Warren Wills

New York, NY USA

Shepp Shed – groundbreaking theatre for kids, with a spice of ... Hollywood

Patron and fashion icon, Pamela Anderson remarks, ‘the work of Shepp Shed in providing young people with genuine opoportunities to come together and create a world premiere of a new musical is astonishing. To promote inclusivity, diversity and quality in this way, is the way forward. Using the youth of today to collaborate and devise their own theatre, songs, dance is such a glorious new innovation.’

We at Shepp Shed are thrilled to be working on Ghost Gum High, a world premiere created by a mixture of local kids, with a dash of Congalese, and a spice of Indigenous, and some experience from the UK to make this a genuinely new and innovative project which champions both youth and Shepparton.

The show explores the amazing role of William Cooper, Indiginous Australian,recently honored at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, for his tireless fight against injustice to peoples of all races and creeds, through the eyes of modern day kids.

Participants will have the rare opportunity to learn the different facets of the performing arts from multi-award winning composer/MD Warren Wills and the dynamic Yamin Choudury from London’s West End. 

‘It is so thrilling to have the kids,practitioners, Pam, Latrobe, and of course local Aboriginal elder Uncle Boydie (William Cooper’s grandson) on board for this revolutionary and fun project. The kids here are so enthusiastic ands talented, it has been a sheer delight!’

‘I would like to thank the generous support from the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, La Trobe’s Equality and Diversity Centre and Shepparton campus in partnership with Riverlinks Eastbank’, Warren says.

Shepp Shed will culminate in a Gala Night performance at 6.30pm on Saturday 22 January at the Riverlinks Eastbank Centre.  The whole community are welcome to attend and while tickets are free, bookings are essential.

Supported by the Australian Govt, and Latrobe University

"ALADDIN", at the Liverpool Empire
directed by Ian Talbot and starring Pamela Anderson. See pic HERE

"SINCERELY NOEL" - Riverside Studios, , A Noel Coward show with Alistair McGowen,.
http://www.riversidestudios.co.uk/cgi-bin/page.pl?l=1277908768

Continuing work on the "Fertile Crescents" project, a Middle-East peace initiative based on the concept that music transcends borders. Read about it here and here

<< In this pic (click to enlarge), from left to right: Egyptian financier Mo Khaled, Algerian Ambassador His Excellency Mohamed Salah Dembri, Warren, Her Excellency Mrs Mohamed Salah Dembri

Cocktails with Coward ... starring Alistair McGowan

Riverside Studios, West London
26th March - 4th April (no shows on Mon 29th or Fri Apr 2nd (Good Friday)).

Two performances as part of the Hong Kong City Festival 2010 at the Fringe Theatre, HK Fringe Club:

"For Lovers"
For the first time in Hong Kong the UK talents of pianist wizard, Warren Wills, and the sultry, sexy, sassy chanteuse herself from Hong Kong, Elaine Liu, join sensual forces in a sensational, searing and seasonal show 'For Lovers'. As a poignant, witty musical morsel and precursor for Valentine’s Day, these two world renowned musicians take us on Cupid’s ride down Lover’s Lane to the sounds of Ella, Billie from torch songs to ballads, to fallin' in love, to heartache and all matters of the heart.

"Desert Songs"
Bridging the East-West gap and honouring Middle Eastern/Occidental and Oriental traditions, they start from a foundation of ancient Hebrew music; add a twist of jazz, and reinvent Cantonese and Mandarin songs from such famed singers as Zhou Xuan, Teresa Teng, Priscilla Chan, Faye Wong and Cass Pang.Vocalist Heidi Mak is also a song-writer and lyricist. Her new song With You had its première performance in the show Zion to SoHo in 2009.Sixteen-year-old Jason Kwok has been studying the violin since the age of five.

See www.cityfestival.com.hk

Two big awards picked up in December from 10 Downing St, for Haringey Shed: the Philip Lawrence Award and Community Heroes. Read about it here and see a video clip here

Charity Concert for Israel Violin Trust, in London (more details soon)

new show - ELLA MEET MARYLIN, goes into the West End, at the Apollo Theatre

Hebrew/English/Chinese show in Hong Kong - all invited!

Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong concert

Artist in Residence APA in HONG KONG, further concert dates to be announced

• Hackney Empire is now backing our Shed (aka Village) idea and we are keen to progress now with our Hong Kong, Melbourne, Polish and Romanian friends.
• Hackney is of course the official London Olymic Borough for 2012.
• Spanish album with Antonio Torres going great guns, as were the performances at the Marbella Film Festival.
• Happy Hooker- with Xaviera Hollander, coming apace!

Marbella Film Festival with XAVIERA HOLLANDER - "THE HAPPY HOOKER": PORTRAIT OF A SEXUAL REVOLUTIONARY
doing entertainment with Antonio Torres and J D Ellis and others

Interfaith Community Concert
at Christ Church field, Radlett, featuring Warren performing "Genesis to Broadway" - view the flyer here
Concert was a huge success and a big thanks to the folks of Hertfordshire who turned up and supported another Genesis to Broadway event.

MY QUEER VALENTINE
WITH RICK LAU - Warren Wills arranger/musical director in Sweet Season @ Leicester Sq Theatre
When:       Sep 10-11, 17-19  Thu-Sat 10.30pm (1hr)  £10
Where:      Leicester Sq Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BX
Bookings: 0844 847 2475 / www.leicestersquaretheatre.com / www.sweet-uk.net
For information on London dates and bookings:
http://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/events.asp?eventid=184&categoryid=3
For reviews and latest updates on Rick Lau, follow his journey on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rick-Lau/109596427622?ref=nf

Lost in the Game - Haringey Shed
at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre on Saturday 22nd August  2009, a double bill of original performances by our Children’s Theatre and Youth Theatre. View the poster here
For more details see our website www.haringeyshed.org

MY QUEER VALENTINE
WITH RICK LAU - Warren Wills arranger/musical director
at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2009
When:        Preview Aug 6-7  8pm (1hr) £5 Aug 8-17, 19-30  8pm (1hr)  £11/ £9 (Fri-Sun) £10/ £8 (Mon-Thu)
Where:      Universal Arts @St Georges West, Venue 8, 58 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh
Bookings: 0844 477 1000 / www.universalartsfestival.com / www.ticketweb.co.uk

Hong Kong over, 4 day blitz and what an amazing success in so many ways. Both concerts were sold out and to rapturous ovations, and certainly broke new cultural ground! Read the review ...

This was the first time I did concerts using local talent and this was the huge difference in local, media and political interest. Read about "Genesis to Broadway".

The 2 singers brought people, and the prodigy was truly amazing on violin. The idea of getting Chinese performers to do Ancient Hebraic numbers also captured the imagination and helped ‘bridge the divide’. A glorious moment having a Chinese singer sing ADON OLAM to a Chinese and ex-pat audience!!

On arriving an engine failure and thus a rush direct to TV studios for first ever playing and filming of Psalm 23, which I composed, as all our rehearsals were on Skype and MP3. On leaving, typhoon 8, and I thought no way would we be out on time, but was ok in the end.

The Australian diplomatic corps turned up and loved the interraction of an 0zzie with local talent and want to further cultivate this at the embassy, soirees, finance etc etc - a major coup.

My friend, the 77 year old, indomitable John Ball, set up a meet with the philanthropist David Nesbitt, and yes, I now have full backing and green light to implement H SHED, beginning in November.

A short but truly wonderful trip, and time to cram in fairly boozy jam sessions at Hyatt Champagne bar, and Skylark, and of course do 2 shows with the wonderful Rick Lau - who I'm sure will take Edinburgh by storm.

THE HAPPY HOOKER
Working on the score for THE HAPPY HOOKER, based on the extraordinary life of Xaviera Hollander. The writer is Richard Hansom, script editor at AARDMAN, and the aim is for a presentation in June 2009.