Rent 20th Anniversary Concert, New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

Celebrating 20 years since it's first staged performance, West End and Broadway leading lady Kerry Ellis stars with runner up of ITV's Superstar Rory Taylor in this iconic concert of the smash-hit musical Rent.

Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this musical has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, the show follows a year in the life of a group of friends struggling to make it in the big city under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.... Read more >>

Running time: 2h 30m

Rent 20th Anniversary Concert Overview

Kerry Ellis has fast become recognised as the First Lady of West End musicals from her starring roles in London and on Broadway, and has achieved chart-topping success as a recording artist signed to Universal Decca with her debut album Anthems. Kerry originated the role of Meat, in Queen's We Will Rock You and was the first British Elphaba in the West End smash, Wicked, for which Kerry won the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Takeover in a Role. She then immediately transferred to Broadway and played Elphaba at the Gershwin Theatre for 6 months, where she won the Broadway.com Audience Award for Favourite Female Breakthrough Performance, before returning to London for 6 months in 2009. Her many other leading role credits include Nancy in Oliver! at the London Palladium, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Ellen in Miss Saigon and Fantine in Les Miserables.

Kerry's first major CD release was the amazing Wicked in Rock, which is still flying high in the Dress Circle's bestseller list. Wicked in Rock was collaboration with long time friend and Queen guitarist, Brian May. This led to her being signed to Universal as a solo recording artist and her debut album Anthems was released in 2010 on Decca Records. The success of the album, which reached No.15 in the UK album chart, and No.10 in the UK pop club charts (for Defying Gravity), led to a major tour Anthems: The Concert throughout 2011, which kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall.

Kerry headlined at this years 2012 Night of a 1000 Voices and has been performing her one woman show On the Edge which has been a huge success. Also this year she has been filming the Les Miserables feature film and headlining various festivals across the country. At the end of 2012 she will be starring in the arena tour of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds alongside Jason Donavan and Ricky Wilson of the Kaiser Chiefs.

The show is suitable for ages 16+

Rent 20th Anniversary Concert Access

Booking Information

Access Booking line: 0844 871 7677

Access Performances

Audio Description
None scheduled
Sign Language Interpreted
None scheduled
Captioned
None scheduled
SUR Titles
None scheduled

Venue Access Information

There are 8 wheelchair spaces available in stalls. Access is available to stalls from the ‘Old Foyer’ entrance and from near stage door on Station Street. Box Office, Dress and Grand Circle are inaccessible for wheelchair users. There are no lifts in the building. There are 4 disabled car-parking bays located just outside the old foyer entrance of the theatre on Station Street, which can be used by any disabled person visiting the city centre. There is also disabled parking available on level 1 of the NCP New Street Car Park.
New Alexandra Theatre is equipped with an infrared sound amplification system. There are two devices available.

Induction Loop Necklace
Suitable for persons wearing a hearing aid, the induction loop necklace is worn around the neck. Whilst wearing the necklace, switch your hearing aid to the 'T' setting and the sound is amplified. The necklace has an adjustable volume control.

Headset
This device amplifies sound through ear-pieces similar to regular headphones. Suitable for persons without a hearing aid.

Infra-Red Listening Systems
The Ambassador Theatre Group is now offering state-of-the-art Sennheiser infra-red listening systems in our venues. Please call the box office on 0121 230 9077 or visit the Sennheiser web site for more details.

Infrared receiving equipment can be booked via the box office when purchasing tickets. Although not essential advanced booking is recommended, to ensure equipment is available. You will be asked for a £5 deposit on collection. This will be fully refunded on return of equipment at the end of the performance.

Audio description is a live verbal commentary, given through headsets, which describes the setting, costumes, characters, facial expressions, body language and action during silent intervals of the piece being performed. An introduction is provided prior to the show.

PreView is a pre-show introduction, led by the audio describer, for blind and visually impaired people and anyone who would appreciate a more detailed description of the set, characters and costumes in advance of the performance. Advance booking via the Box Office.

Stagetext® delivers open captioned performances. Captioning is a way of converting the spoken word into visible text, that provides people with hearing loss with access to live performance. Captions produced by a computer and a display unit installed on or near the stage enable people with hearing loss to understand what is said when it is said. A captioned performance is delivered live by a captioner trained by Stagetext®.

Touch Tours
Touch tours are led by the audio describer, one hour prior to the show, providing the opportunity for members of the audience who are blind or partially sighted to familiarise themselves with elements of the set, costumes and props. Advance booking essential.
Guide, hearing and other working dogs are welcome in all parts of the theatre.
There are public toilet facilities on the ground floor of stalls. There are separate, fully accessible, male and female facilities here.

New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham Information

New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

New Alexandra Theatre
Station Street
Birmingham
West Midlands
B5 4DS
View Map

Directions

By Car

Car parking couldn't be easier. The NCP New Street Car Park is less than a minute away. The New Alexandra Theatre has joined with NCP to offer a pre-paid parking voucher at the NCP New Street car park. Simply visit our Box Office before the show and purchase a voucher that will allow you to eliminate the need to queue for the pay machine at the end of the evening. Vouchers are available on the day up to the performance start time and as of 1st April 2012 are priced at the discounted rate of £7.00, saving £2.70. If you are an ATG Card Member you may purchase the voucher at a further discounted price of £6.00. Terms and Conditions apply and vouchers are non-refundable. For further details please visit our Box Office. Please note this is not an all day parking voucher.

If you have Satellite Navigation, our postcode is B5 4AN. If you do not have Satellite Navigation, but require detailed driving instructions, we recommend Google Maps. Once you open the page, select directions and enter your starting point.

By Train

Inter City services run from all major towns and cities, including hourly services from London, into Birmingham New Street, which is situated around a 3min walk to the Theatre.

For more information call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950 or visit National Rail

By Bus

Most city buses stop within 5 minutes walk from the theatre. For further details on timetables call Travelline on 0871 200 22 33 (landline calls charged at 10p per minute) or online via Network West Midlands.

By Air

Birmingham International has is a rail link directly into Birmingham New Street, only a three minute walk to the New Alexandra Theatre.

Contact Information

Book online: Use the links below

Telephone Booking: 0844 871 3011

Customer Service: 0844 871 7627

Groups Bookings: 0844 871 3031

Access Bookings: 0844 871 7677

Stage Door / Admin:* 0121 230 9070
*please note it is not possible to assist
with bookings on this number

Please note that babes in arms (children 2 and under) will not be admitted to the theatre unless the production is specifically targeted at children - please check with the venue box office.

All attendees are required to have a ticket. Nursing tickets for under 2's are not available for shows unless otherwise stated.

Children aged 3-15 years old shall require their own ticket, which shall be at full price or at child concession if available at the time of booking. If children are disturbing the performance for other guests, accompanying adults may be asked to remove them from the auditorium.