Sonia Friedman Productions: Last News

EXCLUSIVE: Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James are joining forces to star in a scorching new play by Penelope Skinner, directed by Ian Rickson, that will open in London’s West End in the fall.

The Shark Is Broken, the Olivier Award-nominated stage comedy that goes behind-the-scenes of Jaws, will arrive on Broadway this summer with co-writer Ian Shaw playing his father Robert Shaw, who starred as shark-hunter Quint in the 1975 classic.

A stage adaptation of Stranger Things is coming to the UK later this year, and producers have revealed it will be a prequel to the series. Set more than 20 years before the events of Netflix’s hit sci-fi drama, London’s West End production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow will follow existing characters Jim Hopper, Bob Newby and Henry Creel when they were younger.

Ellise Shafer “Stranger Things” is coming to London’s West End. Netflix announced on Tuesday that “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a stage play spinoff of the wildly popular series, will world premiere at the Phoenix Theatre later this year. The play, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the Netflix show, was written by “Stranger Things” writer and co-executive producer Kate Trefry from an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Trefry. The production will be helmed by Tony-winning director Stephen Daldry, with co-direction from Justin Martin. “Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach,” the play’s synopsis reads. “Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the ‘Stranger Things’ story – and may hold the key to the end.”

EXCLUSIVE: The West Wing star Joshua Malina will join the hit Broadway show, Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt, taking over the central role of patriarch and businessman Hermann from David Krumholtz, who is among the original cast members set to depart next month.

The Off Broadway musical revival of the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth classic Merrily We Roll Along, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff & Lindsay Mendez will move to Broadway in the fall, producers anounced today.

Leopoldstadt, the critically acclaimed hit Broadway play, will run nearly four months longer than initially planned: Producers announced today the the show will run through July 2, 2023, at the Longacre Theatre; Leopoldstadt had previously been selling tickets only until March.

Most of the 38-member cast of the upcoming Broadway production of Tom Stoppard’s Olivier Award-winning Leopoldstadt was announced today, with four members of the original West End company making the move and newcomers to the show set to include Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, Seth Numrich and David Krumholtz.

Sir Mark Rylance's brother Jonathan Waters has died in a horror cycling crash in California. Wine expert Jonathan suffered severe head injuries after he was hit by an oncoming vehicle while cycling in the city of Oakland late one evening last week.The local fire department was the first on the scene where they administered immediate treatment before rushing him to the hospital. However, the 60 year old tragically passed away the following morning.

Tom Stoppard’s Olivier Award-winning Leopoldstadt directed by Patrick Marber will play a limited Broadway engagement this fall, producers announced today.

The James McAvoy and Sharon Horgan-starring single BBC drama Together has won the BAFTA TV Awards for Best Single Drama.

The Shining is going on auction this Wednesday (April 20).In the 1980 horror movie, Jack Torrance (portrayed by Nicholson) delivers the film’s famous line, “Here’s Johnny!” after breaking through a bathroom door to attack his wife amid a psychotic episode.As TMZ reports, the axe from the Stanley Kubrick-directed film is going up for sale through Gotta Have Rock and Roll auction house in a couple of days’ time.The auction house told the publication that the axe prop is still in very good condition and is displayed in a shadow box frame along with some photos of it in action in the movie. It’s expected to fetch at least $100,000 (£76,693).Meanwhile, in other The Shining news, Ben Stiller is reportedly in talks to play Torrance in a stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.The actor and filmmaker is in line to play the role in new play by Ivo van Hove that’s coming to the London West End next year.“We can confirm that we are in negotiations with Ben Stiller about his starring in Ivo van Hove’s theatre production of Stephen King’s The Shining, adapted by Simon Stephens, for the West End with dates tbc,” a spokesperson for Sonia Friedman Productions said in a statement obtained by Variety.