Whitney Fitzsimmons checks out the new jewel in the crown for Sydney Independent Theatre, Eternity Playhouse, and gives the thriving scene a once over.
Jason Cavanagh is a fine young actor, one of Melbourne’s best, but he’s also a creative realist. He knows only too well that in a city like Melbourne, where there is so much theatre – Main Stage, independent, and high quality community – you have to be entrepreneurial to survive. So he created his own theatre company; 5 pound theatre. The company, and its innovative productions, have gained great critical acclaim, but critics don’t ensure commercial success, or bums on seats.
The excitement level could not be higher for serious music lovers around the country at the imminent arrival of Amsterdam’s prestigious Royal Concertgebrouw Orchestra. Peter Pinne reports.
Acclaimed in 2008 as “The World’s Greatest Orchestra” by Gramophone Magazine, this renowned company of classical musicians are making their first ever visit to Australia.
Under the baton of Chief Conductor Mariss Jansons the orchestra will play two concerts in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne and three in Sydney.
Director Baz Luhrmann has announced that the search for the ideal ‘triple threat’ to play the pivotal lead role of Scott Hastings in STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL is over.
The ‘role of a lifetime’ has been given to 20-year-old Thomas Lacey, best known as Ben Tickle in the ABC TV hit dance show Dance Academy.
In staging Denis Kelly’s confronting psychological thriller, Orphans, Bluefruit Theatre (SA) has delved deep into real-life stories. To ensure the complex issues at the heart of the story are fully understood, the company has collaborated with Time for Kids (a local Adelaide charity for disadvantaged youth) and with young offenders who come from similar backgrounds to the brother and sister in the play.
Merrigong Theatre Company (Wollongong) has launched its diverse 2014 Season, with highlights include a brand new social comedy from David Williamson, one of New Zealand’s most successful musicals of all time, a circus festival, a new collaboration between Sydney Theatre Company and the Australian Defence Force, and a show where audience members are transformed into restaurant guests.
Today (October 30, 2013) WICKED celebrates its 10thbirthday on Broadway. The award-winning musical theatre blockbuster is currently playing in nine productions around the world: New York, London, Japan (Tokyo), South Korea (Seoul), Latin America (Mexico City), a UK tour, two concurrent North American national tours, and the Australian production playing at the Civic Theatre, Auckland.
The 2014 Adelaide Festival program features music, theatre, dance, a literary festival and visual arts exhibitions. The 29th Festival line-up features 50 events with 29 Australian premieres and 29 festival exclusives over 17 days, from Friday 28 February to Sunday 16 March.
From understudy to leading lady, Gretel Scarlett steps into the biggest role of her life, as Sandy in the touring production of Grease. Just like the character, made famous by Olivia Newton-John, Gretel has brains to match her good looks, having once studied Nuclear Medicine at Sydney University. David Spicer reports.
Black Swan State Theatre Company launched its 2014 season in the State Theatre Centre’s Heath Ledger Theatre on Monday October 14, 2013.
The mainstage season of six plays contains a mix of classics and new work, and Black Swan will be returning to the Studio Underground with two plays in 2014 as part of the Black Swan Lab program.
Highlights include:
Six plays presented in the Heath Ledger Theatre, two in the Studio Underground.
