In The Frame: Theatre Interviews from West End Frame

Drew Gasparini has written the music and lyrics for Karate Kid The Musical.

The musical just had its UK premiere at New Wimbledon Theatre and is embarking on a UK tour.

Drew is an award-winning songwriter, musical theatre composer, lyricist, playwright, and performer. He has written the scores for Night Shift (commissioned by Warner Bros.); Crazy Just Like Me (NYMF “Best of Fest” winner), and along with good friend/writing partner, Alex Brightman, Drew has written the scores for Make Me Bad (a musical psychological thriller), It’s Kind of a Funny Story (based on the Ned Vizzini novel), and The Whipping Boy (based on the Sid Fleischman novel). On London’s the West End, Drew’s song-cycle I Could Use a Drink(based on his musical theatre concept album) was performed at the Garrick Theater, and in April 2025, his musical We Aren’t Kids Anymore (starring Dylan Mulvaney, Melanie La Barrie, and Aimie Atkinson) played to sold out houses at the Savoy Theater.

In 2019 Drew wrote the score for Super Bowl ad turned major publicity stunt, SKITTLES COMMERCIAL: The Broadway Musical (starring Golden Globe winner Michael C Hall) alongside book writer Will Eno. The project earned virtually every advertising award under the sun and was considered the most successful Super Bowl commercial of the year. In 2023, Drew was tapped to write the song for another major ad campaign for booking.com called Somewhere, Anywhere starring Oscar Nominee Melissa McCarthy. Drew’s songs have been heard in ads for Toyota, Ford, Dreyer’s Ice Cream, and more. He was also a songwriter for the cult-favorite TV series, SMASH season 2.
Drew’s sheet music is some of the most popular amongst theatre students around the globe thanks to the success of his albums I Could Use a Drink (released in 2013 by Broadway Records), which continues to be a mainstay in the musical theatre canon—as well as his album We Aren’t Kids Anymore (released in 2020): the basis of the new musical of the same title which continues it’s development in the UK. Concerts of Drew’s music have been performed in six of the seven continents, translated into countless languages, in venues from The Kennedy Center to the Sydney Opera House. And in 2018 Drew performed a night of this musical with the 80 piece Virginia Symphony Orchestra in Norfolk, VA.

Coming up: Drew is currently working on a meta-concept musical called The Unthought Known, and a new musical called Captain (again, with Alex Brightman), which is the gritty “true” origin story of Captain James Hook. Drew also just completed work on his first novel: a dramedy titled Fathomless Space, and is currently shopping it to publishers.

Karate Kid tours the UK until August and then plays in Toronto from September. Visit www.thekaratekidthemusicaluk.com for info, tour dates and tickets.

This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins
@AndrewTomlins32

Thanks for listening!

Email: [email protected]

Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Akmed Junior Khemalai recently finished his run as George Washington in the UK & Ireland Tour of Hamilton, after being a standby in the tour’s original cast.

Akmed trained at Brit School and ArtsEd, and made his West End debut in The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales). His theatre credits also include: Mandela (Young Vic) and the original West End cast of Ain’t Too Proud (Prince Edward Theatre).

In this episode, Akmed discusses how he discovered musical theatre, his Hamilton journey and the realities of experiencing disappointment and tough lessons in the theatre industry... plus lots more!

Follow Akmed on Instagram: @akmed_khemalai

This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins
@AndrewTomlins32

Thanks for listening!

Email: [email protected]

Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivier winner Eleanor Worthington-Cox is starring as Cilla Black and Cynthia Powell, John Lennon’s first wife, in the world premiere of Tom Wright’s play Please Please Me at the Kiln Theatre.

Directed by Amit Sharma, the play tells the story of Brian Epstein, the influential manager often described as the “fifth Beatle”.

Eleanor won an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical when she was one of the original Matilda Wormwoods in the West End production of Matilda The Musical.

As a child, her credits also include: Chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Liverpool Empire), Jean Louise “Scout” Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Blousey Brown in Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith) and Jess in Tomcat (Southwark Playhouse).

More recently her theatre credits have included: Phaedra Cox in Jerusalem (Apollo Theatre), Lily in The Secret Life of Bees (Almeida Theatre), Alexandra Giddens in The Little Foxes (Young Vic), Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company) and Mary Page Marlowe in Mary Page Marlowe (The Old Vic).

Eleanor starred as Natalie Goodman in Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End at the Wyndham’s Theatre, receiving an Olivier nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role In a Musical. The production was filmed and has been released internationally to huge acclaim.

She has worked across film and television too, with projects including Maleficent, Cucumber, The Enfield Haunting, Hetty Feather, Action Point, Britannia, Gwen, The Irregulars and About A Bell.

Recorded during a break from rehearsals, in this episode Eleanor discusses all-things Please Please Me including how she’s perfecting her portrayal of Cilla and why it's important for her to champion queer storytelling. She also reflects on the impact of Next To Normal, and her journey from Matilda to sustaining a career across stage and screen.

Please Please Me runs at the Kiln Theatre until 29th May. Visit www.kilntheatre.com for info and tickets.

This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins
@AndrewTomlins32

Thanks for listening!

Email: [email protected]

Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amelia Kinu Muus is starring as Christmas Eve in the West End revival of Avenue Q.

The anniversary production is directed by the original director Jason Moore with the original Broadway puppets, conceived and designed by Rick Lyon. Avenue Q opened on Broadway in 2003 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The show first ran in the West End between 2006 and 2010.

Amelia's theatre credits include: Cathrine Parr in SIX (Vaudeville), cover Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate (Barbican), cover Tuptim in King And I (UK Tour & Dominion), Rachel Green in Friendsical (Edinburgh Fringe & UK Tour), Bella in Beauty And The Beast (Rose Theatre), Elegies For Angels, Punks And Raging Queens (Kings Head) and associate director and swing in Tokyo Rose (Southwark Playhouse & UK Tour)

Her screen credits include. Cop in Choose Or Die (Netflix) and Magdalena in Der Teufel Im Spiegel (Servus TV).

Avenue Q is booking at the Shaftesbury Theatre until 29th August 2026. Visit www.avenueqmusical.co.uk for info and tickets.

This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins
@AndrewTomlins32

Thanks for listening!

Email: [email protected]

Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robyn Rose-Li is starring as Terpsichore, one of the Muses, in Disney's Hercules.

Inspired by the 1997 Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Hercules opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2025. The show has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by David Zippel, and a brand-new book by Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah. The production is directed by Casey Nicholaw and co-choreographed with Tanisha Scott.

Robyn's theatre credits include: Fly More Than You Fall (Southwark Playhouse), The Baker's Wife (Menier Chocolate Factory), Tammy Faye (Almeida Theatre), Hairspray (London Coliseum) and The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre). She also appeared in Wonka (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Recorded in Robyn's dressing room, in this episode Robyn discusses all-things Hercules and why this is such a big career moment. She also reflects on her journey into theatre, and shares memories from the shows she has been a part of.

Hercules runs at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 5th September 2026. Visit www.herculesthemusical.co.uk for info and tickets.

This podcast is hosted by Andrew Tomlins
@AndrewTomlins32

Thanks for listening!

Email: [email protected]

Visit westendframe.co.uk for more info about our podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.