Girlfriends, by Emmy, Brit and BAFTA-winner Howard Goodall CBE (Bend It Like Beckham, The Hired Man), returns to London in concert form with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra and an all-star cast, led by Lucie Jones as Lou (Legally Blonde, UK Eurovision Entrant 2017, Les Misérables) and Lauren Samuels as Amy (Bend It Like Beckham, Romantics Anonymous, We Will Rock You).
Girlfriends follows recruits of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) on an RAF Bomber Command base during the Second World War. This emotionally compelling musical explores the bravery, camaraderie, solidarity and humour between the women in the WAAF while they pack parachutes, make shells, fall in love and live through the horrors of the War.
With sweeping melodies and epic all-female choruses, set to brand new orchestrations by Simon Nathan and the composer, Girlfriends is the British musical at its best and will be performed in the beautiful surroundings of the Great Hall at Bishopsgate Institute, where LMTO are Orchestra in Residence.
Girlfriends is a London Musical Theatre Orchestra co-production with Bishopsgate Institute.
Presenting a stunning collection of some of the greatest stars of musical theatre celebrating the very best of the West End with classic songs from Les Misérables • Mamma Mia • Chicago • Phantom of the Opera • Dream Girls • Jersey Boys • Lion King • West Side Story and many more.
Starring Ruthie Henshall, Ben Forster, John Owen-Jones, Mazz Murray and other West End Stars, the concert will also feature special guests Russell Watson and Friederike Krum. The London Musical Theatre Orchestra will be out in full force, conducted by LMTO Associate Conductor Jon Ranger.
Lerner and Loewe’s majestic Camelot, winner of four Tony Awards, returns to the West End for the first time in over thirty years. Packed with some of musical theatre’s best songs, LMTO’s concert version with full orchestra will celebrate Alan Jay Lerner’s Centenary at the West End’s favourite theatre, the London Palladium.
This much-loved musical brings the legend of King Arthur to vivid life with an extraordinary score and book based on T. H. White’s novel The Once And Future King. When Guenevere falls for Lancelot, one of the Knights of the Round Table, Arthur’s loyalties and beliefs are tested, and the fate of his beloved Camelot hangs in the balance.
Camelot includes the songs “If Ever I Would Leave You”, “How To Handle A Woman”, “The Lusty Month of May” and “Camelot”, and will feature an all-star cast soon to be revealed.
This year marks 50 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and 30 years since the first performance of the late Martin Smith’s acclaimed musical KING. Hackney Empire, in co-production with London Musical Theatre Orchestra, presents a special concert version for two performances only by kind permission of Nick Fiveash.
Appearing in this concert version of KING will be a cast of West End stars
including Cedric Neal (Motown the Musical, Chess) as Martin Luther King
Jr., Sharon D. Clarke (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Caroline, or Change, Sleeping Beauty) as Alberta King and Debbie Kurup (The Bodyguard, Girl from the North Country, Jack and the Beanstalk) as Coretta King. Joining them is the London Musical Theatre Orchestra conducted by Freddie Tapner, who return to Hackney Empire following the huge success of Mack & Mabel last year. KING is directed by Susie McKenna with new orchestrations by Simon Nathan. The concert will feature Hackney Empire’s renowned Community Choir.
Martin Luther King Jr knew he would marry Coretta Scott from their very first meeting. Over the course of their marriage, alongside their brothers and sisters within the movement, they fought for the rights of African American people in a divided United States. KING tells the story of their life together, and the strides, successes and sacrifices of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that saw them change the course of history.
After a sell-out five-star concert production of A Christmas Carol last year, London Musical Theatre Orchestra returns to the Lyceum Theatre for two performances only on 11th and 18th December.
The show stars critically acclaimed multi award-winning actor Robert Lindsay (My Family, Oliver!) as Ebenezer Scrooge. He is joined by Olivier-nominees Sophie-Louise Dann (The Girls, Made in Dagenham, Lend Me a Tenor) and Michael Xavier (Into the Woods, Sunset Boulevard). The cast is completed by Glenn Carter (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar), Nicolas Colicos (The Bodyguard), Lucie Jones (2017 UK Eurovision entrant), Rebecca Lock (Mary Poppins), Hugh Maynard (Miss Saigon) and Gemma Sutton (Gypsy).
Charles Dickens’ classic gets the full Broadway treatment by the award-winning team of Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast), Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime) and Mike Ockrent (Me and My Girl).
With the 32-piece London Musical Theatre Orchestra in full festive swing, this is the perfect family treat to begin the Christmas season.
Praise for last year’s concert:
★★★★★
‘Heartwarming… whole-hearted fun’
Love London Love Culture
★★★★★
‘The brilliant score is immediately catchy’
West End Wilma
After a triumphant five-star performance of Bernstein’s Candide and a sell-out five-star 2016 season, the London Musical Theatre Orchestra makes its East London debut at the Hackney Empire with Jerry Herman’s hit show Mack and Mabel.
Starring David Bedella (Jerry Springer: The Musical / The Rocky Horror Show/ In The Heights) as Mack, Natasha J Barnes (Funny Girl / The Palladium’s All Star Cinderella) as Mabel and Tiffany Graves (Chicago / Sweet Charity / We Will Rock You) as Lottie.
Mack and Mabel is based on the real-life story of Mack Sennett, the “King Of Comedy” and legendary director of the golden age of the Hollywood silent film, who finds himself bankrupt, alone and obsolete. Forced to sell his studio, he reminisces about the glory days, from the chaos of the Keystone Kops to his turbulent love affair with rising star Mabel Norman. A world where heroes wore capes, girls were tied to the railway tracks and it all ended with a pie in the face.
Mack and Mabel features an expansive and toe-tapping score by Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, La Cage aux Folles) and is widely adored for its classic Broadway hits including I Won’t Send Roses, Time Heals Everything and Tap Your Troubles Away. With the 32-piece London Musical Theatre Orchestrain full swing and a star West End cast soon to be announced, don’t miss out on what is sure to be an end of summer treat.
After a sell-out season in 2016 (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair, Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent’s A Christmas Carol), the London Musical Theatre Orchestra returns to Cadogan Hall for its latest concert performance of Candide.
With a score by legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, Candide tells the story of Candide, the bastard cousin of Baron Thunder-Ten-Tonck, who is expelled from home, dragged into the Bulgarian army, brought before the Spanish Inquisition, swindled out of a fortune, shipwrecked on a desert isle, and separated time and again from his true love Cunegonde. She, too, bears a barrage of misfortunes including, sale into prostitution, forced marriage to an exorbitantly wealthy man, and slavery. Through it all, however, they try to hold onto the lessons of their dear master Dr. Pangloss: “Everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds.”
With a book from Hugh Wheeler and lyrical contributions from the incomparable Stephen Sondheim, Candide is a masterpiece for the ages. Join the 30-strong London Musical Theatre Orchestra under the baton of conductor Freddie Tapner alongside a host of West End stars as they deliver one of the most iconic musical scores of all time.
After sell out successes across London’s West End, the London Musical Theatre Orchestra brings a brand new show to St Albans Cathedral: ‘A Night on Broadway’. Featuring all of your favourite songs from the shows, including Les Miserables, Mamma Mia and Wicked, the evening will be packed with toe tapping tunes and sweeping ballads, sung by a team of top West End performers. Described as “Musical Theatre Heaven”, the 32 strong LMTO will rock St Albans Cathedral for one night only!
To make the night even more memorable, we will be holding a charity auction to allow a brave member of the audience to conduct one of the numbers from Act 2 – definitely a night not to be missed.
All proceeds from the concert will be split between the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire’s Fund, distributed across the county to charities and community organisations, St Albans Cathedral and the London Musical Theatre Orchestra.
Based on the hit 1992 film starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicholas Cage, Honeymoon in Vegas tells the story of mild-mannered Brooklynite, Jack, who haunted by the fear of a promise to his dying mother never to get married, avoids proposing to his new girlfriend Betsy. He finally summons the nerve and takes Betsy to Las Vegas only to have his plans compromised by a dashing gambler with an eye for luxury and Jack’s new fiancée.
The 30-strong London Musical Theatre Orchestra and a host of West End stars will take to the London Palladium stage under the baton of its first guest conductor, the show’s composer Jason Robert Brown, to honour the stylish bing-band score of Honeymoon in Vegas which marks another much anticipated UK Premiere for the orchestra.
The New York Times called the Broadway production “a bright and bouncy…real-live, old-fashioned, deeply satisfying Broadway musical in a way few new shows are anymore.”
Charles Dickens’ classic gets the full Broadway treatment by the Broadway team of Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid), Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Seussical) and Mike Okrent (Crazy For You, Me and My Girl). Called by The New York Times “a tonic for adults, and for children a transfixing journey,” this spectacular musical extravaganza ran for ten years at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
This concert production of A Christmas Carol marks its London premiere and, with LMTO in full swing, is the perfect start to the Christmas week.
