Friday 6 September 2013

Ben Freeman and Cheryl Baker cast in Happy Days musical - The Stage


Ben Freeman and Cheryl Baker cast in Happy Days musical - The Stage



Cheryl Baker, Ben Freeman and Heidi Range are in the cast of Happy Days. Photo: Paul Coltas.
Cheryl Baker, Ben Freeman and Heidi Range are in the cast of Happy Days. Photo: Paul Coltas.


Leading West End performer Ben Freeman, currently appearing as Fiyero in Wicked, has been cast in the iconic role of the Fonz in the forthcoming Happy Days musical.
The show, based on the US TV series, is to tour the UK next year, with Freeman taking on the character made famous by Henry Winkler. Freeman is a former Emmerdale actor and his stage credits also include the London productions of Dreamboats and Petticoats and Legally Blonde, in which he played Warner.
In the musical Freeman will be joined by former Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker, who is to play Mrs Cunningham, and the previously announced Heidi Range, who is lined up to appear as Pinky Tuscadero.  Baker previously appeared in Footloose in the West End.
Producer Amy Anzel said Freeman had been cast after a “challenging” audition process.
“We saw everyone. And even in the audition, the only person who could do everything convincingly – sing, dance, act and be cool, even though that sounds cheesy – was Ben,” she said.
Speaking about Baker’s casting, Anzel added: “Cheryl is naturally maternal and warm, and that is exactly what Mrs Cunningham is.”
Happy Days will be directed by Andrew Wright, who choreographed the Chichester Festival Theatre productions of Barnum and Singin’ in the Rain. It is being produced by Anzel for Sunday Monday Ltd, with Anne Vosser as its casting director.
Last month, the team held an open audition for the musical, from which Scott Waugh has been cast as Richie Cunningham.
Anzel said: “He just was Richie Cunningham. We said from the very beginning that all the people cast have to somehow remind the audience of the characters from the TV show, and something about Scott was so Ron Howard. He didn’t have to try, he just was.”
Other performers in the cast include Lucy-Jane Adcock, Charlie Allen, Ray Gardner, Henry Davis, Edwin Ray and Sam Robinson.
Happy Days is written by Garry Marshall, who created the original television series. It features 21 musical numbers penned by Paul Williams, who worked on the film of Bugsy Malone and whose song writing credits include We’ve Only Just Begun, Evergreen and Rainy Days and Mondays. The Happy Days theme tune will also appear in the musical. Winkler is acting as creative consultant on the show.
The production has musical arrangements by John McDaniel, production design by Tom Rogers, sound design by Ben Harrison and lighting design by Philip Gladwell.
It will open at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on January 14 next year, before embarking on a national tour. This will include venues in Brighton, Hull, Dublin, Sheffield, Woking and Cambridge.
The show is produced in association with Todd Ruppert of RTR International.
The Stage will have an exclusive interview with Ben Freeman about playing the Fonz in a forthcoming edition.

More photos of Jade attending the Very.co.uk launch of fashion Brand Definitions

Jade Ewen at Somerset House


Laura Whitmore hosts the launch party for Very.co.uk introducing the new fashion brand Definitions at Somerset House - London, United Kingdom - Wednesday 4th September 2013











Jade Ewen makes shock confession that the Sugababes split TWO YEARS ago

'I don't feel comfortable lying': Jade Ewen makes shock confession that the Sugababes split TWO YEARS ago

They’ve been teasing fans with talk of a comeback next year since going on hiatus in 2012 but it sounds like the Sugababes are officially over.
And they have been for awhile, with Jade Ewen confessing that the girl group ‘fizzled out’ two years ago.
Jade admits that whilst the split wasn’t her choice it’s time for her and bandmates Amelle Berrabah and Heidi Range to move on with their own solo projects.
Split: The Sugababes: Jade Ewen, Amelle Berrabah and Heidi Range have officially split Jade reveals
Split: The Sugababes: Jade Ewen, Amelle Berrabah and Heidi Range have officially split Jade reveals
The band, who have gone through multiple line-up changes over the years, released their last single in September 2011 before announcing a hiatus to allow Heidi and Jade to compete on reality shows Dancing on Ice and Splash and Amelle to work on solo material.
The band have always been adamant in interviews that they would eventually reunite, but Jade has now admitted it’s over for good.
Talking to Digital Spy the singer confesses:
‘This is a tricky one because I don't feel comfortable lying, saying we're in the studio recording and we're going to bring music out next year, which seems to be the favoured line. I think it's unfair to fans and we should be honest.’
Time to move on: Jade Ewen says she can't lie to fans anymore about releasing new music with the Sugababes
Time to move on: Jade Ewen says she can't lie to fans anymore about releasing new music with the Sugababes
Solo projects: Heidi Range has appeared on Dancing on Ice since the girl group's hiatus
Solo projects: Amelle Berrabah is already working on her own material
Solo projects: Jade's band mates Heidi Range (left) and Amelle Berrabah are pursuing individual opportunities with Amelle already releasing her won solo material this year and Heidi appearing on Celebrity Masterchef

‘The band being over is definitely not my choice. I kind of was unlucky in that I came in [to Sugababes] towards the end of the cycle when things naturally came to the end.’
‘There was so much drama surrounding the group, I think the music just got lost. I don't like all the drama and the negativity. We kind of fizzled out about two years ago.’
    Jade goes on to admit that the ever changing line-up since the band was first formed in 1998 has inevitably had an impact on the band, admitting that that ‘obviously has got to be a factor, you can’t get away from it.’
    ‘I'd be lying if I didn't think the same when I was approached. I was like, “Is this going to work? Are people going to accept it?”' But I know it's a brand and the music industry isn't necessarily about making music.’
    The original babes: Ex Sugababes Siobhan Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan have made their own musical comeback this year
    The original babes: Ex Sugababes Siobhan Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan have made their own musical comeback this year
    Jade adds that she hopes to explain more one day in a book but for now she’s concentrating on her own material, insisting that she’s always been ‘about making music and the creativity.’
    ‘When I realised that everybody was only interested in the business and that if I ever wanted to put out music I needed to take an opportunity in the short term,' she says.
    The singer, who appeared on Eurovision before joining the girl band in 2009, does concede that the Sugababes was an ‘amazing opportunity’ after being dropped from three record deals in her career, adding: 
    ‘It was almost like a dress rehearsal of being a popstar. But now it's time to move forward... Come on, I've done Eurovision, I've done Sugababes. If it's still hard, should I just give up?" 
    Jades’ revelation arrives as original Sugababes Mutya Keisha Siobhan premiere their debut video for their new single Flatline, which marks the next step in their musical comeback since reuniting this year.


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2413994/Jade-Ewen-makes-shock-confession-Sugababes-split-TWO-YEARS-ago.html#ixzz2e8y7B9uN
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