So with Spring just around the corner, here’s the latest news from Wales Millennium Centre
NEW SHOW – CLUB TROPICANA
Take a trip back to the electric 80s and embark on a summer of love and smash-hit classics with Club Tropicana at Wales Millennium Centre in August.
When a budding bride and groom get cold feet, they each decide to jet off to sunnier climes and feel the heat. But little do they know they’ve checked into the same hotel. Welcome to the vibrant Club Tropicana Hotel – the 1980s answer to Love Island – where the drinks are free and the whole family is invited to join the ultimate holiday musical, celebrating all that we love about the 80s.
The star cast is led by Joe McElderry (X Factor winner, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), Neil McDermott (Eastenders, The Sound of Music), Kate Robbins (Spitting Image, Dinnerladies), Emily Tierney (Wicked, The Wizard of Oz) and former Sugababes singer Amelle Berrabah, making her musical theatre debut.
Set to the most iconic pop anthems of the era, performed live on stage, including Just Can’t Get Enough, Take on Me, The Look of Love, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Relax and many more.
Club Tropicana will be at Wales Millennium Centre from
13 – 17 August 2019
NEW SHOW – MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL
Based on the smash hit DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar – The Musical comes to Wales Millennium Centre and follows the cracka-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.
Alex the lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction at New York’s Central Park Zoo. He and his best friends – Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo – have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them. Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes his escape – with the help of some prodigious penguins – to explore the world.
Madagascar – The Musical will be at Wales Millennium Centre from 6 – 11 August 2019
NEW SHOW – CONVERSATIONS WITH NICK CAVE –
AN EVENING OF TALK AND MUSIC
Following a sold-out run in Australia and New Zealand, Nick Cave brings his unique conversation events to Europe and the UK, coming to Wales Millennium Centre in summer 2019. He will take questions from the audience on a range of different subjects and perform some of his most beloved songs.
Described by Cave as “an exercise in connectivity”, no subject is sacred and audiences are encouraged to be bold and challenging, confrontational and unafraid.
“I thought that a direct conversation with the audience might be valuable – in recent live shows we have all shown a kind of willingness to open up” Nick Cave.
Conversations with Nick Cave – An Evening of Talk and Music will be at Wales Millennium Centre on 15 June 2019 (Limited availability)
CAST NEWS –
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
Jaymi Hensley, a member of 2013’s BBC ‘British Breakthrough Band’ of the year, Union J, will don the Technicolor Dreamcoat and lead the company in his first role in a major musical, as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat comes to Wales Millennium Centre this May. Having risen to fame on The X Factor, Union J went to have a top ten album and a major UK tour.
Retelling the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph has been seen by an estimated 26 million people and continues to enthral audiences around the world. Full of life and colour, the magical musical features unforgettable and timeless songs including Go, Go, Go Joseph, Any Dream Will Do, Jacob and Sons and Close Every Door to Me.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be at Wales Millennium Centre from 14 – 18 May 2019
CAST NEWS – CALENDAR GIRLS THE MUSICAL
The new cast has been announced for the UK & Ireland Tour of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s musical comedy, Calendar Girls The Musical. Based on the true story, the film, and the award-winning play by Tim Firth, Calendar Girls The Musical comes to Wales Millennium Centre in April.
Starring Sarah Jane Buckley (Blood Brothers and Hollyoaks) as Annie, Sue Devaney (Dinnerladies, Casualty, Coronation Street) as Cora, Julia Hills (Broadchurch, The Archers) as Ruth, Judy Holt (Cold Feet, Scott & Bailey) as Marie and Lisa Maxwell (Loose Women, Hollyoaks) as Celia, the new cast will make their debut at Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, on 23 April 2019.
Also joining the cast is Lesley Joseph (Birds of a Feather, Young Frankenstein, Annie and Calendar Girls) in the role of Jessie.
Rebecca Storm will continue to play Chris.
Calendar Girls is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies who decide to appear nude for a Women’s Institute calendar in order to raise funds in memory of one of their husbands. This musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how it happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.
Calendar Girls The Musical will be at Wales Millennium Centre from 30 April – 11 May 2019
CAST NEWS – MATTHEW BOURNE’S ROMEO & JULIET
New Adventures’ production of Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet comes to Wales Millennium Centre in June and is delighted to announce details of the two touring casts for the World Premiere of the show. The two casts, ‘The Capulets’ and ‘The Montagues’ will perform at different venues, with The Montague Company coming to Cardiff.
The Montague Company consists of Seren Williams as ‘Juliet’ and Andrew Monaghan as ‘Romeo’ alongside: Jana Baldovino; Madelaine Brennan; Ben Brown; Joao Carolino (also plays ‘Romeo’); Natasha Chu: Gaby Conn; Benjamin Derham; Stanley Duventru-Huret; Louis Fukuhara; Danny Reubens; Asher Rosenheim; Billy Ron Scott; Catrin Thomas and Bryony Wood (also plays ‘Juliet’).
Romeo and Juliet at Wales Millennium Centre will include four young Welsh dancers: Rachel Brookes-Brent, Berwyn Cooper, Llewelyn Brown and Francesca Rees. Both Berwyn Cooper and Llewelyn Brown will be returning to the Centre, following their Welsh debut on stage in Lord of the Flies in 2014. Llewelyn said, “I was fortunate to be part of the Cardiff cast of Lord of the Flies, and it was because of this experience that I am pursuing a career in dance”.
Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet will be at Wales Millennium Centre 18 – 22 June 2019
UPCOMING SEASON – PERFORMANCES FOR THE CURIOUS
Performances for the Curious is back for a third season at Wales Millennium Centre this spring, with thought-provoking theatre, immersive experiences and joy-fuelled performance. The new season offers a wide selection of Welsh talent alongside distinctive touring productions – including a double bill from Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru – the Welsh language national theatre of Wales, British Paraorchestra’s Nature of Why – with a cinematic live score from Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory, the first solo cabaret show from Cardiff-born Noel Sullivan, and a season-closer from poet, author and spoken word artist, Hollie McNish.
Audiences can feed their curiosity with over 35 performances in the season encompassing live music, new theatre, family experiences, cabaret, comedy, drag, photography, poetry and more.
Performances for the Curious runs from 15 March to 17 May in a range of venues – including Wales Millennium Centre’s 200-seat Weston Studio theatre, its lively cabaret bar – ffresh, its public spaces and, for the first time, Quantum Coffee Roasters in Cardiff Bay.
The full season can be explored at wmc.org.uk/curious
Performances for the Curious Spring 2019 Season will be at Wales Millennium Centre 15 March – 17 May 2019
CAST NEWS – THEATR GENEDLAETHOL CYMRU: MERCHED CAERDYDD / NOS SADWRN O HYD
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru is pleased to announce the full cast for the production Merched Caerdydd / Nos Sadwrn o Hyd; two contemporary plays based in the capital city by two of Wales’ most distinct voices, coming to Wales Millennium Centre in April.
The cast of Merched Caerdydd (Cardiff Girls) includes Emmy Stonelake, who took part in the rehearsed readings of Merched Caerdydd; Gwenllian Higginson, returning to Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru following previous appearances in Macbeth, Yr Hwyaden Fach Hyll/The Ugly Duckling and Dyled Eileen; and Hanna Jarman, who joins the company for the first time with recent theatre credits including Hud y Crochan Uwd/The Magic Porridge Pot by Sherman Theatre.
Sion Ifan, whose credits include S4C programmes such as Byw Celwydd, Y Streic a Fi, Tir and Teulu and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru productions of Pan Oedd y Byd yn Fach, Y Fenyw Ddaeth o’r Môr, and Tir Sir Gâr, returns to star in Nos Sadwrn o Hyd(Saturday Night Forever).
Merched Caerdydd is directed by Mared Swain – Neontopia’s Artistic Director – who has recently directed Tuck, A Good Clean Heart and Lovecraft (Not the Sex Shop in Cardiff).
Aled Pedrick, best known as an actor on the popular series 35 Awr and Parch, directs Nos Sadwrn o Hyd. Pedrick has just come from starring in Woof at the Sherman Theatre and has also directed for Theatr Clwyd and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru.
Merched Caerdydd / Nos Sadwrn o Hyd will be at Wales Millennium Centre from 10 – 13 April 2019.
RAISING ASPIRATIONS – YOUTH CYMRU SHOWCASE
Wales Millennium Centre aims to raise the aspirations of young people in Wales and make the arts accessible to all. Wales Millennium Centre is working with Youth Cymru to promote young people’s health and wellbeing through the Youth Cymru Showcase.
Youth Cymru is a national voluntary organisation with over eighty years’ experience supporting young people and youth workers in Wales, and this April they are bringing the Youth Cymru Showcase to Wales Millennium Centre. The showcase is an event that will include performances from young people, an award ceremony recognising and celebrating young people’s achievements, and marketplace stalls and workshops promoting positive health and wellbeing.
The showcase is being programmed specifically to promote young people’s health and wellbeing and Youth Cymru works collaboratively with its members to offer unique, innovative and life-changing opportunities, projects and programmes to better the lives of young people in Wales.
Youth Cymru Showcase will be at Wales Millennium Centre on 6 April 2019
WMC PRODUCTIONS ON TOUR – THE MIRROR CRACK’D
Co-produced by Wales Millennium Centre and Wiltshire Creative, The Mirror Crack’d premiered in Salisbury last month to sold-out audiences, and tours to Dublin, Cambridge and Cardiff throughout March.
Featuring Susie Blake who ‘is simply superb as Miss Marple’ (The Times), this ‘entertaining and intensely cinematic’ (The Stage) production is a new stage adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery novel, The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side. In this classic whodunnit, Miss Marple unravels a tangle of lies surrounding a death at a cocktail party, hosted by a Hollywood actress who has recently relocated to St Mary Mead.
The cast also includes Simon Shepherd (Peak Practice) as Chief Inspector Dermot Craddock, Suzanna Hamilton (Out of Africa, 1984) as Hollywood star Marina Gregg, Joe Dixon (The Mummy Returns, Doctor Who) as Marina’s husband and film director Jason Rudd, and Julia Hills (2.4 Children, Eastenders) as Miss Marple’s best friend, Dolly Bantry. The 11-strong cast is completed by Colin R Campbell, Katherine Manners, Katie Matsell, Davina Moon, Huw Parmenter and Gillian Saker.
Directed by Melly Still, this production explores how we all colour our own memories and truths and has been hailed a ‘stylish, beautifully crafted whodunnit’ (Valley News).
Wales Millennium Centre and Wiltshire Creative’s new co-production of The Mirror Crack’d will be at Cardiff’s New Theatre from 26 March – 6 April 2019
COMING SOON – MACBETH
The aftermath of a bloody civil war. Ruthlessly fighting to survive, the Macbeths are thrust towards the crown by forces of elemental darkness. The National Theatre, creators of War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, bring this epic and visually daring production of Shakespeare’s most intense tragedy on tour, following a sold-out run in London.
Macbeth will be at Wales Millennium Centre from 19 – 23 March 2019
COMING SOON – MOTOWN THE MUSICAL
The sensational hit West End show Motown the Musical brings its unique sound to Wales later this month.
With just $800 borrowed from his family, Berry Gordy founded Motown Records and launched the careers of legendary artists including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations and many more.
Motown the Musical will be at Wales Millennium Centre from 26 March – 6 April 2019
