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Billy scores 11 nominations
Monday, June 30, 7:01pm AEST.
 The critically acclaimed world
premiere production of The Hatpin has been snubbed at this year’s Helpmann
Awards, failing to receive a single nomination as Billy Elliot soared, scoring a
total of 11 nominations, including Best Musical.
In the Best Musical category, Billy Elliot finds itself up against
Kookaburra’s production of Company, the new Melbourne revival of Guys
And Dolls and the smash hit production of The Phantom Of The Opera, which is
currently playing in Sydney.
The Hatpin, which opened at the Seymour Centre in February, seemed to achieve so
much – it was a “landmark production” according to the Sydney Morning
Herald, and was a huge step forward for the home-grown original musical. But today,
it failed to score a single nomination – not even in the Best New Australian Work
category.
Genevieve Lemon (Billy Elliot), Ana Marina (The Phantom Of The Opera),
Sharon Millerchip (Sweet Charity) and Marina Prior (Guys And Dolls) have
been nominated for Best Female Actor in a Musical, while Anthony Warlow (The Phantom
Of The Opera), iOTA (The Rocky Horror Show), Mitchell Butel (Little Me)
and all four original Billys from Billy Elliot have been nominated for Best Male
Actor in a Musical.
Company B, which is very quickly becoming Sydney’s leading theatre company, scored
two nominations in Best Play – for its productions of Toy Symphony and Who’s
Afraid Of Virginia Wollf? A production of Black Watch at the Sydney Festival
and Perth International Arts Festival and Brink Productions’ When The Rain Stops
Falling are also up for Best Play.
Company B received an extraordinary three nominations in Best Male Actor in a Play –
Marton Csokas for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Richard Roxburgh for Toy
Symphony and Geoffrey Rush for Exit The King. The trio are joined by Martin
Niedermair, who is nominated for his work in The Tell-Tale Heart with the
Malthouse Theatre.
Leah Purcell (The Story Of Miracles At Cookie’s Table), Genevieve Picot (Rock
And Roll), Catherine McClements (Who’s Afraid Of Virgina Woolf?) and
Kate Dickie (Aalst) are nominated for Best Female Actor in a Play.
The Helpmann Awards will be held on Monday, July 28 at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney and
will be hosted by Jonathan Biggins and Julia Zemiro.
The ceremony will include performances by the casts of The Phantom Of The Opera, Billy
Elliot, The Rocky Horror Show, Guys And Dolls and My Fair Lady.
Click here to see the nominations
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McKenney
to join priscilla cast
Monday, June 30, 12:01am AEST.
 Todd McKenney will join the cast of the hit musical Priscilla when
it returns to Sydney's Lyric Theatre later this year, replacing Jeremy Stanford as Tick.
McKenney, who became a household name thanks to his portrayal of Peter Allen in The
Boy From Oz, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks and is
currently fighting drugs charges after an incident in Sydney in April.
McKenney will co-star alongside Tony Sheldon (Bernadette) and Daniel Scott (Felicia) as
the unlikely trio who take a bus trip across the outback to perform a gig in Alice
Springs. McKenney’s character Tick (played by Hugo Weaving in the original film)
holds the volatile group together and goes on his own journey of discovery to reunite with
his young son.
“I love this show and the role of Tick is one that resonates deeply with me
for all sorts of reasons," McKenney said.
"It will be a pleasure to get back to the theatre and work alongside the
fabulous chorus and the legendary Tony Sheldon and Bill Hunter.”
Commenting from Auckland where Priscilla is heading for a sell-out season, Tony
Sheldon said cheekily: “When I was a tiny child my mother would carry me in her arms
to see Todd perform onstage. It will be a joy to work alongside such an old friend on the
big pink bus."
Todd McKenney has a dance and music theatre pedigree that few in Australia can
match. He first made his mark in the world of ballroom dancing, where he represented
Australia and won numerous international titles. His dancing talents then came to the
wider public’s attention in Baz Luhrmann’s box office hit of 1992, Strictly
Ballroom, in which he played the dazzling ballroom dancing star, Nathan Starkey. He
went on to impress theatre audiences and critics alike as he made a swift rise to the top
of the music theatre world, beginning in the chorus line of Song And Dance,
progressing to small roles in shows such as Cats and La Cage Aux Folles,
then to secondary leads in 42nd Street and West Side Story before
breaking through to his first lead role in Crazy For You.
However, it was his performance as Peter Allen in the Australian hit The Boy
From Oz that cemented his reputation as a bona fide star of the theatre. He scooped
all the theatre industry awards for the role, which he performed for 766 shows. He went on
to consolidate his reputation as an exceptionally skilled dancer by playing the lead role
in Singin’ In The Rain. Since then Todd has performed in his own one man
shows, been a judge on the top rating television show Dancing With The Stars and
performed with Nancy Hayes in a highly successful national tour of Six Dance Lessons
In Six Weeks. He currently co-hosts the breakfast show on Sydney’s Mix 106.5
with Sonia Kruger.
Priscilla opens at the Lyric Theatre on October 7. Bookings: 1300 880 096.
Photo: Todd McKenney and Nancye Hayes in Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks.
---
Erin
Cornell wins Rising Star
Sunday, June 29, 11:07pm AEST.
 Melbourne's Erin Cornell has won the 2008
AussieTheatre.com Rising Star competition, taking home a raft of prizes including
a performance at Light The Night and a fully produced cabaret show, to be staged in Sydney
later this year.
She won the competition after being named as a finalist earlier this month
alongside Alana Tranter, Lauren Paul, Chris Scalzo and Celeste Notley-Smith.
Erin was chosen as the winner by a host of industry professionals including Jersey
Boys producer Rodney Rigby, theatrical agent Les Solomon, performer Margi De
Ferranti, Kookaburra's Peter Ross, performer and writer James Millar and a host of AussieTheatre.com
representatives.
22-year-old Erin will soon appear on Channel Nine as part of her prize package,
while she also wins a headshots package, publicity package, agency consultation, a place
in the Scene Into Song workshop and much more, including backstage access to Kookaburra's
forthcoming production of Tell Me On A Sunday. Her new cabaret show, produced by
the Aussie Theatre Network, will premiere later this year.
"We were very impressed with not only the finalists, but the majority of the
entries overall this year," said AussieTheatre.com Managing Editor, Troy
Dodds.
"Erin is an extraordinary performer and everyone should keep an eye out for
her in the future. Her vocal strength and her acting ability shone through in her video
entry."
Erin has already undergone impressive training in Melbourne, and she's scored a
role in Damn Yankees with The Production Company later this year.
"This competition wasn't necessarily about unearthing a completely unknown
talent. It was quite possible, as proven with Erin, that we would give someone already on
their way a further push, and we're thrilled to do it," Dodds said.
"All of the judges were very impressed with Erin, as proven by this result,
and we're looking forward to hearing more from her in the months and years to come."
Erin Cornell said: "This is my chosen career. This is my chosen life. I have
dreamed of being a music theatre star since I saw Pirates Of Penzance with my mum
and nan when I was seven but dreamt of being an entertainer since being in mother
dearest's womb!"
Erin is the second winner of the Rising Star competition after Emily Cascarino won
the inaugural competition last year. Emily wowed audiences at Light The Night and
went on to appear in Dead Man Walking at the State Theatre.
---
Illegal
Wicked recording online
Sunday, June 29, 1:49pm AEST.
A controversial recording featuring a performance by Amanda Harrison and Lucy
Durack during Friday night's first preview of Wicked has found its way onto the
internet.
The good quality audio featuring Harrison's show-stopping number as Elphaba,
'Defying Gravity', was posted on video sharing website YouTube within 24 hours of Friday's
preview performance.
The file is most likely illegal as recording of the show from the audience is
strictly prohibited.
In addition to the 'Defying Gravity' clip, there is also audio of Penny McNamee as
Nessa, posted by the same user from the same preview performance on Friday.
It is a sign of modern technology, and illegal copies of the Broadway version of Wicked,
filmed from the audience, have been floating around for some time.
The audio clips have created a flurry of user comments on the website, potentially
hurting the entire point of previews.
- Troy Dodds
---
Rocky
Horror Show to close August 17
Sunday, June 29, 12:22pm AEST.
 The new production of The Rocky Horror Show
will end its season at Sydney's Star Theatre on August 17, meaning there will be a four
week break between the conclusion of the premiere season and the run in Melbourne, which
commences in mid-September.
The closing date means that The Rocky Horror Show would have played for 27
weeks at the Star Theatre when the curtain comes down.
The production has received a largely positive response from audiences and critics
alike, though it has had some major stumbling blocks - including a major rift between
director Gale Edwards and the overseas creative team in the lead-up to opening night.
The show stars iOTA, Paul Capsis, Tamsin Carroll, Michael Cormick, Sharon
Millerchip (pictured), Kellie Rode, Andrew Bevis, Simon Farrow and Gretel Killeen
(replacing original cast member, John Waters).
In his review of The Rocky Horror Show for AussieTheatre.com,
Troy Dodds said, in part: "The biggest problem this production has is the way it
speeds through the first act, almost like somebody has hit a fast forward button and can't
get it unstuck. Thankfully, this problem is rectified in the second stanza, which is much
sharper with stronger performances and a more relaxed feeling. It is impossible to
re-invent the wheel when it comes to The Rocky Horror Show and there is little
doubt that over the years it has lost its shock value and its grungy feel, but it remains
an entertaining and enjoyable night at the theatre and with an unbelievably talented cast
and some solid creative elements (Dale Ferguson's set is noteworthy and Julie Lynch does a
fantastic job on costumes), Edwards' production does not disappoint."
Around 100,000 people have seen The Rocky Horror Show since it opened in
February and ticket sales have been reasonably impressive.
The Rocky Horror Show will open at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre on September
14 and while tour details have not been announced, it is expected that it will visit a
host of other cities, including Brisbane.
Related Coverage: Paul Capsis is still rocking
---
Guys
& Dolls to announce closing?
Friday, June 27, 4:26pm AEST.
The star-studded Melbourne production of Guys And Dolls could close as
soon as August 10, with newspaper advertisements across the weekend expected to carry the
“final weeks” tag.
AussieTheatre.com understands that the cast of the tuner haven’t been given a
formal closing notice, but have been informed that August 10 is likely to be posted as the
closing date for the Melbourne season.
In addition, the cast haven’t yet been told if the show will tour but it is extremely
likely that it will come to Sydney at some point in the future.
If it does close on August 10, it will mean the show has run for five months – a
sensational effort given its classic tag in modern commercial times.
In other news, rumours persist that Spamalot – which prematurely ended its
Melbourne season earlier this year – could be resurrected for a national tour later
this year.
---
June
2008 becomes biggest month ever for website
Friday, June 27, 8:32am AEST.
June 2008 has become the most successful
month in AussieTheatre.com's history, with the number page views and visitors for
this month surpassing any other in the website's six years online.
Page views for June 2008 now make up 5.71 per cent of all page views in the
website's history, ahead of February this year which registers 5.46 per cent of page views
in the site's history.
Wednesday, June 25 registered the most page views in a single day in the website's
history. In fact, the daily page views record was broken twice during June, and there's
still a few days to go in the month.
"It is a tremendous result for us here at the website, for our advertisers,
our supporters and our contributors," said AussieTheatre.com Managing
Editor, Troy Dodds.
"We're gearing up for what we expect to be an even bigger month in July given Wicked
opens in Melbourne, with our coverage to be comprehensive from the first of the
month."
AussieTheatre.com continues to rate ahead of its competitors, according to
the most recent Alexa ratings.
---
The
Thing About Men to make Australian premiere
Wednesday, June 25, 9:09pm AEST.
The Melbourne-based Magnormos Theatre
Company proudly boasts that it fills a void when it comes to musical theatre in Australia,
a motto proven by its upcoming production of the off-Broadway hit The Thing About Men.
Magnormos' production of the show, which stars Chris Parker, Laura Fitzpatrick,
Liam Pedersen, Nicolette Minster and Lyall Brooks, marks its Australian premiere, five
years after it opened in America.
"The process has been full of laughs, I can only hope that when we get an
audience, they will be laughing as much as we have been," Parker said of the
rehearsal process.
"It is a pretty unique show, in that it is a real laugh out loud comedy, and
yet there are some really beautiful dramatic moments that happen within that
structure."
Staged as a modern day farce, The Thing About Men is a humorous
exploration of the universal quandary ‘What do men really want?’
Tom, a high-flying professional, has been married for 15 years to Lucy. Tom has been
serially unfaithful to Lucy but is shocked when he inadvertently discovers her one-time
affair with Sebastian, a beautiful bohemian artist. Tom frantically plots to get Lucy back
– he leaves home, changes his name, adopts a disguise and rents a spare room from
Sebastian just to keep an eye on their passionate affair.
This plot makes way for plenty of frantic comedy as Tom struggles to find his way back to
a once happy marriage.
"I think my favourite moment at this point, is in the second act, when the
writers - Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts - have given the character Tom a beautiful ballad
to sing, at the bar, and it never gets soppy or overly reflective, but the show pulls up
from the pace for a moment, and then it's off again," Parker said.
"Riding the pace of the show is a little like surfing - you really have to
enter on the wave, and navigate from there, because otherwise it'll leave you
behind."
This is Magnormos Prompt! Musicals’ first presentation for 2008 and is the
follow-up to its successful 2007 productions of Love Equals, Flora The Red Menace and
Mary Bryant.
Magnormos is recognised nationally and internationally for its contribution to the
independent musical theatre industry. It operates under the artistic direction of
Melbourne producer, director and writer Aaron Joyner.
The Thing About Men plays at Theatreworks in St Kilda from July 3 and is
scheduled to run until July 12. Bookings: (03) 9252 0232.
- Troy Dodds
---
Wicked
readies for previews
Wednesday, June 25, 7:15pm AEST.
The five-year wait is almost over: the
smash hit Broadway musical Wicked commences preview performances at the Regent
Theatre in Melbourne on Friday night ahead of its gala opening on July 12.
Since premiering in America in 2003, Wicked has been an unstoppable
success story, winning a swag of major awards and breaking box office records around the
world.
The Australian production, which stars Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack, is expected
to run for at least a year in Melbourne before transferring to Sydney at some point late
in 2009.
Bookings for the Melbourne season have already surpassed $9 million, an impressive
effort for a show that hasn't even opened yet and has no track record in Australia.
Final preparations are underway for Friday's first performance.
On July 1, AussieTheatre.com will kick off Wicked Month! Prepare for
special features and complete coverage from our team in Melbourne and Sydney, as the
countdown to opening night continues.
---
McKenney
caught with his pants down
Wednesday, June 25, 7:08pm AEST.
Musical theatre star Todd McKenney claims
he danced so much at a party the night before he was caught in possession of drugs that he
took his pants off due to the heat.
He claims that is how the drug GHD managed to end up in his pants, and is
maintaining his innocence as the court process over the incident continues.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the "pants down defence"
is contained in a statement by McKenney to Kings Cross Police and is expected to be used
in his pending court hearing in which he has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possessing
the potentially lethal date-rape drug.
On April 25 this year, McKenney was found nearly dead in a park and had to be
revived by ambulance officers.
According to the Herald, in his record of interview McKenney told police
he had been to a party at an apartment in Macleay Street, Potts Point, on Anzac Day eve
and had danced so much that he began to overheat and had taken his pants off to continue
dancing.
McKenney, who has pleaded not guilty to the charge and has been on police bail, allegedly
told arresting officers that it was while his pants were down that someone at the party
must have put the drug into his pocket.
---
Saskia
looking forward to break
Tuesday, June 24, 9:12pm AEST.
 The hard-working Saskia Smith says she’ll take a break after
the seven-month tour of As You Like It with the Bell Shakespeare Company wraps up
next month.
Speaking from Rockhampton this afternoon, Smith said the show has been an incredible
experience, but is looking forward to it all winding down.
“It’s been amazing. It’s exhausting but it’s good to do a show for
this long as you can feel how it grows and changes with time and with each different
audience,” she said.
“We’re moving around every three days on average so it’s very tiring –
it feels like I’m with the circus sometimes.”
Smith said she would be focusing on smaller shows for her future.
“The more shows I have done the more I realise how much I love the smaller
productions that don’t involve singing and dancing,” she said.
“The smaller the production, the better and the roles tend to be more
interesting.”
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the As You Like It company –
recently, they witnessed a horrific car crash while on the road, which has resulted in
some of the team requiring counselling.
- Troy Dodds
---
Confirmed:
High School Musical to open 20/12
Tuesday, June 24, 3:58pm AEST.
 It has been confirmed that a major stage production of
the Disney phenomenon High School Musical will be staged in Australia from late
this year, with the show to open at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney on December 20.
And in a major win for other states, producers have confirmed the show will tour to an
incredible seven cities – Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Newcastle, Brisbane and
Melbourne.
High School Musical, which is based on the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Movie,
has captivated a legion of young fans since it premiered in Chicago in August 2007.
Featuring all the characters and chart-topping songs from the movie, the stage version
expands on the original work and includes two new numbers and a huge mega-mix finale.
“Disney’s High School Musical – Live on Stage! has been taking the
world by storm so we’re thrilled to be mounting it in Australia,” said
co-producer Kevin Jacobsen of Jacobsen Presents.
“With an Australian cast playing the characters young people have grown to love,
we’re confident that this live, high-energy stage version will be embraced by
Australian audiences as their own,” added co-producer Tim McFarlane of The Really
Useful Company Asia Pacific.
The all-Australian production will have a large touring company, including a 32-strong
cast of the country’s hottest young singers and dancers and a pumping live band. The
announcement of the cast will be made in August with rehearsals to commence in Sydney in
October.
High School Musical follows the story of basketball captain Troy and the brainy but
shy Gabriella who discover they have a secret passion for singing. When they decide to
audition for the student musical it sends shockwaves through the High School’s rigid
social cliques. Troy’s basketball team, Gabriella’s fellow science clubbers,
even the drama regulars, do all they can to keep the pair apart and off-stage. When Troy
and Gabriella defy their friends and family they inadvertently inspire the other students
to go public with their own secret talents and dreams.
Tickets to the Sydney season of the show go on sale this Friday, with details and
dates yet to be announced for other states.
Given its international success, the musical is expected to be another big hit for
Kevin Jacobsen, whose last major show was Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage.
- Erin James
Photo: Arielle Jacobs as Gabriella and John Jeffrey Martin as Troy
Bolton in the USA National Tour singing 'Breaking Free'. Photograph of the US National
Tour by Michael Cooper.
---
Crocker
to star in Reefer Madness
Monday, June 23, 9:05pm AEST.
 Australian icon Barry Crocker, most recently seen in
the hit musical The Hatpin, will star in a new production of Reefer Madness
at the Cleveland Street Theatre in Sydney next month.
Inspired by the original 1936 shock-horror ‘educational’ film of the same
name, this very, very naughty musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria
caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana. Be shocked and chastened as you watch
them on their hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. Oh
yes… and singing all the way!
Meet Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane, a lovable pair of wholesome teens who hold hands, sip hot
cocoa and think pure thoughts while studying Romeo And Juliet at school. Then
discover the seamier side of life at the Reefer Den, populated by drug-addled denizens of
the night. What follows will make you think twice before leaving the safety of your home!
Joining Crocker in the Australian premiere production is Jessica Burns, Emily Cascarino,
Andrew Cook, Brad Facey, Lucas Hall, Katie Headrick, Jay James-Moody, Sophia Katos,
Richard Lovegrove, Belinda Morris and Celeste O’Hara.
Reefer Madness opens at the Cleveland Street Theatre on July 24. Bookings:
136 100.
---
Stuart
Maunder quits
Monday, June 23, 8:22am AEST.
 My Fair Lady director Stuart Maunder has announced he is
quitting Opera Australia after nearly a decade with the popular and successful arts
organisation.
Maunder, who recently directed the musical revival of Shout! and will
direct Little Women for Kookaburra later this year, announced his resignation at My
Fair Lady's Sydney opening night over the weekend.
"The bottom line is that I've been with the company since God was a child - I
joined as a stage manager," he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"I will continue to be part of the company. I've got quite a lot of
productions that are in the repertoire and I wouldn't want it any other way."
50-year-old Maunder holds the title of Executive Producer at the company. He first
worked for them back in the early 1980's before returning to take up a management role 10
years ago.
---
Light
In The Piazza to sweep into Lyric
Sunday, June 22, 7:49am AEST.
 The celebrated musical The Light In The Piazza will be
presented in concert version at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney later this year.
AussieTheatre.com can reveal that cast members of The
Phantom Of The Opera will present the one-off staging of the Craig Lucas and
Adam Guettel tuner.
Based on Elizabeth Spencer’s novella set in Florence and Rome in the summer of
1953, The Light In The Piazza tells the story of a young American tourist, Clara
Johnson, who meets and falls in love with a young Italian Fabrizio Naccarelli. When her
mother Margaret learns of the affair she does everything in her power to stop it for
reasons which the audience eventually come to understand.
The Light In The Piazza opened on Broadway in April 2006. Described as a fusion
between contemporary Broadway musical and a chamber opera, the production went on to win
six Tony Awards including Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations.
The musical was recorded for broadcast on American TV network PBS as part of their Live
From Lincoln Center series and has gone on to become a much-loved classic amongst music
theatre lovers around the world.
Adam Guettel is the grandson of Richard Rodgers, one of the most important figures of the
Broadway musical and The Great American Songbook. Influenced by the works of Rodgers and
Hammerstein and Guettel’s mentor, Stephen Sondheim, The Light In The Piazza
has been referred to as a glorious conversation between the generations of Broadway’s
royalty.
“I saw The Light In The Piazza in New York during its Broadway run. I was so
moved by the show that I wanted to see it performed in Australia, if only in my living
room with a bunch of friends around a piano," said producer and director, John O'May.
"I could see only Jackie Rees in the role of Margaret and am delighted to be able to
present this concert performance with Jackie in that very role. This wonderful musical has
one of the finest musical scores written for a show in recent times and to be able to
perform The Light In The Piazza on the stage of The Lyric Theatre with a full
orchestra is way beyond my expectations."
Joining Jackie Rees in the principal cast is Kathleen Moore as Clara, DJ Foster as
Roy, John O'May as Signor Naccarelli, Natasha Hunter as Signora Naccarelli, James Pratt as
Fabrizio Naccarelli, Ben Kazlauskas as Giuseppe Naccarelli, Anna-Lee Robertson as Franca
Naccarelli, Derek Taylor as the Priest and Sophie Viskich as the Tour Guide. Sarah Bakker,
Deborah Caddy, David English and Todd Goddard will also appear in the event.
The Light In The Piazza plays at the
Lyric Theatre on August 17.
---
Pratt
to the rescue
Saturday, June 21, 11:49am AEST.
One of Australia's richest men is about to
save a theatrical landmark from extinction, with Richard Pratt set to throw a financial
lifeline to Melbourne's iconic La Mama Theatre.
The Australian reports that Pratt Foundation chairman Sam Lipski has had
discussions in the past two weeks with La Mama's representatives about the company's
future.
"The Pratt Foundation is considering a substantial donation to support La Mama
in their efforts to purchase their own premises," Lipski told the newspaper.
A $170,000 deposit required to secure the purchase of the site the theatre is housed on
was paid last month but the next step is raising another $1.53 million over the next few
months to ensure La Mama's long-term future.
If the money is not raised, the site is set to be sold and the theatre is unlikely
to be retained.
The Victorian Government has confirmed that it will donate $150,000 towards the
purchase of the site. Unfortunately, the Federal Government hasn't come to the party,
confirming there are no plans underway to assist in saving the landmark.
Read our May news archive for the background to this
story
---
Lovebites
opens in Sydney
Friday, June 20, 10:46pm AEST.
 The new work by impressive writing duo James Millar
and Peter Rutherford, LoveBites, has opened at the Seymour Centre in Sydney this
evening in front of a packed audience.
Starring Octavia Barron-Martin, Sarah Croser, Tyler Burness and Millar himself, the
song cycle is a look at love from a unique angle - and features all new Australian songs.
In his review of LoveBites for AussieTheatre.com, Troy Dodds
said, in part: "Audiences are obviously familiar with Millar and
Barron-Martin given their impressive theatrical CVs, and both give stellar performances
throughout (Millar's comic timing remains under-rated and under-utilised in this country),
but is the performances of newcomers Sarah Croser and Tyler Burness that shine most.
Burness, with his boyish good looks and charming voice, is a revelation. He bursts into
the show in the first scene with plenty of energy, and builds up to wonderful vocal
performances in 'Book Group' and 'Setting The Date', keeping up an addictive style that
will ensure he has a huge future ahead of him. He's got romantic lead written all over
him, let's just hope the right vehicle arrives. Croser, a graduate of the Western
Australian Academy Of Performing Arts, is best in her scenes that cross her haunting and
beautiful vocals with her acting skills - particularly 'The Captain Has Turned Off The
Fasten Seatbelt Sign' and 'A Plastic Bag'. There's an opportunity for her to have a
show-stopping solo early in the second act with 'Quiet And Simple', but unfortunately
she's robbed of this by some distracting direction of the rest of the cast, who fumble
around behind her unnecessarily."
The show is being produced in Sydney by White Box, who also had
a major involvement in Millar and Rutherford's debut musical, The Hatpin, which
played at the Seymour Centre earlier this year and heads to the New York Music Theatre
Festival later this year.
LoveBites closes on July 12. Bookings: (02) 9351 7940.
---
Boeing
Boeing is gone gone
Thursday, June 19, 11:05am AEST.
 It
may have won two Tony Awards this week but theatre's greatest honour was not enough to
save Boeing Boeing, which this morning had its planned Sydney season cancelled.
Producers issued a statement just after 10am this morning confirming that the
show's Australian run would conclude in Melbourne on Sunday, July 6. People who have
purchased tickets for the Sydney season can get full refunds at the point of purchase.
Boeing Boeing originally opened in the mid-1960s and was one of the most
successful comedies of its time, running for an impressive seven years in London’s
West End, 19 years in Paris, and was a hit when it toured Australia.
This stylishly new retro production, which opened in London last February and on
Broadway in May, is directed by English director and dramatist Matthew Warchus (well-known
for directing the international hit Art). The Melbourne season opened on June 12
and the show was scheduled to land in Sydney in mid-July.
The show is produced in Australia by NewTheatricals and Dainty Consolidated
Entertainment, who are also working together on the current Australian production of The
Rocky Horror Show.
The play features a solid cast - including Helen Dallimore, fresh from her tenure
as Glinda in the smash hit musical Wicked in London.
The collapse of Boeing Boeing is theatre's first major casualty of 2008.
- Troy Dodds
---
Cyd
Charisse dead at 87
Wednesday, June 18, 11:23am AEST.
 One of the great Hollywood dancers, Cyd Charisse, has died at the
age of 87.
The actress, who famously danced with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, starred in
countless movie musicals in the 1940's and 1950's, including the 1952 classic Singin'
In The Rain.
"Her beauty was breathtaking," said her Singin' In The Rain
co-star Debbie Reynolds.
"The world will miss her dancing."
The Associated Press reports: "Charisse arrived at MGM as the studio
was establishing itself as the king of musicals. Three producers — Arthur Freed, Joe
Pasternak and Jack Cummings — headed units that drew from the greatest collection of
musical talent. Dancers, singers, directors, choreographers, composers, conductors and a
symphony-size orchestra were under contract and available. The contract list also included
the screen's two greatest male dancers: Astaire and Kelly. Astaire, who danced with her in
The Band Wagon and Silk Stockings, said of Charisse in a 1983 interview:
'She wasn't a tap dancer, she's just beautiful, trained, very strong in whatever we did.
When we were dancing, we didn't know what time it was.'"
The cause of Charisse's death was reportedly a heart attack.
---
Be
swept away
Wednesday, June 18, 10:00am AEST.
In March 2006, tropical Cyclone Larry
crossed the Queensland coast and devastated the community of Innisfail. In Sydney,
playwright Adam Grossetti, born in Innisfail, phoned close friend Jean-Marc Russ to
suggest they travel to the stricken town with the idea of writing a play about the
tragedy.
The result is the Queensland Theatre Company's forthcoming production of The
August Moon, which captures the destruction and personal debris of the Cyclone.
"This really is a story of the human spirit against adversity - the fragility
of life and how a community emerged from a moment of crisis," said Russ, who is also
directing the production.
The mixed-media presentation transforms Queensland Theatre Company's Bille Brown
Studio and places the audience within a spectacular audio-visual environment. Over five
days the two playwrights gathered photos, video, sound recordings, emails and answering
messages. Using the material they collected and a 72 minute recording and transcript of
interviews with locals, Adam and Jean-Marc have created a performance like no other.
The August Moon opens at the Bille Brown Studio in South Brisbane on July
14. Bookings: 136 246.
---
Lovebites
opens this week
Tuesday, June 17, 9:56pm AEST.
 James
Millar, Sarah Croser, Octavia Barron-Martin and Tyler Burness will take to the stage later
this week in Lovebites, a new song-cycle written by Millar and Peter Rutherford.
The show's opening night will be held at the Seymour Centre Downstairs Theatre on
Friday.
Millar said the latest work is in complete contrast to that of The Hatpin,
the last show he worked with Rutherford on.
"With The Hatpin, we hadn't written romantic songs, because let's
face it, it wasn't a particularly romantic story," he said.
"Lovebites is lighter and sillier. With much, much ruder words. We've
played with different musical styles as well as contemporary characters and
settings."
Lovebites is a series of short stories about falling in love, and what happens
after the confetti settles. Catching one half of each couple in the instant that love
strikes and then hearing from the other half about how it ended up, it is a
unique, hilarious and moving song cycle that gives only the beginning and end of each
relationship from the separate perspective of the two individuals who share it.
"When I talk to friends or family about their romantic conquests (or
disasters), I often only hear the high-note moments like 'When we got together...' or
'When we broke up...'. This show plays with that idea and connects the beginning of a love
affair with the end of it....and hopefully reveals, without showing anything more, what
went on inside those two book-ends," Millar said.
"All in all, it's a fun and naughty collection of new songs. I really do encourage
people to come and see it."
The new work from Millar and Rutherford marks a new chapter for a duo that is fast
becoming the most prolific new music theatre writers in the country. Still to come from
the partnership is an all new musical commissioned by national musical theatre company
Kookaburra. After the success of The Hatpin in Sydney, the show is now preparing
for a season in New York.
Bookings: (02) 9351 7940.
- Troy Dodds
---
Fundraising
concert a hit
Tuesday, June 17, 11:09am AEST.
 If any of the other charity benefits that hit Sydney each year
wanted to really learn how to do a benefit properly, organisers should have been well and
truly present last night at the Capitol Theatre for the spectacular A Musical Send
Off, a charity benefit to assist the Paralympic team go to Beijing later in the year.
Superlatives are usually not needed for nights such as these, as the poor acts tend to
often over shadow the strong performances, not to mention the lack of organisation and
backstage skill that continues to swamp similar events each year despite their undoubted
strengths.
With A Musical Send Off there was a top notch team of professionals who steered
the night with the sort of precision more associated with an Olympic ceremony and
considering Wayne Harrison was part of a team that also included the remarkable Drew
Anthony and Simone Parrott it is no wonder that the night went off without a hitch and
looked and sounded spectacular in every way with superb theatre lighting, magnificent
sound and a backstage team who kept the whole thing well and truly on the tracks.
Best of this concert, however, was the incredible Billy Elliot orchestra under
the direction of the luminous Michael Tyack and the performers themselves.
Finding a more seasoned bunch of professionals both young and old would be a hard
task. If there were quibbles they were minor; a misjudged re-working of Avenue Q,
and a chorus of Brent St dancers who didn't quite match the polish of everyone else around
them. Yet against this were a long list of positives; David Campbell's crazy comic hosting
(he manages to do a good job and send up every smarmy schmoozy host of every charity event
at the same time), the awe inspiring dream ballet from Billy Elliot in its
breathtaking entirety, and the cast of My Fair Lady, fully costumed in three
numbers including a beautifully choreographed 'Get Me To The Church On Time'.
The beautiful and vocally daunting Elenoa Rokabaro singing 'Home' from The Wiz
was stunning, and Campbell prefaced her performance with the words "she is the future
of musical theatre in this country".
Toni Lamond opened the night with 'Everything's Coming Up Roses', and while the
lyrics may have sometimes been a little out of sequence, there is no denying Toni's voice
is a national treasure as she is, a true legend still belting it out with the best of
them. Michael Cormack, Peter Cousens and Derek Metzger all did superb work of some of the
great music theatre anthems, while a lively group of ballet dancers from Phantom
was another highlight.
Yet if there was one prize for unreservedly stopping the show and stealing the night it
was David Campbell himself, not for his mischievous and wicked satirical asides or his fun
version of his standard swing hit 'Cant Take My Eyes Off You', but by suddenly and
unexpectedly getting deeply serious and singing 'Bring Him Home' from Les Miserables.
The fact that the roof stayed on the theatre after his soaring, brilliant version of this
much sung ballad was in itself a miracle. A rare moment in music theatre with Campbell
who, with all his rock, schlock and swing skills proved he can still do legit singing with
the very very best of them. It was the cherry on top of a very glistening and beautifully
directed and produced night of unqualified delights.
- Nick Ferranti
---
High
School Musical to play Capitol
Monday, June 16, 9:22pm AEST.
In a scheduling shock, the Capitol Theatre
has been named as the venue that will host the forthcoming Sydney season of High
School Musical, with the show to open in mid-December.
While it has been known for some time that High School Musical was coming
to Sydney, it was not expected to be at the Capitol Theatre. Billy Elliot had an
option on the theatre through until next year, but recently announced it will close before
year's end.
Casting details for the musical are yet to be announced, though auditions were held
some time ago. An official website for the show has been launched, while Showbiz has
started selling tickets, but few details have been announced about the production itself.
According to Showbiz, the performance schedule will be family-friendly, with only
three evening performances per week. There are five matinee performances each week,
including 1.00pm Tuesday and Wednesday performances.
High School Musical is set at East High School and focuses on Troy Bolton,
the school's basketball superstar turned singer, and his blossoming relationship with
Gabriella Montez. Almost a modern day Grease, the heart of the story is Troy's
difficult choice between pursuing his basketball career and following his new dream of
being in the school musical.
The Capitol Theatre has a good history of staging family musicals, with Billy
Elliot performing reasonably strongly and The Lion King a smash hit a few
years ago.
- Troy Dodds
---
Wonderful
actors, but none know the script
Monday, June 16, 9:04pm AEST.
 The fifth play in B Sharp’s 2008 season brings
some of Australia’s finest actors to the stage in an Australian premiere – only
thing is, only one of them has seen the script.
Two men meet in the most unlikely of places – a hypnotist who has lost the power of
suggestion and a grieving man who can only cope by using it. Together, they arrive at a
liberating redemption that neither could have anticipated.
Every night one of Australia’s leading actors will join John Leary (Vital Organs,
The Suitors, Cloudstreet) on stage. They have never seen the script, are entirely
unrehearsed and know nothing about their part. The guest actor will remain a secret until
the lights go down each night.
Tim Crouch’s award-winning play is a vivid, risky and hilarious experience.
Boundaries protecting the world we know are prodded, tested and bent, while our
expectations of theatre are delightfully disturbed. A two-character study of
transformation and loss, An Oak Tree unites two styles of acting: one
conventional, one utterly unrehearsed; and the unlikely fusion of these two performances
forms the play’s meta-theatrical backbone.
Presenting the work for the first time in Australia is acclaimed production company Ride
On, who previously brought Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre audiences The Merchant of
Venice, Bone and Love Play.
“The play is perfectly constructed in that the ideas it poses to its audience are
inextricably linked to its unusual structure," said director Tanya Goldberg.
"Everything about this production is special and geared towards its coherent
and surprising whole. No one element can be removed – the play is perfectly
balanced."
An Oak Tree broke box office records during its run at Soho Theatre, London, and was
awarded a prestigious OBIE following its New York run at Barrow Street Theater.
“The way the guest character is brought to life will be fascinatingly different with
every actor who performs with John. What two Hamlets or Helenas, Marthas or Stanleys have
ever been the same? And what two individuals react in the same way when confronted with
the same extreme situation? Each actor infuses the roles they play with their
individuality," Goldberg said.
"An Oak Tree could just be the kind of show that attracts audiences
who want to come more than once – that would be fantastic."
Guest actors include Wayne Blair, Patrick Brammall, Brendan Cowell, Joel Edgerton,
Eden Falk, John Gaden, Steve Le Marquand, Chas Licciardello (The Chaser), Robin
McLeavy, Belinda McClory, Amber McMahon, Bojana Novakovic, Leah Purcell, Jeremy Sims,
Jacki Weaver, Amy Kersey Lech Mackiewicz and Ursula Yovich
An Oak Tree opens at Belvoir Street Downstairs Theatre on July 17. Bookings: (02)
9699 3444.
---
Young
theatre stars honoured
Monday, June 16, 7:41am AEST.
 A futuristic drama
created by students from Katoomba High School in the Blue Mountains has won the People's
Choice award at the gala final of the Fast & Fresh short play festival.
Fast & Fresh 2008 presented a week of heat performances of original short plays
– each no longer than 10 mins – all created and presented by high-school age
students. From more than 40, the 10 best were presented at the gala final on Friday at the
Riverside Theatres.
In keeping with the Short & Sweet manifesto, participants of Fast & Fresh competed
for sponsored awards (complete with great prizes) such as Best Actor, Best Play, Best
Director, the People’s Choice and more.
While Katoomba High School (pictured performing their piece, Generation Y,
left) took out the audience choice award, the other prizes were scattered across various
schools with no one play dominating.
The Best Production was won by Oakhill College Castle Hill with their Macbeth
parody Short MacBetty by Timothy Lyu.
Best Director was won by the cast of St Joseph's College Gosford's group devised
satire about advertising Diseased Incorporated. Best Actress was Laura Shirley of
St Patrick's Sutherland in Anne Elliott's disturbing but darkly funny 3.14, while
Best Actor was Jack Monro of Oxley College, Bowral in his own hilarious whodunnit The
Cluedo Connundrum.
Other finalists included Manly Selective Campus, the Australian International
Performing Arts High School (AIPAH, Harris Park), Rutherford Technology High School, The
Hills Grammar School and Tara Anglican Girls' School of North Parramatta.
---
Lesson
of a lifetime
Monday, June 16, 12:00am AEST.
The first of two self-devised productions given this year by disadvantaged youth will take
place today (Monday) at Belvoir Street's Downstairs Theatre as part of Company B’s
Youth Express Program.
Designed to assist in the development of communication and coping skills amongst
disadvantaged, homeless and at-risk youths, Youth Express is in its third year and forms
an important part of Company B’s Education Program.
Today, audiences in the Downstairs Theatre will get to experience Blood On Our Hands,
created by Key College, a high school in Surry Hills for chronically homeless and drug
addicted young people run by Father Riley’s Youth Off The Streets.
Blood On Our Hands investigates prejudice and marginalisation towards homeless adults
amongst homeless youths, and the denial of self-worth in relation to homelessness amongst
both adults and young people.
According to Program Director, James Winter, the performance is about young people’s
reaction to homelessness in older generations – many of the students view youth and
adult homelessness as fundamentally disassociated.
"For this year’s performance we decided to start from a dramatic event and build
a theatrical piece on the story that evolved. In the past we had only devised from
collective personal experiences – to the detriment of a clear narrative and
opportunities for dynamic performances from individuals," he said.
“Created primarily through improvisation, the initial concept was developed into a
script over time while discovering the characters, relationships and messages that would
inhabit this dramatic landscape."
Winter has been running the Youth Express program for three years and acts as creator,
dramaturg, teacher and director. For Company B he runs drama workshops with students from
Key College, Marist College in Toongabbie and Rozelle Inner Skill Youth Space, a
Government project aimed at young people aged 13-19 who are not currently connected with
mainstream education.
Company B’s Acting Education Manager, Robyn McLean says, “As youth homelessness
continues to grow across Australia, the need to create programs that assist in getting
children and young people off the streets and assimilated back into society is even
greater.
“A report released recently by the National Youth Commission cried out for a
national commitment to eliminate youth homelessness over the next 25 years.
“In creating programs like Youth Express, Company B is reinforcing its commitment to
providing disadvantaged young people with access to a professional theatre company and
their artists to improve and expand their skills and confidence, and hopefully enjoy a
better way of life."
The Youth Express workshops are part of Company B’s Education Program and form the
first stage of a year long project for young people at risk, supported by Company B’s
Education Partner Freehills and the City of Sydney.
The workshops, which began in February, take place once a week and involve an introduction
to improvisation, movement, voice and play-building. They culminate in the performances
talking place today and on September 15.
---
Gretel
Killeen to join Rocky Horror
Sunday, June 15, 8:49pm AEST.
 Former
Big Brother host Gretel Killeen will join the cast of The Rocky Horror Show
at Sydney's Star Theatre for one month from June 25, replacing John Waters who has been
with the production since it opened earlier this year.
Killeen will play the narrator in the production, which stars iOTA, Paul Capsis,
Sharon Millerchip, Tamsin Carroll, Michael Cormick, Kellie Rode and Andrew Bevis.
A respected author, Killeen said she was looking forward to her tenure with the
musical.
"I love the production, I love the costumes, I love the cast... I couldn't say
no," she said.
Killeen has been working closely with director Gale Edwards as she prepares to
enter the guest tenure.
"Gretel is one of Australia's outstanding performing talents and I am
delighted that she has agreed to join other members of our fantastic cast," said
co-producer Paul Dainty.
---
Helpmanns
back to Lyric
Saturday, June 14, 3:09pm AEST.
The Helpmann Awards will move back to the Lyric Theatre at Star City this year after
relocating to the Capitol Theatre for the 2007 presentation.
The 2008 Helpmanns will be presented on Monday, July 28 at the Lyric, with pay
television provider Foxtel to broadcast the ceremony live.
The annual Helpmann Awards recognise distinguished artistic achievement and
excellence in the many disciplines of Australia's vibrant live performance sectors,
including musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, opera, classical music, dance and
physical theatre. The Helpmann Awards also incorporates the JC Williamson Award for
outstanding contribution to the Australian live performance industry.
The various nominating panels meet next week ahead of the nominations being
announced.
The Helpmanns have always traditionally been held at Star City - both at the Lyric
Theatre and now defunct Star City Showroom - but last year's presentation was held at the
Captiol Theatre as the concept moved away from its initial years, with it also being the
first Helpmanns not hosted by Simon Burke.
- Troy Dodds
---
Lindy
Hume named as Linehan's replacement
Friday, June 13, 8:25am AEST.
 The
Sydney Festival has a new Director with confirmation on Thursday that Lindy Hume would
take over the top job for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 events, replacing Fergus Linehan who
steps aside after his fourth tilt at Director next year.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma congratulated Hume on her appointment.
"Lindy is one of the most creative leaders in the country," Mr Iemma
said.
"I very much look forward to Sydney Festival continuing to grow under her
leadership and guidance. I welcome her back to the city of her birth to drive this
internationally significant arts festival."
Lindy Hume is one of Australia's leading directors and will be the first practising artist
at the helm of Sydney Festival. In 1992 she became the first Artistic Director of the West
Australian Opera. In 1996 she was appointed Artistic Director of the Victoria State Opera
and then subsequently OzOpera which she led until 2001. Hume's most recent role was
Artistic Director of Perth International Arts Festival (2004-07), where she took the
Festival to new heights in both scale and box office, presenting a diverse range of
artists and companies including Robert Lepage (Canada), NeedCompany (Belgium), Druid
Theatre (Ireland), Propeller (UK), Akram Khan (UK), Sarah Bernhard (USA), Pat Metheny
(USA), Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, the Prague Chamber Orchestra and The Gotan
Project (Argentina/France).
Hume's strong international programming for Perth International Arts Festival was
complemented by an equally exceptional list of Australian artists and companies. Her
commitment to new Australian work was underpinned by a bold commissioning program and her
years in Perth were also characterised by a particular focus on WA Indigenous cultures and
the creation of free community events.
Hume has directed more than 50 major productions throughout Australia, New Zealand, Europe
and America. Highlights of her career include the award-winning 2007 World Premiere of
Richard Mills' / Timberlake Wertenbaker's opera The Love Of The Nightingale,
following the success of Mills' Batavia for Opera Australia at the 2001 Melbourne
and 2004 Perth Festivals. Critically acclaimed European productions include La Boheme
for Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin (broadcast live through Europe), Tolomeo for
Musiektheatre Transparent (Belgium) and Britten's Albert Herring and Phaedra
for Aldeburgh Festival, UK. In 2004 Hume made her American debut, directing The Barber
Of Seville for Houston Grand Opera, where she will return for Rigoletto in 2009.
"The prospect of directing the 2010-2012 Sydney Festivals is thrilling,"
Hume said.
"Every January, Sydney Festival embeds itself more deeply into the cultural,
civic and social fabric of Sydney and gives creative expression to our beautiful city's
spirit and imagination. Celebrating the most dynamic contemporary artists and companies
from around Australia and the world, Sydney Festival is an important landmark in the
national arts landscape and a prestigious international cultural forum."
---
Priscilla's
Sydney comeback
Thursday, June 12, 3:44pm AEST.
Hit Australian musical Priscilla will return to Sydney's Lyric Theatre in
October, with producers confirming it will play a limited 12 week season.
The show played for nearly a year at the venue before moving to Melbourne, and then
on to New Zealand.
It is understood that the return season will fill a gap at the Lyric Theatre
created by the failure of Spamalot in Melbourne, which saw its tour curtailed.
"We’re very happy to return to where it all began and thrilled to be back
at the Lyric
Theatre for the next stop on the international roll out of Priscilla," said
producers Liz
Koops and Garry McQuinn of Back Row Productions.
"Here is the opportunity Sydney has been waiting for."
Confirmed to appear in Priscilla’s homecoming are Tony Sheldon in the
lead role of Bernadette and Bill Hunter, reprising his role from the original movie as Bob
the kindhearted mechanic.
Other casting is yet to be confirmed.
Priscilla has already been seen by a million Australians and grossed in excess of
$85 million at the box office. In addition to London and Toronto, further productions are
being considered for Scandinavia and Germany with interest also from South Africa, Brazil,
Italy, France and Japan.
"Priscilla features 20-full scale production numbers including the
disco classics 'I Will
Survive', 'Shake Your Groove Thing' and 'Finally', over 500 spectacular costumes, 200
gravity-defying headdresses, 23 tonnes of scenery and, as its dazzling centrepiece, a six
tonne 10 metre long custom made bus named "Priscilla".
The ongoing success of Priscilla and
its likely international productions has made it the most successful Australian musical of
all-time.
Priscilla's return to the Lyric Theatre in October helps fill a musical
gap that Sydney was set to face - with Billy Elliot and The Rocky Horror Show
vacating the Capitol Theatre and Star Theatre respectively around that period.
Priscilla opens on October 7. Tickets are now on sale.
---
Parke
releases CD
Wednesday, June 11, 7:12pm AEST.
 He is one
of the busiest young performers going around but somehow, Tyran Parke has managed to
record a fantastic debut album that has been released via his website.
Parke, who earlier this year starred in The Hatpin at the Seymour Centre and is
currently working internationally with Eurobeat, found the inspiration for the CD
while working on Sunday In The Park With George last year.
“In the second act George says a lot about the next thing he does needing to really
mean something and I was performing the show thinking the same thing, what is next for
me,” Parke said.
“I decided to make a CD and have spent the last year putting it together. It’s
got from songs from Sunday In The Park With George which I thought was important,
but it’s got a range of other songs as well.”
Apart from music theatre tracks, the album – Sunday In The Parke – also
features Parke’s own renditions of tracks from The Doors and Split Enz.
“We used an orchestra on the CD so it’s a real full proper studio recording and
I’m really proud of it,” Parke said.
Parke’s cd is available via his website at www.tyranparke.com.
- Troy Dodds
---
Altar
Boyz opens tonight
Wednesday, June 11, 12:00am AEST.
 The Seymour
Centre is hosting its second major musical of 2008 with Altar Boyz making its
Australian premiere at the Sydney venue this evening.
Earlier this year, the Seymour presented the hit world premiere season of The
Hatpin, which is now off to New York as part of the New York Music Theatre Festival.
Armed with catchy melodies, spectacular dancing and hailed as high octane entertainment,
Altar Boyz is the hilarious, holy inspiring musical comedy about five small town boys
in a struggling boy band, looking for their big break.
The tight harmonies and energetic choreography never let up with styles veering from disco
to Latin, hip-hop to gospel and rock to soaring ballads.
With music and lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker and Book by Kevin Del
Aguila, Altar Boyz is a multi award winning musical. The show was nominated for
and won the Critics Circle Award Best Musical in 2005. It was nominated for seven Drama
Desk Awards in the same year and honoured with two Drama League Awards. Altar Boyz is
now in its 4th record breaking year in New York.
The dynamic young cast includes Cameron MacDonald (Matthew), Dion Bilios (Mark), Tim
Maddren (Luke), Jeremy Brennan (Juan), and Andrew Koblar (Abraham).
Altar Boyz opens it Sydney season tonight and is scheduled to play until
August 2. It will then tour the country. Bookings: (02) 9351 7940.
Maz Dixon's review of Altar Boyz will be online this weekend here at
AussieTheatre.com.
---
New
Tunks play readies for opening
Tuesday, June 10, 9:49pm AEST.
 Wayne
Tunks (pictured) will premiere his third new play in just six months when The Rules Of
April kicks off at the Newtown Theatre on Thursday night, following on from Silvertop
Ash and The Girl From The West Of The City.
Directed by Fiona Hallenan-Barker, The Rules Of April stars Salvatore Coco
(Heartbreak High, Looking For Alibrandi), Bree Desborough (Justine from Home
& Away and Shelley from Always Greener), Errol Henderson (Alchemy’s
Romeo & Juliet), Adam McGurk, Simone Oliver (MDA), Gina Pollock (Away,
Impulse), Luke Rogers (Cosi, Double The Fist), Jane E Seymour (The
Bridesmaid Must Die!) and Tunks himself.
Press notes for the show read: "April and her two sisters have sworn off
relationships after years of watching their parents’ relationship fall apart. As
teens, the girls had written a list of dating rules, the most important being number 10:
“Never fall in love”. But all these years later, as their parents finally
divorce, the girls must decide whether they should keep to rule 10 or finally let go and
commit. Love and laughter aplenty at Newtown Theatre with a brilliant young cast in
Sydney’s most lively entertainment quarter!"
The Rules Of April bookings: www.mca-tix.com.
Joanna Erskine's review of The Rules Of April will be online here at
AussieTheatre.com this weekend.
---
Young
playwrights battle it out
Tuesday, June 10, 9:40pm AEST.
The fourth big year of the youth version of international hit Short & Sweet has
reached its dramatic climax with the gala awards final set for this Friday, June 13.
Fast & Fresh 2008 presented a week of heat performances of original short plays –
each no longer than 10 mins – all created and presented by high-school age students.
From more than 40, the 10 best have been chosen for the final at Riverside Theatre from
7.30pm on Friday.
In keeping with the Short & Sweet manifesto, participants of Fast & Fresh will
compete for sponsored awards (complete with great prizes) such as Best Actor, Best Play,
Best Director, the People’s Choice and more.
Finalists feature the plays and casts of the following schools: St Joseph’s College
Gosford, Manly Selective Campus, St Patrick’s College Sutherland, Australian
International Performing Arts High School (AIPAH), Rutherford Technology High School, The
Hills Grammar School, Oxley College Bowral, Oakhill College and Katoomba High.
The full details are:
St Josephs Catholic College, Gosford
Title: Diseased Incorporated
Written By: Annika Ridley, Catherine Quirk, Josephine Loftus, Nikki Jarmen & Breanne
Woulfe
Director: Cast, Producer: Cast
Cast: Annika Ridley, Catherine Quirk, Josephine Loftus, Nikki Jarmen & Breanne Woulfe
Manly Selective Campus
Title: Dreaming Written By: Mitch McBurnie
Director: Marisa Carolyn Producer: Kate Snailham
Cast: Alex Lilly (Ally), Andrea Karlin (Mother), Nicola Smart (Therapist), Grace Pollock
(Mandy), Romy Watson (Eloise), Kate Snailham (Woman), Chis McKay (Man), Andrea Karlin
(Cucumber Brownie), Sheyda Naghiloo (Broccoli Cupcake), Romy Watson (Celery Yogurt),
Stephen Pagett (Josh)
St Patrick’s College, Sutherland
Title: 3:14
Written, directed and produced by: Anne Elliott
Cast: Laura Shirley (Dr Lewis) & Lauren Sykes (Dr Moore)
Australian International Performing Arts High School (AIPAH)
Title: Oh My God! Written By: Ashley Goldsmith
Director: Cast , Producer: Erin Perez
Cast: TBC
Rutherford Technology High School
Title: Mr Cooper
Written By: Jacob Edwards, Madeleine Banister & Alysha McCann
Director: Andrew O’Callaghan & Laura Darcy; Producer: Andrew O’Callaghan
Cast: Jacob Edwards (Mr Cooper), Madeleine Banister (Madeleine) & Alysha McCann (Mum)
The Hills Grammar School
Title: Life In Fast Forward
Written and directed by: Katherine Leverett; Producer: Stephen Clark
Cast: Katherine Leverett (Old Sarah), Emma (Young Sarah), Gordon (Mark) & Lucy
(Jacqui)
Oxley College, Bowral
Title: Jack Monro And The Cluedo Connundrum
Written By: Matthew Perger & Jacob Hanley; Director: Matthew Perger
Producer: Anna Phillips
Cast: Chen Moore (Colonel Mustard), Jacob Hanley (Reverend Green), Jemma MacDonald (Miss
Scarlet), Meredity Hanratty (Mrs Peacock), Tim ALlman (Mrs White), Mark Ferguson
(Professor Plum), Jack Monro (Jack Monro) & David Hughes (Mr Black)
Tara Anglican School For Girls
Title: Leftovers
Written By: Jacinta Stuart-O’Toole, Elise Honeybrook, Suzannah Powter, Amanda
Sneddon, Tiarne Russell & Cara Novakovic
Director: Jacinta Stuart-O’Toole & Suzannah Powter
Producer: Suzannah Powter
Cast: Elise Honeybrook (Mould), Cara Novakovic (Turkey), Suzannah Powter (Mustard), Tiarne
Russell (Cheese), Amanda Sneddon (Egg), Jacinta Stuart-O’Toole (Broccoli)
Oakhill College
Title: Short MacBetty
Written and directede by Timothy Lyu
Producer: Katrina Gooding
Cast: Timothy Lyu (Narrator / Alfondes), Tim Matthews (Macbetty), Rory McVeigh (MacFudd),
Michael Pasterfield (Banguo), John Yu (King Duncan / Malcolm)
Katoomba High School
Title: Generation Y Written By: Year 11 Drama Class
Director: Aillie Banks; Producer: Clare Anstey Cast: Year 11 Drama Class
---
Riverside
stage hand killed
Monday, June 9, 10:08pm AEST.
The staff at the Riverside Theatres in Sydney's west have been left devastated by the
death of stage hand Eli Westlake over the weekend.
About 4.20am on Saturday, a 37-year-old woman who had been driving a vehicle at St
Leonards allegedly became involved in an altercation with two men, including Westlake, and
several other people at the intersection of Christie Street and the Pacific Highway.
Following the altercation, the woman got into a maroon Toyota Lexen sedan with a
29-year-old Marsfield man. Police allege she drove along Lithgow Street when she saw two
of the men from the altercation, walking along the footpath, before subsequent
altercations occurred.
The woman has continued to drive south before mounting the footpath and allegedly
colliding with the men, resulting in fatal injuries to Westlake.
Another man, who was walking with him, suffered minor injuries and was treated at Royal
North Shore Hospital.
North Shore Local Area Command and Homicide Squad detectives attended, with assistance
from the Forensic Services group and Crash Investigation Unit.
A 37-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and has been charged with murder.
---
Joint
winners for playwrighting prize
Monday, June 9, 10:08pm AEST.
On May 24, Angus Cerini and Timothy Daly were announced as joint winners of the 2007
Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Morning Herald Patrick White
Playwrights’ Award. Their winning plays, Wretch and The Man In The Attic
were chosen from nearly 150 entries and presented as a rehearsed reading.
The $20,000 award, shared by the winners, is Australia’s richest playwrighting award.
An initiative of STC and The Sydney Morning Herald, it was established in 2000 in
honour of Patrick White. Previous winners are: Patricia Cornelius (2006), Wesley Enoch
(2005), Stephen Carleton (2004), David Milroy and Ningali Lawford (2003), Reg Cribb, Ian
Wilding (2002), Brendan Cowell, Toby Schmitz, Jackie Smith (2001), and Ben Ellis, Bette
Guy, Ailsa Piper (2000).
Wretch’s reading received a very mixed response from the sold out audience;
some refused to applaud at the end, many were simply stunned, while the rest of us cheered
at the unveiling of such a unique and challenging voice.
On behalf of the judges Polly Rowe (Literary Manager, Sydney Theatre Company) said, “Wretch
grabbed hold of us, shook us up and left us devastated. Angus Cerini drags the audience
into the lives of characters who share a cruel yet tender relationship in which
resentment, blame and love co-exist. The playwright’s original style unearths the
poeticism in fragmented and brutal language.”
Cereni’s work is extreme and confronting in its content, its characters and its
original language. A mother visits her son in prison. Poverty, violence and prostitution
are simply part of their lives. Her cancer ridden ‘loogy booby’ means she has to
lose her ‘woman bits’, but she still offers to help her son prepare for his
likely anal rape. Meanwhile he is struggling with the guilt and consequences of his own
violence. These are far from comfortable, accessible characters, but there is an almost
exquisite beauty in their squalor. Cereni takes us to such extremes to create a remarkable
work about love. We may not like his characters, but we understand their choices and want
a miracle to save them.
Timothy Daly says, “The Man In The Attic is based on an amazing true story,
of a Jew who was hidden by a German couple during World War II, but when the war ended,
they decided not to tell the man. The story is a unique blend of intimate and epic,
personal and political. It’s a writer’s gift.”
Polly Rowe said that, “it impressed us all by demonstrating authorial skill,
dexterity and craftsmanship.” Daly’s work is an extremely well crafted play,
with a balanced combination of past tense narrative and present tense action. When the
family first find and hide the Jew, it proceeds like many stories we have heard before.
Then the twist is finally revealed and the real drama begins - when the family don’t
tell their ‘guest’ that the war is over and he is free.
The complex plot revolves around two unexpected pairings. The Jew and the wife, who talk
daily, but cannot see each other because he is sealed in the attic; and the husband and
their Nazi neighbour, who regularly see each other naked, but are unable to communicate.
The second pair’s story is more complex, but nowhere near as compelling as the first.
The Jew and the wife drive the story and our interest so much that I wondered why we
needed to know so much about the other couple.
Cereni’s beautiful depravity and Daly’s images of stars and hiding will both
lead to stage productions that hopefully won’t be too far away.
- Anne-Marie Peard
---
Rising
Star finalists announced
Sunday, June 8, 10:05pm AEST.
The five young performers in the running to be named the AussieTheatre.com Rising
Star for 2008 have been announced, with the judges now left with the task of picking a
winner from the talented group of singers.
The finalists are Celeste Notley-Smith (from New South Wales), Erin Cornell (from
Victoria), Chris Scalzo (from Victoria), Lauren Paul (from New South Wales) and Alana
Tranter (from New South Wales).
There's a huge age range within the finalists - with Lauren Paul being just
14-years-old and the oldest contestant being Erin Cornell, who is 22. The age cutoff for
this year's competition was 23.
"The initial judging panel spent several hours last Sunday going through all
the entries, and once we got down to about 10 it was extremely difficult to cut people as
the talent was so good this year," said AussieTheatre.com Managing Editor,
Troy Dodds.
"However, in the end we found our five finalists - five young performers who
all appear to have strong futures in the world of musical theatre, and all of whom would
be worthy of the prize package."
But there can be only one winner, and that is where the final judging panel comes
in.
The judging panel that will decide the winner from our five finalists is AussieTheatre.com
Managing Editor Troy Dodds, Kookaburra Artistic Producer Peter Ross, theatrical
producer Rodney Rigby, AussieTheatre.com London correspondent Skye Crawford,
vocal coach Margi De Ferranti, performer and writer James Millar, AussieTheatre.com Deputy
Editor and actor Erin James, Light The Night producer Shaun Rennie and respected
theatrical agent Les Solomon.
The winner receives a major prize package that includes the opportunity to perform
at Light The Night as well as a television appearance on the Nine Network. A place in the
Scene Into Song workshop, a publicity package, a headshots package and an incredible
opportunity to go behind the scenes of Kookaburra's Tell Me On A Sunday are also
part of the prize package, along with other fantastic prizes.
The judging panel receives DVD performance clips and information this week. The
winner will be announced on July 1.
Click here to read more about our finalists and
hear them sing
---
Wicked
special filmed
Sunday, June 8, 7:46pm AEST.
Foxtel this afternoon filmed a special event with the cast of the forthcoming Australian
production of Wicked at its North Ryde studios.
The three-and-a-half hour taping included performances by Amanda Harrison
(Elphaba), Lucy Durack (Glinda), Anthony Callea (Boq) and Rob Mills (Fiyero). Rob Guest
hosted the event, labelled An Audience With The Cast Of Wicked, while Maggie
Kirkpatrick also appeared.
The special, to be aired on July 5 on Foxtel's W Channel, was filmed in front of an
audience of about 150, made up of competition winners and celebrities, including Antonia
Kidman and Nikki Webster.
Apart from the performances (which included 'The Wizard And I', 'Popular', 'For
Good' and 'As Long As You're Mine') there was a series of interviews as well as questions
from the audience and comments from co-producer John Frost.
Durack wore a stunning pink dress, while Harrison was in her now trademark green.
Durack and Harrison spoke of how emotional the journey has been for them so far,
with both shedding tears during the rehearsal process. Durack told of an incident just
days ago in which the pair found themselves in a quiet area crying after rehearsing an
emotional scene. "But then we went shopping," Durack quipped.
- Troy Dodds
---
Cabaret
Festival underway
Saturday, June 7, 2:21pm AEST.
Australia’s leading lady, Rhonda Burchmore and American artist, Amanda McBroom were
among the many performances at last night's glittering opening of the 2008 Adelaide
Cabaret Festival.
Artists, media, sponsors and invited guests enjoyed pre-show drinks to celebrate the
opening of the festival and to toast the Festival Centre’s 35th Birthday. Cabaret
Festival Chair, Frank Ford was brimming with excitement as the festival had met box office
target an hour before official proceedings commenced. A fact Festival Centre Chief
Executive Douglas Gautier re-iterated in his welcoming speech.
"We have already exceeded our box-office target, which is an outstanding result and
the first time that has happened before the festival opens," Mr Gautier said.
South Australian Premier Mike Rann after doing his best Gough Whitlam impersonation,
announced the Cabaret Festival will receive an extra 40 per cent in funding for the next
four years on top of its existing $500,000 annual funding.
Ms Burchmore, resplendent in dress beaded with purple Swarovski crystals, dazzled a full
house in the Festival Theatre in a ninety minute spectacular with special guest Kane
Alexander backed by the Adelaide Art Orchestra.
While in the Banquet Room, cabaret performer and songwriter Amanda McBroom, accompanied by
Michelle Brourman delivered a brilliant evening of song after being presented with the
Cabaret Crème Award for her contribution to the artform.
Other performances last night included Catherine Lambert, Sarah Ward as Yana Alana in
‘Bite Me’, Moira Finucane in The Burlesque Hour and Queenie van de Zandt.
While the Cabaret Festival is shorter this year, extra performances have been scheduled
over the final weekend to satisfy demand including Lorna Luft, The Kransky Sisters and
jazz duo Paul Grabowsky and Megan Washington.
- Rohan Shearn
---
Bourne
to create hits
Saturday, June 7, 2:12pm AEST.
Snip, snip, tinkle, chime. The hero of Matthew Bourne's Edward Scissorhands doesn't
talk, nor does anyone else in this danced version of Tim Burton's movie of the same name.
Even with its evanescent soundtrack by Danny Elfman, the cult film Edward
Scissorhands is odd source material for dance. The movie also would seem an illogical
next choice for choreographer Matthew Bourne, who built his reputation on deconstructing
classical ballets. Yet Bourne’s past endeavours invariably centre on existentially
isolated central characters - the prince in Swan Lake, Clara in The
Nutcracker and the title character in Cinderella.
“Even when things turn out all right, my protagonists remain misfits who, at
some point, heartbreakingly connect with one other soul," Bourne said.
Edward Scissorhands' mixture of nursery story and incisive satire of the
1950’s clean cut American dream is mirrored in Danny Elfman’s lyrical and
haunting original film score and pastiche of 50’s dance music as well as Lez
Brotherton’s striking set and costume designs, giving the production a uniformity of
expression. Edward, a gentle young monster with large scissors for hands has been created
by an old inventor, who dies accidentally when his creepy mansion is invaded one Halloween
by teenagers from the nearby neighbourhood. Lost and confused, Edward wanders into the
residential area and is eventually taken in by the Boggs family. He gradually becomes
accepted by the wealthy middle class community, having a facility for creating wonderful
topiaries out of residents’ hedges and eventually becoming the neighbourhood
hairdresser and falling for their daughter Kim.
For Bourne the essence of his work to is find modern day parallels for the fairy
tale and dreamlike worlds that are created on stage.
“Edward as a character really connects with our community, he is a metaphor,
his dis-sexuality is symbolic of the menaces in society that do not tolerate love in all
its forms," he said.
Bourne relishes the notion that through camp theatricality he is bring a new
popular audience to the world of ballet and dance theatre, “audiences really see the
connection between the artifice and the extreme especially when depicted through
theatrical dance.”
So does Bourne see himself as a auteur creating a new genre in ballet?
“I see my role as not straightforward, more liberating the dance theatre
genre, allowing audiences to experience something new that is not really being created by
any other dance company in the world," he said.
Edward Scissorhands plays at the Sydney Opera House until June 14 then touring
nationally to Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne.
- Andrew Benson
---
Melbourne
scheduling nightmare
Friday, June 6, 7:46am AEST.
 Three
of the world's biggest musicals will all be running in Melbourne at the same time in what
is looming as a major scheduling nightmare for producers.
Wicked opens at the Regent Theatre in July and will be joined early next
year by both Billy Elliot and Jersey Boys, both entertainment spectacles
and both fighting for the dollars of ticket-buyers.
Producer John Frost hopes to run Wicked, which tells the back story to The
Wizard Of Oz and is one of the most successful musicals of the modern era, for at
least a year in Melbourne before transferring it to Sydney.
While his show will dominate the Melbourne market in its first few months, it will
be joined by The Rocky Horror Show in September before Billy Elliot
transfers from the Capitol Theatre and opens at Her Majesty's Theatre. Jersey Boys
will open in March at the Princess Theatre.
"Scheduling has become a major issue and I doubt whether Melbourne will be
able to sustain three massive shows all at the same time," an industry insider said
last night.
"Of course the Arts Centre also like a musical to go in over the summer period
and if Rocky Horror does well we could potentially have five musicals playing at
the same time, and that's dangerous."
Conversely, Sydney is likely to experience a musical drought.
There has been no official announcement about what will replace The Phantom Of
The Opera at the Lyric Theatre, though it is expected to be a return season of the
hit show Priscilla. Buddy will open at Star City in February, but the
the city's pride and joy - the Capitol Theatre - could be left empty following Billy
Elliot's departure in November. Mary Poppins will play at the venue next
year but there's still a massive gap for management to fill.
- Troy Dodds
---
Kids
get Poppins help
Friday, June 6, 7:40am AEST.
The Ritz Performing Arts Centre and The Dance Works have announced that during the
June/July school holidays, they will be hosting a workshop for children to prepare them
for the upcoming auditions for the professional musical production of Mary Poppins,
which is auditioning in late 2008. The workshop will be led by one of Australia’s
musical theatre stars – Queenie van de Zandt.
Queenie van de Zandt is a well-known and highly regarded actor, singer, and writer. She
has had nine award nominations for her work, including being nominated for all three of
Australia’s prestigious musical theatre awards; the Helpmann Awards, the Green Room
Awards, and the Sydney Theatre Awards and won a Glug Award in 2008, an AussieTheatre.com
Award in 2007 and the MEAA ACT Green Room Award in 1997. Critics have raved about her
performances in both musical and straight theatre, in shows such as, The Full Monty,
The Boy From Oz, Olive |
