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The WhatsOnStage Podcast
Bonus episode: How do we build theatre audiences of the future?
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We checked in with Emma De Souza, executive director of audience and commercial at Society of London Theatre and the mastermind behind the long-running audience development initiative, Kids Week. The scheme provides free theatre tickets for youngsters accompanying paying adult punters – a huge move in order to encourage the audiences of the future into the West End and beyond.
Decades on from its launch, De Souza reflects on where Kids Week went so right, and why we live in unprecedented times for theatre audiences – and those who may one day build a lifelong love for all things stage. If you want to know more about how you can benefit from Kids Week, it runs until the end of August – so plenty of time to participate!
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Maria Friedman on the great risk of her Merrily We Roll Along movie and her dear friend Stephen Sondheim
48:22|Merrily We Roll Along has landed in cinemas worldwide, providing a unique take on the multi-award-winning Broadway production, first seen in London, with Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez. Friedman maps out her incredible journey with the material and how she transformed the stage show for the big screen. Plus, she explains why changing keys to suit performers should never be discouraged and why you should avoid showing feet when filming on stage!A warm welcome for Paddington
45:05|Hopping onto a remote recording at the earliest opportunity, Sarah and Alex discuss the legacy of the late, great Tom Stoppard – following the news of his passing on Saturday night. In an episode of two halves, this is accompanied by a reflection on the glorious response to Paddington The Musical, which received a deluge of glowing reviews following its Sunday night world premiere.Meeting John Le Carré, writing about death and some advice for young writers
42:08|Sarah goes to @sohoplace to talk to writer David Eldridge about his two plays running in London at the moment: End at the National Theatre, the completion of his relationships trilogy, and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, the first adaptation of a John Le Carré novel for the stage.Paul Hilton on finding his own Scrooge, saving the Oldham Coliseum and why it’s good to cry at the theatre
32:28|As he approaches press night, we check in with award-winning actor Paul Hilton, who is getting his Scrooge on this Christmas at the Old Vic. He reflects on finding his own way into the iconic miser, and what drew him to Jack Thorne’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic after initially turning the role down. More broadly, he reflects on his career: bringing The Inheritance to New York after its landmark London moment, and the work he did helping to save Oldham Coliseum. He also expresses a great desire to work on Hamlet Hail To The Thief with Thom Yorke once again – if ever the moment arose.Is Wicked: For Good good or bad?
42:35|Alex has been to see Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to bring the Wicked story to its conclusion. And Sarah has been scouring the theatre listings to find alternatives to Christmas jollity.Bonus episode: The Wicked movie's casting directors explain the secrets to their success
33:38|With Wicked: For Good soaring into cinemas this week, editor-in-chief Alex Wood sat down with the two-part big-screen adaptation's casting directors – Bernie Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield – to discuss how they assembled such a rich and varied ensemble for the blockbuster franchise. The duo, with a long history of casting on stage and screen, shared their proudest moments during a very protracted casting process – and how they felt watching the now-famous Jonathan Bailey dressing room audition tape. They also wax lyrical about the importance of the screen-to-stage pipeline, and how stage stars can become the biggest movie stars of a generation.Alan Cumming on his Pitlochry season, being a voluntary artistic director and experiences on the all-male Company
30:57|Trailed last week in our main episode, editor-in-chief Alex Wood sits down with Alan Cumming, who has just announced a jam-packed, star-studded first season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. He may not be taking a salary, but he isn't taking his time either – delivering a huge bill of shows with strong international names. He also discusses his time workshopping the all-male Company under the direction of John Tiffany, and what he hopes to achieve for the much-loved Scottish venue.The Hunger Games - and Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren and some hopes for the future of arts in education
37:04|What a week Sarah Crompton and Alex Wood have had! Not only did they have a trip to Panem to sample the stage adaptation of The Hunger Games (the results left a lot to chew on), but Sarah's been down to Middle Temple Hall to celebrate a brand new initiative to help make Shakespeare more accessible in schools, courtesy of the Foyle Foundation and the RSC (with a helping hand from Helen Mirren, Adjoa Andoh and Ian McKellen). Meanwhile, Alex has been chatting all things new seasons with Alan Cumming, who just unveiled his brand new programme at Pitlochry Festival TheatreBonus episode: Caissie Levy and Jack Wolfe have a perfect loving family reunion
34:07|In this WhatsOnStage Podcast special, two of the stars of the Donmar Warehouse production of Next to Normal – Caissie Levy and Jack Wolfe – reunite as they both take on Broadway at the same time. The pair are currently starring in separate shows – Levy as Mother in the critically lauded revival of Ragtime, Wolfe in the role Orpheus in the much-loved Hadestown.