Claire Sweeney News

Club 11 London and The Hippodrome Casino are excited to bring you an intimate Night With Claire Sweeney at 8pm, 2nd June 2016.

The HAIRSPRAY UK tour is currently playing at Cambridge Corn Exchange, through February 20, and will soon move on to Edinburgh Playhouse. Below, watch as the cast performed a rousing 'I Know Where I've Been.'

International smash-hit musical Hairspray comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Monday 8 - Saturday 13 February starring actor, presenter and former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan, Benidorm's Tony Maudsley, TV and musicals star Claire Sweeney and X Factor finalist and West End star Brenda Edwards.

According to the West End Frame, current HAIRSPRAY UK tour producer Mark Goucher, has revealed that he wants the musical to transfer to the West End next year.

The dust has only recently settled on the last production of Hairspray at the Curve in Leicester but now this production is on the road across the UK. Based on the packed house at the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham last night, it's proven itself to be a show that people will return to. It's just upsetting that this time around the show did not live up to my expectations.

Tony Maudsley (ITV1's Benidorm) will play Edna Turnblad when Hairspray returns to Edinburgh next year. He will be joined by TV and stage actress and presenter Claire Sweeney (Educating Rita, Guys and Dolls) as Velma Von Tussle, Olivier Award nominated actor and much-loved Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan (BBC1 Tumble) as Wilbur Turnblad and British singer and West End performer Brenda Edwards (Chicago, We Will Rock You, The X Factor) as Motormouth Maybelle. Freya Sutton will reprise the role of Tracy Turnblad alongside established musical theatre performer Jon Tsouras (A Chorus Line) who will play the role of Corny Collins. Dex Lee (The Scottsboro Boys) will play Seaweed, Ashley Gilmour (Miss Saigon) will play Link Larkin, Lauren Stroud (Wicked) will play Amber, Monique Young (Top Hat) will play Penny, Karis Jack (Urinetown) will play Little Inez, Adam Price (Hairspray) will play Male Authority Figure, Tracey Penn (Made in Dagenham) will play Female Authority Figure and Layton Williams (Bad Education, Billy Elliot) will play Duane. Further casting will be announced in due course.

Revived again, the touring favourite Hairspray is again packing out theatres across the country.  This new production delivers some impressive performances and a fun evening, if not quite living up to dancing in the aisles quality of the West End original.

The international smash hit musical comedy Hairspray the Musical returns in a brand new production, touring the UK from September 2015. Baltimore, 1962. Tracy Turnblad is a big girl with big hair and an even bigger dream: to dance her way onto national TV, and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin. Tracy's audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for integration. But can she win equality - and Link's heart - without denting her 'do? Starring Tony Maudsley (ITV1's Benidorm) as Edna Turnblad, Claire Sweeney (Educating Rita, Chicago) as Velma Von Tussle, Peter Duncan (Blue Peter, Tumble), and Brenda Edwards (Chicago, We Will Rock You, X Factor) as Motormouth Maybelle. Freya Sutton will reprise the role of Tracy Turnblad alongside Jon Tsouras as Corny Collins, Dex Lee as Seaweed, Ashley Gilmour as Link Larkin and Layton Williams (Bad Education, Billy Elliot) as Duane.

BWW:UK recently sat down for a chat with the stars of the new UK tour of Hairspray at the show's Birmingham press launch at the New Alexandra Theatre, where it is playing over the Christmas period. Here we speak to Claire Sweeney (Velma Von Tussle), Tony Maudsley (Edna), Peter Duncan (Wilbur) and Brenda Edwards (Motormouth Maybelle).

Hairspray will star Tony Maudsley (ITV1's Benidorm) as Edna Turnblad, TV and stage actress and presenter Claire Sweeney (Educating Rita, Guys and Dolls) as Velma Von Tussle, Olivier Award nominated actor and much-loved Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan (BBC1 Tumble) as Wilbur Turnblad and British singer and West End performer Brenda Edwards (Chicago, We Will Rock You, The X Factor) as Motormouth Maybelle.

Follow all the latest news from the 2015 Olivier Awards!

The Olivier Awards with MasterCard - the most prestigious event in the UK's theatrical calendar - are set take place on Sunday 12 April at the Royal Opera House and broadcast from 22:15 that evening on ITV in a full highlights package. Don't forget to tune in to BroadwayWorld on Sunday afternoon for live coverage of the ceremony!

The Olivier Awards with MasterCard - the most prestigious event in the UK's theatrical calendar - has revealed further details of the 2015 ceremony to be held on Sunday 12 April at the Royal Opera House and broadcast from 22:15 that evening on ITV in a full highlights package.

Tony Maudsley (ITV1's Benidorm) will play Edna Turnblad in the major 40-week UK tour of Hairspray which will open at Curve theatre in Leicester this autumn. He will be joined by TV and stage actress and presenter Claire Sweeney (Educating Rita, Guys and Dolls) as Velma Von Tussle, Olivier Award nominated actor and much-loved Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan (BBC1 Tumble) as Wilbur Turnblad and British singer and West End performer Brenda Edwards (Chicago, We Will Rock You, The X Factor) as Motormouth Maybelle. Freya Sutton will reprise the role of Tracy Turnblad alongside established musical theatre performer Jon Tsouras (A Chorus Line) who will play the role of Corny Collins. Dex Lee (The Scottsboro Boys) will play Seaweed, Ashley Gilmour (Miss Saigon) will play Link Larkin, Lauren Stroud (Wicked) will play Amber, Monique Young (Top Hat) will play Penny, Karis Jack (Urinetown) will play Little Inez, Adam Price (Hairspray) will play Male Authority Figure, Tracey Penn (Made in Dagenham) will play Female Authority Figure and Layton Williams (Bad Education, Billy Elliot) will play Duane. Further casting will be announced in due course.

Old-school ska, West End splendour, laugh-out-loud comedy, timeless storytelling - these are just a few of the highlights audiences can look forward to this month at the Belgrade, with a series of one-night events guaranteed to put a spring in your step this March.

The West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, opened last night, Tuesday 24 February 2014 at the Aldwych Theatre, London. Directed by Marc Bruni, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical has book by Douglas McGrath with words and music by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

The West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, opened last night, Tuesday 24 February 2014 at the Aldwych Theatre, London. Directed by Marc Bruni, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical has book by Douglas McGrath with words and music by Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

We're flying Over the Rainbow with Songbird: The Music of Eva Cassidy (Sat 31 Jan), a celebration of the singer's greatest hits, before audiences flock to the Theatre Royal for the revival of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird (Tue 3 - Sat 7 Feb). Rooster tops the bill in an outstanding programme from prestigious dance company Rambert (Thu 5 - Sat 7 Mar) - it's sure to be a hoot with choreography inspired by the swinging sixties.

Ronan Keating opened in the cast of the internationally award-winning Once The Musical to play Guy opposite Jill Winternitz as Girl. Check out Dan Wooller's pics from his opening night!

St. James Theatre Productions Ltd, Barry Satchwell-Smith & Robert Mackintosh present the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's classic Tell Me On a Sunday starring the original Marti Webb at the St. James Theatre. Tell Me On a Sunday will transfer on Tuesday 18th February to the Duchess Theatre. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from opening night below!