With a new production of The Sound of Music opening, Coral Drouyn explores why the musical holds so much magic for us.
What is it about The Sound of Music that sets it apart from other musicals? Why are we welcoming yet another production, this time the award winning London Palladium production from 2006? After all, the show is 55 years old, so what is its magic appeal?
A new network to help develop Australian musicals has been born with a range of ideas including a million dollar fund to workshop new productions. David Spicer attended the symposium at the Victorian College of the Arts in September.
Composer/musical director Max Lambert was pulling no punches. “A lot of people in Australian musical theatre have no idea of what they are doing.”
Today’s musical theatre audiences expect to see increasingly innovative staging for shows, which can be a challenge for theatre companies. Undaunted, Adelaide’s Emma Knights has faced such a challenge with enthusiasm. In January, Emma Knights Productions will produce Oklahoma! in an unusually immersive and environmentally friendly theatrical environment, a real farm. Lesley Reed reports.
The 2016 Adelaide Fringe program features more than 1100 events – a new record. More than 5000 artists will take part in 228 music events, 24 interactive events, 112 cabaret shows, 35 circus and physical theatre shows, 305 comedy events, 12 magic events, 32 dance shows, nine film and digital events, 151 theatre productions, 111 art and design exhibitions, 58 children’s events and 45 special events. Magic is a new genre in the Fringe for 2016, as is the interactive genre.
Producers Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian, John Frost and the Really Useful Group have announced the 18 children who have been cast in the Brisbane season of The Sound of Music. There will be three different casts alternating in the roles of the six youngest von Trapp children.
QTC and QPAC have joined forces to present the world premiere season of Australia’s latest original musical, which will subseuqently have a season at the MTC. Stage Whispers’ Peter Pinne spoke with director Simon Phillips and actress Christen O’Leary about the project and its development.
Red Stitch celebrates 15 years in 2016 with a season of eight plays never seen before in Australia, plus a new relationship with Geelong Performing Arts Centre
Red Stitch Actors Theatre started life in 2002 as an ensemble, artist driven organisation playing to a seating capacity of 30 people per night, and 15 years later has become a Melbourne institution, known for new plays from Australia and overseas, touring.
Michael Coppel and Philip McIntyre in association with Louise Withers will present the World Premiere of John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers – Live on Stage – touring Australia and New Zealand from August 2016.
Cy Coleman – it’s not a name on the tip of our tongues, though this month has been a good one for him, with his brilliant Tony Award winning hit City of Angels playing at Melbourne’s Arts Centre, and now a fabulous tribute show with some of our brightest musical theatre stars opening this weekend at Bennett’s Lane Jazz Club.
