What does A Chorus Line mean to you?
It’s an iconic musical and being involved in it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A Chorus Line is the forefather of reality TV shows, such as X Factor, and is therefore particularly relevant today.

What’s your favourite song from A Chorus Line?
“Dance Ten, Looks Three” for obvious reasons!

When was the first time you saw A Chorus Line and how many times have you seen it?
I’d never seen the stage show, but I did see the movie while I was training myself.

Do you think A Chorus Line is the ultimate dancer’s musical?
I don’t think A Chorus Line is the ultimate dancer’s musical; I think it’s the ultimate performer’s musical.

Why do you think A Chorus Line has been so successful?
I think it’s successful because it deals with real emotions and real-life stories. It isn’t a fairy tale or a fantasy, it offers a glimpse into the lives of performers striving to achieve their dreams. It’s inspirational.

What does performing at the London Palladium mean to you?
It’s legendary! Icons and idols have walked through the corridors, sat in the dressing rooms, laughed, cried, and sweated on that stage. It has an energy all of its own.

What do you bring to the role of Zach?
I bring my own experience to the role. I’m not so old that I can’t remember what it was like to be young, eager and excited by all the possibilities that lay before me. But I’m also old enough to know what it feels like to have a fresh batch of kids right behind you snapping at your heels. I know what it feels like to be rejected, to have your whole self worth wrapped up in a “Yes” or a “No”.

What part of a musical do you enjoy most; the dancing, acting, or singing?
I enjoy all of them equally.

Any lucky charms or rituals before you go on stage?
No, I am not superstitious. Preparation is King.

How important are your fans to you?
My fans are extremely important to me as they root for you, encourage you and support you – a little like family.

A Chorus Line is currently playing at the London Palladium. You can book tickets to see A Chorus Line here. You can follow A Chorus Line and John Partridge on twitter: @AChorusLineLDN and @mustbejp

Here are just some of the great shows we have to look forward to next year:

1. A Chorus Line, London Palladium from 2 Feb
Back in the West End for the first time since the 70s, the award-winning A Chorus Line comes to London’s Palladium in February, starring John Partridge and Scarlett Strallen as Zach and Cassie, with Leigh Zimmerman playing Sheila and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt playing Diana. Altogether now: “One… singular sensation, every little step she takes…”

2. The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre from 26 Feb
Another multi-award winning show, The Book of Mormon is the first of two Broadway imports to hit the West End in 2013. This first will make its UK premiere at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, it’s the story of two teenage Mormon missionaries trying to convert a Ugandan village. As it contains explicit language, this is a show for over 18s only: time will tell whether UK audiences love it as much as their US counterparts.

3. Once, Phoenix Theatre from 16 Mar
This year’s Tony Award for Best New Musical went to Once; and from March we can see it on our side of the pond at the Phoenix Theatre. Based on the 2006 Irish musical film of the same name, Once features an ensemble cast of actor/musicians and tells the story of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant and their shared love of music.

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 18 May
Hot on the heels of Matilda comes a new Roald Dahl-based musical. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features a host of musical stars including music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, a book by the award-winning playwright David Greig and choreography by Peter Darling, the chap behind both Billy Elliot and Matilda. It’s directed by Skyfall director Sam Mendes, and stars Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka, and plays at the wonderful Theatre Royal Drury Lane from May. Sounds like a perfect recipe for success…

5. The Sound of Music, Open Air Theatre from 25 Jul
Finally for musicals in 2013, I’m really excited about a new production of The Sound of Music at the Open Air Theatre. Opening in July, this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is sure to be a real treat: the past few musicals from the Open Air Theatre have been amazing, including three winners of the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.

If you prefer your shows without all that lovely singing and dancing, check out my tips for the top London plays coming in 2013.

What musicals are you looking forward to seeing in 2013? Let us know in the comments below.

Ghost The Musical has been romancing audiences in London since summer 2011. In January, the musical had a major cast change with Mark Evans and Siobhan Dillon taking over from Richard Fleeshman and Cassie Levy in the lead roles. We asked what you thought of Ghost with its new cast members:

“Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans were very impressive as relatively new cast members in the stage adaptation of Ghost at the Piccadilly Theatre. I thought this might detract from my enjoyment of the show (having seen it previously with original cast) but was actually pleasantly surprised to find that, if anything, I was more impressed the second time round.

“The actors comfortably delivered their lines, with highly comical scenes, a great score, impeccable timing from Sharon D Clarke and overwhelming special effects. Ghost is still one of my top five West End musicals.”
Lucy Hillyard

“I thought it was amazing and it totally exceeded my expectations.  The special effects were awesome. It’s the sort of play you could see again and again as there is just so much to it. The staging was some of the best I have ever seen in the West End.” 
Alison Couper 

“Thoroughly enjoyed Ghost, wonderful cast and the sound effects were fabulous.”
Josephine Somers

“I thought the special effects were amazing and very well thought out.  The lead characters were great, very good singers too!  For me the lady that played Oda Mae Brown stole the show.”
Bernice Windley

“Thought it was very good – a few tears as well!. The special effects exceeded my expectations.”
Sarah Bagg

Have you seen Ghost The Musical? Tell us what you thought of it in the comments below.

We love this video from the Society of London Theatre: it gives a great taste of all the incredible shows you can catch on stage in London this year.

Go to the Theatre section on our main site to find out more.

It’s been an interesting year for West End musicals. 2011 has seen huge success stories like Matilda and Crazy For You transfer to the West End, as well as The Wizard of Oz, Shrek and Ghost The Musical.

How can 2012 top that? Well, if the rumours are true, we could be in for some pretty exciting new musicals for the Olympic year. There are whispers of Bridget Jones’ Diary The Musical (with the ever-brilliant Sheridan Smith as the lead); murmurs of Viva Forever The Musical (Spice Girls songs and Jennifer Saunders writing – what more could you want?!); hints about a musical version of The Bodyguard, complete with Whitney Houston’s songs; and suggestions of a Wind In The Willows musical too…

While I love rumours as much as the next person, my tips for 2012 are all based on facts. These shows are definitely coming, and you should be getting excited about them!

1. Master Class, Vaudeville Theatre, from 21 Jan
Tyne Daly has already wowed Broadway audiences with her performance as Maria Callas in Master Class. Next month, she’s heading to London to do the same. I can’t wait.

2. Singin’ In the Rain, Palace Theatre, from 4 Feb
One of my favourite films of all time, it’ll be great to see Singin’ In The Rain on the London stage in February. Particularly with star dancer Adam Cooper in the lead role, and Scarlett Strallen as Kathy.

3. Sweeney Todd, Adelphi Theatre, from 10 Mar
I’m thrilled that Michael Ball is heading back to the West End. He’s such a fantastic singer, and an all-round musical superstar. Sweeney Todd has already had rave reviews from Chichester; I’m so excited about seeing this show when it comes to London in the spring

4. Top Hat, Aldwych Theatre, from 19 Apr
I was a big fan of Tom Chambers when he was on Strictly Come Dancing, so I can’t wait to see him in Top Hat in the West End. My parents have already seen this show on tour, and promise that we’re in for a real treat when it comes to the Aldwych next year. And there’s another one of those Strallen sisters to look out for! (Summer, this time.)

5. Wah! Wah! Girls, Peacock Theatre, from 24 May
Just while you were thinking that all I was going to recommend for 2012 were revivals and transfers, I give you a sparkling new musical from Sadler’s Wells, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Kneehigh. It’s East London meets Bollywood, and part of the exciting World Stages London collaboration for 2012.

6. Porgy And Bess, London Coliseum, from 11 Jul
Finally for summertime (when else?!), the Cape Town Opera comes to the London Coliseum to mark 75 years since George Gershwin’s death. This vibrant, physical production of Porgy And Bess shifts the action to apartheid-era Soweto, with all the classical-jazz-opera musical combinations as strong as ever. It should be a real spectacle.

What musicals are you looking forward to seeing in 2012? Let us know in the comments below…

Enter our competition

You and a friend can enjoy a perfect summer afternoon at Hatfield House, experiencing live music in beautiful surroundings.

As well as Elton John, the line-up includes Rumer, The Pierces, The Lighthouse Family and The Overtones. There’ll also be a West End Stage where you can see excerpts from you favourite West End Shows including Billy Elliot, Wicked and Jersey Boys.

We’ve got fifteen pairs of tickets to Magic Summer Live to give away. Enter now (and hurry, competition closes 10 July 2011).

This February some fabulous new musical theatre productions have come to London’s stages. Here are a few of the best I’ve seen recently that are worth checking out:

Company
A new staging of this Sondheim favourite is underway at the Southwark Playhouse. We meet single party guy Bobby as he quizzes his coupled up friends about the pros and cons of married life. On his 35th birthday should he really still be without a wife? This is a lively show, with numerous great songs, the cast are vocally extremely strong and make the best of the tricky music. A must see for Sondheim fans. Until 12 Mar

The Last Five Years
This rarely performed gem from talented American composer, Jason Robert Brown is one of the best contemporary musicals out there, in my opinion anyway. The dynamic score combines a variety of musical styles, with memorable melodies and funky creative harmonies. It tells the sad tale of Cathy and Jamie who have broken up after an epic five year relationship. We hear the journey from both characters. Lauren Samuels as Cathy and Christopher Pym as Jamie are both confident and witty in this thoughtful piece. Until 5 Mar, Tabard Theatre

Shoes
Transferring after a sucessful run at Sadler’s Wells, Shoes is now at The Peacock Theatre. With toe-tapping tunes and incredible costumes this is a brilliant night out for everyone and anyone. Hilarious shoe stories, entrancing singing and best of all, unbelievable dancing. Until 3 Apr

Forget the rain and grey skies and book yourself a jolly night out this February. Let us know which one you like best

Calling all folk fans and musicians… this show is for you! In fact I think anyone who appreciates music will enjoy Woody Sez at the Arts Theatre. This new musical explores the life and music of folk icon Woody Guthrie. Known more often as the man who inspired and mentored Bob Dylan, we now meet Guthrie as a legend in his own right, which is how he deserves to be remembered.

It is the four passionate performers that make this production outstanding. Aside from being very talented multi-instrumentalists they have a Guthrie wisdom and an infectious joy that make the audience immediately feel at ease; consequently it is impossible not to listen to and enjoy their journey. The stage is simply set, with a backdrop of Woody photos and instruments of all shapes and sizes lining the sides of the platform, I counted 12 in total.

There is a real fluidity about the show: the performers frequently switch characters and yet the whole story is effectively united with a long list of songs. Woody is played by the musical director and writer David M Lutken. Lutken is obviously a specialist in the subject and a very charismatic performer.

The script features 34 Guthrie songs, but with intros and encores the final number is more like 40! Darcie Deaville and Helen Jean Russell are wonderful as the female cast members. Folk music lends itself to harmonising and they create wonderful nuances with their voices. The flaws in a performer’s voice can be what makes it most beautiful. Music was definitely much more emotional before auto tune was invented!

David Finch (Andy Teirstein’s alternative) was hilarious as the fourth cast member. He played everything from classical violin to spoons – which I have never been lucky enough to see before – it is quite staggering to watch. He plays various characters through Woody’s travels, and to each part brings a new personality, it was great fun to watch.

Woody Sez introduces a cast not just of performers but of devoted musicians, their verve made this show one of the best off-West End productions I have seen in a long time.

Woody Sez continues until 2 April at the Arts Theatre. Book tickets

Will the vintage musical ever go out of fashion? With their fabulously flirty costumes, the jiving and jitterbugging and the fun tunes, it seems retro shows just keep getting more popular.

My absolute favourite is Grease, which I saw for the third time this week. It is as good as ever, with all the rock’n'roll numbers everyone remembers from the film, and dance routines that are as brilliant as expected from choreographer Arlene Phillips. The cast has recently changed and now features Matthew Goodgame (Channel 4 Musicality, Chicago) as the leader of the T-birds, Danny Zuko and Lauren Samuels (BBC1 Over the Rainbow finalist) making her West End debut as Sandy. Despite tackling some controversial social issues like teenage pregnancy and gang violence, this musical is a fun night out for everyone, and a must-see on the London stage before it goes off on tour in Spring 2011.

Other vintage musicals to see in London:

• Flashdance: new to the West End stage it tells the tale of 18-year-old Alex, welder by day, “flashdancer” by night, who hopes to be given a place at the Shipley Dance Academy.
• Dreamboats and Petticoats: a sweet song-writing love story that features many classic songs.
• Dirty Dancing: brought to the stage after the hit 1987 film about rebellion, growing up pains and above all, the power of dance.
• Sweet Charity: the story of a dancer-for-hire at a Times Square dance-hall who finds love at last (hurry it ends 6 November).

Why not kit yourself out in the appropriate retro get-up from Rokit in Covent Garden, Portobello Market, Camden Markets or one of the quirky shops on Brick Lane.

What’s your favourite vintage musical in London? Tell us in the comments below…

Les Miserables has returned to the Barbican for a short-run of just 22 performances this September and early October.

I watched this adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel last week and was blown away. It is spectacular.

The ensemble work is instrumental in delivering this brand new version of the world’s longest-running musical. It’s a powerful, heartfelt, crisp and visually stunning performance and the best musical I’ve ever seen.

The pace of the production is nearly perfect and is delivered with pin-point precision – barely a beat after the final scene this cast had the entire (very theatre-savvy) audience on its feet.

I sat next to the proud father of one of the cast who informed me that the art that comprised the backdrop of the set was Victor Hugo’s own work. The fact that the author’s images matched every other stylistic aspect of this production is testament to the passion, attention to detail and hard work that has been poured into this great piece of theatre.

Get a ticket – if you can.