Check out our stupendous collection of shows opening this summer

We have plenty of shows opening this summer that you will love. For now we've selected a few for the musical lovers - from classic jazz, to the traditional musical to the latest film/book adaptation to come to the London stage. Plus we've put together 5 facts about each of them, read on to find out more...

(And for the full list of shows visit our website.) 

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill

“An experience you will never forget. Audra McDonald’s astounding transformation borders on the supernatural.” – New York Observer.

5 Facts about Lay Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill:

1. The play premiered at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia back in 1986.
2. Audra McDonald became the first and only person to win a Tony Award in all four acting categories, after winning her sixth Tony Award for her performance in this role.
3. This version (with Audra McDonald) was filmed for HBO at The Café Brasil in New Orleans and was aired on the 12^th of March in the USA.
4. Although the role of Billie Holiday is not unfamiliar to her (From playing Holiday on Broadway), this will be Audra McDonald’s West End debut.
5. The show finished its Broadway run on the 5^th October, 2014. This was after it’s forth extension.

Tickets for Lady Day are from £22.42

Funny Girl

“A winningly exuberant performance – you feel you’re watching the most brilliant comic actress at work today – and she deserves every award going.” – Sunday Times.

5 Facts about Funny Girl:

1. Funny Girl first opened on Broadway in 1964 at the Winter Garden Theatre.
2. The role of Fanny Brice was originally played by Barbara Streisand and this acted as her “big break” towards performing on screen as well as stage.
3. It was made into a film, starring Streisand again and was the highest grossing film of 1968 and received numerous awards.
4. There was an interesting adaptation in 2014 by director Joil Newman. In this version, the character’s name was changed to Funnie Brice and was played by a man and it is still touring South America.
5. The upcoming run at the Savoy, with the fabulous Sheridan Smith, is a transfer from The Menier Chocolate Factory after it’s sold out, critically acclaimed run.

Tickets for Funny Girl are from £30 (best availability from May)

Show Boat

“This is a terrific production, full of seamlessly integrated colour and detail. It is the kind of show that leaves you feeling choked, shivery and on an absolute high.” – The Telegraph

Credit - Johan Persson

5 Facts about Show Boat:

1. The show was first adapted to a stage musical in 1927, at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York.
2. Showboat was the first racially integrated musical, having people of different colour perform onstage together.
3. Since its transfer to the West End in 1928, Showboat has been revived many times but never has it returned to the same venue. Going from; The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, to The Adelphi, to The London Palladium, to The Prince Edward Theatre, to The Royal Albert Hall, and now The New London Theatre.
4. Though it has been revived many times, this will be the first time in nearly twenty years that it will return to the West End.
5. When Opera North and the RSC joined forces to put on Showboat at The Royal Albert Hall in 1989, it became the first fully staged musical to be performed at the venue.

Tickets for Show Boat are from £19.50

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

“She has a charisma and stage presence which lifts the role beyond the ordinary and eyes are glued to her like a magnet. Her performance just demands your attention.”- The Hinckley Times on Pixie Lott.

5 Facts about Breakfast at Tiffany’s:

1. In 1966 there was a Broadway musical version and then made it to the stage once more as a straight play in 2009, on London's West End. Anna Friel played Holly.
2. Lead character, Holly Golightly almost did not have that name. She was originally called Connie Gustafson but author Truman Capote changed the name during editing.
3. The real Holly was supposedly based on a woman who lived downstairs from Capote in the 1940’s whilst he was writing.
4. Alan Reed, who played the gangster, Sally Tomato in the film was also the original voice of Fred Flinstone.
5. Pixie lott has released a single of Moon River on ITunes, check it out:

Tickets for Breakfast at Tiffany's are from £17.25

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