This year’s West End LIVE is set to be the biggest and best yet with entertainment from every West End musical playing in the theatre capital of the world on offer.
The free event will take place in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square on 23 and 24 June, kicking off “a summer like no other” and marking the opening weekend of the London 2012 Festival.
Theatre fans will be able to enjoy live performances from classic musicals Blood Brothers, Disney’s The Lion King, Les Misérables and The Phantom Of The Opera, and West End LIVE favourites Billy Elliot The Musical, Chicago, Ghost The Musical, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia!, Rock Of Ages, Shrek The Musical, Stomp, Thriller Live, War Horse, We Will Rock You, Wicked and The Wizard Of Oz.
There will also be performances from first-timers to the West End LIVE stage with Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain, Matilda The Musical, Ragtime The Musical, Singin’ In The Rain, Sweeney Todd and Top Hat all taking part.
Now in its eighth year, West End LIVE is organised by Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the organisation behind Official London Theatre, in association with MasterCard and is the largest event of its type in the UK.
Cllr Robert Davies, deputy head of Westminster City Council, said: “This really will be a summer like no other and we are delighted to once again bring the magic of the West End musicals to Trafalgar Square for free. This is part of the council’s wider commitments to help rejuvenate the West End, and as a way of showcasing the quality and diversity of entertainment in and around the local area.”
In 2011, West End LIVE saw over half a million people flock to Trafalgar Square to witness some of the incredible productions London has to offer. Talking about this year’s event, Julian Bird, Chief Executive of SOLT, said: “London is truly the theatre capital of the world. West End LIVE will showcase exactly why nearly 14 million Londoners and visitors flocked to our theatres last year and give a taste of the world-class musicals they can enjoy this summer.”
As West End LIVE’s official online media partner, you can follow all the latest updates in the run-up to the event on our news section and on Twitter. We’ll also be on hand to keep theatre fans up-to-date with the weekend spectacular as it unfolds.