Production news round-up: Caroline, Or Change announces Broadway transfer and Boeing-Boeing UK tour cancelled due to poor ticket sales

Musicals

Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Caroline, Or Change has announced it will transfer to Broadway next year, with star Sharon D Clarke reprising her role. The musical will begin performances at Roundabout Theatre Company’s Studio 54 on March 13, with press night on April 7.
Authors: Jeanine Tesori (music) and Tony Kushner (book and lyrics)
Director: Michael Longhurst
Producer: Roundabout Theatre Company, Ambassador Theatre Group, Benjamin Lowy Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions and Glass Half Full Productions

Caroline, Or Change to transfer to Broadway in 2020

A new musical called The Impossible Man, based on the true story of illusionist and stunt showman, Harry Houdini, is currently in development. Following rehearsed readings which have taken place in London, the show will have workshops from 2020 with previews planned for Detroit and further plans for runs on Broadway and in the West End.
Director: Federico Bellone
Producer: Karl Sydow

YouTube star and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Joe Sugg is to join the West End cast of Waitress. He will play the role of Ogie, taking over from Blake Harrison, who plays his final performance in the role on September 7. Waitress is currently booking until January 4, 2020.
Authors: Sara Bareilles (music and lyrics) and Jessie Nelson (book)
Director: Diane Paulus
Producers include: American Repertory Theatre, Barry and Fran Weissler, Norton and Elayne Herrick, Alecia Parker, David I Berley and Feste Investments BV

Joe Sugg to join West End cast of Waitress

Plays

The UK tour of Boeing-Boeing starring Tom Lister and Daniel Casey has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales. It was due to open at Brighton Theatre Royal on September 4 and visit locations across the UK until May 2, 2020.
Author: Marc Camoletti
Director: Guy Unsworth
Producers: Dan Looney, Adam Paulden and Jason Haigh-Ellery for DLAP Entertainment

Boeing-Boeing tour cancelled due to poor ticket sales

Combining cast members from Sh!t-faced Showtime and Sh!t-faced Shakespeare, Sh!t Theatre has announced new Christmas show, A Pissedmas Carol. It runs at the Leicester Square Theatre from November 20 to January 5, 2020 with press night on November 28.
Author: David Ellis
Director: Katy Baker
Cast: Katy Baker, James Murfitt, John Mitton, Issy Wroe Wright, Hal Hillman, David Ellis

Full casting has been announced for Lauras Wade‘s play The Watsons, which explores the characters of an uncompleted Jane Austen novel. The Watsons runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory from September 20 to November 16, with press night on September 30.
Director: Samuel West
Cast includes: Sam Alexander, Sally Bankes, Joe Bannister, Jane Booker, Elaine Claxton, Tim Delap, Sophie Duval, Louise Ford, John Wilson Goddard, Grace Molony, Elander Moore, Paksie Vernon, Cat White, Laurence Ubong Williams, Rhianna McGreevy, Isaac Forward, Sonny Fowler and Teddy Probets
Producers: Chichester Festival Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory

Casting has been announced for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage adaptation of The Boy in the Dress, which includes Rufus Hound. The Boy in the Dress runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from November 8 until March 8, with press night on November 27.
Authors: Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers (music and lyrics), Mark Ravenhill (book)
Director: Gregory Doran
Cast also includes: Irvine Iqbal, Natasha Lewis and Forbes Masson
Producer: Royal Shakespeare Company

Casting announced for RSC’s The Boy in the Dress

Full casting and the creative team has been announced for the UK tour of Valued Friends, which runs at the Rose Theatre Kingston from September 20 to October 12, with press night on September 26.
Author: Stephen Jeffreys
Director: Michael Fentiman
Cast: Natalie Casey, Ralph Davis, Sam Frenchum, Michael Marcus, Catrin Stewart and Nicolas Tennant
Design: Michael Taylor (set), Madeleine Girling (costume), Nic Farman (lighting) and Richard Hammarton (sound)
Producers: Rose Theatre Kingston, the Original Theatre Company and Karl Sydow

Maggot Moon, based on the novel by Sally Gardner, is to run at the Unicorn theatre in London from September 26 to October 27.
Author: Jemma Kennedy
Director: Jesse Jones
Producer: Unicorn Theatre

Other

James Graham’s play Quiz, about the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire cheating scandal, is being adapted for television. Quiz opened at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2017 before transferring to the West End, and is now being turned into a three-part drama for ITV and US network AMC. Filming is currently underway.
Director: Stephen Frears
Producer: Left Bank Pictures for ITV and AMC

James Graham’s Quiz to be adapted for TV

A gala night will take place at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on September 10 to new dance fusion theatre company, The Z Bo Jackson Company. Hosted by Kimberly Wyatt, the evening will feature performances from Flawless, Brandon Lawrence, Chrissy Brooke.

Birmingham Royal Ballet has announced its autumn season, which includes a UK tour of David Bintley and Galina Samsova’s Giselle. The season also features a mixed bill which runs from September 19 to October 30 and includes Jack Lister’s A Brief Nostalgia, Cathy Marston’s The Suit and Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs.