Here’s the latest news in the Weekly Wrap!
CURRENT SHOWS
NEW SOUTH WALES
Capitol Theatre: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Hayes Theatre: Gypsy
Sydney Lyric Theatre: The Book of Mormon
Sydney Opera House: Assassins
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VICTORIA
Athanaeum Theatre: Bring it On
Her Majesty’s Theatre: Beautiful: The Carole King Story
Regent Theatre: The Wizard of Oz
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Crown Theatre Perth: Mamma Mia!
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WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND AUSTRALIAN THEATRES?
AWARDS
Queen’s Birthday Honours
Congratulations to Managing Director and Founder of Alex Theatre – St Kilda, Aleksandar Vasiljevic, on his Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to the arts and to the community.
CAST ANNOUNCEMENTS
All Together Now
Sunday, June 10th saw the announcement of the #The100, an esteemed panel of representatives from various categories with the Australian entertainment industry on Channel 7’s new show All Together Now. Representing the Musical Theatre industry are Silvie Paladino (Jerry’s Girls, Chess), Lara Mulcahy (Les Miserables, Mamma Mia!), Jacqui Dark (Sound of Music, Black Rider), Michael Dalton (Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Presenter Joy 94.9), Rhonda Burchmore (Jerry’s Girls, Mamma Mia!), Amanda Harrison (WICKED, The Rocky Horror Show), Maria Mercedes (Sunset Boulevard, Love Never Dies) and Sophie Carter (Songs For A New World, Georgy Girl).
The show will be aired at a date to be advised.
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Cry Baby
The cast of LPD’s musical, Cry Baby was announced this week. The musical set in 1954 tells the story of Cry-Baby (Christian Charisiou– Rake, The Witches) and the square rich girl, Allison (yet to be confirmed) are star-crossed lovers at the centre of this world. Fueled by hormones and the new rhythms of rock and roll, she turns her back on her squeaky-clean boyfriend, Baldwin (Joel Granger– Brigadoon, Big Fish) to become a “drape” (a Baltimore juvenile delinquent) and Cry-Baby’s girl. At the other end of the topsy-turvy moral meritocracy of 1954 America, Baldwin is the king of the squares and leads his close-harmony pals against the juvenile delinquents.
The other cast members are Laura Murphy (Muriel’s Wedding, Grease), Beth Daly (Fiddler on the Roof, Grey Gardens) , Alfie Glendhill (Griffin’s Replay), Sarah Murr (Les Miserables, A Little Night Music), Bronte Florian (Kinky Boots, High Fidelity), Amy Hack (Romeo and Juliet), Hayden Baum (CATS) and newcomers Aaro
Further information and tickets are available from https://hayestheatre.com.
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Madiba
The powerful and uplifting Madiba the Musical is a soul-stirring celebration of the visionary leader Nelson Mandela. The epic show pays tribute to the charismatic icon and activist whilst exploring the struggles, racial conflicts and divisions behind his unyielding crusade for reconciliation in South Africa.
The announced cast members are Tim Omaji (In the Heights, FAME) as Sam Onatou, Tarisai Vushe (The Lion King) as Sam’s fiance Sandy, Blake Erickson (Les Miserables, Melba) as Peter Van Leden, a white policeman, Madeline Perrone (Fiddler on the Roof, Curtains) as Peter’s daughter Helena, Barry Conrad (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Grease Arena Spectacular) as Sam’s younger brother William who falls in love with Helena, Ruva Ngwenya (The Lion King, We Will Rock You) as Winnie Mandela, David Denis (FAME, Ghost) as The Narrator and Courtney Bell (Wizard of Oz, Annie) as Dancer. The actor who will perform the role of Nelson Mandela is yet to be announced.
For further information and to stay up to date head to https://madibamusical.com.
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She Loves Me
The cast of Hayes Theatre Company’s She Loves Me was announced this week ahead of their season which commences on August 24th. Making her directorial debut is Erin James (CATS, My Fair Lady).
Playing the lead roles of Georg are Rowan Witt (The Book of Mormon) the shy assistant manager of Maraczek’s Parfumerie and Amalia (Caitlin Berry- Melba) who have been exchanging letter unknowing to each other in a 1934 esque tale similar to You’ve Got Mail. Joining Witt and Berry on stage are Zoe Gertz (High Fidelity) who will play unlucky in love, Ilona Ritter, Kurt Phelan (Dirty Dancing), alongside Jay James Moody (The Book of Mormon) playing the roles of Stephen Kodaly and Ladislov Sipos respectively. Joel Granger (Big Fish) plays Arpad Laszlo while Georgina Walker (Alice in Wonderland) and Suzanne Steele (Dream Lover) are ensemble members.
Tickets are available from https://hayestheatre.com.
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Elise McCann joins Beyond the Barricade
One of Australia’s finest musical theatre performer’s Elise McCann (Oklamhoma!, Matilda) will join the cast of Beyond the Barricade, a glittering concert of musical showstoppers which is currently touring Australia. McCann replaces Katie Leeming who has had to return to the UK due to ill health. The blockbusting two-hour show features favourite songs from the world’s greatest West End and Broadway musicals including the latest sensation Hamilton, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Evita, Wicked, Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King and of course Les Misérables, to name just a few.
Elise joins three past principal performers from London’s longest-running musical Les Misérables, in the West End and on UK tour – Andy Reiss, who has played numerous male roles including Jean Valjean and Enjolras; David Fawcett, who played Valjean; and Poppy Tierney, who played Cosette.
Tickets and tour dates can be found at https://beyondthebarricade.
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PERFORMANCES
National Anthems
Congratulations to Alexis van Maanen (Evita) and Stefanie Jones (Oklahoma!) who this week performed the National Anthem this week at Game 1 of the 2018 State of Origin and the Wallabies vs Ireland matches respectively.
OPENING NIGHTS
Bring it On
The Australian professional premiere of Bring it On opened this week at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre. Campbell (Nadia Komazec) is finally having all her dreams come true, she’s cheer captain at Truman High, she’s a senior and she’s got the guy. Then one day she’s “redistricted” and sent to a new school – Jackson High – which *gasp* doesn’t have a cheer squad. She meets Danielle (Elandrah Feo), the head of Jackson’s dance crew, and does her best to find a way to continue being the cheerleader she’s always wanted to be.
Bring it On runs until Saturday, June 23rd with tickets available from http://athenaeumtheatre.
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
Musical Theatre Workshops
The Musical Theatre Intensive Weekly Masterclasses are led each week by musical theatre star and Australia’s leading teacher of audition technique for musical theatre, Queenie van de Zandt, with invited guest tutors made up of Australia’s most experienced and respected musical theatre professionals, working exclusively for 6 months with 10 talented performers in each of the following groups:
PROFESSIONAL WEEKLY MASTERCLASSES
Adults
PRE-PROFESSIONAL WEEKLY MASTERCLASSES
14 – 17 years
YOUTH WEEKLY MASTERCLASSES
8 – 13 years
Having studied audition technique for over 20 years and with 30 years as a performer, Queenie has developed a unique audition and performance practice, that has helped her former students gain lead roles in shows such as Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Pricilla: Queen of the Desert, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Sound of Music, Grease, Matilda, Singin’ in the Rain, and Les Miserables, to name just a few. It is this success that has seen her hailed in the press as a ‘musical theatre star-maker’.
What makes the Musical Theatre Intensive Weekly Masterclasses so unique, is that participants not only get to learn Queenie’s audition practice, and work with her on all aspects of theatre performance and career development, they also get to work with, and be seen by Australia’s leading musical theatre directors, choreographers, casting agents, actors, marketers, producers, musical directors, and publicists.
Tutors include Marika Aubrey (Matilda), Trevor Ashley (Les Miserables), Rachael Beck (The Sound of Music), Mitchell Butel (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love to Murder), Richard Carroll (Producer- Calamity Jane) and more.
Further information can be found at https://www.amta.net.au/
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Auslan Performance – Mamma Mia!
Wednesday, June 27th will see interpreters from Auslan Stage Left join the cast of Mamma Mia! for an Auslan intepreted performance of the hit musical. Tickets and further information can be found at
http://www.auslanstageleft.
OPENING SHOWS
QUEENSLAND
QPAC Lyric Theatre: Beautiful (July 13th)
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VICTORIA
Princess Theatre: Mamma Mia! (July 10th)
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Crown Theatre Perth: Aladdin (July 19th)
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CLOSING SHOWS
NEW SOUTH WALES
Hayes Theatre: Gypsy (July 7th)
Sydney Opera House: Assassins (July 1st)
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VICTORIA
Athanaeum Theatre: Bring it On (June 23rd)
Her Majesty’s Theatre: Beautiful (July 1st)
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Crown Theatre Perth: Mamma Mia! (July 1st)
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AUSSIES ABROAD
Maggie McKenna to join cast of Dear Evan Hansen
Fresh from her break out role as Muriel in Muriel’s Wedding, talented musical theatre performer Maggie McKenna will portray Zoe Murphy in the Tony Award-winning production of Dear Evan Hansen.
The tour of the United States of America will commence in September at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in Colorado and will travel to more than 50 cities over a two-year period, including Los Angeles and San Francisco.
A full list of tour dates and ticket information is available from https://dearevanhansen.
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West End Live cast announced
Now in its fourteenth year, West End Live features live performances from some of the most celebrated West End musicals. Held in Trafalgur Square on June 16th and 17th, 2018, the free two day event attracts thousands of audience members in a family friendly event. Amongst the performances this year are Australian’s in the casts of Phantom of the Opera, Kinky Boots, Suzie Mathers in I Wish That My Life Were Like a Musical and London newcomer Seb Witt (Les Miserables) who will be performing as part of The Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Further information can be found at https://www.westendlive.co.
