Showtune on Radio Abbey

11/01/2024

Back tomorrow at 12 on Radio Abbey Kenilworth with a playlist designed to banish the January blues.

08/01/2024

Showtune is back this Friday and I'm putting the playlist together. There will be a selection of "what I got for Christmas" and a couple of other numbers already in but, I don't know about you, I'm really struggling with the January blues (I'm a summer person) so I feel like shaking the blues away (yeah - I guess that one will feature) what songs do you reckon best cheer up a gloomy month?

31/12/2023

Radio Abbey is housed in a wonderful place called The Kenilworth Centre. Apart from a skeleton staff, most of the people involved with The Kenilworth Centre are volunteers. It's a charity that provides a wide variety of help for the residents of our town. It's the youth club, a toddler group, warm h...

31/12/2023

My Year in programmes!

Compared to some, it's not that many. It's more than I have managed in a year though, since my 20s, when I still worked in the West End. It has been an absolute joy to get to see so many shows, both West End and Regional.

I have loved doing this show because it has made me stir myself and go to see things again (even if I can't really afford to do so😂) It has made me feel a part of something again, even if it's just a tiny bit.

I hope that a few people out there have listened to the show and enjoyed it. I try to bring the love that I have for Musical Theatre to each episode. I have discovered so many new shows over the last 2 1/2 years and learnt so much more about the history.

Thank-you to anyone who has listened😍, Happy New Year🥂🍾🎆! Showtune returns on the 12th of January. In the meantime https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioAbbey/ has most of the old ones.

25/12/2023

Well, I am having a very good Christmas

23/12/2023

Radio Abbey is now off air for a couple of weeks while we do a bit of a refurb and reset. We will be back on 5 January. In the meantime, a big thank you to all our listeners and supporters and sponsors - have a great Christmas. We look forward to bringing more music, chat and social events in 2024!

23/12/2023

Festive Showtune Mark 3 is now online https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioAbbey/showtune-christmas-special-3-221223/

A mix of new and Old, popular and rare as with a normal episode of Showtune
(other Festive Showtunes are available - still on mixcloud, just needs a lot of scrolling down!)

A Festive edition packed full of all sorts of festive show tunes

16/12/2023

At Radio Abbey we are trying to help our hosts at The Kenilworth Centre by hosting auctions of 'little things' take a look at what we have at the moment.

Less than 24 hours left to bid on this original watercolour from artist Paul Miller. Help us to help the Kenilworth Centre fund the great work that they do so help people. Your bid could go towards children's mental health services or a warm hub event. Have a look at what we have on our website
https://www.radioabbey.com/littlethings

16/12/2023

Anyone in the mood for an hour of Musicals old and new?

The best of show tunes from stage and screen

16/12/2023

This week's show is now uploaded, full of the usual mix of well-known and rare gems

The best of show tunes from stage and screen

12/12/2023

Resistance was futile once I saw that they had some balcony seats available.

09/12/2023

The Radio Abbey Kenilworth 'Little Things' auction. We're just starting out, but already some great lots

08/12/2023

This week's show is available for your listening delights - well, only if you want to, it's not compulsory.

A wide playlist wander through the world of stage and screen musicals

07/12/2023

Our Radio Station has launched a new venture to help our hosts, the local community centre. I would love to get some Musical Theatre related items to add to the mix and I'm going to be stepping out of my comfort zone and doing a lot of cheeky grovelling. Please share this so that we can get as many people viewing it as possible, Thank-you!

Here at Radio Abbey we are trying to find ways to help raise funds for our hosts the Kenilworth Centre so we are excited to announce the launch of the 'Little Things' Auction.
The first 3 lots go live at 7pm tonight and we're very excited to have a beautiful original watercolour from Paul Miller and 2 signed books from Andrew Davies to bid on. Please go and check out all of the details on www.radioabbey.com and share this far and wide with friends and contacts. We need to raise money to keep our wonderful community centre providing the vital services for our town.
We hope to be able to auction lots of small, quirky, signed items from well-known and soon to be well-known names so if you know anyone who might be prepared to donate something, please see the website for details.

02/12/2023

Off to see this again today. I couldn't resist, it is that good.

01/12/2023

This week's show is uploaded and ready to bring joy - well, I try!

A selection of show tunes from stage and screen

24/11/2023

TIME FOR A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
I am now working with Ellie Gowers and Kenilworth Arts Festival to bring lots of amazing live music to Kenilworth next year. I am part of a team now!! So excited.
Without further ado, here is the list of gigs for the first half of 2024. Some are at the bookshop, some are at the United Reformed Church on Abbey Hill - a bigger venue but still wonderfully intimate and with fantastic acoustics.
Looking forward so much to seeing/hearing you all, Lauren South Music Jon Wilks & Martin Carthy Wes Finch Music Will Pound The Wilderness Yet Jacob & Drinkwater Good Habits Andrew Waite Music Tara MacLean Music Katie Spencer - what a programme!

Tickets now on sale - and don't forget we have to fabulous gigs before Christmas too: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/tree-house-bookshop

24/11/2023

This week's show was inspired by a documentary that I saw last weekend. It's a celebration of the Golden Age of Broadway. I have a whole host of Original Broadway cast numbers from the legends who made Musical Theatre what it was.

A special edition focusing on the Broadway musicals of the 1940s 50s and 60s

17/11/2023

This week's show is now online. I hope that you enjoy it

An hour of fabulous show tunes from stage and screen

10/11/2023

Here it is - show 111, the biggest show since show 110.

A wide playlist of fabulous songs from stage and screen

03/11/2023

This week's show is now uploaded. It's a tribute to that giant of the Theatre industry Bill Kenwright. His impact in the UK has been immense. I am not sure that I know anyone in theatre who hasn't worked on one of his shows in some capacity at somepoint.
This show only skims the surface of the 500+ shows that he produced although I think that the majority were plays.

I tried to get as many in as possible 20 in just over an hour is a record I think

A look at a small fraction of the musicals that Bill Kenwright produced over the years

02/11/2023

Tomorrow's show will be a tribute to Bill Kenwright with a show packed full of songs from musicals that he produced over the years.
I have managed to squeeze 20 shows in but still have only just scraped the surface. Tune in at 12 on Radio Abbey Kenilworth

01/11/2023

Had another little jaunt today 😁

30/10/2023

Happy 20th Anniversary Wicked

The picture is an embroidery that I made for my daughter when she was little. I would post the really cute photo of her in a Wicked Witch of the West costume that I made her when she was about 4 but I would like her to still be talking to me afterwards so - no!

28/10/2023

Anyone fancy a go at our brainteasers? No cheating 😂

Here at Radio Abbey we strive to entertain so we thought it might be a fun idea to put out a weekly* set of brainteasers with questions loosely inspired by some of our shows. As it's the end of October I thought that I'd go with a Halloween theme.

How many do you know without looking them up?

*Weekly depends on my memory

27/10/2023

This week's show is now online if you are looking for something to listen to!

The finest show tunes from all eras of Musical Theatre

26/10/2023

Tomorrow's show will be going ahead (barring any unforseen crisis) My voice will be a little deeper than normal but I've done shows with less 😅
There are some cracking tunes in this week. I'm doing pre show listen through now to check that they're all OK and having a great time!
On live tomorrow at 12 midday - tell all your friends!

20/10/2023

Shocked by this, I was literally just watching her on DVD and picked up my phone to see the news. She was magnificent in everything that I ever saw her in. My sympathy to her family and friends.

19/10/2023

Sorry but there won't be a Showtune this week. I have a lurgy and am not going to be up to it. I will do this show next week instead.

19/10/2023

THE KENILWORTH ADVENT CALENDAR BRINGS CHRISTMAS CHEER.
To the extent that Christmas cheer comes in a bottle, look no further than this year’s Kenilworth Advent Calendar. Our local businesses have donated 120 prizes and nestled among them there are drinks galore.
The Ale Rooms in Smalley Place have donated two vouchers worth £30 apiece to spend on their products in-house, maybe while enjoying a live music night, or just to take home.
Also, the Virgins and Castle in High Street have given us a bottle of their Festive Gin which retails for £40.
While over in New Street, Aaron, who runs The Royal Oak, has donated £50 to spend on anything liquid in his stock, perhaps while joining one of his Pub Quiz evenings or watching a big game on the pub’s Sports Channels. Or you might just choose to take it home.
And finally, East Chase Distillers, Kenilworth’s brand-new artisan distillery in Chase Lane has donated two bottles of their Heritage London Dry Gin, which retails at £40 a bottle. You might like to check out their Gin and Tapas nights or book a table for their Gin, Tonic and Tales; the tales being about Richie’s time with Special Forces. The photo shows Luke and Richie, who built the business, in front of their rather beautiful distillation equipment, the heart of any distillery. Check out their website at www.eastchasedistillers.com

The Kenilworth Centre - the home of Radio Abbey - is one of the beneficiaries from sales of the calendar, so a huge thanks to all who have donated wonderful prizes!