Michelle Francis & Ashley Day to star in Thoroughly Modern Millie

Casting has been announced for Thoroughly Modern Millie which runs at the Kilworth House Theatre between 16th August and 11th September 2016.

Producer Celia Mackay is joined by director and choreographer Stephen Mear to helm the production.

The show will star Michelle Francis as Millie, West End Frame Award winner Ashley Day as Jimmy, Clare Halse as Miss Dorothy, Matthew McKenna as Trevor Graydon, Rachel Stanley as Mrs Meers and Irene-Myrtle Forrester as Muzzy.

Ashley Day to join Tiffany Graves at Crazy Coqs

It has been announced that West End Frame Award winner Ashley Day will join renowned West End actress Tiffany Graves at her upcoming Crazy Coqs shows.

Entitled Let's Do It, Graves' show will feature new arrangements of musical classics from the likes of Kander & Ebb, Cy Coleman and Rogers & Hart as well as new material from Broadway and beyond. Performances take place on 11th and 18th April 2016.

Graves and Day, who won WEF's Understudy of the Year Award in 2013 for The Book of Mormon, recently starred together in the Welsh National Opera's production of Kiss Me, Kate. 

Casting announced for new tour of Kiss Me, Kate

Opera North and the Welsh National Opera are co-producing a new production of Cole Porter's musical Kiss Me, Kate. 

The show is set to tour England, opening at the Leeds Grand Theatre on 21st September, before visiting Newcastle, Salford and Nottingham.

Kiss Me, Kate will be performed by a cast of opera and West End singers, with the full scale orchestra of Opera North. Kiss Me, Kate is conducted by David Charles Abell (ENO's Sweeney Todd) and directed by Jo Davies (Opera North's Carousel). Choreography is by Will Tuckett (The Wind in the Willows). 

Details announced for Understudy of the Year 2015

We are delighted to confirm details for Understudy of the Year 2015. 

Running as part of the 2015 West End Frame Awards, voting for Understudy of the Year will open later this week at 1pm on Thursday 9th July. Voting closes at 3pm on Wednesday 12th August and the result will be announced on Friday 14th August. 

The award is a celebration of standbys, alternates and understudies, without whom the West End wouldn't be able to function. Due to public demand, this year for the first time ever three understudies/alternates/standbys from UK touring productions have been nominated alongside 25 West End understudies/alternates/standbys. 

250 Interviews: 25 most popular interviews in West End Frame history

Yesterday we published West End Frame's 250th interview with Beautiful's Katie Brayben, so to celebrate below is a list of the twenty-five most popular interviews in West End Frame history! 

1. Ashley Day

After winning West End Frame's Understudy Of The Year Award for The Book of Mormon

Published December 2013

2. Sierra Boggess

Whilst playing Fantine in Les Misérables

Published November 2012

Interview: Ashley Day, starring as Curly in Oklahoma!

Ashley as Curly

Today (25th Feb) is West End Frame’s third birthday and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to catch up with our 2013 Understudy of the Year winner, Ashley Day!

Ashley is currently starring as Curly in Rachel Kavanaugh’s brand new touring production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!.

In June 2013 West End Frame readers voted Ashley Understudy of the Year for understudying the role of Elder Price in the West End premiere of The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales). His West End credits also include: understudy Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (Palladium), Evita directed by Michael Grandage (Adelphi), Mary Poppins directed by Richard Eyre (Prince Edward) and Oliver! (Palladium). 

Ashley’s other theatre work includes: Troy Bolton in High School Musical (UK Tour), Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), The World Goes Round (Castle, Wellingborough), Irving Stone in Babes in Arms (Chichester Festival Theatre), Dream Gabey in On the Town directed by Jude Kelly (English National Opera), Liquorice Man in Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker (Sadler’s Wells), Dream Curly in Oklahoma! (Cardiff & Peacock, London) and Creation (Edinburgh Festival).

I recently spoke to Ashley about why he jumped at the chance to play Curly, being pushed to the limits by Drew McOnie’s choreography and life on the road PLUS he took on WEF’s brand new killer stagey question…

What were your first thoughts when the chance to play Curly came up?

Well my first thought was the score because it is something I haven’t done for a very long time – something legit, big and ‘baritonial’ [laughs] which made me very excited. There’s something about it which is almost very modern, everything just makes sense.

Production images released for OKLAHOMA! 2015 UK Tour

Production images have been released for the OKLAHOMA! 2015 UK Tour. The production stars Belinda Lang as Aunt Eller, Gary Wilmot as Ali Hakim, the West End Frame Award winning Ashley Day as Curly and Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey. Check out the images below (click picture to enlarge).

The cast also includes: Nic Greenshields as Jud Fry, Lucy May Barker as Ado Annie, James O’Connell as Will Parker, Paul Grunert as Andrew Carnes, Kara Lane as Gertie Cummings, Christopher D Hunt as Cord Elam and Barnaby Thompson as Ike Skidmore.

Simon Anthony, Christina Bennington, Robbie Boyle, Katie Marie-Carter, Lisa Dent, Emilie du Leslay, Ian Gareth-Jones, Hannah Grace, Ross Lee Fowkes, Perry O’Dea, Sasi Strallen and Gabriella Stylianou complete the cast. OKLAHOMA! tours the UK and Ireland, officially opening at the Derngate Theatre in Northampton tonight (23rd Feb).

Rehearsal Pics: OKLAHOMA! 2015 UK Tour

Rehearsal images have been released of the OKLAHOMA! 2015 UK Tour. The production stars Belinda Lang as Aunt Eller, Gary Wilmot as Ali Hakim, the West End Frame Award winning Ashley Day as Curly and Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey. Check out the images below (click picture to enlarge).

The cast also includes: Nic Greenshields as Jud Fry, Lucy May Barker as Ado Annie, James O’Connell as Will Parker, Paul Grunert as Andrew Carnes, Kara Lane as Gertie Cummings, Christopher D Hunt as Cord Elam and Barnaby Thompson as Ike Skidmore.

Simon Anthony, Christina Bennington, Robbie Boyle, Katie Marie-Carter, Lisa Dent, Emilie du Leslay, Ian Gareth-Jones, Hannah Grace, Ross Lee Fowkes, Perry O’Dea, Sasi Strallen and Gabriella Stylianou complete the cast. OKLAHOMA! tours the UK and Ireland this year, opening at the Derngate Theatre in Northampton on 19th February 2015.

Sneak peek at... the cast of OKLAHOMA!

First images have been released of the OKLAHOMA! 2015 UK Tour cast in action.

Pictured below are Belinda Lang as Aunt Eller, Gary Wilmot as Ali Hakim, the West End Frame Award winning Ashley Day as Curly and Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey. Click an image to enlarge.

The cast also includes Nic Greenshields as Jud Fry, Lucy May Barker as Ado Annie, James O’Connell as Will Parker, Paul Grunert as Andrew Carnes, Kara Lane as Gertie Cummings, Christopher D Hunt as Cord Elam and Barnaby Thompson as Ike Skidmore.

Simon Anthony, Christina Bennington, Robbie Boyle, Katie Marie-Carter, Lisa Dent, Emilie du Leslay, Ian Gareth-Jones, Hannah Grace, Ross Lee Fowkes, Perry O’Dea, Sasi Strallen and Gabriella Stylianou complete the cast.

Ashley Day, Charlotte Wakefield & Nic Greenshields star in OKLAHOMA! 2015 UK Tour

It has been announced that Ashley Day, Charlotte Wakefield and Nic Greenshields will star in a new UK Tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! next year. The show will be directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with new choreography by Drew McOnie.

OKLAHOMA! opens at the Derngate Theatre Northampton on 19th February 2015.

This new production of one of the great classic American musicals will feature a large cast and chorus led by Belinda Lang as Aunt Eller, Gary Wilmot as Ali Hakim, Ashley Day (West End Frame Award Winner, pictured right) as Curly, Charlotte Wakefield as Laurey and Nic Greenshields as Jud Fry, accompanied by a live orchestra led by musical director Steve Ridley. Set and costumes will be designed by Francis O’Connor, with lighting by Tim Mitchell and sound by Ben Harrison.

Interview: Ashley Day, currently in The Book of Mormon & winner of Understudy Of The Year

Ashley Day is currently in The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre. He recently won West End Frame’s Understudy Of The Year Award for understudying Elder Price, a role which he has played on many occasions and to great acclaim.

The Book of Mormon opened in the West End earlier this year. After opening, the show set the record for the biggest single day of sales in West End and Broadway history. Between 10am and midnight on 22nd March 2013 (the day after opening), £2,107,972 was taken in ticket sales. The Book of Mormon comes from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez and follows a pair of Mormon boys sent on a mission to a place that’s a long way from Salt Lake City.

Ashley previously starred as Troy Bolton in the UK Tour of High School Musical and most recently appeared in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium, understudying the Scarecrow. 

His other theatre credits include: Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), The World Goes Round (Castle, Wellingborough), Irving Stone in Babes in Arms (Chichester Festival Theatre), Dream Gabey in On the Town directed by Jude Kelly (English National Opera), Evita directed by Michael Grandage (Adelphi), Mary Poppins directed by Richard Eyre (original cast, Prince Edward), Liquorice Man in Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker (Sadler’s Wells), Dream Curly in Oklahoma! (Cardiff & Peacock, London), Creation (Edinburgh Festival) and Oliver! (London Palladium). 

Recently I spoke to Ashley about winning Understudy Of The Year, when he first fell in love with The Book of Mormon and his dream roles...

At the moment The Book of Mormon is everywhere, but when did you first hear about the show?

I downloaded the soundtrack as soon as the show opened on Broadway because I had heard a lot about it. As soon as I listened to it, I was like “wow – I want to do that”. I also saw a clip of Andrew (Rannells) performing ‘I Believe’ at the Tony’s and even though I hadn’t seen the show I could tell that Elder Price would be a dream role for any guy. That was the first time I heard about the show and the first time I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

Editor's Blog: Understudies, The Book Of Mormon and Defying Gravity

Ashley Day

After a hugely successful six week voting period, last Friday it was revealed that you voted Ashley Day Understudy of the Year 2013! Ashley is an extremely talented and deserving winner and I want to thank everyone who voted, your support was overwhelming and I loved following your dedicated Twitter campaigns! The final result was unbelievably close which shows just how talented all the nominees are.

Over the past year it has been so exciting to see last year’s nominees go on to do amazing things. Last year's winner, Katy Treharne (alternate Christine in Phantom), recently starred as Nina in Dear World at the Charing Cross Theatre while last year's runner up Jenny Gayner (understudy Roxie in Chicago) went on to play the lead role of Chloe in Sleeping Arrangements at the Landor Theatre, not forgetting Lauren Varnham who recently appeared in The Pajama Game in Chichester and has released her debut solo album. Earlier this week it was announced that she will be understudying Loreen in Tim Rice’s new musical From Here To Eternity.

On Wednesday evening I went to see The Book of Mormon (for the second time). I was desperate to see the show again as there is so much to take in, and of course it was an added bonus that Ashley Day was on as Elder Price. Even though it was meant to be my evening off I can't help but write about how incredible the show is.

Understudy of the Year: The Top Five

WINNER

Ashley Day

Understudy Elder Price

 The Book of Mormon

21% of the final vote

Ashley Day wins West End Frame's Understudy of the Year Award 2013

Following an intense six week voting period, we are thrilled to announce that Ashley Day has won West End Frame's Understudy of the Year Award 2013 for understudying the role of Elder Price in The Book of Mormon! 

The record breaking Broadway show officially opened at the West End's Prince of Wales Theatre on 21st March 2013. Ashley made his Elder Price debut the following week when Gavin Creel became ill with laryngitis.

Speaking to West End Frame, Ashley said: "I am overjoyed to have won Understudy of the Year! It's such an honour to be working on this show and to be part of the 'Mormon' family. Thank you to everyone who voted and to West End Frame for recognising all of us understudies."

No stranger to the West End, Ashley most recently understudied the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium. His other theatre credits include Troy Bolton in High School Musical (UK tour), Evita directed by Michael Grandage (Adelphi) and Mary Poppins directed by Richard Eyre (original cast, Prince Edward).

The result was extremely close. Despite theatre fans voting in their thousands, just thirty votes separated the top two. Alan Burkitt, who understudies Jerry Travers in the West End production of Top Hat, comes second. Alan recently received rave reviews for his performance when Gavin Lee was too unwell to perform on press night.

Theatre Gossip: Book Of Mormon for film adaptation?

According to the New York Times, Book Of Mormon's co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are forming their own production company, and a big-screen adaptation of The Book of Mormon will be a priority! Please remember nothing has yet been confirmed. 

The satirical musical, which opened on Broadway in 2011 to enormous critical and commercial success, won nine Tony Awards in 2011 including 'Best Musical'. 

The Book Of Mormon begins previews at the Prince of Wales Theatre from 25th February 2013. The Book of Mormon follows two young Mormon missionaries who are sent to a remote and oppressed village in Uganda, and naively try to share the scriptures of their religion with the locals.

Casting announced for The Book Of Mormon!

Gavin Creel and Jared Gertner will play Elder Price and Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon, which previews at the Prince of Wales Theatre from 25th February 2013. They are currently leading the company in the Los Angeles production, which has broken all box office records at the Pantages Theatre.

Other cast members, announced include: Mark Anderson, Stephen Ashfield, Benjamin Brook, Daniel Buckley, Daniel Clift, Ashley Day, Terry Doe, Candace Furbert, Patrick George, Nadine Higgin, Tyrone Huntley, Evan James, Chris Jarman, Michael Kent, Alexia Khadime, Matt Krzan, Oliver Liddert, Daniel McKinley, Luke Newton, Terel Nugent, Haydn Oakley, Olivia Phillip, Lucy St. Louis, Giles Terera, Kayi Ushe, Tosh Wanogho-Maud and Liam Wrate.