In The Frame: Theatre Interviews from West End Frame West End Frame

Karis Anderson is starring as Tina Turner in the West End production of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre.

Karis originally joined the show as an Ikette and understudy for Tina. She took over as Tina earlier this year, sharing the role with Elesha Paul Moses.

 Karis started out in music and was part of the Brit nominated girl group Stooshe. After Stooshe,  Karis ventured into theatre with her credits including: Diana Ross in Motown (UK Tour), PP Arnold in All Or Nothing (Ambassadors) and Genie of the Lamp in Aladdin (Jordan Productions).

Recorded backstage at the Aldwych, in this episode Karis discusses how she went from thinking she would never sing again to conquering the role of Tina, how she went from music to theatre and the impact this role has had on her life... plus lots more!

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is booking at the Aldwych Theatre until September 2024. Visit www.tinathemusical.com for info and tickets.

Hosted by Andrew Tomlins 
@AndrewTomlins32 

Thanks for listening!

Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Dionne Ward-Anderson is starring as Anna Of Cleves in the West End production of Six The Musical at the Vaudeville Theatre.

Dionne is coming to the end of her reign and will wrap up her two year run next month. Six marks Dionne's West End debut.

Before the pandemic, Dionne was cast in the UK & Ireland tour of Footloose but never performed the show due to Covid-19 delays. Next up Dionne will join the West End production of The Book of Mormon as first cover Nabulungi.

This episode was recorded backstage at the Vaudeville Theatre in Dionne’s dressing room. She discusses her journey with Six as well as her path into theatre and lots more along the way!

Dionne appears in Six until Sunday 15th October. Six is booking at the Vaudeville Theatre until November 2024 whilst continuing to tour the UK & Ireland. Visit www.sixthemusical.com for info and tickets.

Hosted by Andrew Tomlins 
@AndrewTomlins32 

Thanks for listening!

Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Charlotte Kennedy is currently playing Pamela and Natasha in Flowers For Mrs Harris at Riverside Studios.
Based on the novel by Paul Gallico, Flowers For Mrs Harris is a new musical by Richard Taylor and Rachel Wagstaff. This production, which marks the show's London premiere, is directed by Bronagh Lagan.
Charlotte appeared in the concert stagings of Honeymoon In Vegas (London Palladium) and South Pacific (Cadogan Hall). She played Cosette in Les Misérables (Sondheim) and most recently starred as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady on its UK & Ireland Tour, having understudied the role at the London Coliseum. 
Flowers For Mrs Harris runs at Riverside Studios 30th September - 26th November 2023. Visit www.riversidestudios.co.uk for info and tickets.

Hosted by Andrew Tomlins 
@AndrewTomlins32 

Thanks for listening!

Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Ben Adams has written a brand new score for Police Cops The Musical.

The show recently opened  at the Southwark Playhouse following a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Ben also co-wrote the beloved musical Eugenius which premiered at the London Palladium ahead of two runs at The Other Palace and its most recent revival at the Turbine Theatre.

Ben is a member of the group A1 who won a BRIT Award in 2001 for Best Newcomer and have had two number one singles. He first ventured into theatre as a performer, starring in pantomime before playing Nick Hurley in the 2017 UK & Ireland tour of Flashdance The Musical. Most recently Ben returned to the stage as Galileo in the Norwegian production of We Will Rock You in Oslo, when he now lives with his family.

Ben continues to tour the world with A1 and the band Subwoolfer whilst undertaking various writing projects within the music world and beyond.

In this episode, Ben  reveals how he ventured into theatre and ended up writing Eugenius and why he still has big aspirations for the show. He also discusses all things Police Cops, his writing process and lots more.

Police Cops The Musical runs at the Southwark Playhouse  Borough until 14th October 2023. Visit www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk for info and tickets.

Hosted by Andrew Tomlins 
@AndrewTomlins32 

Thanks for listening!

Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Kevin Clifton is In The Frame!

Kevin made his Broadway debut in 2009 with Burn The Floor before joining the West End production of Dirty Dancing. Kevin then joined BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer between 2013 and 2019, cementing himself as a household name.

After leaving Strictly, Kevin returned to theatre. His credits include: Scott Hastings in Strictly Ballroom (UK & Ireland Tour), Cosmo Brown in Singing' in the Rain (Sadler's Wells / UK & Ireland Tour), Stacee Jaxx in Rock Of Ages (UK & Ireland Tour), Robbie Hart in The Wedding Singer (Troubadour Wembley Park) and Artilleryman in War of the Worlds (Arena Tour).

This Christmas Kevin is making his pantomime debut as Abanazer in Aladdin at the Marlowe Theatre . Next year he will play Hugo / Loco Chanelle in the UK & Ireland Tour of Everybody's Talking About Jamie.

Follow Kevin on Instagram: @keviclifton

Hosted by Andrew Tomlins 
@AndrewTomlins32 

Thanks for listening!

Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.  

Obioma Ugoala is currently playing the Narrator in the musical adaptation of The Book Thief which is based on the best-selling novel of the same name. The show opens at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre before heading to Leicester Curve.

Obioma has had an incredible and varied career; in the world on musical theatre he was Kristoff in the original West End cast of Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), George Washington in the original West End cast of Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre) and Smokey Robinson in the West End production of Motown (Shaftesbury Theatre).

Obioma's credits for the RSC include Rugby / Robert in The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Rat/Shrew in The Mouse And His Child, Keeper in Richard II, Bullcalf / Fang in Henry IV Part Two, Vintner / Ostler in Henry IV Part One, Gower/Grey in Henry V and Bartholomew in Hamnet.

His credits also include Shorty in The Lost Love Speakeasy (The Lost Estate), Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing (New English Shakespeare Company), Troubadour in Holy Warriors & Mardian/Scarus in Antony And Cleopatra (Shakespeare's Globe), Baloo in The Jungle Book Theatre & Razumikhin in Crime And Punishment (Glasgow Citizens Theatre) and Fantam Murillo in The Physicists (Donmar Warehouse).

Alongside all of that, Obiama has worked on screen and has written a booked called The Problem with My Normal Penis which was later renamed The Making Of A Man (and why we're so afraid to talk about it) for its paperback release. The book is all about the myths of race, sex and masculinity.

The Book Thief runs at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry 11th - 16th September and at Leicester Curve 29th September - 14th October 2023.  Visit www.thebookthiefmusical.com for info and tickets.

Hosted by Andrew Tomlins 
@AndrewTomlins32 

Thanks for listening!

Email: andrew@westendframe.co.uk
Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.