CLOC Musical Theatre (Vic) is preparing to take a nostalgic trip back to the days of slick hair, smooth talk, cool dudes – and hip swivelling rockin’ good times during October 2012.
Altona City Theatre (Vic) is presenting Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s dark, operatic Tony and Olivier award winning musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, from September 21 to October 6 at the Altona Theatre.
Forgive our play on the Sondheim lyric, but when Stage Whispers had the chance to speak to Musical Director Ian Nisbet it seemed such an apt title.
Stage Whispers: Are you a particular Stephen Sondheim fan? What makes his writing special for you?
Audiences are in for an out-of-this-world experience when they take their seats to Return to the Forbidden Planet, a performance mash-up of Shakespeare, science fiction and rock and roll.
For a strictly limited season at Monash University’s Alexander Theatre (Vic), Return to the Forbidden Planet allows audiences to blast-off for a wild ride where Mad Men meets Rocky Horror in outer space.
Darwin Chorale comes together to deliver a night of song showcasing the talent in the NT with their latest production, called Australian Horizons – Songs from the Bush to the Beach, at the Darwin Entertainment Centre Studio Theatre on September 21 and 22.
The show includes iconic ballads and standards from the Australian chorale repertoire.
It will also feature the world premiere of ‘More Than Just a Home’, written by Darwin musician and actor Yoris Wilson.
Centenary Theatre Group (Brisbane) presents the premiere production of the revised version of Kenneth Ross’s Breaker Morant from September 14 – 29, 2012.
The play depicts the infamous court martial of Harry 'Breaker' Morant (1864-1902), a drover, balladeer and poet who was executed for war crimes during the Second Boer War (1899-1902).
Set in Sydney 1892, The Hatpin tells the story of Amber Murray, a single mother who entrusted her son to the Makin Family in the hope of saving his life and ended up embroiled in one of the most macabre moving and exciting criminal trials in Australian history.
The show deals with the themes of betrayal, loss, grief and despair, but it also explores courage, hope and friendship.
The Regals is bringing this production to Kogarah (NSW) this October.
Miranda Musical Society (NSW) presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Sutherland Entertainment Centre from September 19 to 23, 2012.
Featuring the Academy-Award winning musical score (Alan Mencken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice) that made the animated film such a hit, plus addirional songs, Beauty and the Beast was adapted as a stage musical, and played on Broadway for 5,464 performances between 1994 and 2007, becoming Broadway’s eighth longest running musical.
Blacktown Theatre Co. (NSW) will showcase short plays by one of their favourite international playwrights Mark Harvey Levine (USA) for one weekend from September 14 - 16. Over many years, Levine has submitted plays into the company’s annual 4 Short Plays seasons and his plays have always proved popular, which is why the company has produced this special event showcasing his work.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Old Mill Theatre (WA) from October 11, 2012 will honour the memory of a much-loved member of the theatre community.
Director Garry Lawrence’s wife Beverley was originally cast in the play two years ago by Sue Hayward – but Hayward was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and died suddenly before the play reached the stage.
“At the time, I thought the play should have run as a dedication to Sue, who had done so much for local theatre,” Lawrence said.
