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From Birmingham to Broadway!

Subscribe to RSS RSSMonday, 17th May, 2010

Birmingham Stage Company (BSC) is celebrating its 18th anniversary year with a packed schedule of three UK tours and plans for their New York debut!

The company was founded in 1992 by Neal Foster, the Actor/Manager of BSC. He persuaded stars such as Dustin Hoffman, Glenn Close, Jack Lemmon, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen to be interviewed by him in front of a paying audience to raise the money to mount the company?s first production. Since then, BSC has become one of the UK?s leading producers of family plays. BSC is currently touring the UK with a brand new version of Roald Dahl?s George?s Marvellous Medicine and the ground-breaking Horrible Science, featuring amazing 3D Bogglevision.

In October BSC's tour of The Firework-Maker?s Daughter by multi-award winning writer, Philip Pullman, will open at the Cheltenham Everyman Theatre. It tells the story of Lila, whose dreams of becoming a firework-maker are dashed when her father tells her it is no job for a girl. Setting out in secret for Mount Merapi in search of the elusive royal sulphur, Lila faces pirates and supernatural creatures. Soon she must return to save her imprisoned father with a firework display that must rival the best on earth! BSC open their new production on 20 October, which will then tour the country for six months including a 12 week Christmas season at the company?s home base, The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham from 9 November.

BSC has just enjoyed great success with their production of Twelfth Night in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Damascus. Next March their highly acclaimed production of Skellig will play on the famous 42nd Street in New York, from 2-13 March at the New Victory Theater. The play?s author, David Almond, was recently awarded the prestigious international Hans Christian Andersen Award for his contribution to children?s literature. BSC originally toured this show in 2008/9 with Neal Foster in the title role, directed by Phil Clark with designs by Jackie Trousdale.

Neal Foster said today: ?It?s wonderful to discover that children from Abu Dhabi to New York are as interested in quality theatre as they are in Birmingham. We are very excited to be touring the world with shows that started in the little 378 seat Old Rep Theatre in Station Street. From Station Street to 42nd Street with a flap of Skellig?s wings!?