All stories by Mark Shenton on BroadwayStars

Sunday, May 10, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015

Mark Shenton: Banning critics from shows has not proven a successful strategy by Mark Shenton

Critics and the theatres we cover exist in a delicately arranged and finely managed relationship. Our jobs depend, after all, on the

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 7, 2015

Susan H. Schulman To Direct the World Premiere of Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust Road at London's St. J by Mark Shenton

Susan H. Schulman, whose Broadway credits include The Secret Garden, Little Women and revivals of Sweeney Todd and The Sound of Music, is to direct the world premiere of Hoagy Carmichael'…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:38AM[SHARE]

Susan H. Shulman To Direct the World Premiere of Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust Road at London's St Jam by Mark Shenton

Susan H. Shulman, whose Broadway credits include The Secret Garden, Little Women and revivals of Sweeney Todd and The Sound of Music, is to direct the world premiere of Hoagy Carmichael'…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:38AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton's theatre picks: May 7 by Mark Shenton

It’s a week big on transfers of productions first seen outside the capital, proving just how much London theatre relies on a

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Mark Shenton: Scott Alan is a brave composer and singer, but most of all a friend by Mark Shenton

The New York based singer-songwriter Scott Alan has been in London for four sold-out concerts at the St James Theatre and Studio

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]

Watch Chilling Video of London Carrie, Premiering Today by Mark Shenton

The London premiere of the musical version of Stephen King's novel Carrie, 27 years after the musical was first staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company, finally takes place May 6 at Sout…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, May 5, 2015

U.K's Opera North To Stage Kiss Me, Kate and Into the Woods in 2015-16 Season by Mark Shenton

Opera North, a regional opera company based in Leeds in the U.K. which also tours extensively, plans to stage new productions of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate and Sondheim and Lapine's…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:13AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: Changing artistic directors is healthy for theatres by Mark Shenton

Last week Rufus Norris directed his first production as artistic director of the National Theatre there, and the early verdicts are now

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]

Kristin Scott Thomas Brings The Audience Back to the West End Tonight by Mark Shenton

The West End return for Peter Morgan's The Audience opens officially May 5 at the Apollo Theatre, following previews that began April 21. The run is booking through July 25. Kristin Scot…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, May 4, 2015

What's Hot in London: May 4 by Mark Shenton

Today I kick off a new weekly feature, that will provide a constant update on what's hot (and sometimes what's not) and what's to watch in London, onstage and off. Stay tuned &am…

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:30AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: 'We are standing at a critical crossroads' by Mark Shenton

"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Saturday, May 2, 2015

Are West End audiences better than Broadway's? by Matt Wolf and Mark Shenton

After US movie star John Goodman praised British theatre-goers following his UK stage debut last week, two leading critics discuss whether you get a better class of punter on one side of the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, May 1, 2015

Emma Rice is Appointed as New Artistic Director of Shakespeare's Globe by Mark Shenton

Emma Rice, currently joint artistic director of Kneehigh for whom her productions included Brief Encounter that transferred to Broadway's Studio 54 and Tristan & Yseult (currentl…

SOURCE: Playbill at 09:36AM[SHARE]

Tony Winner Derek Jacboi Joins Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company to Play Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet by Mark Shenton

Derek Jacobi is to join the previously announced Lily James and Richard Madden in the forthcoming production of Romeo and Juliet that Kenneth Branagh will direct for his own new Kenneth Bran…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:17AM[SHARE]

U.K "X Factor" Finalist Amelia Lily to Star in New London Production of American Idiot in July by Mark Shenton

Amelia Lily, a singer who finished third on the British "X Factor" TV competition in 2011, is to star as Whatshername in a new London production of American Idiot, the musical that…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:12AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton: Critics are a consumer guide for those in the industry too by Mark Shenton

Critics are, first and foremost, a consumer guide to the theatre " I’ve sometimes thought we see the shows so you don’t

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 05:53AM[SHARE]
Thursday, April 30, 2015

New Magic Show Impossible To Play Summer Season at London's Nol Coward Theatre by Mark Shenton

Impossible, a new magic show featuring an international line-up of magicians and tricksters, is to play at the West End's Noël Coward Theatre for a five week season this sum…

SOURCE: Playbill at 08:00AM[SHARE]

Mark Shenton's theatre picks: April 30 by Mark Shenton

This is the last week that I’ll be offering a round-up of new openings across all sectors " starting next week, I’ll

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Mark Shenton: Best of British " but what's been overlooked in the 2015 Tony nominations? by Mark Shenton

When The Tony Awards are presented in Broadway’s biggest annual back-patting event, not everyone will be a winner. And the nominations, announced

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 05:59AM[SHARE]

George Orwell's 1984 to Return to West End's Playhouse Theatre in June by Mark Shenton

1984, a stage version of George Orwell's book created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan, is to return to the West End's Playhouse Theatre, where it previously played in 2014 after …

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:29AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Mark Shenton: Could Tessa Ross have been the National Theatre's artistic director? by Mark Shenton

In commercial theatre the top dog is the producer " the man or woman who controls the purse strings as well as

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]

Follies Concert Takes Place at Royal Albert Hall Today, with Ruthie Henshall, Christine Baranski, Be by Mark Shenton

Follies in Concert is being given two performances only April 28 at London's Royal Albert Hall, with a cast that includes Ruthie Henshall as Sally Durant Plumer, Christine Baranski as Ph…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, April 27, 2015

Mark Shenton: Sting comes home and The Last Ship sails again by Mark Shenton

The Tony nominations will be announced on April 28, but I’m declaring my favourite original score of the 2014/15 season on Broadway

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AM[SHARE]

Imelda Staunton Gypsy Recording Released Today by Andrew Gans and Mark Shenton

The cast album of the Imelda Staunton London production of Gypsy is released by First Night Records April 27.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

Damian Lewis, John Goodman and Tom Sturridge American Buffalo Opens in West End Tonight by Mark Shenton

Damian Lewis, John Goodman and Tom Sturridge star in the new West End revival of David Mamet's 1975 play American Buffalo, which opens officially April 27 (following previews that began …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Saturday, April 25, 2015

Jennifer Haley's The Nether Ends West End Season Tonight by Mark Shenton

The West End transfer of Jennifer Haley's The Nether, which received its U.K. premiere at London's Royal Court in Jeremy Herrin's co-production with Headlong Theatre last sum…

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:43AM[SHARE]

Cats Closes at London Palladium Tonight, But Returns in October by Mark Shenton

Cats ends its current season at the London Palladium April 25, but as previously announced, it will return there for a further ten week season beginning Oct. 23, so it is only really a hiatu…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, April 24, 2015

Dawn French To Bring 30 Million Minutes to the West End's Vaudeville Theatre by Mark Shenton

Dawn French is to bring her latest solo show, 30 Million Minutes, to the West End's Vaudeville Theatre, beginning performances Nov. 11 prior to an official opening Nov. 12 for a limited …

SOURCE: Playbill at 07:01AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off