Biggins, Karimloo & Fraser Toon up WOS Awards
Back by popular demand, we’re delighted to announce that “King of the Jungle” Christopher Biggins will be co-hosting the 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards Concert. The ceremony, at which the winners in the 11th annual “theatregoers’ choice” accolades will be announced, is held in aid of this year’s adopted charity The Theatrical Guild at 7pm on Sunday 20 February 2011 at the West End’s Prince of Wales Theatre. The 2011 Whatsonstage.com Awards cover the best of the 2010 theatregoing year.
At last year’s Whatsonstage.com Awards, which he co-hosted with comedian Mel Gieldroyc, Biggins brought the house down with, amongst other antics, a hilarious rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” as Susan Boyle. What will he get up to this year?!
Theatregoers attending the Concert will also be able to see Best Actor in a Musical nominee Ramin Karimloo (Love Never Dies) out of his Phantom mask and in an entirely different guise, performing with fellow West End star Hadley Fraser in their newly formed indie-rock band, Sheytoons. Beyond the band, Karimloo and Fraser last year performed alongside each other in the Les Miserables in concert at The O2, which has been nominated for Theatre Event of the Year in the Awards.
At the Awards Concert, there will also be show performances from: OperaUpClose’s record-breaking modern version of La Boheme (Rhian Lois, Laurence Meikle and Martin Nelson), nominated for Best Off-West End Production and now returned for another sell-out season at Soho Theatre; Brits-abroad comedy and Best New Musical nominee Departure Lounge (Steven Webb, Jack Shalloo, Liam Tamne and Hollyoaks heartthrob Chris Fountain); and, as previously announced, a sneak-peek of the upcoming world premiere of Ghost The Musical (Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy).
Top (l-r): Hadley Fraser & Ramin Karimloo; Christopher Biggins; David Shannon.
Bottom: Rosemary Ashe; Richard Fleeshman & Caissie Levy; Departure Lounge cast.
Other West End stars so far confirmed to perform include Rosemary Ashe, Madalena Alberto, David Shannon, Hannah Levane and Jodie Jacobs, who will be accompanied by the West End Gospel Choir and dancers from Arts Ed.
The Concert is directed and devised by Russell Labey, with musical supervision by Iain Vince Gatt, lighting by Mike Robertson, sound by Ben Harrison and choreography by Lizzi Gee. It’s produced by Stuart Piper and Jason Haigh-Ellery on behalf of Whatsonstage.com, with general and production management by Jon Bath for Cole Kitchenn Ltd.
And who will be collecting trophies? Voting continues until 31 January – CLICK HERE TO VOTE NOW!!! – but the winners remain a secret until the night! Amongst the nominees so far RSVPed to attend the event are: Sheridan Smith, Meera Syal, Arlene Phillips, Tamzin Outhwaite, Jill Halfpenny, Jenny Jules, Jemima Rooper, Emma Cunniffe, Adam James, Nigel Lindsay, Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, Alex Gaumond, Chris Ellis-Stanton, Scarlett Strallen, Josefina Gabrielle, Joseph Millson, Michael Xavier, Paul J Medford, Dave Willetts, Simon Callow, Bob Golding, Howard Brenton, Timothy Sheader, Miriam Buether, Joanne Scotcher, Morgan Large, Peter Mumford, Stephen Mear, Robyn Addison, Jacob Casselden and Daniel Kaluuya.
Concert tickets, which range from £25-£47.50, are now on sale and can be booked by phone on 0844 482 5133 or online at www.whatsonstage.com/concert.
As with the Launch Party, at which shortlists were announced in December, the Awards Concert is held in aid of this year’s adopted charity, The Theatrical Guild, which was founded by actors to provide financial and other support to front of house and backstage staff in times of need.
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