Pippa Cleary News

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments today announce West End Musical Director Gareth Valentine as the final judge for the 2019 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY), alongside the previously announced Julia McKenzie, Peter Polycarpou, and Edward Seckerson. Lyricist Charles Hart and Olivier Award-winner Jenna Russell join Nkeki Obi-Melekwe and Stiles + Drewe to complete the judging panel for the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize. Winners will be announced at Theatre Royal Haymarket on Sunday 9 June.

Aria Entertainment, an independent producing company has announced today that they will offer a full time literary department for International New Musicals. Since 2013, Aria have offered an annual festival of new musicals which has supported over 100 new musicals in development from showcases of new musicals, to readings and also full productions - with last year's headline musical Unexpected Joy receiving premieres both in London and Off-Broadway.

The producers of Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ - The Musical, are delighted to announce the childrens cast taking on the pivotal roles of Adrian, Pandora, Barry and Nigel.

Rehearsals begin today for Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ - The Musical, which will open at the Ambassadors Theatre for a limited season from 15 June until 12 October 2019, with a Gala Night on Tuesday 2 July. The musical has book and lyrics by Jake Brunger, music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary and direction by Luke Sheppard.

North East poet Natalie Scott has been awarded Arts Council funding to develop her collection of dramatic monologues RARE BIRDS - VOICES OF HOLLOWAY PRISON for the stage. Scott will workshop the piece with director Simon Greiff, and a team of award-winning composers and West End actors, culminating in a special showcase sharing at Soho Theatre on 17th May.

Following two highly acclaimed runs at Leicester's Curve theatre in 2015 and the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2017, Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ - The Musical, will open at the Ambassadors Theatre for a limited season from 15 June until 12 October 2019, with a Gala Night on Tuesday 2 July. Tickets on sale from 5 April. The musical has book and lyrics by Jake Brunger, music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary and direction by Luke Sheppard. Casting to be announced.

Coventry audiences will be amongst the first to experience a brand new hip hop musical when Metta Theatre's and Exeter Northcott Theatre's In The Willows arrives at the Belgrade Theatre this March.

This Spring, acclaimed production company Metta Theatre invite you to discover The Wind in the Willows as you've never seen it before in their brand new hip hop musical, In The Willows.

Coventry's Belgrade Theatre has announced another exciting round-up of shows just in time for Christmas, with family fun, fresh new drama, live music and a dance show spectacular among the things to look forward to in 2019.

Further casting details for the hip-hop musical In The Willows have been revealed, as deaf street dancer Chris Fonseca will be among those joining the previously announced Clive Rowe. Choreographed by Rhimes Lecointe, the production will incorporate British Sign Language (BSL) into the choreography and BSL interpreted performances for a unified production for D/deaf and hearing audiences alike. The production opens at the Exeter Northcott on 22 February 2019, touring the UK until 1 June, with a press night on Thursday 21 March at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry.

Ground-breaking new musical theatre event SIGNAL is taking over The Hospital Club's Oak Room for the fourth time. This free concert showcases some of the best and boldest new British musical theatre and since its first incarnation last December has presented over fifty world premieres of new musical theatre songs. Helped by a selection of West End performers and accompanied by a live house band, SIGNAL looks to showcase the breadth and talent of those currently developing new British musical theatre.

Olivier award-winning actor, 'the nation's favourite pantomime dame', and star of BBC's The Story of Tracey Beaker, Clive Rowe will star as 'Mr Badger' in the UK tour of IN THE WILLOWS, a brand new musical from the award-winning Metta Theatre, opening at the Exeter Northcott on 22 February 2019, and touring the UK until June.

Faber & Faber and the Ted Hughes Estate mark today's 25th anniversary of the publication of the author's environmental morality tale, The Iron Woman by unveiling plans for the first-ever stage adaptation of this highly-topical book, written as a sequel to the former Poet Laureate's enduring children's classic, The Iron Man.

The National Youth Music Theatre is proud to announce their 2018 season, opening with a mini touring production of Super Hero at Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds as part of The Bury Festival before going on to Curve, Leicester and, finally, The Rose Theatre, Kingston for the International Youth Arts Festival.

Live At Zedel, Soho's unique live entertainment concept at Crazy Coqs, announces their new 2018 summer season produced in partnership with Fane Productions.

Britain's most beloved diarist (give or take a Bridget Jones) comes to London in chamber musical form in a new adaptation created with the late Sue Townsend's blessing. Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary's version, tweaked since its premiere run in Leicester in 2015, should certainly prove popular with school holiday audiences, though a broader approach means parents may miss Townsend's subtly genius brand of humour. 

Aria Entertainment's From Page To Stage (FPTS) will have one of the largest companies in the West End this summer: a Cast of 56, working alongside 18 Creatives, plus Musicians and over 50 Composers and Writers presenting new musicals!

Playwright Jake Brunger and composer Pippa Cleary have been creating musicals together since they met at Bristol University in 2008. Their work includes Jet Set Go!, The Great British Soap Opera and an adaptation of Sue Townsend's beloved The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 . The latter begins a London run at the Menier Chocolate Factory this week.

London is never short of theatre temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a Tennessee Williams revival and Bob Dylan-scored drama to royal politics and Adrian Mole, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews…

The Menier Chocolate Factory today has announced the full company for their brand new production of Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ - The Musical which opens in Adrian's 50th birthday year.