Wicked is continuing to build after its most successful year ever and is bringing in not one but two new witches! Current witches Alexia Khadime (Elphaba) and Dianne Pilkington (Glinda) leave the show on a record breaking high note and will play their final performances on Saturday 27 March 2010. Bound to be a very emotional evening! (If you want tickets for this one you must act fast – Click through to see if there are Wicked theatre breaks available for Alexia and Diane’s final performance. By the way there’s a Free Hotel Offer on weekday Wicked Theatre Breaks until the end of March) Wicked

Rachel Tucker as Elphaba I’m a big fan of Rachel Tucker. I thought she had a great voice when she was in I’d Do Anything and I absolutely loved her in We Will Rock You. She was playing Meat the night I saw her but I believe she made a great success of the lead role, Scaramouche, on the few occasions she got to play it. Rachel will join Wicked as the new Elphaba and I can’t wait to hear her sing “Defying Gravity”. The voice and the song should combine beautifully and give us yet another interpretation of a great standard. So as one Nancy (Jodie) bows out the West End will see another graduate of the I’d Do Anything programme take centre stage. Perhaps this will convince the critics that reality casting shows do actually uncover worthwhile talent. Don’t hold your breath! Like Kerry Ellis, a previous much loved Elphaba, Rachel will bring her own loyal fan base to the show and no doubt to this post. Hi all
Oz Trivia – Rachel is no stranger to Oz having played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre. Louise Dearman as Glinda Louise joins the cast of Wicked as Glinda. She’s been widely acclaimed in her lead role in the touring production of Evita. It will be interesting to see what she makes of the role of Glinda and how she stamps her own personality on it. Louise’s voice is described by her agents as: pure, melting soprano voice, with a surprisingly strong belt. Having listened to a sample I have to agree, lovely! But don’t just rely on my judgment have a listen for yourself:

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Related posts:Alexia Khadime in Wicked Theatre Breaks New Wicked Cast but Without Desmond Barrit Wicked Theatre Breaks – the new cast

Michael Jackson fans everywhere are still shocked at the news of the death of the creator of Thriller, but those in London are confused by headlines in the Evening Standard claiming that close friends and family of the King of Pop “blame London” for the star’s demise.  Friend Uri Geller is supposed to have said that the stress of preparing for the series of London O2 concerts was too much for the ailing celebrity although a huge comeback tour was absolutely necessary for financial and career reasons. A spokesman for Thriller - Live said today ( 26th June 2009 ) After much deliberation it has been decided that tonight’s performances of Thriller Live at the Lyric Theatre in the West End and the Manchester Opera House would go ahead as planned, but the lights outside the theatres would be dimmed in tribute to his passing at 7.30pm and a minute’s silence will be held in the auditorium.”

Thriller - Live was conceived and created by Adrian Grant, a long time associate of Michael Jackson, executive director of the stage show and author of “Michael Jackson – The Visual Documentary.” Grant said: Words cannot express my deep sense of loss and sadness. I am shocked beyond belief that Michael has died. My full condolences go out to his family – his children, parents, brothers and sisters. The Jackson family have lost a son and a father, and the world has lost one of the greatest entertainers of all time, a true legend. Michael Jackson has been a massive influence in my life – inspiring me to get into the entertainment industry and to produce the best work that I can. I have supported Michael for the past 21 years through my magazines, books and now Thriller - Live, and I will continue to support and promote his legacy via this musical celebration.

Related Posts:Michael Jackson O2 Concert BreaksThriller LivePriscilla Queen of the Desert Cast - Zoe BirkettWest End Live 2009 Running OrderWest End Live 2009 - latest confirmed showsa Thriller Live Tribute to Michael Jackson RIP

Before starting the regular theatre news updates I thought I’d do a bit of a roundup of news from the previous month and the first half of April just so we know where we are starting from. And it’s been a busy month! War Horse War Horse, the sensational play with giant equine puppets arrived at the New London Theatre after an acclaimed run at the National. War Horse is based on the celebrated novel by Michael Morpurgo. The First World War is the backdrop for this exciting tale of bravery, and the extraordinary bond between a young recruit and his horse.

Sister Act News Patina Miller and the rest of the cast of Sister Act continue to build up the expectation for the Palladium’s new show. Whoopi Goldberg herself managed to overcome fear of air travel in order to appear on the Jonathon Ross show and other publicity appointments in London. Avenue Q - Theatre News is good! Avenue Q announced that it won;t be closed forever afaterall, but is due to reopen at the Gielgud Theatre on 1 June after a month-long break from the Noel Coward Theatre.

Spring Awakening The cast of Spring Awakening brought a refreshing new musical to the West End’s Novello Theatre after a successful run at the Hammersmith Lyric theatre. Previewing from March 21st this youthful, exhuberent but also dark musical play has had nothing but good reviews. Moonshadow - Theatre News not good One piece of bad news this month is that the Yusuf Islam / Cat Stevens musical Moonshadow failed to find a West End theatre available for potential transfer and thus postponed opening at the Royal & Derngate, Northampton in July as originally planned. Jersey Boys Wins Olivier Awards The Jersey Boys musical goes from strength to strength coming top of the New Musical category amongst other awards at the 2009 Olivier Awards. Consolation for Zorro!, a great flamenco musical which closed this month was an award for Best Supporting Role in a Musicalwhich wentdeservedly to Lesli Margherita who was sensational in Zorro!. Emergency New Fagin for Oliver! In a surprise announcement, Russ Abbot was asked to return to the role of Fagin in Oliver for a couple of weeks in April. Rowan Atkinson was forced to pull out for three weeks to undergo minor surgery for a hernia. Russ Abbot played the role of Fagin in the 1997 production and also in a couple of touring productions. New Edna for Hairspray

Michael Ball has been a riot as the lead role in Hairspray for around two years so now a new Edna has been announced for July and it’s non other than Brian Conley whose West End theatre experience includes Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2005.