Kerry Ellis to star in Wonderland

Kerry Ellis will star as Alice in the 2017 UK tour of Wonderland!

Known as the First Lady of the West End, Ellis will play the role in Edinburgh, Sunderland, Birmingham, Bromley, Woking, Manchester, Wimbledon, Bristol, Brighton, Liverpool, Stoke and Milton Keynes whilst continuing with concert commitments. Former West End Frame Understudy of the Year winner Carolyn Maitland will alternate Alice.

Wendi Peters will star as Queen of Hearts alongside Dave Willetts as White Rabbit. The cast will also include Stephen Webb as Jack/White Knight, Natalie McQueen as Mad Hatter, Kayi Ushe as Caterpillar, Dominic Owen as Cheshire Cat and Ben Kerr as March Hare.

Review: West End Switched Off at the St James Studio

West End Switched Off 

St James Studio

Reviewed on Sunday 20th March 2016 

★★★★

Marking the third concert in the West End Switched Off series, on Sunday evening musical director Kris Rawlinson took to the stage at the St James Studio with a bunch of West End stars and a terrific band to reinvent a plethora of showtunes. 

Sam Lupton, Carolyn Maitland & Michael Vinsen join West End Switched Off line-up

Further casting has been announced for the upcoming West End Switched Off concert.

Sam Lupton (Wicked/Avenue Q), West End Frame Award winner Carolyn Maitland (Miss Saigon/Cabaret) and Michael Vinsen (Kinky Boots/Book of Mormon) join the previously announced Evelyn Hoskins (ITV's Sound of Music Live/Carrie), Tyrone Huntley (Memphis/The Book of Mormon) and Jodie Steele (Jesus Christ Superstar/Fame).

Editor's Blog: 5 stagey YouTube videos you should be obsessed with!

It's the beginning of January and theatre news has been slow since the Christmas holidays, so in West End Frame Towers we've been spending lots of time geeking out over stagey YouTube videos. Below are five you should be obsessed with:

5. Everybody say HEAVY METAL

Tim Prottey-Jones is currently appearing in the ensemble of Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre and has recently been uploading heavy metal versions of musical theatre classics such as 'I Still Believe' and 'On My Own' onto YouTube. Listen to his cover of 'Land of Lola' below and check out more of his covers here. I think a musical theatre heavy metal album/concert could go down a storm!

4. Oh what a celebration we'll have today!

Everybody loves a good showmance! On Christmas day Daniel Robinson and Joshua Green - who both play flying monkeys in the Broadway production of Wicked - got engaged onstage at the Gershwin Theatre. After the performance the cast gathered for a company photo before Robinson stood up and proposed to Green in full flying monkey costume! Of course it was all captured on camera and has now gone viral! Watch below:

Lucas Rush & Carolyn Maitland to star in new production of Cabaret

Lucas Rush and West End Frame Award winner Carolyn Maitland will star as the Emcee and Sally Bowles in a Scottish production of Cabaret by John Kander, Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff.

Directed by Derek Anderson with choreography by Lee Crowley, the musical opens at ACT Aberdeen on 28th January and runs until 6th February 2016. 

Lucas Rush is currently starring as St. Jimmy in American Idiot at the Arts Theatre. His stage credits include: Mark Rylance Sonnet Walks (The Globe), Shitfaced Showtime (Old Red Lion/Brighton), Jesus Christ Superstar (World Arena Tour), Saturday Night Fever (RCCL/USA), Grease (Piccadilly), Bloodbath (Edinburgh), We Will Rock You (Dominion), Fame (UK Tour), Much Ado About Nothing (Italian Tour), Blood Brothers (Malta), The Merry Wives Of Windsor (RSC/Barbican) and Les Misersables (Palace). Rush also appeared in the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. 

Giggin4Good announces line-up for November concert

The line-up has been announce for Giggin4Good's upcoming Best Of British concert at the Actors' Church in Covent Garden on 15th November 2015.

Celebrating British musical theatre, this marks the eighth charity concert produced by Giggin4Good since its inception in 2010 to raise money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. 

Usually the money raised has been donated to a specific ward of the hospital. This year, as it is in the run-up to Christmas, all proceeds will go towards buying gifts for the children in the hospital.

Carolyn Maitland takes over as Ellen in Miss Saigon for limited run

It has been announced that Carolyn Maitland will take over as Ellen in Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre for a limited run from Thursday 30th July until Saturday 17th October 2015.

Last year Maitland won West End Frame's Understudy of the Year Award for understudying the role which she is now returning to play full time. Maitland recently finished starring as Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain at the Kilworth House Theatre.

Current Ellen Siobhan Dillon is taking a break from the show to undergo treatment following an operation. Maitland joins Jon Jon Briones as The Engineer, Eva Noblezada as Kim, Chris Peluso as Chris, Hugh Maynard as John, Sangwoong Jo as Thuy and Natalie Mendoza as Gigi. 

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. 

Big Interview: Carolyn Maitland

Last year Carolyn Maitland won West End Frame’s Understudy of the Year Award for covering the role of Ellen in the West End revival of Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre. 

Carolyn will depart the production next month to star as Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain at the Kilworth House Theatre.

Carolyn received huge acclaim for understudying Hannah Waddingham in Kiss Me, Kate at the Chichester Festival Theatre and Old Vic. She has understudied countless roles including Karen Holmes in From Here To Eternity (Shaftesbury), Vivienne & Serena in Legally Blonde (Savoy), Lucy Harris in Jekyll & Hyde (UK Tour), Gabriella & Taylor in High School Musical 2 (UK Tour) and Serena, Mabel & Miss Bell in Fame (UK Tour). 

I recently met with Carolyn to discuss her whirlwind year in Miss Saigon, going on as Ellen with no rehearsal and her experience in Kiss Me, Kate as well as why she was thrilled to win WEF’s Understudy of the Year Award plus much, much more…

How familiar were you with Miss Saigon before being cast in the show?

I had never, ever seen Miss Saigon! My fiancé had worked in the sound team in the original. When I was called in to be seen they had been auditioning for months and months. It was a last minute call in; when we found out From Here To Eternity was going to close they called me and a few other girls in for understudy Ellen, I think that they’d had trouble finding the fit for what they wanted. Everyone always goes on about Ellen but I had never seen it before so turned to YouTube and read about it. After my first audition – where I just did my own songs – they sent through the new song ‘Maybe’ which was actually in a different key to what they use in the show now. It was a very long and hard song to learn until you really broke down the text – I thought the song was just so beautiful. I fell in love with it and it was at that point I really started getting excited about the part. 

Feature: January round-up

Star of the Month

Carolyn Maitland

I kicked off my 2015 with a theatre week during which I caught up with lots of the West End's long-running shows. I was thrilled to catch Carolyn Maitland - who won West End Frame's Understudy of the Year Award last year - on as Ellen in Miss Saigon. Not only did she give a sensational performance, but due to extensive cast illness Maitland doubled up and also performed sections of her ensemble track throughout the show. Her rendition of 'Maybe' was one of the highlights of the evening. Mentions must also go to Romeo Salazar who made an epic debut as the Engineer and Tanya Manalang who poured her heart out and blew everyone away as Kim. 

Show of the Month

The Ruling Class 

West End Frame Awards 2014: Full Winners List

Readers of West End Frame were invited to vote for five awards throughout 2014. The West End Frame Awards recognise brand new and long-running plays and musicals, combining male and female actors into the same categories. Voting opens for one award at a time. We were thrilled to receive over 52,000 votes this year! Take a look at the full list of winners below:

Publicly Voted Awards

	Best West End Debut Willemijn Verkaik  for playing Elphaba in Wicked Runners Up Rachelle Ann Go for Miss Saigon Alexandra Burke for The Bodyguard Click here for full result / Photo Credit: Darren Bell
	Best Performance of a Song in a Musical Tam Mutu  for his rendition of 'Stars' in Les Miserables Runners Up Carrie Hope Fletcher for Les Miserables Gerónimo Rauch for The Phantom of the Opera Click here for full result
	Funniest West End Show The Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre Runners Up The Commitments at the Palace Theatre Urinetown at the St James Theatre Click here for full result
	Understudy of the Year Carolyn Maitland for understudying Ellen in Miss Saigon Runners Up Tanya Manalang for Miss Saigon Layla Harrison for The Phantom of the Opera Click here for full result
	London Fringe Production of the Year Chicken Shop at the Park Theatre Runners Up Love Story at the Union Theatre Damn Yankees at the Landor Theatre Click here for full result / Photo Credit: Kim Hardy

Editor's Choice

Miss Saigon's Carolyn Maitland & Dale Evans release Christmas song for charity

Dale Evans and the West End Frame Award winning Carolyn Maitland have teamed up with GoFundMe.com to release a cover of 'White Christmas' to raise money for Cancer Research UK. The pair are currently appearing in the West End production of Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre. 

Check out a preview of the track below:

Understudy of the Year 2014: Full Result

Earlier today we announced that Carolyn Maitland has won West End Frame's Understudy of the Year Award 2014 for understudying Ellen in Cameron Mackintosh's West End revival of Miss Saigon. Eighteen understudies, standbys and alternates were nominated, take a look at the full result below:

Carolyn said: "I am extremely proud to have won Understudy of the Year 2014, especially alongside so many strong and incredible understudies, alternates and standbys. It's such a pleasure and an honour to cover Ellen in such an iconic musical. Gaining acknowledgement for this means so much to me. Thank you to all who voted and to everyone supporting all the understudies throughout the theatre world!"

Andrew Tomlins (Editor of West End Frame) said: "The response to Understudy of the Year 2014 has been overwhelming. It has been incredible to see so much support for some of theatre's most talented yet unrecognised stars. Several of the nominees have been in touch and told me they have been working in the industry for over twenty years but, prior to Understudy of the Year, have never been nominated for anything. Thank you to everybody who voted and supported."

Understudy of the Year runs as part of the 2014 West End Frame Awards. Unlike other theatre awards, West End Frame only opens voting for one category at a time and combines male and female actors from musicals and plays into the same categories (where applicable).

** WINNER **

Carolyn Maitland

Understudy Ellen

Miss Saigon

27% of the final vote

Carolyn Maitland wins Understudy of the Year 2014!

Carolyn Maitland

We are thrilled to announce that Carolyn Maitland has won West End Frame's Understudy of the Year Award 2014 for understudying Ellen in Cameron Mackintosh's West End revival of Miss Saigon. 

Over 8,000 votes were counted and Maitland wins with an impressive 27% of the final vote.

Miss Saigon began previews at the Prince Edward Theatre on Saturday 3rd May 2014. Before the production had officially opened Maitland was called on for Ellen at the last minute, performing in front of the creative team with little rehearsal to huge acclaim.

Speaking to West End Frame, Carolyn said: "I am extremely proud to have won Understudy of the Year 2014, especially alongside so many strong and incredible understudies, alternates and standbys. 

"It's such a pleasure and an honour to cover Ellen in such an iconic musical. Gaining acknowledgement for this means so much to me. Thank you to all who voted and to everyone supporting all the understudies throughout the theatre world!"

Maitland received huge acclaim for understudying Hannah Waddingham in Kiss Me Kate (Chichester/Old Vic). She has understudied countless roles including Karen Holmes in From Here To Eternity (Shaftesbury), Vivienne & Serena in Legally Blonde (Savoy), Lucy Harris in Jekyll & Hyde (UK Tour), Gabriella & Taylor in High School Musical 2 (UK Tour) and Serena, Mabel & Miss Bell in Fame (UK Tour).

The actress' co-star Tanya Manalang, who alternates the role of Kim, finishes second - marking only the second time performers from the same show have finished first and second place in a West End Frame Award. The Phantom of the Opera's Layla Harrison (Understudy Meg) comes third alongside Billy Elliot's Gillian Elisa (Alternate Grandma) and Les Miserables' Jade Davies (Understudy Cosette) who finish fourth and fifth respectively. Click here to view the full result.