Well, life is really busy at the moment and that’s just how I like it! I am thoroughly enjoying my new capacity as Resident Director on the WE WILL ROCK UK Tour and I’m looking forward to introducing two new principle cast members to our Edinburgh engagement at Christmas! Watch this space …
Meanwhile, I am thrilled to announce that I am ‘Producing’ my first CD – under the label SimG Records. ‘Close Your Eyes’ is the debut solo album from respected and established West End leading lady ANNALENE BEECHEY. The album features an enchanting selection of songs by leading American & British songwriters - Stephen Sondheim,William Finn, Stephen Schwartz, Scott Alan, Richard Taylor, Stiles&Drewe, & and a previously unrecorded song by Grant Olding; including guest West End performers; and a special album forward by Scott Alan.
'Close Your Eyes' is available to buy from Dress Circle 57-59 Monmouth Street in London.
Plus: on Saturday 10th October at 12.3opm Annalene has been invited to visit Dress Circle (57/59 Monmouth Street, London) for an exclusive in-store signing where she will perform some songs from the album and Scott Alan will be joining her as a Special Guest! Hope to see you there!
Added to that I am very proud to announce that I will producing my first Concert. I am helping to bring the extremely talented American songwriter Scott Alan over to London to do an ‘official’ Concert of his work! Over the past year or so Scott has become a good friend and I am pleased and honoured that he has asked me to co-produce. I have managed to line up some of the best West End talent that I know to join him and be a part of this special event!
‘Just Me … and Them: The Music of Scott Alan’: On sSunday 11th October 2009 at the Leicester Square Theatre Scott will make his return to the London stage. Originally planned as a ‘one-night-only’ event, but due to unexpected ticket sales a second performance has now been added! You can now see Scott at 5pm and 8pm – the first show is nearly sold out, so get your tickets fast!
Confirmed guests include: Stephen Ashfield (Taboo, Jersey Boys), John Barr (Les Miserables,Bat Boy), David Bedella (Jerry Springer The Opera, Rocky Horror Show), Annalene Beechey (Wicked, Marguerite), Glenn Carter (Jersey Boys, Jesus Christ Superstar – West End & Broadway), Anna Francolini (Company, Caroline or Change), Ashleigh Gray (Grease, Wicked), Alison Jiear (Jerry Springer The Opera, On The Town), Ramin Karimloo (Phantom, Phantom:Love Never Dies), Rebecca Lock (Avenue Q, Phantom), Patina Miller (Sister Act, Romantic Poetry – Broadway), John Owen-Jones (Phantom, Les Miserables – West End & Broadway), Caroline Sheen (Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins), Oliver Tompsett (Mamma Mia, Wicked).
(All artists are subject to availability)
** Tickets are £25 and can be booked ‘here’, in person from the Leicester Square Theatre, or by calling the Box Office direct on 0844 847 2475 **
This promises to be a very exciting event. Hope you can join us!
Well, that’s all for the moment … as you can see life is busy – but I’m not complaining!
I am thrilled to announce that I have been given the opportunity to try something new … something I have been considering for a while. I have been asked to be the Resident Director on the Official UK Tour of WE WILL ROCK YOU.
Although this means that I won’t be acting for a while, it does mean however that I can put all my experiences in Directing, Coaching & Casting to very good use!
This hugely anticipated brand new tour opens at Manchester’s Palace Theatre mid-March for a twelve week season. It then transfers to Sunderland Empire, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bristol Hippodrome, and ends 2009 with ten weeks at Edinburgh Playhouse.
The exciting, vibrant cast includes Alex Gaumond as Galileo, Sarah French Ellis as Scaramouche, X-Factor's Brenda Edwards as Killer Queen, TV presenter Jonathan Wilkes as Khashoggi, Britannia High's Georgina Hagen as Meat, Wayne Robinson as Britney, and Kevin Kennedy as Pop!
I am also very pleased to finally present my own Acting Showreel … I have spent the past 11 years or so as a jobbin’ Actor, working mostly in theatre, but this showreel represents some of the television work I have been lucky enough to have been involved in. Hope you like it …
Also to see my television commercials, please feel free to visit my new-look ‘Multimedia’ page … enjoy!
At the end of last year I was interviewed by todoMusicales (Spain’s leading Theatre website) about my work as an Actor and Assistant Casting Director. Please ‘Click here’to read the interview.
As always, thanks for stopping by!
SG x
LATEST NEWS: October 2008
I have finally got my hands on a copy of a COCA COLA commercial I filmed in 2003 for a big campaign in Spain … ironically I became the ‘face’ of Coke in Spain & even returned to film two more commercials that year!
To see these ads, & a UK BLOCKBUSTER advert too, please feel free to visit my new ‘Multimedia’ page … enjoy!
I am also in the process of putting together a professional showreel that will highlight clips from my television experience (so far!) … & I hope to have that on my website in the near future!
On Sunday 21st September I appeared with my wife in a Benefit Concert at the Duchess Theatre to help raise money for Ovarian Cancer and Action For Children.
NEVER NEVERLAND celebrated the Music of American composer Scott Alan. The evening featured numerous West End performers, two leading ladies from Broadway - Jenna Leigh Green and Eden Espinosa - and Scott Alan himself too!
It was an absolute pleasure to sing one of his outstanding songs live. I strongly urge you all to buy his album, you won’t be disappointed! www.scottalan.net
Also, I have finally finished my fun-filled 15 month journey at Kellerman’s in DIRTY DANCING. I had a great year or so, & worked with some lovely people … now it’s on to something new! At present I have no work plans ... just a lovely holiday in America with my wife! I will of course post any ‘work’ news here on my Home Page …
Thanks for stopping by!
SG x
OLD NEWS: August 2008
On Sunday September 21st I will be appearing with my wife in a Benefit Concert at the Duchess Theatre to help raise money for Ovarian Cancer Action and NCH. NEVER NEVERLAND celebrates the Music of American composer Scott Alan. The evening will feature a host of West End performers, two leading ladies from Broadway and Scott Alan himself too! For more information about the Concert and the Charities that will benefit, please visit: www.mumstheword2008.co.uk
Meanwhile, DIRTY DANCING continues at the Aldwych Theatre to completely packed houses. In June this year the West End production celebrated its 700th performance & is also booking into October 2009! More recently the Toronto production was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Theatre Award for Outstanding Musical Production, and the highly anticipated American Tour kicks-off in Chicago at the end of September. DIRTY DANCING is certainly ‘dancing’ worldwide!
But, at the end of September my fun-filled 15 month journey with the show will be over, and unemployment looms - or should I say: I’ll be ‘resting’ again shortly!?
As always I’ve been keeping my days busy with Audition Reading again for the London cast changes of WE WILL ROCK YOU and more recently HAIRSPRAY.
Also, my new colour portrait photos (taken by Brad Madison) can be seen ‘here’. Hope you like them!
Thanks for stopping by!
SG x
LATEST NEWS: May 2008
Well, DIRTY DANCING continues at the Aldwych Theatre, to completely packed houses … and it is now booking in the West End to October 2009!
In the middle of March my wife & I went on an amazing holiday to Barbados. On my return I was met with some changes to the show.
The creative team have made a few tweaks here & there … so for those of you who have seen the production before, if you decide to pay Kellerman’s another visit you may notice some subtle changes!
I will be finishing in the show at the end of September this year!
I’ve also been doing a little moonlighting, as always - helping out Pippa Ailion on the WICKED cast change for London, and Audition Reading again for both BILLY ELLIOT and the highly anticipated multi Tony Award winning SPRING AWAKENING.
Oh, and I had some new colour portrait photos taken by Brad Madison.
Well, DIRTY DANCING continues at the Aldwych Theatre … the production has proudly announced that it will be having a Gala Performance on Valentines' Night for the worthy charity Refuge ... AND has also extended it’s booking period in the West End to April 2009! It certainly looks like this show has legs … a production opens in the Netherlands very soon & a big US Tour is also planned!!
For me, January started off very busy with Audition Reading for the re-cast of the West End production of LION KING (a job that I’ve done on & off for 7 years!) … and I also found time to film a small role in a new 'independent' British feature film opposite Philippa Peak & Kiane Sabet. 'K' is written by Phillip Barron; directed by Don Allen; and the cast includes Colin Salmon, Tamer Hassan & Krzysztof Tyniec. For more info please feel free to visit the films official site.
Meanwhile, for Dirty Dancing info & a new scrapbook of me as the dashing Neil Kellerman, ‘click here’
Thanks for stopping by!
SG x
OLD NEWS - November / December 2007
Well, DIRTY DANCING continues at the Aldwych Theatre … on Friday 16th November some of the cast appeared live on BBC1’s CHILDREN IN NEED performing ‘Time of My Life’ to over 8 million people … & the production has also proudly announced that it has extended it’s booking period well into 2009!
At the end of November I AuditionRead for some provisional auditions for the 2009 London production of the fantastic multi-Tony winning SPRING AWAKENING, and I was also invited to teach some Acting classes at Performers College. In mid December I will be going back to New York City with my wife for a spot of ‘retail-therapy’ and Broadway … can’t wait!
Meanwhile, am I still having the ‘Time of My Life’ ?? Of course …
For more Dirty Dancing info & some more pics of me as Neil Kellerman, ‘click here’ !!
Thanks for stopping by … and have a wonderful Christmas!
See you in 2008!
SG x
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LATEST NEWS - September / October 2007
The start of September was a quiet month for me really. I have managed to get into a natural rhythm of performing DIRTY DANCING eight times a week! I did do a little Accent Coaching on the Landor Theatre’s exciting UK Premiere of I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, and in October Audition Read on JERSEY BOYS again.
At the start of October, the new cast of DIRTY DANCING took over! It’s been great to welcome the new actors & performers to the cast … all 14 of them! The handover went very smoothly & the show continues to play to full houses every single night … & on Wednesday 24th October the show happily celebrated it’s First official Birthday!
Date for the Diary: on Friday 16th November some of the cast will be performing 'Time Of My Life' live on BBC1's CHILDREN IN NEED!
Oh, am I still having the ‘Time of My Life’ ?? Of course …
For more info please feel free to visit the official Dirty Dancing website.
Thanks for stopping by,
SG x
OLD NEWS - August 2007
Well, I successfully opened in DIRTY DANCINGon Monday 30th July and by Tuesday morning I was back to my day job Audition Reading for a few weeks (this time for Casting Directors Jill Green & Tara Rubin and Director Des McAnuff) on the hugely anticipated London production of JERSEY BOYS!
DIRTY DANCING is an absolute blast to be in, and receives standing ovations from a full theatre of 1200 people every single night ... I can't believe it! I'm certainly having the 'Time Of My Life' so far ... and on Monday 13th August I was part of a sold out Charity Midnight Matinee performance for family, friends and theatrical people (!?), raising nearly £32k for Theatrecares.
Here's a few pics of me as the snazzy Neil Kellerman ... I always try to look my best:
I am thrilled to announce that I will be taking over the role of Neil Kellerman in the West End production of DIRTY DANCING at the Aldwych Theatre ... and taking over from a friend & colleague (from the Chichester Festival Theatre 2004) – Mr Richard Dempsey!
DIRTY DANCING is a timeless story of first love, full of heart-pounding music, pure dance energy and breathtaking emotion. The story has been re-written for the stage by the creator of the original movie, Eleanor Bergstein, and includes all of the movies memorable moments, songs and some added scenes as well. The show had an £11 million record breaking advanced ticket sales and continues to play to packed houses!
As this will mark my 10 years in the business I hope to have the 'Time Of My Life' ... get it ?!?
My first performance will be Monday 30th July and I will be appearing alongside the Original London Cast! I am contracted for a year so I will also be part of the re-cast later in the year too. So, it looks like Kellerman's Holiday Camp will be under new trainee-management for a while! Hope to see you there!
More news, info and photos to follow ...
Thanks for stopping by, SG x
OLD NEWS - June 2007
It was an absolute pleasure to work with the Demo cast of THE MOST HAPPY FELLA ... and a big thank you to Neil Rutherford at the Ambassador Theatre Group for inviting me to be a part of it. If you would like to hear some sound bites of the musical numbers I had leading vocals in, please click on the CD image. I certainly wish ATG every success in bringing this marvellous show back to the London stage!
With regard to SPAMALOT ... well, I have decided to move on from the show and at the end of June I made my farewell performances of.....
....Sir Robin (Guard/Brother Maynard) and Prince Herbert (Historian/French Guard/Minstrel/Not Dead Fred)! It really has been a wonderful experience on stage ... and I am very proud that I covered & played the most characters in the original London production!
Like every actor facing the impending doom of 'unemployment' I have been busy auditioning for other projects (and of course worrying a little !?). One of these opportunities may come through, and I hope to be able to announce some news real soon ... so, watch this space!!
Thanks for stopping by,
SG x
OLD NEWS - May 2007
Well, the first half of May was busy as I was on a fantastic holiday in America with my wife. During our two week break we managed to visit San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York ... and we also caught up with Christopher Sieber (original Spamalot cast member)!
On my return I finally made my debut as Patsy in SPAMALOT ... for a whole week! The nine month wait was certainly well worth it as I loved every minute, especially being able to work so closely with Simon Russell Beale! I had wonderful support from the cast, family and friends ... a Big Thank You to those who came to see me!
In the meantime; I have been asked to record some tracks for an 'in-house demo' of Frank Loesser's THE MOST HAPPY FELLA for the Ambassador Theatre Group - along with Jenna Russell, John Owen Jones, Anna Jane Casey and Ramin Karimloo. Certainly looking forward to that!
I still have a few more SPAMALOT performance dates coming up before I finish my contract in July ... and then after that, who knows !?
Watch this space ...
As always, thanks for stopping by,
SG x
OLD NEWS - April 2007
Well, April has been a slightly quieter month for me!
Aside from a few performances as Prince Herbert (etc) and Sir Robin (etc) in the same week ... I was then quickly back to 'relaxing' in my dressing room! Out of the Palace Theatre though, I have been working as the Accent/Dialect Coach on the new West End production of FAME (starring Natalie Casey & Ian 'H' Watkins) ...
And, on Monday 23rd April I was part of a Guinness World Record:
To coincide with St George's Day, SPAMALOT celebrated by gathering in Trafalgar Square, along with the general public, and breaking the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Coconut Orchestra!
The New York record stood at 1,789 and London smashed this with a fantastic 5,567 people!!
The public were taught how to ‘clip-clop’ in time to the Python classic “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”, at 7pm the new World Record was set (yeah!) and Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam were presented with an Official certificate ... and then straight after there was a special screening of the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail ... in the centre of the square!
It really was an unforgettable event! To see thousands of people covering Trafalgar Square, (some even dressed as St George and his knights!) holding coconuts in the air and clip-clopping along ... absolutely hilarious!
Meanwhile, I'm off on holiday with my wife at the start of May ... and will return home to performances as Patsy! Really looking forward to finally making my Patsy debut (I've only waited nine months!?)
... hope you can make it! Thanks for stopping by ...
SG x
OLD NEWS - March 2007
Well, the last four weeks feels like the busiest month of my life … so far!
Aside from SPAMALOT, I have been working again for the Casting Director Pippa Ailion on DROWSY CHAPERONE and on the re-cast of WICKED, for David Grindrod on ON THE TOWN, I also popped to Paris with my wife for my mother-in-law’s 60th Birthday surprise, and I have been working for the Choreographer/Director Arlene Phillips as an Accent/Acting Coach on her new project: BRATZ Live Tour !?
Oh, I had a two week run of Sir Robin (etc) – which I absolutely loved … I got back onstage as Historian/Herbert (etc) … and ‘gave’ my Sir Bedevere (etc) for the first time too. I just have Patsy (etc) to go, and then I have played all the roles I Standby for … all 14 characters !! So, busy busy …
Mr Simon Russell Beale has successfully taken over the role of King Arthur (which he also played on Broadway) receiving rave reviews:
“He’s the clowning glory of a cast bursting with comic brio”
… and …
“Displays impressive comic timing”
… and …
“The new arrival appears to have galvanised the rest of Mike Nichols's fine cast, meaning that lines, and indeed entire scenes, that were merely funny before are uproarious now”!
At the beginning of February I finally made my Sir Robin debut for just over a week … and I loved every minute. Other than the wonderful appreciation of the audiences I had the good fortune of being watched and supported by 45 cast/crew members from WICKED … and by Python Terry Gilliam … how lucky is that!?
Here’s a look at my Robin (Ooerh!):
Meanwhile, the show has been visited by Royalty - Prince Charles & wife Camilla, and has been met with numerous theatre award nominations, including: the Evening Standard Award Nomination for Best Musical, 4 Whatsonstage.com Nominations (winning Best Musical Actor for Tim Curry and Best Supporting Musical Actor for Tom Goodman-Hill) & 7 Laurence Olivier Nominations – the most nominations for a production this year – but surprisingly winning none!?
And, I will be back on stage sooner that I thought …
Performance Diary:
Historian/Herbert: Mon 26th & Tue 27th February (mat & eve)
Sir Robin: 12th-17th March and 20th-24th March
Patsy: between Mon 14th May & Sat 26th May [dates TBC!]
For more of my SPAMALOT info, facts and fun please 'click here'
Hope 2007 is going well for you all? Thanks for stopping by …
SG x
OLD NEWS - January 2007
Guess what? At the beginning of December I finally made my SPAMALOT debut !! Covering for my fellow actor who was taking a last minute weekend holiday, I got to play the five-role plot: Historian/Not Dead Fred/Minstrel/French Guard and Prince Herbert.
After months and months of patiently waiting to ‘perform’ again, I finally got my chance in 2006 … and loved every minute !! Thankfully my wife and family were able to make my first show on the Friday, and I was also lucky enough to have both performances on the Saturday too. The laughter, roar of the audience and the standing ovations left me speechless !!
For those of you wondering what a heterosexual married man looks like in a blonde ringlet wig, jewelled smock and a touch of rouge … look on, cautiously:
I also have more news … I will be playing the role of Sir Robin (et la) from 5th - 10th February opposite the shows new King Arthur, Mr Simon Russell Beale !!
Oh, and again from the 12th - 17th & 21st - 24th March. Now that’s certainly something for me to look forward to."
Pictures, news and more dates to follow …
Thanks for stopping by !!
SG x
OLD NEWS - December 2006
SPAMALOT opened on the 17th October to wonderfully enthusiastic reviews!
Unfortunately for me the principles that I Standby for have been in very good health, so I haven’t made my SPAM debut yet … but I am more than ready to !! I do have some dates in the New Year though … I will keep you informed.
The performances (as opposed to my attempts to actually get on stage!?) are going very well. SPAMALOT has been nominated for the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, and more recently has been nominated for four WhatsOnStage Theatregoers’ Choice Awards.
For more ‘Olde News’, Videos, ‘Dirty Pictures’ and much much more, please feel free to visit the shows official website: www.spamalotlondon.com
News of my SPAMALOT debut to follow shortly … probably in 2007 … at some point … I hope !!
SG x
OLD NEWS - July 2006
News! News! I am very pleased to announce that I have been offered the job of Actor Standby in the West End production of Monty Python’s 3x Tony Award Winning Musical SPAMALOT!
Lovingly ripped off from the movie ‘Monty Python and The Holy Grail’, SPAMALOT has a Book by Eric Idle, Music & Lyrics by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, directed by multi-Tony winning Director Mike Nichols, and will star Tim Curry as King Arthur.
After many weeks of working as the London SPAMALOT Audition Reader for Casting Directors; David Grindrod, Tara Rubin (and Mike Nichols himself), I have been asked to Standby for the leading roles of:
Patsy/Mayor/Guard2,
Sir Robin/Brother Maynard/Guard1,
Prince Herbert/Historian/Not Dead Fred/Minstrel/French Guard,
Sir Bedevere/Mrs Galahad/Concorde
So, it looks like I’m gonna be pretty busy over the next few months !!
Oh, AND I got married on the 23rd July too !!!
More news, info & photos to follow …
SG x
OLD NEWS
May 2006
Hi there,
Welcome to my Official Website!
Philip (my co-designer) and I have been working hard on the site, and we are now ready for visitors!
You will find lots of stuff about me and my career so far (obviously!?), loads of photos, production information and some inside gossip … and even some audio clips!
If you fancy seeing and reading about … ummm, Me! …or even hearing my dulcet tones (!?) please feel free to have a look around.
'Close Your Eyes' is available to buy from 
Well, DIRTY DANCING continues at the Aldwych Theatre … on Friday 16th November some of the cast appeared live on BBC1’s CHILDREN IN NEED performing ‘Time of My Life’ to over 8 million people … & the production has also proudly announced that it has extended it’s booking period well into 2009!
nvited to teach some Acting classes at Performers College. In mid December I will be going back to New York City with my wife for a spot of ‘retail-therapy’ and Broadway … can’t wait!
The start of September was a quiet month for me really. I have managed to get into a natural rhythm of performing DIRTY DANCING eight times a week! I did do a little Accent Coaching on the Landor Theatre’s exciting UK Premiere of I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, and in October Audition Read on JERSEY BOYS again.
OLD NEWS
OLD NEWS - July 2006
