With screen roles including Stephen Poliakoff’s The Lost Prince and West End parts in Whistle Down the Wind and Fame, Matthew James Thomas’s highest profile role to date has been Jez Tyler on ITV1’s performing arts school-based musical drama Britannia High.

He now returns to the stage, playing the title role in Ruby in the Dust’s production of Dorian Gray, adapted and directed by Linnie Reedman, playing at the Leicester Square Theatre.

In this edition of the Stage Podcast, Thomas talks to Scott Matthewman about the play, his experience on Britannia High and what he thinks went wrong with a series that had so much potential.

• Dorian Gray details on The Stage Listings.
• The Stage review of Dorian Gray

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. If you subscribe to the podcast series in iTunes, then not only will you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

You can also listen to an audio stream using the player below:

Finally, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

The YouTube trailer for Dorian Gray is below:

In this week’s Stage Podcast, former Coronation Street actress Sally Lindsay and writer-director Neil Bartlett talk to Nick Smurthwaite about Everybody Loves a Winner, which runs at the Manchester Royal Exchange from July 3-18 as part of the Manchester International Festival.

Following twenty friends on a night out, the production sees the Exchange theatre converted into a bingo hall for the night, and will include a live bingo game in the second act.

• Find out more about Everybody Loves a Winner

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. Subscribing in iTunes will ensure that not only do you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

You can also listen to an audio stream using the player below:

Finally, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

See below for a short video:

In the second of our The Stage@Adam Street podcasts, we brought together some of the biggest names in British regional theatre:

• Derek Nicholls, president of the Theatrical Management Association and chief executive of the Churchill Theatre in Bromley

• Julius Green, producer for Bill Kenwright Limited

• John Stalker, chief executive of Festival City Theatres Trust in Edinburgh

• Rachel Tackley, director of English Touring Theatre

• Sarah Holmes, chief executive of the New Wolsey theatre, Ipswich, and

• Vikki Heywood, executive director of the Royal Shakespeare Company

Under the umbrella theme of The State of Regional Theatre, they discuss topics including how the recession is affecting them, the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the Arts Council England ticket scheme for under 26s, whether you need big name stars to sell a show in the regions, whether the traditional theatre brochure is dead and how important London is to regional theatre around the UK.

The Stage@Adam Street podcasts are produced in association with the Adam Street private members’ club, Adam Street, London.

If you have any opinion or comments on the topics raised — or on any other aspect of regional theatre — please use the comment box below, or send your email to podcasts@thestage.co.uk. We may print a selection in future print editions of The Stage.

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. Subscribing in iTunes will ensure that not only do you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

You can also listen to an audio stream using the player below:

Finally, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar).

Best known to TV audiences around the world as Jin-Soo Kwon in US TV show Lost, Daniel Dae Kim takes to the stage at the Royal Albert Hall next month to play the King of Siam in The King And I opposite Maria Friedman’s Anna Leonowens.

As he prepared to start rehearsals, Daniel sat down with The Stage’s Nick Smurthwaite to talk about Rodgers and Hammerstein, colour-blind casting and the relationship he has with his Korean heritage.

• The King and I, Royal Albert Hall, London, June 12-28. For more information and to book tickets, click here

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. Subscribing in iTunes will ensure that not only do you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar), or use the player below:

Mark Shenton concludes his conversation with choreographer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, which took place at The Shaw Theatre last month. The first part of the conversation is still available.

In this final part of the discussion, Arlene continues talking about Strictly Come Dancing as well as taking questions from the floor and covering topics such as her favourite directors and choreographers and the challenges of choreographing actors who can’t dance and turning Cliff Richard into a rock star for Time.

The next Spotlight On… event will be a conversation with lyricist Tim Rice at The Shaw Theatre on May 20 at 3pm. Tickets are usually £10, but listen to the podcast for details on how to book tickets for £5.

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. Subscribing in iTunes will ensure that not only do you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar), or use the player below:

Playwright David Hare is known for stage productions including Stuff Happens, The Vertical Hour and Gethsemane and this year was nominated for an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Reader.

Earlier this year, Hare acted as judge for the Yale Drama Series Prize for emerging playwrights. Won this year Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig for her play Lidless, the prize includes publication by Yale University Press, a $10,000 purse and a staged reading by Yale Rep.

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. Subscribing in iTunes will ensure that not only do you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar), or use the player below:

Legendary choreographer Arlene Phillips talks to Mark Shenton about how she became interested in dance and choreography, forming controversial dance troupe Hot Gossip, and moving into full-scale musical theatre choreography.

She also discusses moving into directing with Saturday Night Fever, as well as discussing her appointment as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

The second part of this conversation will be published next week.

To listen to the podcast:

The preferred way to listen to the podcast is through iTunes. Subscribing in iTunes will ensure that not only do you get this edition of the podcast, but you will automatically receive further editions, for free, as they are released.

• Listen and subscribe now in iTunes (recommended)

Alternatively, you can download the MP3 file (right-click and select “Download file/Save linked file as…” or similar), or use the player below: