Across The Pond
The Best Of The 2015 Olivier Awards: Everything You Need To Know
The West End’s Olivier Awards are the equilavent to the Tony Awards here in the states and they surely do deliver in glam and glitz when it comes to the red carpet and the performances. The 2015 Olivier Awards saw a few familiar Broadway Black actors and some outstanding performances from Memphis The Musical & Porgy & Bess.
This year comedian, presenter and acclaimed, award-winning actor Lenny Henry hosted.
Among the nominees were Brandon Victor Dixon for his role in Scottsboro Boys at Garrick Theatre in London. Beverly Knight for her role in Memphis The Musical at Shaftesbury Theatre. Both were nominated as leading actor and actress in a musical respectively. Watch them both talk about their nominations below along with Rolan Bell for his nomination for supporting role in Memphis The Musical. Not shown in av video below is Jason Pennycooke for his nomination for supporting role for Memphis The Musical at Shaftesbury Theatre
Memphis The Musical took home the Oliviers for Best Sound Design and Best Choreography.
But were nominated for a total of 7 Oliviers
- Autograph Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music
- Best Actor in a Musical
- MasterCard Best New Musical
- Best Actress in a Musical
- Best Costume Design (Paul Tazwell)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Also, among the nominees:
For Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Juma Sharkah for her performance in Liberian Girl at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
Tanya Moodie for her performances in Intimate Apparel at Park Theatre and The House That Will Not Stand at Tricycle Theatre
For Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
The Gershwins’ Porgy And Bess at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Now watch the performances from these shows below, as well as video performances from the pre-show on ITV. We’ve even included the one of Nicole Scherzinger singing Memory from Cats.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE NOMINEES AND WINNERS!
Michaela Coel, creator, writer, and star of the BAFTA award-winning Netflix original series, “Chewing Gum”, stars in the London-based musical “Been So Long,” a film adaptation based on the 2009 stage musical by Ché Walker and Arthur Darvill.
Coel plays Simone, a young single mother charmed into a magical night in the city by a handsome stranger with a questionable past- played by Arinzé Kene (One Night in Miami). This modern day love story set in London’s “musical hot-bed” of Camden Town promises a soundtrack with a mix of RnB, Nu Soul and UK dance, as well as music from guest producers.
Coel is joined by an all-singing and all-dancing cast that includes George Mackay (“Captain Fantastic“), Ronke Adekoluejo (“Chewing Gum”), Ashley Thomas (“24”), Joe Dempsie (“Game Of Thrones”), Luke Norris (“The Duchess”), Rakie Ayola (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and Mya Lewis (“Olaf’s Quest”). It is Directed by BAFTA award-winner Tinge Krishnan (“Junkhearts”) and produced by the BAFTA-nominated Nadine Marsh-Edwards (“Bhaji on the Beach”) and Amanda Jenks (“The Girl”) of Greenacre Films.
Courtesy of Film Constellation
Filming began earlier this year, shortly after season 2 of “Chewing Gum” was released on Netflix, and while she is making waves as a comedienne, Coel admits she is a stranger to musicals. However, Coel is no stranger to the stage and is quite theatrically and musically inclined having performed her one-woman show Chewing Gum Dreams in various theatres across London (2012-2014) before turning it into the hit series we know and love. She also wrote and recorded six of the tracks from season 1 of “Chewing Gum,” including the theme song.
Still, of singing and dancing on screen Coel shares, “It is a big stretch for me…I’ve never done anything like this in my life. It’s either going to be really amazing or just like, ‘What the f–k was that?’” (Screen Daily).
Either way, we’re rooting for her and can’t wait to see her on the big screen.
“Been So Long” made its rounds at the Cannes Film Festival in May and is set for international release in 2018. “Chewing Gum” season 3 is yet to be confirmed.
Marisha Wallace, currently the alternate Effie in Dreamgirls in London, will star as Celie in a new one-night-only concert performance of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Color Purple at London’s Cadogan Hall, May 21st at 6:00 P.M.
The concert staging will raise funds for the British Theatre Academy, a unique performing arts program that has inspired and nurtured the talent of thousands of young performers who cannot afford to train in performing arts. The evening will also feature a chorus of over 40 current British Theatre Academy participants.
Based on the novel by Alice Walker, The Color Purple tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of a woman who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world.
The musical features a book by Marsha Norman, and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.
Last seen in London at the Menier Chocolate Factory, directed by John Doyle and starring Tony-Award winner Cynthia Erivo, the production later transferred to Broadway and earned the 2016 Tony for Best Revival of A Musical.
In addition to Wallace as Celie, the cast of the benefit concert includes Wendy Mae Brown (Ghost) as Sofia, Cavin Cornwall (London’s Aladdin) as Mister, Tyrone Huntley (Dreamgirls) as Harpo, Rachel John (The Bodyguard) as Shug, Hugh Maynard (London’s Miss Saigon) as Pa, and Seyi Omooba (Junkyard) as Nettie.
The performance, produced by Matthew Chandler and Danielle Tarento, features musical direction by James Taylor and choreography by Mykal Rand.
Tickets now on sale.