Archive for April, 2010

Barney is the Musical Director for Jermyn Street’s entry into West End Eurovision 2010.

He will be conducting the Resident Grease Band at the home of Grease, the Piccadilly Theatre.

Please come along to support this fantastic Charity Night.

Ahead of the real, 55th annual Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, Norway on 29 May, theatregoers can get a live taste of Graham Norton’s Eurovision nous at the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre on Thursday 20 May 2010.

The TV presenter has firmly cemented his association with the songfest, having taken over from Terry Wogan as the BBC’s Eurovision commentator last year and also hosted two series of Your Country Needs, the reality TV competition which last month selected 19-year-old Josh Dubovie, singing “That Sounds Good to Me”, as the UK’s 2010 Eurovision entry.

Just days before getting on a plane to meet Dubovie in Norway, Norton will join musical leading lady Sally Ann Triplett and Heart radio presenter Toby Anstis (who recently made his West End debut as Teen Angel in Grease, still running at the Piccadilly) on the judging panel for the third annual West End Eurovision, held at 11.30pm at the Piccadilly Theatre in aid of TheatreMAD (Theatre: Make a Difference), the charity which supports those living with HIV, AIDS and other long-term conditions.

In addition to Eurovision, Norton is of course no stranger to musicals. He made his own stage debut dragging up in the West End revival of La Cage aux Folles and continues to front, with Andrew Lloyd Webber, the BBC’s regular musical theatre competition series, including the current one, Over the Rainbow, to cast Dorothy in a forthcoming production ofThe Wizard of Oz.

On the night, casts from 11 West End musicals - Avenue Q, Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Dreamboats & Petticoats, Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, Love Never Dies, The Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You, Wicked and last year’s winner Mamma Mia! – as well as a company from Jermyn Street Theatre will compete by putting their own stamp on a previous Eurovision song.

The contest will be decided by the audience, voting via text message. In addition, special guests Bardo will perform their 1982 Eurovision entry One Step Further”.

First broadcast on 24 May 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest-running television shows in the world. The UK first won the competition in 1967 with Sandie Shaw’s “Puppet on a String” and then again two years later with Lulu’s “Boom Bang-a-bang”. Other UK winners include “Brotherhood of Man” in 1976 and Bucks Fizz with “Making Your Mind Up” in 1981.

Tickets for West End Eurovision are priced £20, £25 and £35, with £50 premium seats including pre-show champagne and a complimentary programme. The show commences at 11.30pm and has an estimated running time of two hours. To book, call 0844 871 7630.

Quote Courtesy of Whatsonstage.com

On Sunday 2nd May 2010

Tiffany Gobbelin returns by popular demand to one of Londons premier Caberet venues, Pizza on the Park.

Accompanied on the Pianoforte by Mr Barney Ashworth

Join Ms Gobbelin and her guests Luke Fredericks (Sound of Music, Into the Woods) and Law James for an un-missable evening!

Barney is the Musical Director on two different courses next week at the Arts Educational Schools London.

In the mornings he will be working with Choreographer Ewan Jones on the ‘Create a Musical in a Week’ course and in the afternoons on Chris Hocking’s ‘West End Week’

On the ‘West End Week’ Course, Barney will be working with West End cast members and choreographers from Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Chicago, Wicked & We Will Rock You. Teaching students parts of each show both Choreographically & Vocally.

On the Saturday, Barney will be Musically Directing for the ArtsEd Open Day as previously mentioned in this News Blog.

Which makes you more excited? Stephen Fry’s iPad Unboxing… or my Pieminister Chicken of Aragon Pie Unboxing?

iPad… doesn’t support Flash…

OR

Chicken of Aragon Pie (free range British Chicken, Bacon, Roast Garlic, Vermouth and Fresh Tarragon in lovely Pastry)

I did ask the pie if it offered support for Flash content and it remained silent…. I took that as a yes.

I must mention that I do not work for either Apple or Pieminister…. although I must say the pie was rather lovely and I certainly wouldn’t say no to an iPad!