Our new rock musical ARTABAN showcased on 23^rd/24^th November for three performances, to overwhelming positive reviews and three ecstatic standing ovations for the wonderful cast. Many thanks to Pearson Casting, who worked their magic in providing the crème de la crème of Musical Theatre talent, matching their skills to the characters they played perfectly.

Sasha Regan of the Union Theatre, Southwark directed a diverse and talented cast, many of whom had stepped out of their day jobs in top West End shows to perform in ARTABAN the MUSICAL. Sasha`s expertise shone out like a beacon! At her side was stage manager Jack Evans and the choreography genius, Kasper Cornish.

Danny Becker (The Prince of Egypt – Aladdin) gave a beautiful, heart-felt performance as the fourth wise man, ARTABAN. Bobbie Little (Heathers the Musical) played the feisty Esther. Her voice sashayed from melodic and touching, to a blend of rock, soul and gritty explosions of energy, wow!

We couldn`t have wished for a more cohesive group of actors. Their communal energy radiated the love, passion, pain and utter joy outwards and upwards that Daphne Lander (book), Anne Jones (lyrics) and Rick Radley (music) had all envisaged – but could only hope would be translated to the audience.

Matt Bond (Little Shop of Horrors) shook us to the core with his portrayal of the psychopathic `Herod` and `Herod Antipas`. He slipped seamlessly between quiet malevolence and unpredictable outbursts of fury! Nobody would guess what a sweet soul he is when off stage. “Matt Bond puts the rod into Herod” is just one of many twitter quotes from audience members. We have to agree.

Natalie Chua (Anything Goes) as Martha, one of only two female voices in the cast, gave a beautiful, believable and touching performance. Her voice… simply stunning!

The other three magi were brilliantly performed by Fela Lufadeju (Guys and Dolls, Royal Exchange – I May Destroy You BBC, HBO TV) as Balthazar, Alistair So (The King & I) as Melchior and Eu Jin Hwang (The King & I) as Caspar.

The storyline was peppered with infectious humour, introduced by Ashford Campbell (9 to 5 – Dreamgirls) – as Tigranes/thief, with hilarious banter between McCallam Connell (Oh Babylon – Dr No) as Jeweller/Innkeeper/Market Trader and Juan Jackson (Rent – Cats – Miss Saigon) as Rhodaspes/Market Trader. The entire cast put their heart and soul into the dance routines, songs and script and with a mere ten days to learn and perfect their roles, everyone was astounded by the polished `West End` quality of the production.

Sami Lamine (Broken Wings) as Amos warmed our hearts when his mellow operatic voice took on a fabulous unexpected `rocky` edge. Yet another `wow` moment!

Charles Doherty (Jesus Christ Superstar – Hairspray – Spamalot) as Abdus and the Slave blew us away with his acting and vocal prowess and we are all still pinching ourselves at how quickly the cast became a beautiful supportive family.

Throughout this process we have met a group of insanely talented friends we will never forget and hope to remain in touch with.

Thank you to all who played a part in making this musical showcase the success it was. This is simply the beginning!

Comments & Reviews

It was a pleasure to share the ‘first night’ with you. We both thought that the production, acting and music was excellent. Having seen a lot of musicals over the years, we definitely think Artaban’s got legs! Wishing you well for today’s performances and fingers crossed for it taking off from here.

David

The show was wonderful

Jackie W

(4/5) Definitely worth seeing!!

Funmi Osho

The music of Artaban was the highlight of the experience for me – from emotionally powerful songs about love and following your heart, to anthemic joyous raucous celebrations. My partner still rates it as the favourite musical I have done.

Eu Jin Hwang – Caspar - (London-based actor currently playing the role of ‘the engineer’ in Gothenburg Opera's Miss Saigon. Stage credits include Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love (Lyric), Kim's Convenience (Riverside Studios), Your Lie in April (Harold Pinter), Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures (Menier Chocolate Factory), Death Note (London Palladium / Lyric), George Takei's Allegiance (Charing Cross, Anything Goes (Barbican / UK tour), The King and I (UK / international tour)

I just watched the video of Artaban. It was truly amazing, stunning, moving.
I especially liked the lyrics of the songs, actually, which carried certain of your leading themes, e.g. following the heart, God as light–and conveyed the spirituality of Christmas in a light-hearted and elegant way with grace and style. I also felt that the actors –Artaban and his girlfriend, in particular – were caught up in their parts totally. The whole performance was joyous, and
especially welcome given the pandemic, which has thwarted live theatre up until now. I can see this show on the road, very easily. It’s accessible, the music is wonderful, the themes are universal, and the whole thing is well done.

Margot

The music of Artaban is some of the strongest I have encountered in years. The heart of any musical are the songs, and this has hit after hit in it. I am extremely confident that it would be extremely well received by audiences.

Matt Bond - From our Top West End Cast

Wonderful to hear my dear friend and co-creator Rick Radley’s great music in our launch of Artaban the musical last night in the Actors Church, Covent Garden. Well done Rick it truly rocked!!!

Anne Jones

It was wonderful to work on this production of Artaban – a truly uplifting and spiritual piece of theatre. Its gorgeous sweeping score and beautiful storytelling were incredible to watch come to life through the actors onstage. We’re excited to see what the next chapter is for this special show.

Rosie Peason (Pearson Casting)

(4/5) If you like your musicals of the euro pop/rock variety performed by a diverse cast of great singers then this show is for you. The music reminded me of an Alan Parsons Project album and I listened to the music again on the way home, it’s on the website. An uplifting evening classily directed by Sasha Regan.

Jay Worthy

So… exciting news. I put down some choreographed moves in this show. Yep! I’m dancing. Not sure if it’s what the director was going for, but it’s now officially a comedy! Please don’t hold me responsible. Apologies in advance for any trauma.

McCallam Connell – Jeweller/Innkeeper/Market seller - (Oh Babylon – Dr No)

Anne Jones: You held everything together! You are a superstar. Your lyrics are beautiful!
Daphne Lander`s script had some really strong character dialogue and funny interludes. Well done Daphne! Brilliant.

SR

Thank you for letting me be a part of your killer work. You guys created a wonderful show AND an amazing environment. I’m deeply honoured to be a witness and join in!

Juan Jackson – Rhodaspes - (Rent – Cats – Miss Saigon)

You write the most wonderful music.

Alistair So – Melchior - (The King & I)

Thank you so much for having me! I loved every moment. It was just over too soon

Sasha Regan – Director - Union Theatre, Southwark

Artaban at the actors church in Covent Garden. Infectious score and ably played by the cast. With some great voices Staged by the inventive Sasha Regan/cast by Pearson casting. Highly enjoyable, Matt Bond puts the rod in Herod! He rocks !

M H

It was fabulous. Loved the show, it was so uplifting. X

LC

Just incredible – felt so privileged to be there

Tania Y

Today @sixthemusical ran on the West End & UK Tour, @FantasticallyGW ran in Norwich, @ArtabanUk ran at @actorschurch, Beauty & The Beast rehearsed for @NottmPlayhouse & Cinderella for @polkatheatre & RENT won Best Performance at #MCRCultureAwards2021
Today is a good day!

Pearson Casting

Your musical is an amazing achievement, well done.

Harjeet V

(5/5) Small production but very high quality!

M and L Carnovale

It was absolutely brilliant. So proud to be part of this.

Kipper Eldridge

Loved it – brilliant show

D Mulkern

What a great evening it was. We are so pleased that your hard work, efforts and perseverance paid off and you must all be feeling very proud and exhilarated. I just hope that some person has the vision and resources to take it to the next level so that many more people can enjoy what is a very simple story narrated through such great music.

Nick

A banging performance by entire cast – Artaban and Esther were caught up in their parts totally – the performance was joyous.

MB

It was fab! And a great cast. I want to see it again

Kaia D

It was a great night! We all loved it – you’ve done an amazing job all of you
Our favourite scene was the marketplace. Onwards and upwards!

Chantal

The music of Artaban was the highlight of the experience for me – from emotionally powerful songs about love and following your heart, to anthemic joyous raucous celebrations. My partner still rates it as the favourite musical I have done.

Matt Bond – Herod - (Little Shop of Horrors)

Everyone still coming down off this show. I think it will be a while

Charles Doherty – Slave/Abdus - (Jesus Christ Superstar – Hairspray – Spamalot)

Artaban was one of the most heartfelt and meaningful productions I’ve had the privilege to be part of. Its message of compassion, sacrifice, and human connection resonates deeply, and the music and storytelling have a timeless quality.
Artaban still holds such a loving place in my heart.

Danny Becker – Artaban - (The Prince of Egypt – Aladdin)

I saw the show last night, wonderful! Some lovely moments and thoroughly enjoyed the performances!

Chris

The musical itself is a real joy – the songs are incredibly catchy and offer a great variety of styles that will engage a wide audience. The script written well, striking a lovely balance between dramatic and comedic moments. I also appreciated how the production subtly conveyed elements of Middle eastern culture without ever feeling overplayed or reductive. It’s an important balance to find and worth significant consideration! The cultural elements added a rich, authentic layer to the storytelling and I love seeing positive, middle eastern representation on stage.

Sami Lamine – Amos - (Broken Wings)

The post The amazing talented cast of Artaban the Musical lifted the roof at The Actors’ Church Covent Garden, LONDON appeared first on ARTABAN.

We are delighted to welcome to the team, Danny Becker (Prince of Egypt) as ARTABAN, with Bobbie Little (Heathers) as the feisty, ESTHER.

Also joining our show will be, Natalie Chua (Anything Goes, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as MARTHA and Matt Bond (Little Shop of Horrors) as HEROD.

The three magi will be portrayed by Alistair So (Anything Goes, Phantom of the Opera) as MELCHIOR, Fela Lufadeju (Guys and Dolls) as BALTHAZAR, and Eu Jin Hwang (The King and I) as CASPAR. Sami Lamine (Broken Wings) performs as AMOS, Ashford Campbell (9 to 5 the Musical, X Factor) as TIGRANES, Charles Doherty (Jerry Springer the Opera) as ABDUS, Maccallam Connell (The Mikado) the Jeweller and Innkeeper. Juan Jackson (Cats, Miss Saigon) slips seamlessly into the role of RHODASPES.

Previously announced, Emma Kingston is no longer performing in the piece, we wish her good luck in her new role.

ARTABAN the MUSICAL is directed and staged by, Sasha Regan, with Jack Evans (Stage Manager), score by Rick Radley, book, Daphne Lander and lyrics by Anne Jones.

The design team includes Kasper Cornish (staging), Jake Waby – JW Productions (videography), Peter Vockald (lighting design) and Dave Murray of Infinity Technical (sound). The score features orchestrations by Grammy and Emmy award winning, Kipper Eldridge (musical director) and Phil Taylor (musical arranger).

Casting is by Pearson Casting.

The story is brought to life by the vibrant music and songs which tap into all emotions. A rock vibe is interweaved throughout, taking you on a mesmerising journey, as the songs morph from the soulful tracks “Sacrifices of the Heart”, “Love goes on Forever” and “Journey’s End” to the gritty, impactful guitar riffs of “Herod” and “Artaban”. The rousing finale of “I Now Understand” will have you bubbling over with hand clapping, foot-tapping joy.

Production Team: Tony Jones (Producer) David Lander (Producer) Sashi Radley (PR & Marketing)

Tickets are on sale below

https://actorschurch.ticketsolve.com/shows/873618294

The post FULL CAST is announced for ARTABAN the MUSICAL appeared first on ARTABAN.

Artaban The Musical’ is a new rock musical, based on the book “The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke. It’s a story, full of heart and soul, that is set over 2000 years ago, and yet is still relevant today. Artaban is the tale of an unsung hero who sacrifices his dreams to help others, set against the backdrop of the birth of Christ.

The post The key to being uplifted and enriched with Anne Jones and Jojo Fraser appeared first on ARTABAN.

The post Jackie White talks to Anne Jones co-creator of Artaban The Musical appeared first on ARTABAN.

Three Gemstones Productions present
The showcase of the new Rock musical “Artaban”
with West End cast

Adapted for the stage from the book “The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke

The Actors Church, St Paul’s, Covent Garden,
London, WC2E 9ED

23 Nov 19.30 24 Nov 15.30 & 19.30

Music: Rick Radley Director: Sasha Regan
Book: Daphne Lander Musical Director: Kipper Eldridge
Lyrics: Anne Jones

Tickets £20 please visit
https://actorschurch.ticketsolve.com/shows/873618294

Our Story of Artaban

Our Story of Artaban
We meet ARTABAN, magi and astrologer, in despair of a world filled with corruption, oppression and greed. But all hope is not lost; he and his fellow magi have discovered from their studies of ancient prophecies that there will be a new leader; a king who will bring light back to the world.

This uplifting story follows the adventures of ARTABAN the fourth Wise Man on his lifelong quest to deliver his gift of gemstones to Jesus. Will he succeed? Will his sacrifices reveal the true light and purpose of his life? As the story unfolds, we are introduced to the assortment of colourful characters ARTABAN meets on his journey. With breath-taking performances by a West End cast, we witness his struggles and achievements. The story is brought to life by the vibrant music and songs which tap into all emotions.

A rock vibe is interweaved throughout, taking you on a mesmerising journey, as the songs morph from the soulful tracks “Sacrifices of the Heart”, “Love goes on Forever” and “Journey’s End” to the gritty, impactful guitar riffs of “Herod” and “Artaban”. The rousing finale of “I Now Understand” will have you bubbling over with hand clapping, foot-tapping joy.

For more Info contact:
Sashi Radley: sashi@artabanthemusical.co.uk 07931 531053

Producers contact:
Tony Jones: tonyjones88@gmail.com 07899 890606

The post The showcase of the new Rock musical “Artaban” with West End cast appeared first on ARTABAN.

Lyrics: Anne Jones
Composed and performed by: Rick Radley

Adapted from the original song `Sacrifices of the Heart` & featured in the new rock musical ARTABAN THE MUSICAL.
Showing Spring 2021 – at the Actors Church, Covent Garden (date tbc)

Creative team:
Libretto – Daphne Lander
Lyrics – Anne Jones
Composer – Rick Radley

Lyrics
You’ve put your family life on hold
To Care for the sick, the weak and old
They are the sacrifices of the heart
They are the sacrifices of the heart

When virus stalks and death comes near
You hold their hands and calm their fear
You give the Sacrifices of your heart
You Give the sacrifices of your heart

Your kindness, time and endless care
Your devotion and the love you share
Are the sacrifices of your heart
They are the sacrifices of your heart

The hours you work without respite
And by their beds you sit all night
They are the sacrifices of your heart
They are the sacrifices of your heart

When we are kept from bedside care
It fills our hearts to know you are there
The sacrifices of your heart
Thanks for the sacrifices of your heart

The gentle ways, your gift of love
You’re angels sent from heaven above
Are the sacrifices of your heart
For Me … For Me. We thank you

The post SONG FOR CARERS (Sacrifices of the Heart) appeared first on ARTABAN.

The post October 2017 appeared first on ARTABAN.

Sumudu sings for us

The beautiful singer Sumudu has played the part of Esther for the recordings. Sumudu is a singer-songwriter from London. An exceptional and versatile talent in jazz, pop and soul, she has performed for Her Majesty The Queen and sung with musical luminaries Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello and Sir Bob Geldof to name a few. Other artists she has performed with as a backing singer include Sir Van Morrison, Sir Rod Stewart, John Newman, Shaun Escoffery, The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra, Jamie Cullum and Chris Difford (Squeeze).

The post July 2017 appeared first on ARTABAN.