All stories by Matthew Hemley on BroadwayStars

Thursday, January 23, 2014

News: Donmar boss urges industry support for West End theatres following Apollo collapse by Matthew Hemley

Donmar Warehouse artistic director Josie Rourke has urged the industry to "get behind" West End theatre owners in the wake of the incident at the Apollo, and help ensure money needed to pres…

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Production News: Kinky Boots musical set for 2015 West End run by Matthew Hemley

Broadway musical Kinky Boots will be staged in the UK in 2015, its director has revealed. Jerry Mitchell, who is currently working on the musical version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and who h…

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Hemley on TV: Coming a Cropper " how Hayley's Corrie death blurred fiction and reality by Matthew Hemley

Remember when Brian Conley used to shout "It's a puppet!" every time he was horrible to his furry sidekick Larry? Well, I found myself wanting to yell something similar when Hayley Cropper d…

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News: Equity to mount legal claim on behalf of unpaid kids' TV actors by Matthew Hemley

A TV production company exposed for leaving its writers £250,000 out of pocket is facing a legal challenge from union Equity, after it emerged performers are also owed thousands by the or…

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News: BBC under fire from Equity over fewer opportunities for actors by Matthew Hemley

Budget cuts at the BBC have led to an "erosion of production values" on its dramas, with fewer opportunities for performers, Equity has warned. The union has claimed that 2011's licence fee …

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

News: Doctor Who and Matt Smith win at National Television Awards by Matthew Hemley

BBC1 series Doctor Who has been named best drama at this year’s National Television Awards, with Matt Smith winning in the best drama performance section. Other winners at the event, h…

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Production News: BBC Radio 2 to broadcast Tell Me On a Sunday starring Marti Webb by Matthew Hemley

Tell Me On a Sunday starring Marti Webb is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 this Easter. Radio 2 recorded a performance of the musical during its recent run at the St James Theatre...

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Production News: John Travolta to appear in conversation with Jonathan Ross at Drury Lane by Matthew Hemley

John Travolta is to appear at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for a special event during which he will discuss his career with Jonathan Ross. The show, A Conversation with John Travolta, will b…

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Production News: From Here to Eternity to close even earlier than planned by Matthew Hemley

West End musical From Here to Eternity is to close even earlier than originally announced, with the producers confirming it will now shut in March. In November last year producers said that …

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News: Dervla Kirwan echoes calls for more gender-blind casting in the industry by Matthew Hemley

Dervla Kirwan has criticised ageism in the industry " particularly towards women – and has backed Emma Thompson's calls for more plays to be cast against gender. Kirwan said she had no…

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Production News: Once star Declan Bennett to join EastEnders as the musical extends by Matthew Hemley

West End musical Once has extended until July next year. The musical, directed by John Tiffany, is booking until July 4, 2015 at the Phoenix Theatre. It opened there in April last year. The …

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News: BBC to end its live coverage of the Olivier Awards by Matthew Hemley

BBC Radio 2 is planning to drop its live broadcast of the Olivier Awards after four years. The broadcaster has aired the Oliviers live since 2010, when the awards were held at the Grosvenor …

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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Production News: War Horse extends West End run to February 2015 by Matthew Hemley

War Horse has extended its run at the New London Theatre until February next year. The National Theatre production is now booking to February 14, 2015. Next month, the show will also be broa…

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Production News: Louise Dearman's UK tour cancelled by Matthew Hemley

A UK concert tour starring West End performer Louise Dearman has been cancelled. The performer, known for playing both Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked, had been due to launch her solo It's Time…

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Monday, January 20, 2014

News: West End musician Steve McManus dies by Matthew Hemley

West End musician Steve McManus, whose credits included Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Witches of Eastwick, has died aged 48. The musician, who played bass and double bass, had been battlin…

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Production News: Gilbert and Sullivan to be celebrated by BBC Radio 2 by Matthew Hemley

BBC Radio 2 is to pay tribute to Gilbert and Sullivan with a special Friday Night is Music Night concert. The show will feature music from productions including HMS Pinafore and The Mikado a…

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Friday, January 17, 2014

News: TV writers left owed £250k despite overseas broadcast by Matthew Hemley

Writers of a major children's television drama who claim they are owed £250,000 for their work have criticised broadcasters for screening the series, claiming the move sets a "bizarre pre…

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Production News: Natascha McElhone to star in Fatal Attraction play by Matthew Hemley

Natascha McElhone is to star in the stage adaptation of Fatal Attraction directed by Trevor Nunn. The play, based on the film of the same name, is written by James Dearden, who also penned t…

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Production News: Michael Palin to lead cast of BBC1 ghost story by Matthew Hemley

Michael Palin is to star in a TV drama for the first time in more than 20 years, with a three-part BBC series called Remember Me. The BBC1 ghost story is written by Gwyneth Hughes,...

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Production News: Jodie Prenger to star in Calamity Jane at the Watermill Theatre by Matthew Hemley

Jodie Prenger is to star in Calamity Jane at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, directed by Nikolai Foster. Calamity Jane is adapted for the stage by Charles K. Freeman and has music by Sammy…

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Hemley on TV: Idris, Chiwetel and the great UK talent drain… by Matthew Hemley

In the last couple of weeks I've seen two films featuring excellent leading performances from British actors " Idris Elba (in Mandela " The Long Walk to Freedom, which also stars the wonderf…

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Production News: London cabaret festival shifts dates and puts the onus on singing by Matthew Hemley

This year's London Festival of Cabaret has been brought forward by five months to May, with its producer promising more acts, more venues and an increase in international stars. The title of…

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Production News: Michael McIntyre lands own BBC1 chat show by Matthew Hemley

Comedian Michael McIntyre is to host his own chat show on BBC1. The six-part series, called The Michael McIntyre Chat Show, will feature celebrity guests, who will be interviewed by the come…

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Production News: Happy Days sales triple after Sound of Musicals TV exposure by Matthew Hemley

Ticket sales for the tour of new musical Happy Days tripled after it was featured as part of Channel 4's The Sound of Musicals documentary. Producer Amy Anzel said that being part of the doc…

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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Production News: Nicola Walker to lead cast of Young Vic's A View from the Bridge by Matthew Hemley

Nicola Walker and Mark Strong will lead the cast of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge at the Young Vic Theatre. Ivo van Hove, who is the director of theatre company Toneelgroep in Holla…

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Monday, January 13, 2014

Production News: Lauren Samuels joins cast of Water Babies musical by Matthew Hemley

Lauren Samuels, a finalist in the BBC Andrew Lloyd Webber series Over the Rainbow, has been cast in new musical Water Babies at Leicester's Curve. Samuels, who has appeared in the West End p…

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Production News: London production of Spamalot to close in February by Matthew Hemley

Monty Python musical Spamalot is to close at the Playhouse Theatre in London on February 22, following a run at the venue of 15 months. The show, written by Eric Idle and John Du Prez,...

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Friday, January 10, 2014

News: NT Live must not become a "substitute" for theatregoing " Stephen Joseph Theatre executive by Matthew Hemley

Stephen Wood, the executive director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, has warned that the National Theatre's NT Live initiative must never become a "substitute" for actual theat…

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Thursday, January 9, 2014

Production News: Reece Shearsmith and Sheridan Smith to star in ITV factual drama by Matthew Hemley

Reece Shearsmith and Sheridan Smith are to star in a three-part ITV drama called The Widower, which is based on the crimes of convicted murderer Malcolm Webster. The Widower has been co-writ…

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Production News: Leicester's Curve to stage The Sound of Music this Christmas by Matthew Hemley

Paul Kerryson's last production as artistic director of Leicester's Curve will be The Sound of Music, which will run at the venue this Christmas. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical will pre…

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Hemley on TV: Musical film stars who were dubbed (and others who should have been) by Matthew Hemley

Do you know who Marni Nixon is? Shamefully, I didn't until I watched the BBC's Secret Voices of Hollywood programme just the other week. In case you missed it, the documentary examined those…

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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