The Mayor of Musical Theatre

VERY exciting episode right here: Lena Hall is a shining star of the big and small screens, as well as a Tony Award-winning Broadway superstar. You may have seen her in Snowpiercer , Becks , My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic , or even Hedwig and the Angry Inch . Her performances are never less than breathtaking and her voice is truly one of a kind. Make sure to look up some clips of her singing...

Katy Lipson is an award-winning producer and founder of Aria Entertainment. From tiny venues to major tours and West End hits, Katy has become one of the most exciting producers of musical theatre in the country. In this episode we discuss what the job of producer really entails, her current projects, and the musicals that mean the most to her. For Brokeback Mountain tickets visit: https://sohopla...

Fiercely exciting episode this week: it's a Lion King special! Disney's mega-hit musical about the animals of Pride Rock is one of the most spectacular shows in the West End, and has been entertaining audiences around the world for decades. In this episode, we are joined by the new Simba and Nala, Owen Chaponda and Merryl Ansah, who tell us all the backstage secrets of the show, as well as discuss...

Carly Mercedes Dyer is an incredible performer who I have been an enormous fan of ever since I saw her in the National Theatre's production of Anaïs Mitchell's Hadestown . Since then, she has gone on to star in many more shows, winning awards and the love of the public along the way. You may have seen her in The Color Purple or West Side Story at Leicester's Curve, or even in Anything Goes at the...

Christina Bianco is a singer, actor, and impressionist who has stunned audiences all over the world with her hilarious solo shows and viral videos. As her Bernadette Peters and Patti Lupone-heavy routines suggest, her first love is musical theatre, and over the years she has gradually climbed her way to beloved leading lady status, starring in hits such as Forbidden Broadway , Little Voice , and F...

Frances Mayli McCann is currently giving one of the most electrifying performances in the entire West End as Bonnie Parker in Garrick Theatre’s Bonnie & Clyde . This role has won her legions of dedicated fans, but she has already had a fascinating history in huge shows such as Heathers , Les Mis , and Evita . She is one of the most exciting actors in the musical theatre right now and this is s...

Kerry Ellis is undeniably a West End legend, stunning audiences in We Will Rock You , Les Mis , Cats , Anything Goes , not to mention being the first British Elphaba in Wicked . She is also a successful recording artist of many excellent albums, including upcoming LP Kings & Queens , due out on May 12th. The first single Battlefield features Queen guitarist Brian May and is available now. Kerr...

Carrie Hope Fletcher is an actor, singer, writer, and vlogger who has established herself as one of the brightest lights of our country’s musical theatre scene. From starring in huge shows like Heathers , Les Miserables , and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella , to entertaining huge crowds at her acclaimed concerts, Carrie is truly one of our very best. She is now heading out on concert tour across...

Incredibly exciting episode this week: two brilliant stagey guests! Madalena Alberto and Joaquin Pedro Valdes are both exceptional musical theatre performers who have been a part of some of the biggest musicals of recent times. They are now starring in the exciting new show Killing The Cat at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, which is only open until April 22nd so make sure you go see it while you...

Are you an Elphaba or a Glinda? Imagine being so brilliant as to be both. Louise Dearman made history as the first actor to play both lead roles in Wicked , and that is just one highlight of a career filled with incredible performances. She is now starring in a gala concert presentation of a brand new musical called At Last, It's Summer at the London Palladium. On this episode, we discuss working...

Of the many, many, many brilliant things in the new Wyndham's Theatre production of Oklahoma! , Georgina Onuorah's performance as Ado Annie is an undeniable highlight. She was kind enough to invite us into her backstage dressing room to talk about this amazing show, her other work on musicals such as The Wizard of Oz and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella , and the other musicals she loves most. Whi...

Have more free time than usual this week? GOOD! We have two incredible guests for you, with lots and lots of stagey chat about favourite shows. Alex Young and Ellie Nunn are two of this country's finest interpreters of Stephen Sondheim, as well as being phenomenally talented in absolutely everything else they do. You may have seen Alex in Standing at the Sky's Edge or Follies at the National Theat...

As well as selling millions of records as a solo artist and as part of Westlife , and as well as teaming up with Boyzone 's Keith Duffy to sell even more records as Boyzlife , and as well as now venturing out on a huge Boyzlife tour across the country, pop sensation Brian McFadden is also a big fan of musical theatre! In this episode, we discuss the childhood musical theatre obsessions that led Br...

This is a super special day: our first Olivier award winner! Matt Henry MBE is a West End musical theatre icon for shows like  The Drifters Girl ,  Avenue Q , and  Kinky Boots , and also his pop career in which he has been mentored by Jessie J and Will. I.Am on The Voice UK and toured with Cyndi Lauper. He is now gearing up for a special concert production of Annie Get Your Gun at t...

You may know Sooz Kempner best as a comedian or as everybody's favourite twitter account, but she is also a Royal Academy of Music-trained actor and musician who has a deep love of and talent for musical theatre. Which show would Sooz order run forever if she was The Mayor of Musical Theatre ? Listen now and see if you agree! Sooz is taking her show Playstation on a UK tour in 2023. Dates and tick...

Courtney Actual Bowman? That's right, it's going to be a FUN one. In this episode, the undisputed (though someone really ought to dispute it) mayor of musical theatre gets to know the Six and Legally Blonde superstar by discussing the musicals she loves. Our chat includes an audio tour of Courtney's dressing room at the Savoy Theatre (where she is currently starring in Pretty Woman ), stories from...

On your marks, get set, Bake Off the Musical! In this week's episode, the (self-proclaimed) mayor of musical theatre gets to know the Les Miz and Phantom phenomenon John Owen-Jones by discussing the musicals he loves. Our chat includes lots of insight into the new Bake Off the Musical show that opens in the West End soon. Which show would John order run forever if he was The Mayor of Musical Theat...

On our very first episode, the (self-proclaimed) mayor of musical theatre gets to know West End Legend Anna-Jane Casey by discussing the musicals she loves. Our chat covers everything from pantomime to Sondheim and Anna-Jane is an absolute delight throughout. Which show would Anna-Jane order run forever if she was The Mayor of Musical Theatre ? She makes an excellent choice. Listen now and see if...

There's a new mayor in town! Well, there's not. Writer/composer Ian Bowkett isn't the real mayor of musical theatre—nobody is, it barely makes sense as a concept—but he did buy a cheap chain on eBay and lie to a bunch of musical theatre stars. Each week, very special guests who make or love musical theatre are invited to talk about their favourite shows in different categories (funniest musical, f...