Notes From New York
Encyclopedia
Notes From New York is a successful London (West End) based concert series, created primarily to showcase the output of contemporary musical theatre writers.
who also fulfil creative roles in musical staging.
Other frequent collaborators include regular actors (such as Oliver Thompsett & Ashleigh Gray), sound designer Mark Dunne, pianists Mark Collins and Joe Hood.
Starring Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Shona Lindsey and Damien Edwards.
Featuring music by Jason Robert Brown and Andrew Lippa.
7 March 2004 - Donmar Warehouse, Covent Garden
Starring Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Debbie Kurup and Craig Purnell.
Featuring music by Jason Robert Brown, Jonathan Larson and William Finn.
4 July 2004 - Arts Theatre, Leicester Square
Starring Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Kellie Ryan and Samuel Barnett.
Featuring music by Andrew Lippa, Craig Carnelia and Jimmy Roberts.
19 September 2004 - Trafalgar Studios, Whitehall
Starring Rebecca Thornhill, Stephen Weller, Oliver Tompsett
and Ashleigh Gray.
Featuring music by Adam Guettel, Michael John LaChuisa and John Buccino.
21 November 2004 - Trafalgar Studios, Whitehall
Starring Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Amy Nuttall, Jon Lee, Shona Lindsay, Damien Edwards, Oliver Tompsett
and Ashleigh Gray.
Featuring music from all composers in the series so far and Tim Acito.
Starring Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Anna-Jane Casey and Dougal Irvine, the evening showcased the output of composers Grant Olding and Charles Miller.
Notes In Heels (6 April 2008 - Duchess Theatre, Covent Garden) showcased female writers Georgia Stitt, Jenny Giering, Zina Goldrich.
Again it starred Julie Atherton
and Paul Spicer, with newcomers Selina Chilton, Stuart Matthew Price and Amy Pemberton.
The Last Five Years (12, 19 & 26 October 2008 - Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
A gala staging of the Jason Robert Brown musical to celebrate five successful years of Notes From New York.
Starring the series regulars Julie Atherton
and Paul Spicer.
Producer Neil Eckersley and creative Paul Spicer have also formed Speckulation Entertainment, which produced 'A Spoonful of Stiles And Drewe' (6 July 2008 - Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket), a celebration of British musical theatre writers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The concert has since been released on CD.
Sunday 10 December 2006 - Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue,
Starring Josie Walker, Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Cassidy Janson, James Gillan, Oliver Tompsett
, Jon Robyns, Clare Foster, Melanie La Barrie, Daniel Boys, Sophia Ragavelas and Emma Williams.
Sunday 9 December 2007 - Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
Starring Anna-Jane Casey
, Julie Atherton
, Paul Spicer, Oliver Tompsett
, Emma Williams, Melanie La Barrie, Matt Cross, Ashleigh Gray, Alex Jessop, Debbie Kurup, Steven Webb and Rachael Wooding.
Sunday 7 December 2008 - Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
Starring Maria Friedman, Julie Atherton
, Oliver Tompsett
, Ashleigh Gray, Michael Xavier, Adrian Hansel, Zoe Rainey, Richard Reynard and Lorna Want.
Sunday 6 December 2009-Princes of Wales Theatre
Starring Julie Atherton, Samuel Barnett, Daniel Boys, Ashleigh Gray, Jenna Lee James, Alex Jessop, Leanne Jones, Paul Spicer, Oliver Tompsett, Hannah Waddingham and Rachael Wooding.
), Come to Your Senses (Tick, Tick... Boom!
), Nothing In Common (Wearing Someone Else's Clothes: Jason Robert Brown
), You Shall Go To The Ball (SOHO Cinders) and two pieces devised by Taking Notes' resident MD new British Musical Theatre composer Michael Bruce, entitled A Little Less Ordinary and Looking Back (Ed: The Musical). The Original Taking Notes Cast comprising 45 students from various areas of the UK, who worked with a number of currently established and successful Musical Theatre artists including Julie Atherton
(Avenue Q), Oliver Tompsett
(Wicked), Clare Foster (The Bill, Avenue Q), Sam Buntrock
(Sunday in the Park with George) Keiran Hill (RSC) and Paul Spicer (The Last 5 Years). The week long course worked towards a showcase at the end of the week to a privately invited audience. An Original Cast Recording of the Taking Notes Showcase unofficially nicknamed 'Post-It Notes from New York' is available.
Creators and Collaborators
Founded in 2003 by producer Neil Eckersley and actor/musician David Randall (who became the series regular director and arranger), the concerts have usually been headlined by the primary collaborators Paul Spicer and Julie AthertonJulie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
who also fulfil creative roles in musical staging.
Other frequent collaborators include regular actors (such as Oliver Thompsett & Ashleigh Gray), sound designer Mark Dunne, pianists Mark Collins and Joe Hood.
Concert History
2 November 2003 - Arts Theatre, Leicester SquareStarring Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Shona Lindsey and Damien Edwards.
Featuring music by Jason Robert Brown and Andrew Lippa.
7 March 2004 - Donmar Warehouse, Covent Garden
Starring Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Debbie Kurup and Craig Purnell.
Featuring music by Jason Robert Brown, Jonathan Larson and William Finn.
4 July 2004 - Arts Theatre, Leicester Square
Starring Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Kellie Ryan and Samuel Barnett.
Featuring music by Andrew Lippa, Craig Carnelia and Jimmy Roberts.
19 September 2004 - Trafalgar Studios, Whitehall
Starring Rebecca Thornhill, Stephen Weller, Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.- Biography :...
and Ashleigh Gray.
Featuring music by Adam Guettel, Michael John LaChuisa and John Buccino.
21 November 2004 - Trafalgar Studios, Whitehall
Starring Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Amy Nuttall, Jon Lee, Shona Lindsay, Damien Edwards, Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.- Biography :...
and Ashleigh Gray.
Featuring music from all composers in the series so far and Tim Acito.
Not(es) From New York
Notes From New York presented an evening of new British musical theatre on 19 March 2006 at the Duchess Theatre, Covent Garden.Starring Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Anna-Jane Casey and Dougal Irvine, the evening showcased the output of composers Grant Olding and Charles Miller.
Other productions
The success of the concerts meant that Notes From New York could create successful evenings on various other themes:Notes In Heels (6 April 2008 - Duchess Theatre, Covent Garden) showcased female writers Georgia Stitt, Jenny Giering, Zina Goldrich.
Again it starred Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
and Paul Spicer, with newcomers Selina Chilton, Stuart Matthew Price and Amy Pemberton.
The Last Five Years (12, 19 & 26 October 2008 - Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
A gala staging of the Jason Robert Brown musical to celebrate five successful years of Notes From New York.
Starring the series regulars Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
and Paul Spicer.
Producer Neil Eckersley and creative Paul Spicer have also formed Speckulation Entertainment, which produced 'A Spoonful of Stiles And Drewe' (6 July 2008 - Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket), a celebration of British musical theatre writers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The concert has since been released on CD.
Christmas In New York
The seasonal musical celebration has been going since 2006:Sunday 10 December 2006 - Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue,
Starring Josie Walker, Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Cassidy Janson, James Gillan, Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.- Biography :...
, Jon Robyns, Clare Foster, Melanie La Barrie, Daniel Boys, Sophia Ragavelas and Emma Williams.
Sunday 9 December 2007 - Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
Starring Anna-Jane Casey
Anna-Jane Casey
Anna-Jane Casey is an English singer, dancer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre.-Personal life:Casey was born in Salford, Lancashire, England...
, Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Paul Spicer, Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.- Biography :...
, Emma Williams, Melanie La Barrie, Matt Cross, Ashleigh Gray, Alex Jessop, Debbie Kurup, Steven Webb and Rachael Wooding.
Sunday 7 December 2008 - Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue
Starring Maria Friedman, Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
, Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.- Biography :...
, Ashleigh Gray, Michael Xavier, Adrian Hansel, Zoe Rainey, Richard Reynard and Lorna Want.
Sunday 6 December 2009-Princes of Wales Theatre
Starring Julie Atherton, Samuel Barnett, Daniel Boys, Ashleigh Gray, Jenna Lee James, Alex Jessop, Leanne Jones, Paul Spicer, Oliver Tompsett, Hannah Waddingham and Rachael Wooding.
Taking Notes
In the summer of 2009, a week long course, designed for up and coming Contemporary Musical Theatre enthusiasts, was held at The London School of Musical Theatre. The week consisted of day long sessions, workshopping various Musical Numbers including Die Vampire Die (Title of ShowTitle of show
[title of show] is a one-act musical, with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen and a book by Hunter Bell. The show chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the...
), Come to Your Senses (Tick, Tick... Boom!
Tick, Tick... BOOM!
Tick, Tick... Boom! is a musical written by American composer Jonathan Larson, who won a Pulitzer and two Tony Awards for his musical Rent. Tick Tick Boom tells the story of an aspiring composer named Jon, who lives in New York City in 1990. Jon is worried he has made the wrong career choice to...
), Nothing In Common (Wearing Someone Else's Clothes: Jason Robert Brown
Jason Robert Brown
Jason Robert Brown is an American musical theater composer, lyricist, and playwright. Brown's music sensibility fuses pop-rock stylings with theatrical lyrics...
), You Shall Go To The Ball (SOHO Cinders) and two pieces devised by Taking Notes' resident MD new British Musical Theatre composer Michael Bruce, entitled A Little Less Ordinary and Looking Back (Ed: The Musical). The Original Taking Notes Cast comprising 45 students from various areas of the UK, who worked with a number of currently established and successful Musical Theatre artists including Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton
Julie Atherton is a British actress, who is best known for her work on stage. On the 3rd of October 2009 she finished playing the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the West End production Avenue Q. She released her debut album, A Girl of Few Words on 2 October 2006...
(Avenue Q), Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett
Oliver Tompsett is a British stage actor and singer best known for his portrayal of Fiyero in the West End production of the musical Wicked.- Biography :...
(Wicked), Clare Foster (The Bill, Avenue Q), Sam Buntrock
Sam Buntrock
Sam Buntrock is an English stage director.Buntrock studied Drama at University of Bristol.Buntrock directed the first West End revival of the musical Sunday In The Park With George...
(Sunday in the Park with George) Keiran Hill (RSC) and Paul Spicer (The Last 5 Years). The week long course worked towards a showcase at the end of the week to a privately invited audience. An Original Cast Recording of the Taking Notes Showcase unofficially nicknamed 'Post-It Notes from New York' is available.