The Light in the Piazza

Broadway musical The Light in the Piazza, which had a successful season at the Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre (Vic) in August / September 2013, moves to the Malvern Theatre in November for a return season.

Adapted from the novella by Elizabeth Spencer, the 2005 Broadway musical has a book by Craig Lucas, with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel.

The Broadway production ran for 36 previews and 504 performances, winning six of the eleven Tony Awards it was nominated for, while a televised performance shortly before the end of the season was seen by more than 2 milion people on PBS

This is the first non-professional production in Australia, though it did receive a one night only concert performance at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in 2008, directed by John O’May and featuring cast members from The Phantom of the Opera.

Set in Italy during the summer of 1953, the story revolves around a wealthy Southern woman, Margaret, who takes her beautiful but emotionally-stalled daughter, Clara, to Florence for a vacation. One windy day, Clara loses her hat in a sudden gust and, as if guided by fate, it lands at the feet of the handsome Fabrizio. As their whirlwind courtship unfolds, Clara's mother is desperate to conceal the family secret and must reconsider not only her daughter's future but her own deep seated hopes and regrets as well, for reasons which only gradually become known to the audience.

Director Alan Burrows says of the production:

“For me it has been an absolute joy, such a wonderful show.

“The music is very difficult, but wonderful when you get it right.

 “I was fortunate to come across a special reduced orchestration following a contact with a company that did the show in Chicago last year.  Origin Theatrical here in Australia were very helpful and contacted the Hammerstein Organisation in New York and obtained it for me – piano (we use a grand), violin, viola bass and harp. It is a wonderful sound.

“The actors are loving doing two seasons, 30 performances in all.  While the two theatres, Lilydale and Malvern, are relatively small, with 198 and 142 seats respectively, it means that over the two seasons at least 4000 people will get to see the show.”

Season details

1st to 16th November 2013

Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8.15 pm. Matinees: Sat 2nd Nov and Sun 10th Nov at 2.00 pm. 
Gala Night: Sat 9th Nov at 8.00 pm

Bookings: 1300 131 552 or online

Single $20.00 - Groups (10 or more) $18.00 per person 
Gala Night $5.00 extra per person

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