Theatre Breaks - tagged with wicked http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/feed en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sweetcron aroberts@gmail.com Wicked Theatre Breaks with Rachel Tucker as Elphaba http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1473/wicked-theatre-breaks-with-rachel-tucker-as-elphaba

If you haven’t seen Rachel Tucker in Wicked yet then you must book Wicked theatre breaks soon, she’s fabulous. Here’s a video from West End Live last weekend which doesn’t do justice to the full theatre performance of Wicked by any means, but gives an idea of how talented a performer Rachel Tucker is.

Before landing the part of Elphaba in Wicked, Rachel Tucker has played both Meat and Scaramouche in We Will Rock You and before that was a finalist in the I’d Do Anything TV casting show to find a Nancy for Oliver. And here’s the backstage interview conducted by Keith Martin of Leicester Square TV with Rachel Tucker of Wicked herself:

In the interview, Rachel Tucker describes how Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. Loosely based on the Wizard of Oz Wicked has a kind of twist to it. It’s the story of how the good witch and the bad witch became enemies, so Dorothy has nothing really to do with it. It’s an amazing moral story highly relevant to anybody who has ever been bullied or discriminated against just for being different.

Wicked Theatre Breaks with Rachel Tucker as Elphaba was originally posted at London Theatre Breaks blog

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Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:53:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1473/wicked-theatre-breaks-with-rachel-tucker-as-elphaba
Rachel Tucker “The Wizard And I” http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1460/rachel-tucker-the-wizard-and-i

Rachel Tucker (a former Nancy contender from I’d do Anything) is currently starring as Elphaba the wicked witch in Wicked The Musical, which is a prequel to The Wizard of OZ. Here’s Rachel Tucker singing “The Wizard and I” at the “West End Live 2010″ festival in London’s Leicester Square last weekend:

Wow!

Rachel Tucker – The Wizard and I

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Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:18:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1460/rachel-tucker-the-wizard-and-i
Wizard of Oz Sequel – Surrender Dorothy http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1447/wizard-of-oz-sequel-surrender-dorothy

Drew Barrymore is set to direct the film “Surrender Dorothy,” which will be a “loose sequel” to the classic 1939 movie musical “The Wizard of Oz”.

Drew Barrymore

Barrymore has been developing the project for years, and at one point appeared set to play Dorothy’s great-great-granddaughter, who learns to use the ruby slippers’ power when the Wicked Witch unexpectedly returns to take over Oz and the earth. It’s unclear if Barrymore will still take the role or just direct. Now “Surrender Dorothy” is just one out of five “Oz” films that have been reported as being in development recently, following the big box-office success of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Possible films include “Oz the Great and Powerful,” a Disney project that would show how the Wizard came to Oz. There may also be a film version of “Wicked”, the musical prequel to the story, which has been fabulously successful on Broadway and in the London West End.

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Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:09:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1447/wizard-of-oz-sequel-surrender-dorothy
Apollo Victoria, London http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1469/apollo-victoria-london

Hilary_JW has added a photo to the pool:

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Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:43:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1469/apollo-victoria-london
Wicked Welcomes Rachel Tucker http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1395/wicked-welcomes-rachel-tucker

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:

Book Wicked Theatre Breaks a

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

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Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:53:00 -0600 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1395/wicked-welcomes-rachel-tucker
London Shows and Hotel Deals http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1393/london-shows-and-hotel-deals

About London shows and hotel deals London shows and hotel deals are usually offered as a package by the theatre break agencies, some of them will let you add in train tickets (usually at a considerable discount). You can also add a variety of extras including pre-theatre meals, sight seeing trips and entrance to many of the major London tourist attractions. London Shows You can choose from a huge number of London shows including first class musicals, serious plays, side-splitting comedies. If none of these take your fancy you can opt for ballets, operas and even concerts. Three of the most consistantly popular London shows in the last year have all been musicals. Wicked (London) has had a spectacular year with record box office takings. The story of what happened before Dorothy got to Oz goes from strength to strength and looks set to continue it’s run at the Apollo indefinitely.

Oliver has had an amazing first year and continues to be popular. If you want to see Jodie Prenger (I’d Do anything winner) as Nancy you need to go before the end of March. Those of you who wait for the summer will also get a treat as ex-Wicked star Kerry Ellis moves into the role of Nancy. Fagin is currently being played by Gryff Rhys Jones. We Will Rock You is a great show for rockers of all ages. The show is full of energy and the music of Queen meshes beautifully with Ben Elton’s witty plot line. I just loved We Will Rock you. It is a wonderful ‘feel good’ evening and a perfect and popular choice of show. Hotel Deals Show and Stay have a great hotel deal on at the moment. They are offering a free one night hotel stay in selected 3* hotels when you buy your tickets for a choice of 13 shows. The deal is available for Mondays to Thursdays only and runs until March 31st. London shows and hotel deals are available all year round but special offers like this one are limited and tend to get snapped up fairly quickly. If you want to be sure of getting the show and dates you want you will need to act fast. With prices starting from only £umptyup per person and limited availability this offer will not hang around. Check now to see if your dates and show are available. ** Free Hotel Offer with London Shows and Hotel Deals ** a

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Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:51:00 -0600 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1393/london-shows-and-hotel-deals
Theatre Breaks Review 2009 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1338/theatre-breaks-review-2009

Theatre Breaks Reviewed for 2009 Linda looks back on 2009 for London Theatre Breaks as the top of the year approaches: Winter 2009 is here and I’m just wondering what sort of a year this has been for theatre breaks. There’s been a recent survey that assures us reality TV has actually boosted ticket sales. The box offices are claiming the credit crunch has had little effect on bookings, with most theatres usually full. But what has been the reality? The West End Shows In terms of shows one or two have closed early but the old favourites like We Will Rock You carry on. Avenue Q was saved from oblivion by popular demand and has moved to a new theatre. The Lion King is as popular as ever and proudly boasts that it is so well booked that it has NEVER released tickets to the reduced ticket agencies. Priscilla Queen of the Desert Some good shows reached the end of their natural life and wonderful though Spamalot was it really was time for it to say goodbye. It’s been replaced by Priscilla and that has been a fair swap. Carousel never really quite hit the spot and its closure wasn’t any great surprise. It was sad to see the end of Cabaret and a shame they couldn’t take a leaf out of Chicago’s book and find a constant stream of new familiar faces to keep us going back.  Joseph went too and no doubt was mourned by thousands of Lee Mead’s fans but it was another how that seemed ready to go. No doubt it will be back someday. One show I thought should have done better was Spring Awakening, which I just loved. All that energy and a theatre full of young people the night we went. I felt positively ancient, and that’s a good thing! (honest!) Oliver has of course been a total triumph with Jodie Prenger making a real name for herself. Who would have thought she’d still be there doing 8 shows a week nearly a year later? What a star. I saw her at West End live this year and she has a super voice and a lovely stage presence. She managed to upstage Christopher Biggins, to great comic effect and that takes some talent for comedy! I think we’ll see more of Jodie once she moves on but for now she seems happy where she is. She’s on her 3rd Fagin and this is the one I’d really like to see. I think Griff Reese Jones will make a great Fagin and be well worth the trip. Hairspray has seen some major changes with the departure of Micheal Ball. Still Phil Jupitous is doing a grand job and Brain Connely was very well recieved in the part. I wonder how long Micheal will stay away, I’m sure I heard somewhere that he’s thinking of coming back to Edna. We hope! Wicked is going from strength to strength and is the most popular musical at this witchy time of year. Kerry Ellis is just a distant memory now and Alexia Kadhim has made her own interpreation of Elphaba. I think she has a lovely voice, quite different to Kerry’s but wonderful all the same:

New shows coming into the West End and available for theatre breaks include Legally Blonde which I was less than keen on when first announced. Since then I’ve had a good look at the videos on youtube and listened to the cast recordings and I might just change my mind. It might be fun and has the sort of casting that makes me want to see it. What to say about Love Never dies (apart from “I can’t wait!!”)? Well it’s definitely going to be a huge event and it should be a spectacular in the best Andrew Lloyd Webber tradition. The Coney Island setting should give it a great atmosphere, you know how creepy fairgrounds can be. We’ve all seen Scoobydoo   It’s got two faboulous stars in Sarah Boggess and Ramin Karimaloo (I’ve been doing this so long I can now spell these names without flinching!) In the next part of this annual theatre breaks review I’ll be looking at the travel implications and prospects for London theatre breaks into 2010.

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Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:03:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1338/theatre-breaks-review-2009
Wicked Theatre Breaks This Winter http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1316/wicked-theatre-breaks-this-winter

Wicked Theatre Breaks Winter Offer Wicked theatre breaks - Land of Oz Wicked is always a popular choice for theatre breaks but it’s extra special at this witchy time of year. Why not book a Halloween special treat with a difference this year and try a Wicked theatre break? The Story of Wicked The story of Wicked isn’t as straightforward as you might suppose. The tale of the two witches and how one came to be evil and the other good has a few surprises for you along the way. I’m really not going to say more than that as I don’t want to give too much away! Full of spectacular special effects Wicked is a great introduction to musicals for younger fans. Some of it is quite dark and scary but then most children enjoy that anyway. Staying in London with Children It’s a bit of a nightmare trying to travel home with tired children after a long show. This is where booking a whole package really pays off but don’t fall into the trap of booking a hotel miles away from the theatre. If you look closely at the hotel listing you will usually see a distance from theatre. Go for the one nearest if at all possible. Taking tired children on the underground late at night is no fun at all and should be avoided at all costs!If you are staying further out then a black cab is the best, safest and easiest option. Special Offer on Wicked Theatre Breaks There’s a special offer on Wicked theatre breaks this winter with Show and Stay. There is £20 off  Wicked theatre breaks to be taken in October and November 2009 if you book between now and November 2nd. **  book Wicked Theatre Breaks Online **

a

Related posts:Wicked Theatre Breaks – the new castWicked Theatre BreaksFree Hotel Offer with London Theatre Breaks

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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:55:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1316/wicked-theatre-breaks-this-winter
Wicked Theatre Breaks http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1019/wicked-theatre-breaks

Wicked Theatre Breaks in London Wicked is the international hit musical show based on a prequel to Wizard of Oz with productions in major cities worldwide and the London Wicked is probably the est of all. The role of Elphaba , the wicked witch has recently been taken over by a young star called Alexia Khadime and the Wicked fans are loving here. Here’s a sample from last week’s West End Live in which Alexia sings “The Wizard and I”

Video by theatre breaks youTube

Who goes on Wicked Theatre Breaks? Ok there may be a large contingent of youthful women prsent at Wicked performances, the story does after all speak to young women and it’s an unusual show in having two female leads, but that doesn’t mean older people of either gender won’t enjoy it just as much – the singing is absolutely fantastic and it’s a wonderful wonderland set. Wicked theatre breaks for couples are popular whatever the mixture of tastes and preferences if you see what I mean. Just get yourself down to Victoria, London and have a ball anyway. ** book Wicked Theatre Breaks in London **

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Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:14:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/1019/wicked-theatre-breaks
Things To Do in June – West End Live http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/997/things-to-do-in-june-west-end-live

Things to do in June Flaming June comes around just after Spring has well and truly sprung, but before the main Summer holidays, which is in some ways ideal for theatre breaks with outdoor things to do in London. The river trips and topless bus tours come into their own at this time of year, as do the green spaces and parks.

West End Live

For the West End, there’s one special event which comes around each year usually around the third week and that’s West End Live. It’s a free entertainment festival put on in central London’s Leicester Square, right in the heart of theatreland, which serves to promote individual shows which take part and the West End as a whole. Participation varies, for example with Hairspray sending a full cast in costume to perform one number to kick of the show in 2009, and others such as Oliver and Wicked sending along one star to do a big number solo.

West End Live takes place over one weekend towards the end of June and I’m not suggesting anybody hangs around for the whole thing from start to finish, especially if your time in London is limited. Standing up for that length of time is exhausting enough and there’s a certain amount of waiting about between acts. It’s not really worth arriving early and queuing up to get inside the square for the start either, as the queues do build up to quite a length with people wanting to bag a place near the front but it definitely is worth dropping in for an hour or as proceedings get going and the crowds stabilise , and catching any shows you particularly want to see by keeping an eye on the programme of events. This will be found each year on the London Theatre Breaks blog in the West End Live section and they do stick very closely to the times stated because the singers and dancers need to know exactly when they will be on so they can schedule it in amongst rehearsals and even matinee performances on the Saturday. To give a sample of the happy atmosphere and the kind of performances to expect live in the square here are a few crowd videos from theatre breaks youTube.

Wicked Theatre Breaks

Alexia Khadime from Wicked sings The Wizard and I.

Priscilla Queen of The Desert

All singing All dancing All camp Priscilla

We Will Rock You

Every year the cast from We Will Rock You put on a big show with a full cast in costume doing several numbers Oliver!

Jodie Prenger from Oliver sings As Long as He Needs Me Chicago

In 2009 the cast of Chicago included none other than Jerry Springer Other Things to do in June Long light evenings are conducive to wandering about outdoors and pavement cafe meals in interesting side streets. Hyde Park and Regents Park are best known but the smaller St James Park is close by Victoria and Westminster and features a bandstand with live music sometimes, an airy Inn The Park with beautiful roof terrace, and a lake with exotic ducks geese and pelicans.

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Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:28:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/997/things-to-do-in-june-west-end-live
Alexia Khadime in Wicked Theatre Breaks http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/990/alexia-khadime-in-wicked-theatre-breaks

Wicked Theatre Breaks Anybody in London for a Wicked theatre break in the past three weeks will have had the opportunity to see Alexia Khadime as Elphaba, the green witch with the big songs. Alexia replaced Kerry Ellis who went to play the role on Broadway until December when she returns to the West End. Now Kerry Ellis was a big act to follow, having gathered a huge pack of devoted fans during her time in London, but Alexia is proving to have unique qualities which bring a fresh approach to the acting and she’s rapidly building a loyal support base of her own. The two tribes will each advocate for their favourite at any given opportunity and the result can be anything from unkind to insightful. Alexia Khadime as Elphaba Here’s the popular video from theatre breaks youTube which shows what Alexia can do, out of costume, solo and live at West End Live 2009, the popular theatre festival event in London’s Leicester Square
(it takes a few moments to get going) Click here to view the embedded video. Alexia’s a really good singer and and a really good actress, she has the best Elphaba interpretation I’ve seen. She is amazing! Cute yet powerful voice! Very well done! I am also a big fan of Kerry’s? and her! So amazing! ** Book Wicked theatre breaks in London **

Related Posts:Wicked cast changes - a new ElphabaNew Wicked Cast but Without Desmond BarritWicked - a world wide smash hit.Wicked Theatre Breaks - the new castWicked - rest of the new cast announced.a Alexia Khadime in Wicked Theatre Breaks

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Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:44:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/990/alexia-khadime-in-wicked-theatre-breaks
Wicked at West End Live 2009 Theatre breaks http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/954/wicked-at-west-end-live-2009-theatre-breaks

Alexia Khadime from the London cast of Wicked performs the Wizard and I at West End Live 2009 video by theatre breaks

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Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:06:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/954/wicked-at-west-end-live-2009-theatre-breaks
West End Live 2009 Running Order http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/883/west-end-live-2009-running-order

West End Live 2009 Saturday 20th June 11.05 Hairspray 11.15 Been So Long 11.30 Wicked 11.40 Dirty Dancing 11.55 The King and I 12.05 Oliver! 12.15 Sister Act 12.25 We Will Rock You 12.45 Priscilla Queen of the Desert 12.50 Chicago 13.10 Jersey Boys 13.30 Thriller Live 13.50 Forbidden Broadway 14.05 The Sylvia Young Theatre School 14.25 The South Bank Centre presents ‘Tom Tom Crew’ 14.45 Little Big Club 15.10 So Jest End 15.25 Avenue Q 15.45 Zanna Don’t 16.05 The London Gay Men’s Chorus 16.30 Too Close to the Sun 16.50 Faithless Bitches 17.05 The KB Fusionnaires 17.45 La Cage Aux Folles 17.55 Stomp West End Live Sunday 21st June 12.00 Stomp 12.15 Little Big Club 12.35 West End Kids 12.55 Jersey Boys 13.15 Thriller Live 13.35 Noise Ensemble 13.55 Zanna Don’t 14.10 Honk! 14.20 SOLT – Competition 14.25 Royal Albert Hall presents ‘The Red Stripe Band’ 15.05 Chinatown Arts Space Presents ‘TheBathroomGirl’ 15.25 Bar Rumba presents ‘Salsateca’ 15.40 Players Theatre presents ‘Victorian Music Hall’ 15.55 National Youth Music Theatre 16.10 Lord Mayor of Westminster’s West End LIVE presentations 16.20 Octave8 presents ‘Yot.K’ 16.50 Dover Street Restaurant and Jazz Bar presents ‘The Blues Engineers’ 17.25 Ain’t Nothin But Blues Bar present the ‘West Western Bluesonics’

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Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:28:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/883/west-end-live-2009-running-order
West End Live 2009 - latest confirmed shows http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/832/west-end-live-2009-latest-confirmed-shows

West End Live Quick Update Latest confirmed shows according to the official web site include: Avenue Q, Been So Long, La Cage Aux Folles, Carousel, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Oliver!, Priscilla Queen of The Desert, Sister Act, Stomp, Thriller Live, Too Close To The Sun, We Will Rock You, Wicked OOh I can’t wait! It was great last year but this looks even better! Be there: Leicester Square on the weekend of the 20th and 21st of June 2009!

Related Posts:West End Live 2009Priscilla Queen of the Desert Cast - Zoe BirkettTheatre Breaks Unaffected by SnowWest End LIVE 2008 - Theatre stars in Leicester SquareWest End Live 2008 - running ordera West End Live 2009 - latest confirmed shows

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Sat, 30 May 2009 12:52:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/832/west-end-live-2009-latest-confirmed-shows
West End Guide - Theatres Summer 2009 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/820/west-end-guide-theatres-summer-2009

Your West End Guide to What’s On Where Summer 2009 West End Guide shows and theatres May09 When you are thinking about shows for theatre breaks you can use our West End Guide to What’s on Where to get an idea of the size of the theatres. This can be very useful when you are looking for a show but you aren’t really sure what you want to see. Bigger productions like Sister Act or Wicked are in the largest theatres where as something like Stomp, although it’s still great fun, isn’t in quite such a spectacular setting. Of course size isn’t everything when it comes to theatres. Phantom of the Opera and Les Miz are both in smaller, older theatres but the theatres are quite grand and their productions are still full of spectacle.

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Tue, 26 May 2009 12:08:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/820/west-end-guide-theatres-summer-2009
Wicked Theatre Breaks - the new cast http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/671/wicked-theatre-breaks-the-new-cast

Wicked Theatre Breaks to see the new cast Wicked theatre breaks are perfect for families. This summer is likely to be a busy time for Wicked theatre breaks, especially as Show and Stay have a special offer on at the moment. Wicked Theatre Breaks from £81.50pp with Show and Stay - book now Wicked Theatre Breaks - who’s in the new cast? Wicked is one of those shows that inspire a lot of loyalty. Fans like to keep up to date with cast changes and see the show again and again. Having said “Goodbye” to Kerry Ellis,(I thought she was brilliant as Elphaba but it seems Alexia Khadime is developing quite a following too!) Wicked is ready to welcome some more new cast members.

The revised Wicked cast includes:

Alexia Khadime (Elphaba), Dianne Pilkington (Glinda), Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero), Sam Kelly (The Wizard), Harriet Thorpe (Madame Morrible) Natalie Anderson (Nessarose) Alex Jessop (Boq), David Stoller (Doctor Dillamond), Ashleigh Gray (Standby for Elphaba) Sarah Earnshaw (Standby for Glinda),

Wicked Theatre Breaks - a birthday outing Wicked theatre breaks are a great choice for family groups or , if you are feeling generous, a perfect birthday treat for your teenage or even pre-teen daughter and maybe 3 of her best mates. You might think I’m nuts suggesting taking a group of teenage girls to London but they, and you, will have the best time and they’ll never forget it! There’s no mess to clear up afterwards. She probably won’t expect much of a present. And her ‘cool score’ at school will go off the Richter Scale! (So will your cool parent score!) The show is an ideal choice for a themed birthday treat. You just have to make sure they have a cash limit for goodies from the foyer of Wicked! CDs, books, T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and even Glinda’s wand make great presents. Stock them up with fruit juice drinks and try to avoid too much popcorn, all that sugar will make it even harder for them to sleep! Talking of sleep, did you realise you could get a family room? Some of the hotels offer great deals so 2 adults could take 4 girls and just pay for 2 rooms! Just rope in another mum to lend a hand or even better (younger = more energy!) someone’s big sister and you’re set. Other things to do on a Wicked theatre Break So you’ve got your tickets, you’ve hopefully booked your train at the same time (save up to 40% that way), and you’ve unpacked. Now what? Luckily Show and Stay offer some great extras you can book at the same time as the theatre break. With teenage girls, or even pre-teens, my first choice would be the London Eye fast track. You spend far less time waiting around, the girls get to see the sights without getting bored and there’s plenty of time left for hitting the shops. Now, I know they are teenagers, or think they are, but I love Hamleys and they will too! Got to take their photos with those giant teddy bears and then head inside for some serious shopping. And you thought it was a toy shop? Did you not know it has one of the biggest collections of Hello Kitty merchandise in the country? Pah! Just make sure they save some money for Top Shop! Food, quick, all that shopping takes it’s toll! Where else but Planet Hollywood? Of course, if you are sneaky, you’ll have booked a bargain pre-theatre dinner there when you booked the show. Then it’s off to see Wicked. Afterwards if they (and you) are not too exhausted it can be worth hanging about round the stage door. The Wicked stars know their audience and they rarely disappoint them. Often programmes are signed, smiles and even the occasional chat is possible. If you are really lucky photos with cast members might be taken. Especially if they know there’s a birthday girl around. Back at the hotel try to persuade them it’s bed time. Good luck with that
Wicked Theatre Breaks - The Last Day Next morning try a stroll through Chinatown. If they’ve any money left there’s more (but possibly less authentic) Hello Kitty stuff around plus other wonderfully tacky London souvenirs that won’t break the bank.

Covent Garden’s good fun to wander round too. if you’re after a cheap and cheerful lunch, (and you’ve any money left!) the West Country Pasty shop is good value and has somewhere to sit and watch the world go by too. (You could, just possibly, leave them there and slip upstairs to the bar for a quick and sustaining G&T- did I say that? Moi?)

Then it’s off to catch your train. You might be lucky and they’ll fall asleep on the way home. After all they probably didn’t sleep much in the hotel. If not they can look at all their wonderful photos on their phones, while you doze off!

Behind the Scenes at Wicked Oliver Tompsett, who plays Fiyero, takes us behind the scenes of Wicked

Book before 15 June 2009 and enjoy an unforgettable hotel and theatre package from just £81.50pp

Related Posts:New Wicked Cast but Without Desmond BarritWicked Theatre BreaksWicked cast changes - a new ElphabaWicked - rest of the new cast announced.Wicked gets a new witcha Wicked Theatre Breaks - the new cast

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Sat, 09 May 2009 06:32:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/671/wicked-theatre-breaks-the-new-cast
West End Guide - Theatreland http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/492/west-end-guide-theatreland

West End Guide - where is “Theatreland”? In the heart of the West End of London is an area sometimes called ‘Theatreland’. Traditionally it is bordered by The Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Kingsway to the east. Important streets with theatres include :

Drury Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue, The Strand.

The area contains around forty of London’s largest theatres.They tend to show mostly musicals, with a few classics, new plays,and comedy performances. West End Guide to the Theatres .

Most of the theatres were built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. All of them are privately owned. All of the older theatres have great architectural character and range in style from the grand neo-classical to the very ornate rococo. They usually have luxurious, detailed interior design and decoration, with lots of gold and plush. Occasionally the older theatres have limited leg room and restricted views from some parts of the theatre. Tickets for these areas are usually sold cheaper and are not usually offered as part of theatre breaks. Audience facilities such as bars and toilets are often much smaller than in modern theatres. The buildings are all listed and this can make it hard to make improvements. However several theatres have introduced modern comforts such as air conditioning and new sound systems. The Largest Theatres in The West End The largest theatres in the West End seat over 2,000 theatre-goers.

The Palladium - currently about to show Sister Act - 2286 seats The Apollo, Vcctoria - Wicked - 2208 The Theatre Royal - Oliver!- 2196 seats The Dominion - We Will Rock You - 2163 seats The Lyceum - Lion King - 2100 seats I’ll be posting more soon on our West End Guide

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Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:21:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/492/west-end-guide-theatreland
Wicked - rest of the new cast announced. http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/415/wicked-rest-of-the-new-cast-announced

Alexia Khadime (Elphaba), Dianne Pilkington (Glinda), Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero), Sam Kelly (The Wizard), Harriet Thorpe (Madame Morrible) Natalie Anderson (Nessarose) Alex Jessop (Boq), David Stoller (Doctor Dillamond), Ashleigh Gray (Standby for Elphaba) Sarah Earnshaw (Standby for Glinda), Ensemble: Karen Aspinall, Lee Bridgeman, Sabrina Carter, Aileen Donohoe, A C Garcia, Clare Halse, Lauren James Ray, Keeley Jane Jackson, Arran Knight, Danny Mac, Mitchell Mahony, Sean Needham, Buchi Osuji, Sean Parkins, Caroline Rovina, Pharic Scott, Gregor Stewart, Lindsay Taylor, Chloe Taylor, Michelle Theunissen, Emily Tierney, Jennifer Tierney, Hannah Toy, George Ure, Sam Wilmott and Gary Wood.

Related Posts:New Wicked Cast but Without Desmond BarritWicked - Harriet Thorpe chats about Wicked - Thursday 29th MayWicked cast changes - a new ElphabaWicked gets a new witch2008 showsa Wicked - rest of the new cast announced.

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Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:14:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/415/wicked-rest-of-the-new-cast-announced
Wicked gets a new witch http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/401/wicked-gets-a-new-witch

Wicked has a new Wicked Witch of the East, Natalie Anderson (best known for her appearances on ITV in The Royal) will take over the role in May. Natalie will play Nessarose, Elphaba’s a spoilt, wheelchair-bound, younger sister. Nessarose grows up to be the witch who’s flattened under Dorothy’s house in The Wizard of Oz. Natalie’s first lead role was in Alice In Wonderland at Bradford Playhouse, aged 12. She was working on a film called Freight when she was offered the Wicked role. “My agent rang saying I’d got an audition in London,” she said. “I went down and they asked me back next day. It happened so fast and because I was busy filming I had hardly any time to prepare. I was learning my lines on the train! I hadn’t even seen the show when I auditioned, but I’ve seen it since. It’s amazing.” Best known as Nurse Stella Davenport in The Royal,Natalie left the show last year.She launched her singing career after quite recently with the release of her debut album, Return to Me.

Related Posts:Wicked - a world wide smash hit.New Wicked Cast but Without Desmond BarritWicked - an interview with the author (spoiler alert)Wicked - Harriet Thorpe chats about Wicked - Thursday 29th MayWicked Stars in the limelighta Wicked gets a new witch

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Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:49:00 -0500 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/401/wicked-gets-a-new-witch
Wicked Theatre Breaks until April 2010 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/180/wicked-theatre-breaks-until-april-2010

Wicked is Spellbinding

Originally uploaded by Andyrob

Wicked Theatre Breaks in London can be planned right up until April 2010 now since the global hit musical has just announced an extension to the WIcked booking period at the Apollo Victoria theatre in the West End.

Related Posts:Wicked Victoria Apollo TheatreWicked Victoria Apollo TheatreAn audience with the Mafia - ApolloLes MiserablesMacbetha Wicked Theatre Breaks until April 2010

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Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0600 http://www.theatrebreaksblog.co.uk/items/view/180/wicked-theatre-breaks-until-april-2010