By Charlotte Williams-
Hi I’m Charlotte and I’m currently studying a masters in drama production. I absolutely love going to the theatre and watching plays and musicals. My favourite musical is Hamilton and I’ve seen the show an excessive amount of times! I’ve just recently watched Moulin Rouge on Broadway which was a dream come true! I would like to share with you my love of theatre and here is my first column.
AS A thank you to National Lottery players, the Big Night of Musicals is hosted as a celebratory reward.
This is the fourth year it has been celebrated in Manchester, and what a wonderful night it was, showcasing the impeccable talents from both beloved and fresh West End musicals at the AO Arena.
There was a wide variety of songs, from emotional ballads to energetic medleys, backed up by a talented orchestra.
This year, Jason Manford hosted the show and brought out guest stars such as Daniel Mays.
The two of them delivered a brilliant sketch from the musical ‘Something Rotten’ and sang ‘A Musical’ which entails the purpose of musicals and why they’re so popular.

This performance set a very engaging tone for the show, as it demonstrated how musicals bring people closer together.
Following on from this ‘The Dementia Chorus’ took to the stage to sing ‘The Impossible Dream’ with a guest appearance from Michael Ball. This powerful performance was incredibly touching and reiterated just how music can bring joy to people.
We were introduced to the brand new musical ‘Titanique’ which premiered in December in London and runs until June 2025.
West End star Layton Williams, who took ballet lessons at Centre Pointe in Denton, plays the Iceberg in the show. The musical explains how the production is all about the Titanic but through the eyes of Celine Dion.
This unique and quirky show sounds fun and intriguing, and not to mention how insanely talented the cast was when performing.
Also freshly seen was the Disney musical ‘Hercules’ which previews in London from June 2025.
The energy in the performance was outstanding, and I can’t wait to see the show in the summer.
From the iconic show ‘Cabaret’, Marisha Wallace performed ‘Maybe This Time’ and what a fantastic show she put on.
Her vocals were astonishing, just like the emotional impact Dear Evan Hansen had in their performance of ‘You Will Be Found”.’
We also saw iconic performances from the cast of ‘Mean Girls’, ‘Mary Poppins,’ ‘Chicago’ and many more amazing shows.
The whole night was full of beautiful voices and vibrant chorography. The lighting, costumes and set all played a significant part of the show as well and corresponded to the dazzling showbiz atmosphere.
The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals 2025 is due to be streamed on the BBC this spring.