News & Notes

Jim's opening night gift to us all

Jim spent a long time trying to think of an opening night gift that would be both meaningful and in keeping with Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical. As we brainstormed I recalled a long interview Jim gave in 2003 for an Ultimate Albums special on VH1. He spoke for nearly four hours but they only used a small clip on TV. As a "thank you" for having helped them source material, the producer gave us a copy on VHS tape to use in a non-commercial way sometime in the future. We hadn't, up until a couple of weeks ago, ever transferred the tape to disc. When we watched it back we knew we had the opening night gift in our hands. Jim titled it "The Lost…Interview" and I added "Words by Jim Steinman" as a twist on his iconic album credit.

Anyone even remotely interested in Bat Out Of Hell, Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf, the music industry, songs, art, culture, life or love should be thrilled with this. Jim's mind is a rare and beautiful thing and he speaks openly on many topics you, the London cast of Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical, will be familiar with: the jugular nature of love, the importance of making people feel the extremes, the joy of "going over the top" and how Obsidian and The Lost came to be. You'll also hear about how Jim's genius, Meat Loaf's enormous talent and David Sonenberg's unwavering belief all worked together to breath life into the vision you all, so superbly, recreate nightly.

Jim always says this album "belongs to everyone." That's true but it needs a conduit and you are it's lifeline. You are now the jugular vein from which both young and old hearts feed.

Jim asked that I "thank them all without naming names. Everyone is important and I needed them all for it to work."

No life is the same after "Songs by Jim Steinman" and no life is the same after seeing Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical. You are part of a continuum that started in Jim's mind as a teenager and will outlive us all. Bat Out Of Hell lives wherever love lives, wherever youth lives and wherever passion rules.

Congratulations to each of you individually but especially, all of you together.

Godspeed & Peace to You

Transcription of the above video

Bat Out Of Hell ready to launch at London's Dominion Theatre

Jim Steinman's Bat Out Of Hell the musical opens at the Dominion Theatre on Tottenham Court Road, London on April 2nd.

If you'd like a taste, there was a press launch gig on March 14th 2018, at the American International Church. You can watch the official show promotional filming of it, with multiple angles and soundboard audio:

Or alternatively, if it all seems a bit weird not to hear the applause, you can watch the Theatre-News.com version with a fixed camera and audio taken from within the audience:

U.S. dates for Bat Out Of Hell the musical

Dates are gradually being revealed of Bat Out Of Hell the musical going on a U.S. tour - end 2018 throughout 2019. This is not the full list - more venues and dates are being revealed as they are confirmed!

So far we have:

Casting open for German production of Bat Out Of Hell

Casting call advert spotted for a German version of Bat Out Of Hell the musical - auditions start in April for the show to open in "Fall 2018" @ Metronom Theater Oberhausen

Source: Casting Stage Entertainment, Facebook

Bat Out Of Hell 2018 casting announced

The new cast has been announced for Bat Out Of Hell The Musical at the Dominion Theatre in London from April! The major changes are a new Tink and a new Jagwire. There's also a new cover Strat! Full details:

MAIN CAST:

Strat ................................... Andrew Polec
Raven ........................... Christina Bennington
Falco ..................................... Rob Fowler
Sloane ................................. Sharon Sexton
Zahara ............................... Danielle Steers
Jagwire ............................... Wayne Robinson
Blake ............................... Patrick Sullivan
Ledoux ................................ Giovanni Spanó
Tink ............................... Alex Thomas-Smith
Alternate / cover Strats: Simon Gordon and Jordon Gage

ENSEMBLE:

Emily Benjamin
Georgia Carling
Natalie Chua
Jonathan Cordin
Hannah Ducharme
Isaac Edwards
Aston Newman Hannington
Eve Norris
Courtney Stapleton
Kyle Anthony
Christopher Cameron
Rob Copeland
Collette Guitart
Eric Hallengren
Vicki Manser
Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky
Joseph Peacock
Kyle Roberts
Craig Ryder
Dawnita Smith
Julie Stark
Charlotte Anne Steen
Sam Toland

Below is a message Jim shared with the cast of Bat Out Of Hell The Musical on their opening night in London. He asked that it was also shared here, now.

* * *

Most kids are told two lies that fuck them up something terrible:

Lie #1 "You have to grow up."

Lie #2 "Life is short."

The latter bolsters the former. Neither are true and believing in either (or both) will hurt you. We all grow old, with a bit of good fortune, but that doesn't mean we are required to view the world differently than we did in our younger years. Life is also far from short. Don't needlessly rush toward an imaginary "finish line" dictated by convention and rule. Determine your dream and constantly do things that move you in it's direction while taking time to enjoy the road along the way.

Some years ago I was asked to musicalize this book, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Although the project was not realized, I was profoundly moved by some of the incredible similarities it shares with my own vision and message, albeit in an entirely different format. By total coincidence both Saint-Exupéry and I utilize a crash to begin our narrative, the burning stars above to symbolize life, a rose and an important "yes or no" question to be answered by the audience. Andrew Polec bears a striking resemblance to The Little Prince so, yet another coincidence was recently revealed to me - my Strat and Saint-Exupéry's Prince look like brothers! That's a large part of the reason the book has been on my mind and why I share it with you now.

Notice the similar messages that form the fundamental basis of ALL great art:

Love with your whole heart
Form bonds and be loyal to them
Do not judge
Be kind
Be open to the secrets life will share with you on your journey
Love supersedes death
Grow spiritually but don't "grow up"

My gratitude towards each of you is beyond even my power of expression. You are the beautiful friends I have somehow always known and been waiting for. I thank every member of the cast, creative team, production and management from the bottom of my heart. You have made my dream a reality. You have made me happy and proud. I want, wish and pray the same for each of you. When you need it the most, like I do now, may your rock n roll dream come through.

Love,

Jim Steinman

ps - This book is in paperback form not for thrift or economy. I would have much preferred to gift you the hardback. This version, however, is the original translation and it's no longer sold in hardcover. It is so much more poetic and beautiful than the current translation on sale now. Another lesson as to the care needed when approaching a classic piece of art, loved and taken personally the worldover. And another debt of gratitude from me to all of you. The fact that Bat Out Of Hell's deepest and most passionate fans love and embrace Bat Out Of Hell The Musical is a testament to how poetic and beautiful our translation has been. We've done the near impossible, my friends - faithfully translated a classic for new generations to discover. For that, I thank you.

Have you checked out The Dream Engine section of this website recently?

Recently added:

• Full show recording (this is the same recording as we sent out on CD many years ago)
• Warner Records live session recording (otherwise known as "The Dream Engine demos")
• Script as of April 1969 - as it was on paper before the show was staged. There were some significant changes!

The Bat Out Of Hell musical cast album is up for an award - the Curtain Up Show best album award (UK musicals).

You can either vote for it here The Curtain Up Show : Album of the Year or here http://woobox.com/st9ej9

If you happen to be in the UK there's also a £100 "TodayTix" theatre voucher up for grabs for voting. Good luck!

Voting is open until 5.00pm GMT on Wednesday 10 January 2018, and winners will be announced live on Resonance FM at 4.00pm GMT on Friday 12 January 2018.

Tickets for Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical at the Dominion Theatre in London are now OPEN.

The run starts on April 2nd and shows are 19:30 (7:30pm) Mon - Sat with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 14:30 (2:30pm).

Official website ticket info page

Box office website

Box office phone (the expensive number): 0845 200 7981 - calls cost 13p per minute plus network extras available 24 hours a day.

Box office phone (the slightly cheaper premium-rate number): 0845 200 7982 - calls cost 2p per minute plus network extras.

Box office phone (the normal-rate number): 02072920900 - normal London phone charges, open during office hours only.

Sorry for not posting ticket details on Monday. The queuing system for tickets that day was very, very busy. Some folks were in online queues 1500+ people long. They sold a lot of tickets though - they took in £350,000 and broke the box office record for first day sales at the Dominion!

Bat Out Of Hell has won the award for Best Musical at the 63rd annual ES Theatre Awards in London, beating shows such as Dreamgirls, Follies, and An American In Paris. The award was voted for by the public (yay, go us!).

The ceremony took place last night at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the award was graciously received by Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington, who had flown back to England from Toronto to receive the award.

"We're so delighted to be representing what is really 60... 70... 80... 90 hard working, incredible people of this team. So it's really a 'Well Done' for all of them and it's fantastic to be here", Christina said, speaking on BBC Radio 2.

"Yeah, all their blood, sweat and tears, and it's a huge, huge thank you to all of our fans - I mean, throughout the generations. They have been so lovely in supporting this show, singing at the top of their lungs when they come to see the show" - Andrew Polec continued.

Ken Bruce (host): "But there's something about the music of Jim Steinman. Did know much about his songs before you took part?"

Both: "Definitely", "Yeah"

Christina: "I think what's wonderful is - I heard the music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf through my parents. It was driving anthems and that kind of thing, and I think we see that reflected in our audiences; we get people who this music means so much to them and they have nostalgia for it because it's been 40+ years that they've been listening. And we have 18 year-olds who come and they relate to it. We have multi-generational family trips. And that's what's so incredible. This music reaches out and grabs you by the heart and soul and gut, no matter what age you are."

"It's a huge honour for all of the cast to be given that responsibility, and especially to be taking the baton from the legend that is Meat Loaf. Everyone has such a love for him and his voice and his energy, and Andrew along with the rest of the cast have got that challenge of giving it their own spin"

Bat Out Of Hell the Musical has been nominated in eight categories at the WhatsOnStage awards.

Here they are in the order they were announced:

• ROB FOWLER for best supporting actor in a musical
• DANIELLE STEERS for best supporting actress in a musical
• JON BAUSOR for best set design
• PATRICK WOODROFFE for best lighting
• JAY SCHEIB for best director
• CHRISTINA BENNINGTON for best actress in a musical
• ANDREW POLEC for best actor in a musical
• BAT OUT OF HELL for best new musical

Voting is open now until January 31st. Show your support and vote for BAT OUT OF HELL!

Bat Out Of Hell the Musical returns to London, taking residence in the Dominion Theatre running from 2nd April 2018 onwards.

Tickets go on sale from Monday 4th December at 12pm (UK time)

According to Baz Bamigboye (source):

'It's a good love story,' said Michael Cohl, the rock promoter turner theatrical producer, speaking from his office in New York.

He and his associates took the ENO production to Toronto, where it's currently playing to packed houses. He hopes it will tour North America later next year, perhaps revisiting Toronto again.

Cohl and Julian Stoneman, the show's general manager, said negotiations have begun, with the hopes that Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington, who originated the roles of Strat and Raven, will play them at the Dominion.

Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton, who played Raven's parents, are also in discussions about the West End return.

Nominations are open for the 18th annual WhatsOnStage awards. "The only major UK theatre awards in which you, the audience, are the judges"

Does that sound to you like an invitation to vote for Bat Out Of Hell and its cast and creatives in every category possible? Me too! Let's get voting!

NOMINATE HERE!

After the nomination period, voting opens December 1st and closes January 31st. Winners announced 18th February 2018!

A new Bonnie Tyler compilation is coming out on November 24th - a 2 CD collection called "Bonnie Tyler - Remixes and Rarities"

Label: Cherry Red Records

Pre-order direct from Cherry Red (note: it's also available from the usual music retailers)

Track Listing

Disc 1

1. 1. HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO (Special Extended Remix)
2. 2. FIRST LOVE
3. 3. WHERE WERE YOU (Radio Mix)
4. 4. IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE (Special Jim Steinman Remix)
5. 5. BREAKOUT (Long Version)
6. 6. LOVING YOU'S A DIRTY JOB (BUT SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT) (12" Version) (with Todd Rundgren)
7. 7. SEM LIMITES PRA SONHAR (Reaching For The Infinite Heart) (with Fábio Jr.)
8. 8. BITTERBLUE (True Blue Mix)
9. 9. I DO IT FOR YOU
10. 10. REBEL WITHOUT A CLUE (Excerpt From…)
11. 11. BAND OF GOLD (Long Version)
12. 12. SAY GOODBYE (Classical Version)
13. 13. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY LONELY HEART (Long Version)
14. 14. SOLA A LA ORILLA DEL MAR (Sitting On The Edge Of The Ocean) (Spanish Version)
15. 15. HIDE YOUR HEART (A-Side Edit)
16. 16. GOD GAVE LOVE TO YOU (Radio Version)
17. 17. SAYONARA TOKYO

Disc 2

1. 1. THE DESERT IS IN YOUR HEART (with Sofia Arvaniti)
2. 2. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART (Extended Version)
3. 3. MATTER OF THE HEART
4. 4. TAKE ME BACK (Edit)
5. 5. AGAINST THE WIND (Extended Version)
6. 6. IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) (Extended Version)
7. 7. (THE WORLD IS FULL OF) MARRIED MEN
8. 8. BAND OF GOLD (Dub Version)
9. 9. LOVING YOU'S A DIRTY JOB (BUT SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT) (Radio Edit) (with Todd Rundgren)
10. 10. RACE TO THE FIRE (Race Mix)
11. 11. SAVE UP ALL YOUR TEARS (London Mix)
12. 12. STAY (Long Version)
13. 13. NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY (7" Edit)
14. 14. NOTES FROM AMERICA (A-Side Edit)
15. 15. FOOLS LULLABY (Sweet Lullaby Mix)
16. 16. HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO (Instrumental)

Source: Bell Media press release:

Sixteen more performances will be added, all during the high-demand holiday season, December 27 to January 7. To accommodate the holidays, a special schedule that includes more matinees has been added.

Tickets to the new extension performances will go on public sale on Monday, October 30 through mirvish.com, over the phone at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333, and in-person at the Ed Mirvish Theatre box office, 244 Victoria St.

Regular Schedule:

• Tues – Sat 8pm, Wed 1:30pm, Sat & Sun 2pm
• No performance: Oct 31 & Dec 26
• Added performances: Nov 5, 7:30pm

Holiday Schedule:

• Wed Dec 27 1:30pm & 8pm
• Thurs Dec 28 1:30pm & 8pm
• Sat Dec 30 2pm & 8pm
• Sun Dec 31 2pm
• No performance on Dec 26

As announced by Elaine Paige on her show on BBC radio 2, and in the Evening Standard newspaper, BAT OUT OF HELL has been nominated for best musical in the Evening Standard Radio 2 Theatre Awards 2017 for "Best Musical"!

I know you've all been asked to vote a lot already, but this is the biggest and most prestigious award the show has been nominated for so far, so please, please help, and show your support!

Vote here!

If you've got a BBC website login and you're in the UK - it's just one button to click. As always, we need all the votes we can get!

Voting is open now until 23.59 on 29 October 2017

Please share on social media, with this short link: http://po.st/bbc2awards

Track Listing

Disc 1

1. 1. Love and Death and an American Guitar
2. 2. All Revved Up with No Place to Go / Wasted Youth
3. 3. Who Needs the Young
4. 4. It Just Won't Quit
5. 5. Out of the Frying Pan And Into The Fire
6. 6. Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)
7. 7. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
8. 8. Paradise by the Dashboard Light
9. 9. Making Love Out of Nothing at All
10. 10. Bat Out Of Hell

Disc 2

1. 11. In The Land Of The Pig The Butcher Is King
2. 12. Heaven Can Wait
3. 13. Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are
4. 14. For Crying Out Loud
5. 15. You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
6. 16. Not Allowed To Love
7. 17. What Part of My Body Hurts the Most
8. 18. Dead Ringer for Love
9. 19. Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through
10. 20. It's All Coming Back to Me Now
11. 21. I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)

Produced by: Jim Steinman, Steven Rinkoff and Michael Reed

The track listing is intended to be the most complete it can be, including the songs “It Just Won't Quit” and “Good Girls Go To Heaven”, which were included the show, but are now gone (to make way for the full version of “Out Of The Frying Pan”) - fans still love the songs and wanted them to be on the album, so here they are.

Availability

The CD is out now in Canada (at the theatre and on Amazon.ca) and should be released on 20th October elsewhere. The specific release dates are in the hands of the publishers and distributors.

The album should also come out on digital (iTunes etc) but we've heard no confirmation so far.

For more info: there is a fan wiki page about Bat Out Of Hell The Musical : Original Cast Recording, with full cast and recording credits and is being frequently updated with where you can buy the CD as we spot more shops listing it!

Voting is now open for this year's Broadway World Awards, and Bat Out Of Hell has been nominated in the following categories:

• Best Actor in a New Production of a Musical
  Andrew Polec, Bat Out of Hell, London Coliseum
• Best Actress in a New Production of a Musical
  Christina Bennington, Bat Out of Hell, London Coliseum
• Best Sound Design of a New Production of a Play or Musical
  Gareth Owen, Bat Out of Hell, London Coliseum
• Best New Production of a Musical
  Bat Out of Hell, London Coliseum

The vote is public, so please support BAT OUT OF HELL with your vote!

Voting open until Friday, 8 December 2017. You will need to enter an email address to vote. Read more about the shortlist here.

Bat Out Of Hell The Musical - Toronto run extended

Due to popular demand, producers David Sonenberg, Michael Cohl, Randy Lennox and Tony Smith are excited to announce a three week extension for the North American Premiere of Jim Steinman's BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL.

The show will now run from October 14th - December 24th, at the Ed Mirvish theatre, Toronto. Tickets are available from their website, or by phone at TicketKing at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333. Group orders of 10 or more save 25% and may be placed by calling 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420.

Read more on Broadway World

Please vote in the West End Wilma and Broadway World UK awards

Please support the cast and crew of Bat Out Of Hell The Musical by helping them win the awards they so deserve, by backing them in these public votes.

Andrew Polec has been nominated for "RISING STAR" in his role as STRAT in Bat Out Of Hell The Musical in this year's The Wilma Awards.

And you can vote for Bat Out Of Hell The Musical in multiple categories in the Broadway World Awards.