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Knockhardy Productions and the A STAGE KINDLY Musical Theatre Initiative presented the premiere of a new musical by Laurence Mark Wythe (music and lyrics) and Roberto Trippini (book and lyrics) at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden. Show People is a musical revue made up of songs from Broadway and the West End stage. The show was produced between 2008 and 2011 at the Battersea Barge, bringing together an eclectic mix of popular and less well known show tunes. Originally conceived by Daniel Norman and Matthew Hopton, the programmes have been performed by a talented cast who have made the audience laugh, cry, but above all, enjoy themselves.

Tom Sterling Charlotte Cobain Rachel Mullins Daniel Norman Natalie Watson

Battersea Barge - 1st and 2nd June 2010

Battersea Barge - 29th and 30th June 2011

Battersea Barge - 24th and 25th June 2009 Performers: Charlotte Cobain, Dani de Waal, Edward Lawton, Daniel Norman, Tom Sterling, Natalie Watson Directors: Daniel Norman and Charlotte Cobain Musical Supervisor / Director: Matthew Hopton Choreographer: Cat Clancy Band: Ben Assiter (Percussion), Matthew Hopton (Keys)

Battersea Barge - 27th and 28th May 2008

@westendproducer's #searchforatwitterstar LIVE! Final Knockhardy Productions was an Associate Producer for #searchforatwitterstar LIVE! Final at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End. The event saw 10 performers sing for the votes of the audience to be crowned the male or female Twitter Star. The night featured some fantastic performances but Kara Bayer and Felipe Bejarano held off the challenge of Alexandra da Silva and Benjamin Vivian-Jones in the sing-off. The winners got the chance to celebrate their win by performing a duet with Jersey Boy’s Jon Lee and West End performer Kerry Ellis. The competition, the brainchild of the mysterious @westendproducer, was hosted by Aled Jones and culminated with all performers singing One Day More. @statsLive received plaudits for being a platform for stars of the future and it is hoped to repeat the event in 2013. Performers: Charlotte Cobain, Helen Kelly, Daniel Norman, Tom Sterling, Natalie Watson Director: Charlotte Cobain Musical Supervisor / Director: Matthew Hopton Band: Ben Assiter (Percussion), Matthew Hopton (Keys) Performers: Charlotte Cobain, Rachel Mullins, Daniel Norman, Tom Sterling, Natalie Watson Director: Daniel Norman Musical Supervisor: Matthew Hopton Musical Director: Kate Rawstron Choreographer: Olivier Namet Band: Ben Assiter (Percussion), Kate Rawstron (Keys) Performers: Charlotte Cobain, Rachel Mullins, Daniel Norman, Tom Sterling, Natalie Watson, Matthew Westrip Director: Daniel Norman Musical Supervisor / Director: Matthew Hopton Assistant Musical Director: Kate Rawstron Choreographer: Cat Clancy Band: Guy Forbat (Percussion), Matthew Hopton (Keys 1) Kate Rawstron (Keys 2) PERSONNEL FOR SHOW PEOPLE Knockhardy Productions was an Associate Producer for the Gala Charity Concert in aid of Crohn's and Colitis UK. The event was held at a packed Prince of Wales Theatre on 29th January 2012. This special one-off performance featured "a wonderful cast of stellar West End talent bringing their hearts, souls and glorious voices" (Mark Shenton, The Stage) including Oliver Thornton (Priscilla), Anton Stephans (Porgy & Bess), Louise Dearman (Wicked), Brenda Edwards and Lauren Samuels (We Will Rock You), as well as Gareth Gates and Russell Grant. The evening culminated with book writer John Caird joining the cast onstage before special guest Kerry Ellis performed 'Heal The World', a specially written song for the event by Vaughan Kennedy.

Photos of the event by Claire Bilyard are available from the Broadway World website. Photos from the after-party can also be found on the WhatsOnStage website. A digital copy of the programme is available via the Children of Eden website, including a mention for Knockhardy Productions and their Executive Producer Matthew Hopton. Photo Credit: Claire Bilyard THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD Landor Theatre : 11 April - 5 May 2012 Arts Theatre, London: 18th May - 17th June 2012 ONE NIGHT ONLY - 13th July 2012 Knockhardy Productions Gives Back’s latest ONE NIGHT ONLY cabaret event took place on Friday 13th July at Horse Bar. A packed venue enjoyed a variety of performers from Knockhardy regulars and special guests, raising £375 for the charity Dulwich Helpline. Highlights included Tom Sterling’s interpretation of the Tom Lehrer classics When You Are Old and Gray and Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, Amy and Charlotte Cobain’s duets and Daniel Norman’s Last One Picked. We were delighted to welcome professionals Matthew McBrier and Jamie Birkett who entertained the crowd with a variety of songs including Proud Of Your Boy and The Wizard and I, respectively. The audience was also thrilled by performances from returning singers Helen Kelly and Knockhardy Productions’ patron Dani de Waal. Both performed in Show People before embarking on their professional training and it was great that they took time out of their busy schedules to give their time and talents for charity. The Mystery of Edwin Drood won 5 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Original Score, as well as 9 Drama Desk Awards, on its Broadway premiere in 1986. A thrilling and comical play within a play set in the world of music hall and pantomime, it follows the exploits of characters from the Theatre Royale Music Hall Company as they set about completing the unfinished story of Edwin Drood - with a little sing-a-long help from the audience along the way. Who is the killer? The audience decided each night - and there were 525 possible endings! Wendi Peters, best known for playing Cilla Battersby-Brown in Coronation Street, headed the cast, which also included Natalie Day (Les Misérables, Queens), Victoria Farley (Les Misérables, Barbican), Daniel Robinson (Jekyll & Hyde, UK Tour), Loula Geater, David Francis, Denis Delahunt, Richard Stirling, Oliver Mawdsley, Mark Ralston, Paul Hutton, Tom Pepper, and Ben Goffe.

ROLL ON THE DAY Etcetera Theatre (27th March - 15th April 2012) Sean Keating and Amersackie Osakonor Kendra McMillan Photo Credit: Claire Bilyard Photography: Roy Tan Roll On The Day starred Amersackie Osakonor, Kendra McMillan and Sean Keating. The show was directed by Vik Savalingam with Tom Turner as the Musical Director; the show was designed by Marie Kearney. This critically acclaimed production ran from Tuesday 28th March to Sunday 15th April 2012. "a glorious new show" - One Stop Arts **** "the entire country would benefit from seeing this musical" - The Public Reviews Scenes from the production at the Landor Theatre

If you are an amateur or professional performer who would like to perform in future ONE NIGHT ONLY events, please contact us using the details at the bottom of the page.

KNOWLEDGE BY DEGREES Knockhardy Productions was delighted to act as a Consulting Producer supporting the new musical written by Wendy Dickinson. Performed at the Greenwood Theatre, the show followed the twisting path of 4 undergraduates at Helmford University; a journey that teaches them far more about life and love than they could ever imagine, with plenty of laughs along the way. The score, full of memorable melodies with witty lyrics, catches the contemporary feel of the storyline, taking the audience on the characters' emotional rollercoaster. It was directed by Claire Harbourne (Over The Rainbow, BBC) with all proceeds going to local medical charities. ‘packed full of laugh out loud moments’ ‘Dickinson displayed a remarkable talent for for musical theatre composition’ Katie Brown: ‘On Culture’

OUR HOUSE In Concert Savoy Theatre Sunday 11th November 2012 Knockhardy Productions was an Associate Producer for the 10th Anniversry Concert of OUR HOUSE: The Musical. The event, which was raising money for the charity Help For Heroes, was held at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End on Sunday 11th November 2012. The cast included Madness front-man SUGGS, members of the original 2002 London cast and the 2008 UK Tour and featured Tameka Empson, Wendi Peters and Alastair McGowan. The show re-united the original creative team of Director Matthew Warchus (Matilda, Ghost, The Lord of The Rings), Musical Supervisor Phil Bateman and Designer Rob Howell. Find out more at... www.ourhouseinconcert.com

CHILDREN OF EDEN

Credits

On Saturday 9th March at 7.30pm Knockhardy Productions presented an evening as part of the From Page To Stage season at the Landor Theatre. The season, which provided a platform for new musical theatre writing, ran for over a month and featured a variety of shows and showcases from new writers. The shows being showcased were:

Only Love Music & Lyrics by Stephanie Jayne Amies Book by Robert McGough Stephanie Jayne Amies is a Southampton based musical theatre composer and lyricist. Stephanie’s previous musicals, Lillia and Good Grief, have been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. Both have gained critical acclaim and have gained 5 MTM:UK nominations, including “Best Music” and “Best New Musical” in 2011 and 2012. Stephanie showcased sections from her third show, Only Love, which she will take to Edinburgh in the summer. Knowledge By Degrees Book, Music & Lyrics by Wendy Dickinson Wendy Dickinson is a composer and musical director who has written a variety of choral and instrumental works. Her new musical, Knowledge By Degrees, follows the highs and lows of 4 flatmates during their final year at university. It was first performed at the Greenwood Theatre, London in September 2012, and highlights from the show were performed as part of Writer’s Block. The Confession Room Music, Lyrics & Concept by Dan Looney Book by Patrick Wilde & Reece Looney Additional Lyrics by Reece Looney Dan Looney is a composer and performer, recently seen as Benny in the production of Guys & Dolls at Cadogan Hall. Dan has written music across a number of genres including pop, jazz and indie songs. His music was also featured in Judy – The Righteous at the King’s Head Theatre. Dan’s first musical, The Confession Room, recently had its first professional London workshop with the show’s Concept Album available later this year. WRITER’S BLOCK Landor Theatre Saturday 9th March 2013

REVIEWS Knockhardy Productions worked with Aria Entertainment for the concert revival of Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman’s three times Tony Award winning musical The Secret Garden. I Following in his father’s footsteps and making his professional stage debut in the shared role of Colin was Zac Donovan, son of Pop/TV/Musical Theatre star Jason Donovan. He shared the role with Tyler Fagan, an original Gustave in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies at The Adelphi Theatre, who also played Michael Banks in Disney’s Mary Poppins (West End and UK Tour). The role of Mary Lenox was shared between Ana Martin and Olivia Hallett THE SECRET GARDEN: IN CONCERT King’s Head Theatre 115 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 1QN 10th February to 17th March 2013 Alexander Evans played Archibald Craven, Amanda Goldthorpe-Hall took the role of Mrs Medlock (a part she understudied in the original UK production in 2000) and Rachael McCormick was Martha. Joining them were Graham Hoadly and Zoe Curlett. Completing the cast were Ross Barnes, Robert Dalton, Jordon Lee Davies, Martin Dickinson, Natalie Douglas, Wesley Dow, Joanna Eliot, Fiona Finsbury, Mona Goodwin, Matthew Ronchetti and Pippa Winslow. The Secret Garden: In Concert was directed by Matthew Gould (who directed The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Aria and Knockhardy Production’s previous collaboration) with musical direction by David Keefe. The show was cast by Benjamin Newsome. Producer for THE SECRET GARDEN In Concert (UK Tour) Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford; Fairfield Halls, Croydon; St Albans Arena; Trinity Theatre, Royal Tunbridge Wells; Buxton Opera House: 11th October - 2nd November 2013 Producer for UP4aMeet? starring X-Factor’s Lloyd Daniels and Big Brother’s Nicki Grahame UK Tour: London, Brighton, Birmingham, Swansea, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow from 10th July - 10th August 2013 Producer for THE SECRET GARDEN In Concert Greenwich Theatre: Friday 12th April 2013 King’s Head Theatre: February-March 2013 Producer for WRITER’S BLOCK as part of the FROM PAGE TO STAGE season. Landor Theatre: Saturday 9th March 2013 Associate Producer for OUR HOUSE: 10th Anniversary Concert Savoy Theatre: Sunday 13th November 2012. Consulting Producer for KNOWLEDGE BY DEGREES Greenwood Theatre: Monday 26th-28th September 2012. Associate Producer for #searchforatwitterstar LIVE! Final Lyric Theatre, West End on Monday 9th July 2012. Associate Producer for THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (5 stars - Whatsonstage) Landor Theatre : 11 April - 5 May 2012 WEST END TRANSFER to the Arts Theatre, London: 18 May - 17 June 2012 Associate Producer for CHILDREN OF EDEN Charity Gala at Prince of Wales Theatre Producer for ROLL ON THE DAY : 4 stars from One Stop Arts & The Public Reviews Etcetera Theatre : 27th March - 15th April 2012 For Knockhardy Productions Gives Back ONE NIGHT ONLY: An evening of musical cabaret at Horse Bar: July 2012 ONE NIGHT ONLY: An evening of musical cabaret at the Battersea Barge: February 2011 SHOW PEOPLE (2008-2011) at the Battersea Barge

“If it were possible to award this show more than 5 stars, then I would, but 5 is sadly the maximum. The most beautiful music I have heard in a long time.” (West End Wilma) “This concert production of the show is very special and appeals to all ages, something which very few shows manage to achieve.” (West End Frame) “Every actor was magnificent and sent several shivers down my spine.” (West End Wilma) “Mary Lennox, played by Ana Martin, is wonderfully obnoxious and endearing. Her temperament plays off perfectly against Alexander Evan's exquisite portrayal of Archibald Craven.” (What’s Peen Seen) “Zoë Curlett as Lily has a simply stunning voice, and packs aching emotion into every glorious note. Rachael McCormick brings fun and likeability to the bumbling Martha.” (sosogay.com) “Jordan Lee Davis as Dickon...infused his bright and poppy tunes with a magical power of creation which lit up the stage.” (BroadwayBaby.com) “Director Matthew Gould has created a tender, bewitching piece powerful enough to reach out and touch you.” (What’s Peen Seen) “The orchestra sound simply stunning, and add even more emotion to an already picturesque production.” (sosogay.com)