The beloved hit musical Mamma Mia! is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary in the West End. To mark this occasion, we chat with its book writer Catherine Johnson about her journey to becoming one of the most successful stage writers of our time, her work with ABBA to create Mamma Mia!, and the other musicals she loves the most. For Mamma Mia! tickets, visit: https://mamma-mia.com/london.php Follow Mamma Mia! on twitter and instagram. Produced by Ian Bowkett (twitter: @ianbowkett) in association with https://musicaltheatrereview.com (twitter: @musicaltheatrer) Follow the podcast: Twi ..read more

Legendary is an understatement. Frank Wildhorn is a renowned composer of not just some of the most beloved and iconic musical theatre shows to ever hit the stage, but also of chart-topping hits for artists like Kenny Rogers, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Whitney Houston. You will surely know shows like Jeckyl & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Bonnie & Clyde – which is about to go out on a UK tour, and the incredibly successful recent West End concerts for Death Note. Now he has a brand-new adaptation of the manga Your Lie in April, which is about to play thr ..read more

Zachary James is a renowned actor, singer, recording artist, and Grammy Award winner who has performed with opera companies around the world, created the role of Lurch in The Addams Family on Broadway, worked with artists as diverse as Philip Glass and Tina Fey, and is now starring as the king of the underworld, Hades himself in the much-anticipated London return of Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre. What are the shows that have most influenced him in his career, and which one production would he choose to run forever if he was The Mayor of Musical Theatre? For Hadestown ti ..read more

Joanna Woodward is an absolute superstar of a musical theatre performer who I have been hoping to get on the podcast since the very start. I first encountered her phenomenal talent in the cabaret and burlesque clubs of London, and have been delighted to see her career go from strength to strength ever since. She is currently starring in the titular role in the brilliant new musical adaptation of The Time Traveller's Wife in the West End's Apollo Theatre. In this episode, we discuss her career, the joys of cabaret, social media, and the musicals that mean the most to her. For tickets to The Ti ..read more

Happy New Year, fellow musical theatre enthusiasts! 2024 promises to be a spectacular year for new musical theatre, including the particularly exciting Before After by Stuart Matthew Price and Timothy Knapman at Southwark Playhouse. Starring alongside the ever-wonderful Grace Mouat will be Jacob Fowler, who you will know from Little Mix: The Search, Heathers, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella and much much else. In this episode, we discuss Jacob's favourite musicals, including which show Jacob would order run forever if he was The Mayor of Musical Theatre. Listen now and see if you agree ..read more

The future of musical theatre? Very much Desmonda Cathabel. One day it will just be her performing all roles in every show at once. She has the talent, we just need technology to catch up. Desmonda won the 2022 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year Award and since then has starred as Lorene in the Charing Cross Theatre's From Here To Eternity and as Kim in Miss Saigon at Sheffield Crucible, as well as many other exciting projects. She is currently starring as Jasmine in the UK tour of Disney's Aladdin in Edinburgh, and you can also catch her on ITV as an aspiring Sophie on Ma ..read more

It's episode 30! As a special treat, here is an extra long interview with Lisa Martland, the editor of Musical Theatre Review. Lisa previously worked at The Stage newspaper amongst other publications and has a wealth of experience in the world of musical theatre. Musical Theatre Review is currently celebrating its tenth anniversary as your premier source for all things onstage, backstage, and worldwide, and this podcast is just one of many exciting projects launched this year to celebrate. With so many shows seen and reviewed, which one show will Lisa choose to run forever if she had the power ..read more

Liv Andrusier is a recent RAM graduate and the star of Freya Catrin Smith & Jack Williams's Ride, the stupendously brilliant new musical telling the story of round-the-world cyclist Annie Londonderry. Liv is simply spectacular in the show and has nominated for a Stage Debut Award for her performance, but what are the musicals that mean the most to her? Join us in Liv's These Demons rehearsal room and find out! This is a really fun episode and your chance to get to know the future superstar that is Liv Andrusier before she becomes more successful than any actor has ever been. If you would ..read more

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 discussing the other musicals that have inspired them in their career. Be Prepared. For tickets and info about The Lion King, visit: https://www.thelionking.co.uk/london Follow Owen on twitter and instagra ..read more

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. Kerry is widely known to be one of our greatest live performers and she will be proving this at shows in Salford, Birmingham, and London on May 14th, 15th, and 16th respectively. In this episode, we discuss the ..read more