Thriller Creator Respects La Diva in New West End Show - 7th Jul 2011 news |
| WOS Blog: Partying for Thriller Live 1000th - 27th May 2011 features |
| Photos: Blue Perform at Thriller's 1000th Show - 27th May 2011 photos |
| Blue & Jafargholi Join Thriller 1000th Celebration - 19th May 2011 news |
| More Music for Garrett, Mamma Cast, Bailey Opera - 17th May 2011 news |
| Musicals Cast: Full London Tenor, Top Hat Tour - 13th May 2011 news |
| Musicals Extend: Thriller & Million Dollar Quartet - 5th Apr 2011 news |
| Lion & Wicked Report Record Sales for 2010 - 5th Jan 2011 news |
| Lion King Trimmed Down in London Pre-Broadway??? - 29th Jun 2010 gossip |
| Cast: Tony Christie & James-Ellis Do Dreamboats - 28th Jun 2010 news |
| Musicals Extend: Blonde, Dirty, Thriller & WWRY - 9th Jun 2010 news |
| Musicals Extend: Grease, Dreamboats & Petticoats - 27th Apr 2010 news |
| Dreamboats Follow Drag Queens into Playhouse - 16th Nov 2009 news |
| WOS TV: Lion King Roars at 10th Anniversary Gala - 19th Oct 2009 tv |
| Photos: Cameron & Co Celebrate Lion King Tenth - 19th Oct 2009 photos |
| WOS TV: Jackson Inspires at Thriller Auditions - 6th Aug 2009 tv |
| Musicals Extend: Thriller, Dancing & Hairspray - 24th Feb 2009 news |
| Review Round-up: Thrills or Spills for Thriller Live? - 28th Jan 2009 roundup |
| Thriller Live! - 22nd Jan 2009 reviews |
| Musicals Extend: Fame, Chitty Chitty & Lion King - 29th Nov 2004 news |
 and Richard Griffiths (Al Lewis) in The Sunshine Boys at the Savoy Theatre.jpg)
