Big Interview: Ramin Karimloo

Ramin Karimloo is preparing to headline the London Palladium with his band on Saturday 16th July 2016.

Having played two sold out concerts at Islington’s Union Chapel and the Assembly Hall earlier this year, Ramin will perform his Broadgrass material including songs from Broadway, Bluegrass and beyond. 

Wicked legend Louise Dearman will join Ramin for a "duet or two." The band includes Sergio Ortega, Hadley Fraser and Alan Markley with backing vocals from Katie Birtill. 

After understudying Joe Gillis in the 2002 UK tour of Sunset Boulevard, the Iranian-Canadian performer went on to make his West End debut the same year as understudy Marius and Enjolras in Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre. He then starred as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre before returning to the West End production of Les Miserables as full-time Enjolras.

Ramin played Chris in the 2005 UK tour of Miss Saigon. He returned to the West End in 2007, this time taking on the title role in The Phantom of the Opera. He later originated the role of The Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre. He starred in the 25th Anniversary concerts for Les Miserables (O2 Arena) and The Phantom of the Opera (Royal Albert Hall), playing Enjolras and The Phantom respectively. 

Ramin first played Jean Valjean - arguably the most challenging male role in musical theatre - in the West End production of Les Miserables. He went on to reprise his performance in Toronto and then on Broadway where he received a Tony nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. 

Cynthia Erivo nominated for Tony Award; full nominations list revealed

West End actress Cynthia Erivo has been nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance as Celie in The Color Purple on Broadway.

Hamilton broke the previous record held by The Producers and Billy Elliot by picking up 16 Tony nominations for the 70th annual Tony Awards which are being held on 3rd May. Eclipsed and The Humans received the most nominations of new plays with six. 

Nominations list

James Corden to host 2016 Tony Awards

It has been announced that British actor, writer and comedian James Corden will host the 2016 Tony Awards! 

Corden - who won a Tony Award for his performance in Richard Bean's One Man Two Guvnors in 2012 - is currently hosting CBS’ The Late Late Show to tremendous acclaim. 

Corden originally starred in One Man Two Guvnors' premiere at the National Theatre before taking the show to the West End. He has previously presented the Brit Awards.

Corden's screen credits include Into the Woods, One Chance, Begin Again, The Three Musketeers, Gulliver’s Travels, The Gruffalo, Gavin & Stacey and Horne & Corden. He famously starred in The History Boys at the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway.

Brits triumph at 2015 Tony Awards; full winners list

The 2015 Tony Awards were held last night (7th June) in a ceremony hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming at the Radio City Music (full winners list below).

Fun Home won five awards, the most of any show at the 69th Annual Tony Awards. Brits celebrated a triumphant evening, with the National Theatre's production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens winning four Tonys, including Best Play. British performer Alex Sharp won Best Actor in a Play for his performance in the show.

Six-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara won her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for playing Anna Leonowens in The King and I, which also won Best Revival of a Musical, Best Costume Design (Catherine Zuber) and Best Performance by a Featured Actress (Ruthie Ann Miles).

Elsewhere Skylight, which transferred to Broadway from the West End, was named Best Revival, Christopher Oram won Best Costume Design of a Play for the RSC's Wolf Hall: Parts One & Two and Helen Mirren won Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of The Queen in The Audience, a role which previously won her an Olivier Award. Former Legally Blonde and Kinky Boots star Annaleigh Ashford won Best Supporting Actress in a Play for You Can’t Take It With You.

BEST MUSICAL

An American in Paris

Fun Home -- WINNER

Something Rotten!

The Visit

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Kristin Chenoweth, On the Twentieth Century

Leanne Cope, An American in Paris

Beth Malone, Fun Home

Kelli O’Hara, The King and I -- WINNER

Chita Rivera, The Visit

Tony Awards 2015: Full nominations list

Best Leading Actor in a Play

Steven Boyer, Hand to God

Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man

Ben Miles, Wolf Hall Parts One & Two

Bill Nighy, Skylight 

Alex Sharp, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 

Best Leading Actress in a Play

Geneva Carr, Hand to God

Helen Mirren, The Audience 

Elisabeth Moss, The Heidi Chronicles 

Carey Mulligan, Skylight 

Ruth Wilson, Constellations

Tony Awards 2014: Full Winners List

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder was the big winner at the 2014 Tony Awards, winning four awards including the trophy for Best Musical. Hedwig and the Angry Inch also took home four awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. 

Robert Schenkkan’s All The Way won two awards: Best Play and Best Actor for Bryan Cranston. The Tony for Best Revival of a Play was presented to A Raisin in the Sun. The Bridges of Maidison County picked up two awards, including Best Score!

Full winners list below:

Best Musical
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder

Tony Awards 2014: Full nominations list

Nominations have been announced for the 68th annual Tony Awards. The results are set to be announced on 8th June 2014.  

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder leads with an impressive ten nominations, followed by Hedwig and the Angry Inch nominated for eight.

After Midnight, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, The Glass Menagerie and Twelfth Night are all nominated for seven awards while Bullets Over Broadway and The Cripple of Inishmaan are both nominated for six.

Full nominations list below:

Tony Awards 2013: Winners List

The 2013 Tony Awards took place last night. The feel-good musical Kinky Boots, with songs by pop star and Broadway newcomer Cyndi Lauper, strutted away with a leading six 2013 Tony Awards, including best musical, best original score and best leading man.

The Broadway revival of Pippin picked up several awards, including Best Actress for Patina Miller (pictured right) who created the role of Deloris Van Cartier is the West End production of Sister Act. The Broadway transfer of Matilda The Musical picked up four awards.

Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play
WINNER: Tracy Letts, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Other nominees: Tom Hanks, Lucky Guy; Nathan Lane, The Nance; David Hyde Pierce, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike; Tom Sturridge, Orphans

Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play
WINNER: Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

Other nominees: Laurie Metcalf, The Other Place; Amy Morton, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; Kristine Nielsen, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike; Holland Taylor, ANN

Alex Gaumond & Kay Murphy joining the West End production of Matilda!

It has been announced that Olivier Award nominated Canadian actor Alex Gaumond will join the cast of the Royal Shakespeare Company's critically acclaimed production of Matilda The Musical to play Miss Trunchbull.

Kay Murphy will also join the cast to play Mrs Wormwood from 3rd September 2013. Haley Flaherty will continue in the role of Miss Honey until 7th September 2014. Further casting will be announced soon.

Matilda recently transferred to Broadway and last night collected the awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Gabriel Ebert as Mr Wormwood), Best Book of a Musical (Dennis Kelly), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Rob Howell) and Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Hugh Vanstone) at the Tony Awards.

Andrew Lloyd Webber unable to attend Tony Awards due to health problems

Andrew Lloyd Webber has published a statement on his official website announcing that he is unable to attend tonight's Tony Awards due to ongoing health problems. Andrew's musical Phantom of the Opera will be honoured at the awards show following the productions 25th Broadway anniversary earlier this year.

The statement reads: “I am devastated not to be able Andrew Lloyd Webber today shared his profound disappointment at not being able to attend tonight’s Tony Awards in New York. He has been battling with pain for several months and is therefore unable to be present as the US theatre world salutes the twenty-fifth anniversary of the staging of “The Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway.to attend the Tony Awards in New York tonight where “The Phantom of the Opera” is being honoured for its twenty five years on Broadway. My colleagues felt that it is time to explain why I have been unable to participate fully in my professional and social life over the last eight months.

Tony Awards 2013: Nominations List

Best Play
The Assembled Parties by Richard Greenberg
Lucky Guy by Nora Ephron
The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang

Best Musical
Bring It On: The Musical
A Christmas Story, The Musical
Kinky Boots
Matilda The Musical

Best Book of a Musical
A Christmas Story, The Musical - Joseph Robinette
Kinky Boots - Harvey Fierstein
Matilda The Musical - Dennis Kelly
Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella - Douglas Carter Beane