Side Show Twins Announced

One Eyed Man Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co has announced the cast of SIDE SHOW, due to play a strictly limited four-week season at Hayes Theatre Co from September 23. The Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical tells a stunning tale of sisterhood. With music from the composer of Dreamgirls, SIDE SHOW is based on the remarkable real-life story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and their transition from ‘circus freaks’ to megastars.

Featuring two extraordinary roles for outstanding musical theatre actresses, SIDE SHOW made history when its original Broadway stars Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner were jointly nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Playing the coveted roles of Daisy and Violet Hilton are Laura Bunting (Elphaba in Wicked, Maureen in Rent) and Helpmann Award winner Kerrie Anne Greenland (Éponine in Les Misérables).

"Kerrie and Laura had never met before they auditioned together, but their instant connection was thrilling to watch,” said director Richard Carroll. “When we heard their powerful voices together singing ‘Who Will Love Me As I Am?', we knew instantly that they were a perfect match. Their instincts, openness, and lack of inhibition with each other was totally disarming and endearing - just as Daisy and Violet should be. They're both well-known to musical theatre audiences for their stunning vocal prowess, and SIDE SHOW gives them the opportunity to showcase that again, while also giving them the most challenging acting roles of their careers. And to be able to surround them with 10 other excellent actors of such range and variety makes SIDE SHOW unlike any other show we have seen at the Hayes."

The supporting cast includes Daniel Belle (Les Misérables, The Ten Tenors) Gabriel Brown (Dirty Dancing, Hi-5), Michael Hart (South Pacific, Cinderella), Bree Langridge (Cats, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Lachlan Martin (Georgy Girl, Strictly Ballroom), Joshua Mulheran (Ghost, West Side Story), Elenoa Rokobaro (Violet, Ghost), Berynn Schwerdt (Away, Antony & Cleopatra), Timothy Springs (Grey Gardens, Showboat) and, making her musical theatre debut, Hannah Waterman (EastEnders, The Whale).

In the footsteps of Frozen and Wicked, SIDE SHOW explores a very special connection between two sisters, their desire for acceptance, their search for true love and their desperate yearning for freedom. Being (literally) joined at the hip, Daisy and Violet’s devotion to each other knew no bounds.

In real life, the spectacularly talented and charming Daisy and Violet rose to fame from the grim world of the circus freak show and an abusive upbringing, becoming the highest-paid stars of vaudeville in the 1930s. They went on to appear in the controversial 1932 film Freaks that was banned for 30 years. The film has since become a cult classic being referenced many times in contemporary pop culture, including on South Park, The Wolf of Wall Street, Orange is the New Black and most recently in American Horror Story: Freak Show.

The Australian premiere of SIDE SHOW will be directed by Richard Carroll (Calamity Jane, producer of Sweet Charity and Miracle City), choreographed by Amy Campbell (Violet, Spring Awakening), musically supervised by Steven Kreamer (Rent, Little Shop of Horrors) and musically directed by Conrad Hamill (¡Hispanic Attack!). Sydney Theatre Award-winning designers Lauren Peters (The Drowsy Chaperone, RENT) and Angela White (Heathers) will design set and costumes respectively. Jeremy Silver (RENT, Little Shop of Horrors) will be the sound designer and Hugh Hamilton (Miracle City, Legally Blonde) will be the lighting designer.

SIDE SHOW

Presented by One Eyed Man Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co

Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell Music by Henry Krieger

Director - Richard Carroll

Musical Supervisor - Steven Kreamer

Musical Director – Conrad Hamill

Choreographer - Amy Campbell

Set Designer - Lauren Peters

Costume Designer - Angela White

Lighting Designer - Hugh Hamilton

Sound Designer - Jeremy Silver

Producer – Serin Kasif

Associate Producer – Alexander Butt

Production Manager – Laura Daniel Stage Manager – Gints Karklin

Bookings: By arrangement with Origin Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French

Venue:

Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point

Season: Times:

September 23 – October 16 2016

Tue 6:30pm, Wed-Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2pm & 7:30pm, Sun 5pm

*Opening night Tue Sep 27 at 7:30pm

*No performances Sat Oct 8

*Extra performances Thu Oct 6 at 2pm & Sun Oct 16 at 1pm

Price:

$49 Cheap Tuesday

$55 Previews (Sep 23-25)

$60 Wed, Thu, Sat matinee & Sun

$68 Fri & Sat evening

*Prices subject to change without notice

hayestheatre.com.au | (02) 8065 733 Inc.

Photographer: John McRae