Barbican Centre News

Olivier Award winner Ruthie Henshall has just been announced as the special guest star in the upcoming UK tour of THE SOUND OF MUSICALS.

Nina Nawalowalo, artistic director of the Conch and creator of the ground breaking 'Vula', which last year enjoyed a sell out season London's Barbican Centre comes back to the Bats theatre where that journey began to launch a new initiative 'The Conchus Season'. showcasing an exciting crop of emerging Maori and Pacific performers.

Kurt Weill's Johnny Johnson gets its UK premiere at Sadler's Wells - but why here and why now? Our correspondent finds out

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents Mark Morris Dance Group's acclaimed MOZART DANCES at The Paramount Theatre May 1-3, 2009 for three performances only. Formed in 1980, Mark Morris Dance Group is recognized as one of the world's leading dance companies and noted for its commitment to live music, a feature of every performance on its full international touring schedule since 1996. Seattle's premiere of MOZART DANCES will feature Seattle Symphony with pianists Garrick Ohlsson and Yoko Nozaki conducted by Stefan Asbury.

Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Fl?rez, who created a sensation last season in La Fille du R?giment, star in a new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula opening March 2, directed by Mary Zimmerman and conducted by Evelino Pid?. Dessay takes the role of the sleepwalker Amina, with Fl?rez as her betrothed Elvino, and Michele Pertusi as the Count who almost ruins their wedding. Performances run through April 3, with Barry Banks singing Elvino at the final performance. Zimmerman returns with the creative team that collaborated on her hit production of Lucia di Lammermoor, which opened the 2007-08 season: Daniel Ostling, set designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; T.J. Gerckens, lighting designer; and Daniel Pelzig, choreographer.

Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Fl?rez, who created a sensation last season in La Fille du R?giment, star in a new production of Bellini's La Sonnambula opening March 2, directed by Mary Zimmerman and conducted by Evelino Pid?. Dessay takes the role of the sleepwalker Amina, with Fl?rez as her betrothed Elvino, and Michele Pertusi as the Count who almost ruins their wedding. Performances run through April 3, with Barry Banks singing Elvino at the final performance. Zimmerman returns with the creative team that collaborated on her hit production of Lucia di Lammermoor, which opened the 2007-08 season: Daniel Ostling, set designer; Mara Blumenfeld, costume designer; T.J. Gerckens, lighting designer; and Daniel Pelzig, choreographer.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will present a four week 'American Originals' festival, celebrating music written by American and European composers while living in America. The festival opens with a program of works by Bernstein, Barber and Rachmaninov on Thursday, October 30, 2008, and concludes with the Atlanta debut of a concert-staged production of John Adams' Dr. Atomic on Sunday, November 23, 2008.

'THE HARDER THEY COME', the reggae musical based on the 1972 Perry Henzell film that launched Jimmy Cliff onto the world stage, will open at the Playhouse Theatre on Monday 9 June with performances commencing on 23 May. 'THE HARDER THEY COME' has enjoyed sell-out seasons at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and the Barbican Centre, which both received rave reviews.

Casting has been announced for the London production of Jersey Boys, the Tony Award award-winning Broadway musical. The show will open in London's West End at the Prince Edward Theatre on Tuesday March 18, 2008, following previews from February 28, 2008. The London cast will be headed by Ryan Molloy as Frankie Valli, Stephen Ashfield as Bob Gaudio, Glenn Carter as Tommy DeVito and Philip Bulcock as Nick Massi.

Sir Peter Hall's acclaimed 50th anniversary production of Samuel Beckett's absurdist classic Waiting for Godot is headed to the West End

Martin Platt, Co-director of the Perry Street Theatre Company, has been tapped to direct the European Premiere of John Patrick Shanley's Tony Award Winning Drama, DOUBT to begin performances at Vienna's English Theatre at January 30 - March 11, 2006.

Bill Kenwright and Thelma Holt will bring the acclaimed National Theatre of Great Britain production of PRIMO, starring Antony Sher as Italian chemist and Holocaust survivor Primo Levi, to Broadway this summer for 32 performances only beginning Friday, July 8 through Sunday, August 7. Opening night for PRIMO, which is based on Levi's memoir Survival in Auschwitz, as adapted for the stage by Antony Sher, and directed by Richard Wilson, is Monday, July 11 at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45 Street).