Now on to happier announcements!

The Mousetrap is celebrating its diamond jubilee year in September 2012: that’s 60 years in the West End! There are lots of 60-themed events planned for next year, including a 60-venue, 60-week tour, and 60 international productions. But don’t forget, you can only see the original (and best!) production of this incredible show in London…

In contrast, I’ve got details of two brand new West End shows coming to London next year. Firstly, Zach Braff (best known as for his part in TV show Scrubs), is making his stage debut in his own play, All New People at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 22 February next year. Second, the Tony Award-winning musical American Idiot is coming to London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo next December. You’ll have to be quick if you want to see it: it’s only on from 3 to 8 December 2012 in London.

This Week’s Cast News

• The cast for The Recruiting Officer at the Donmar Warehouse has been announced, and very exciting it sounds too. Tobias Menzies, Mackenzie Crook, Nancy Carroll, Mark Gatiss, Rachael Stirling and Gawn Grainger will all be starring at the Covent Garden venue.
• Ghost the Musical has two new stars: Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans are to play Molly and Sam, taking over from Vaissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman from 13 January.
• Freddie Fox and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are the latest names to be added to the cast list for Hay Fever at the Noel Coward theatre from Feburary.

More next week…

Firstly, former Busted star Matt Willis will be wielding a welding torch in Flashdance next month, alongside West End regular Victoria Hamilton-Barritt. The kitsch 80s musical, which is choreographed by Arlene Phillips, will be Matt’s West End debut. Good luck, Matt!

Another teen idol, Hollyoaks star Chris Fountain is also coming to the West End this September. Chris will lead the cast of new musical Departure Lounge at the new Waterloo East Theatre, alongside Verity Rushworth and Liam Tamne, who both previously starred in Hairspray.

A second soap star to head to the London stage from September is Kevin Kennedy. You and I know him better as Curly from Corrie. But from 6 September, he’ll play Pop in the Queen rock musical, We Will Rock You.

Finally for musicals this week is the news that Sally Dexter is to join Sister Act, taking over from Whoopi Goldberg in the role of Mother Superior from the end of the month. They’re pretty big shoes to fill, but we think London stage regular Sally’s got the feet for the job!

And last but not least, Mackenzie Crook (who was so brilliant in the multi-award-winning Jerusalem last year) and Ralf Little (from BBC sitcoms The Royle Family and Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps) will star in The Aliens at the Bush Theatre, which starts previews from 15 September. This is the UK premier of this new play by Annie Baker, about two professional dropouts musing on magic mushrooms and music…

Finally, next Sunday (29) there’ll be a particularly special performance at the London Palladium. The Front of House team and stage crew will emerge from their places behind the scenes and take to the stage for one night only. The unique variety show is raising money for The Theatrical Guild, a charity for Backstage & Front of House staff and U Can Ask Angels, an organisation which helps families affected by disability. You can book tickets to Gareth Parnell’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium here.