Lion King Theatre Breaks http://theatrebreaks.theatre.travel/details.php?d=0&a=447

Today July 27th being the start of the one year countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games in Stratford, East London as part of the countdown launch, a large number of West End theatres have announced new extensions to the period for which the most popular shows can be booked. This is to allow London Theatre breaks to be booked well in advance for the period of the Olympics, and indeed the Olympic year 2012 as a whole, during which there are all sorts of special events laid on. Some of the shows announcing 2012 booking dates extensions are the following West End musicals and plays: We Will Rock You Wicked The Wizard of Oz Billy Elliot the Musical Blood Brothers Dreamboats and Petticoats Jersey Boys The Phantom of the Opera Mamma Mia! Legally Blonde the Musical Ghost The Musical  Les Misérables Shrek The Musical Disney’s The Lion King Million Dollar Quartet  The Mousetrap The 39 Steps Stomp Thriller Live War Horse The Woman in Black Rock of Ages  Matilda The Musical

Over on the Theatre Breaks Wiki, the list of current musicals for theatre breaks in London has been brought bang up to date. So here they are for you:   Current Musicals for Theatre Breaks in London

B

Betty Blue Eyes Billy Elliot Blood Brothers

C

Chicago

D

Dreamboats And Petticoats

G

Ghost The Musical

L

Legally Blonde Lend Me A Tenor Les Miserables

L cont.

Love Never Dies

M

Mamma Mia

P

Phantom of the Opera Priscilla Queen of the Desert

R

Rock Of Ages

S

Shrek The Musical South Pacific Stomp

T cont.

The Jersey Boys The Lion King The Million Dollar Quartet The Wizard of Oz Thriller Live

W

We Will Rock You Wicked

New Year Theatre Breaks 2010 New Years Eve Theatre Breaks - Big Ben New Year theatre breaks are a great way to bring in the new decade. As it falls on a Friday night this year lots of shows have performances on New Year’s Eve and London is, of course, a fantastic place to be on such an important night. I’ll go through each of the shows, suggest some central hotels, cover some of the great things on in the city centre after the shows close, and suggest some things to do on New Year’s Day. Shows for New Year Theatre Breaks All the following shows have  performances  on New Year’s Eve 2010 . As of today these all still have some tickets, many only as part of theatre break packages. They are going fast so if you want a New Year’s Eve Theatre Break act now. Check Availability for Your New Year Theatre Break Musicals: Billy Elliot Blood Brothers Chicago Dirty Dancing Jersey Boys Legally Blonde Les Miserables Mamma Mia Matilda, A Musical Oliver! (Matinee only) Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Lion King The Phantom of the Opera Thriller Live We Will Rock You Wicked Plays: Deathtrap The 39 Steps When We Are Married Woman in Black Yes, Prime Minister Check Availability for Your New Year Theatre Break Hotels for New Year’s Eve Theatre Breaks You really want to be central to make the most of being in the capital at New Year.  I’ve seen quite a few locally organised breaks advertised where they whisk you back to an out of town hotel for a celebration after the show. This is fine but it does mean you miss out on the fun and excitement of Big Ben’s chimes and the magnificent fireworks displays. To me this is part of why you’ve come to the capital. To miss out on it stuck out of the city, no matter how nice your hotel, would be a shame. I’ll explain more about the fireworks and the New Year’s Day Parade later in the post. Ideally you want your hotel to be in the central area, say not more than 1 mile from the theatre. Sounds expensive? Actually surprisingly not too bad. I looked at good tickets for Phantom of the Opera and 2 nights and found I could get a 3* very central hotel for £250ish per person.  This isn’t much different to a normal weekend rate. New Year Theatre Breaks by Rail Advice – Come By Rail if You Possible Can This is one weekend you do not want to have a car in central London. Really, it’s better to come by rail usually anyway but New Year sees vast numbers of road closures and a car is really going to cramp your style. The theatre breaks agencies usually allow you to include your train tickets and can save you up to 40% on the normal price. After the Show – the fireworks. You won’t get out of the theatre in time to grab a prime position for the displays. They will all be filled by about 10pm. However, no need to despair. Wrap up warm and get yourself to a spot where you can see the London Eye and you will be able to see a really spectacular show. The chimes of Big Ben are broadcast down the length of the river and then the display starts. If you prefer you can head for Trafalgar  Square. There are no events planned but there is a huge screen which will relay the countdown and chimes and then show the fireworks. Just try to keep out of the fountain! No, really, it’s a really bad idea. Once it’s over you can smugly watch everyone head for the overcrowded tube as you stroll back to your cosy central hotel. By the way alcohol is not prohibited in the centre of London on New Year’s Eve so if you did happen to have a hip flask with you it might be a very nice way to bring in the New Year! New Year’s Day Parade After a full English breakfast, ( see hip flask above!) and a gentle potter round the hotel it’s time to head off for the parade. This has become a really fun event. It starts at 12 and goes on till 3. This year is the 25th anniversary of the parade and it looks set to be an extra special one. There are numerous marching bands, floats and performances. You can get a taster of it from this video: Click here to view the embedded video. Ideally why not book tickets for one of the grandstands. They are not too expensive with even the V.I.P. one at Whitehall only costing £20 each. These give you the best view of the parade. Check Availability for Your New Year Theatre Break New Year Theatre Breaks was originally posted at London Theatre Breaks blog

There are plenty of good reasons for choosing London breaks around Christmas and the New Year if you’re looking for a chance to get away and enjoy some real cultural entertainment. It’s the height of the show season for one thing, with comedy specials, concerts, plays, pantomime, Shakespeare and of course musicals.  During the festive season London really goes to town with the decorations and lights and puts on not one but a whole series of outdoor ice skating rinks for that special winter wonderland atmosphere, so there is no shortage of things to do in London in the  wintertime.  Then there’s the shopping, with all the big department stores putting on special displays and having ranges of goodies that you just cannot get hold of outside of the capital. People come for London breaks from all over the UK and abroad too, so whoever you are you never feel alone amongst Londoners because the chances are the people next to you in the theatre are from out of town too. Apart from the big winter wonderland exhibition at the O2 there are also festival type events going on in places like Hyde Park and the Southbank, Kensington and Carnaby street. Here is a list of some of the most popular musicals this season for London breaks : Oliver Dirty Dancing Les Miserables Phantom of The Opera Lion King Billy Elliot

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Tennessee Williams’ classic story of the Deep South, has come to the West End. The Broadway production has transferred to the Novello for a reasonably long run. It should be with us till April 2010 but if you want to see it I suggest you book as soon as possible. It could easily sell out before you get a chance to book, just like it did on Broadway! Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Novello We were lucky enough to see an open dress rehearsal last Saturday. I know, I love my job sometimes   I thought it was a piece of great theatre and beautifully acted. The use of an all black cast hardly has any effect on the story at all. It  really highlights the universal nature of the themes of family, love, friendship and the lies we tell each other and ourselves. It is wonderful to see such a piece of classic American theatre on the London stage. (It is a real treat to have both this and Miller’s All My Sons in London) The Cast of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Introduce Themselves

James Earl Jones is an American actor of stage and screen, well known for his deep bass voice. He was the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King. He played  Terrence Mann in Field of Dreams and was recently seen in an episode of House. Phylicia Rashad is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the 1984-1992 NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. In 2004 she became the first African-American actress to win the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, for her role in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun. Adrian Lester played the title role in Henry V for the National Theatre but  he is perhaps best known on television for playing con-artist ‘Mickey Bricks’ in Hustle. His has also been  in Merlin, Ballet Shoes, Being Human and Afterlife. He has also appeared in a number of films including  Primary Colors, Born Romantic, Day After Tomorrow and Doomsday. Sanaa Lathan was also in Raisin In The Sun. She is best known in the UK for playing Michelle Landau in Nip/Tuck. Her film work has included Wonderful World , The Family That Preys Together, Something New, Alien vs. Predator and Out of Time. This is Debbie Allen directorial debut in the West End. Her  directing credits on screen include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air featuring Will Smith, A Different World, Girlfriends, The Jamie Foxx Show and Family Ties. She is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress and is best known on screen for playing Lydia Grant in the original film and television series of Fame. ** Book CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF London Theatre Breaks ** The Story of Cat Cat on a Hot Tin Roof tells story of a rich Southern family in crisis. It focuses on the turbulent relationship of  Brick and Maggie and the rest of Brick’s family over the course of one evening  at the family estate in Mississippi. The whole family has gathered to celebrate the birthday of patriarch and tycoon “Big Daddy” Pollitt but the night brings more than just a birthday party. a

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Lion King Anniversary theatre breaks As you may well know by now, the Lion King musical is celebrating a tenth anniversary in London’s West End. It’s a great family show and we’d like to offer this special theatre break package from Superbreak of Lion King theatre tickets and a three star hotel for only £60 per person: The Lion King Celebrates its 10th Anniversary, ticket & 3*, £60.00pp Show Available until August 2010 The Lion King Theatre Breaks Disney’s marvellous musical about the young Prince Simba, his father King Musafa and evil Uncle Scar. An award-winning score with fantastic choreography continue to make The Lion King one of London’s favourite shows. Lion King London Video

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Related posts:Lion King is 10The Lion King – cast changes and newsThe Lion King – perfect for birthday treats

Lion King Disney’s THE LION KING has a 10th birthday party at London’s Lyceum Theatre on Sunday 18th October 2009. Over 250 cast members new and old will celebrate along with famous faces from the world of theatre, music, film and fashion. Since its opening in1999 THE LION KING has been seen by over 8 million people in London at over 4200 performances. This is an average attendance of 93%! The show ranks among the top ten longest-running shows in West End history and is still of the most sought-after tickets in the West End. Tickets are almost never reduced in price and it can be tricky to get weekend tickets, especially during the run up to Christmas. One of the best ways to get the dates you want for Lion King is to book a Lion King Theatre Break. THE LION KING – Times Evenings – Tuesday to Saturday 7.30pm Matinees – Wednesday and Saturday 2.00pm and Sunday at 3.00pm. THE LION KING and Children Did you know?

400,000 school children have seen the show as part of THE LION KING education programme Lion King has a great education website with free resources

64 children have played the roles of Young Simba and Young Nala and many of them have gone on to successful musical or theatrical careers

THE LION KING ‘Cub School’ was started this year (2009) to train young performers for the show. The first graduates from the programme joined the production in September 2009

Lion King Theatre Breaks with the Family All of this makes The Lion King an ideal choice for a family theatre break. Your children should be over 5 and need to be old enough to sit comfortably for the length of the show (running time is 2 hours 40 minutes with only a 15 minute interval) . Surprisingly this is often not a problem as the spectacular staging entrances children and pins them to their seats. London hotels are in the main very family friendly and some offer family rooms at quite reasonable prices. Try to choose a fairly central hotel and then it’s easy to do a bit of sightseeing during the day. Lots of attractions can be booked at the same time as your theatre break and usually with good discounts. It’s worth having a look at what’s on offer when you book.

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Related posts:The Lion King – cast changes and newsThe Lion King – perfect for birthday treatsThe Lion King – Lyceum Theatre

We think The Lion King is a great musical to take the kids to and Michelle Obama seems to agree. Cast and audience alike were delighted on Tuesday night when they realised there was a very special birthday girl in the audience! It was Malia’s 8th’s birthday and like many parents the Obama’s decided an evening at the Lyceum to see The Lion King was the perfect way to celebrate. They’d been for a pre-theatre supper of fish and chips first and arrived at the side entrance just before the performance. Unlike most little girls, of course, they had a huge security team with them but they were careful not to spoil other members of the audience’s evening. The Obama party sat in one of the private boxes, just above the stage. Sadly this meant the girls didn’t get the best view but I’m sure they had a great time anyway! One of the cast members (Craig Williams - giraffe) said: “We looked out of the window and saw all their cars so we knew it was true. All the actors were incredibly excited and there was a massive buzz. “A lot of us were sneaking glances up at their box during the performance. They all looked like they were really enjoying it though, especially the two girls….. He went on to explain that the girls didn’t see the last few minutes of the show: They had to leave so they wouldn’t be mobbed at the end and they missed a few minutes of the show as well as the bows.

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Fridays are a good choice for Theatre Breaks with Dinner and Hotel. Here’s why:

You can easily travel to London on a Friday afternoon Once you get to your hotel all you have to do is book in Go to you room to relax and freshen up Next stroll down to the hotel restaurant. Then you have your delicious pre-theatre dinner in the restaurant of a classy 4* London hotel. You get to your chosen show in nice time Blood pressure remains within normal range as you’ve had none of the stress or hassle of wondering when and how you are going to eat.

Stress Free Theatre Breaks. Show and Stay’s latest Friday Dinner, Theatre and Hotel Offer lets you have a totally stress-free break and even save money. What they’ve done is put together an inclusive package. You’ve got the choice of 27 top shows and 4 great *4 hotels, all with good restaurants. Just as an example we all know that Priscilla Queen of the Dessert is the latest hot ticket. Prices for Priscilla for a Friday in May.

Stay at the 4* Holiday Inn Bloomsbury (handy for the theatre) 3 Course Dinner in the Junction restaurant Cost per person only £148

The list of participating show also includes:

Spring Awakening Blood Brothers Billy Elliot Hairspray Oliver Jersey Boys Sister Act Dirty Dancing Wicked The Lion King We Will Rock You

All you have to do is select your favourite musical and a Friday date then look for the “Hotel with Dinner” packages at the top of the results. Not only that but with the Show and Stay deal you can book your rail fare at the same time and save up to 40% on that too. This is really the best way to get into London for a stress free theatre break. You can bring your car but don’t forget you’ll need to pay the congestion charge if you bring it into central London and also hotel parking rates are not cheap (allow £17 - £20 a day for hotel parking). Limited Offer This is a limited offer. There are only a limited number of these Friday theatre breaks deals available so you’ll need to be quick to grab the best shows and be sure of getting your dates. Last date to book May 31st 2009 Last Stay date June 26th 2009 Act now to book your Dinner, Theatre and Hotel Stay Participating Hotels and Restaurants

Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum’s Consortia Cafe/Bar. Choice of 2 courses from set menu. Holiday Inn Bloomsbury’s Junction Restaurant. Choice of 3 courses from set menu. Crowne Plaza London St James’ Brasserie Restaurant. Choice of 2 courses. Crowne Plaza London City’ Spicers Restaurant. Choice of 2 courses.

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