Previews for the World Premiere season of An Officer and a Gentleman commenced at the Sydney's Lyric Theatre on May 8, ahead of the Gala Opening Night on Friday May 18.

Following five intense and creative weeks in the rehearsal room and then two weeks of technical rehearsals on stage, the cast and crew were looking forward to presenting their work to Sydney audiences.

We've already had a couple of raves from Facebook followers who were at the first showing in front of an audience, a charity performance ahead of the first, sold out preview.

Producers John Frost and Sharleen Cooper Cohen are thrilled with the results. John Frost said, “It’s always such a huge challenge creating a new musical. I love producing the classics like Annie and the recent hits from Broadway and the West End such as Legally Blonde, but there’s a great satisfaction in developing new work such as we’ve done here. Our combined Australian and US creative team have achieved a production I’m very proud of. The cast have worked tirelessly for the past seven weeks and can now reap the rewards. I think Sydney is going to love An Officer and A Gentleman.”

Sharleen Cooper Cohen agrees. “When I began pursuing this project back in 2000 I was sure this moving and timeless romance would make the perfect stage musical. And now that audiences are about to see An Officer and A Gentleman on stage, I know Sydney audiences will agree. This is a muscular, sexy show with themes of love, passion and glory that I’m sure everyone will relate to and enjoy.”

A hit across the ages, the 1982 film has become a phenomenon in cinema history, recently listed by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten love stories in cinema history. Based on the hugely successful Academy Award-winning film, this new production has been adapted for the stage by the original screen writer, Douglas Day Stewart and co-writer Sharleen Cooper Cohen, produced by Sharleen Cooper Cohen and John Frost, and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical). Featuring the iconic hit song “Up Where We Belong” and a new score by hit song writer Ken Hirsch and Grammy nominee Robin Lerner this timeless tale of struggle, success, friendship and love promises to be the musical blockbuster of 2012.

Pictured: Amanda Harrison and Ben Mingay. Photographer: Michael Bradley.

Receive a FREE An Officer and a Gentleman The Musical Sampler CD with the current print edition of Stage Whispers.

The disc features five songs and three bonus music videos from An Officer and a Gentleman the Musical. Ben Mingay sings I'm Gonna Fly, Amanda Harrison sings If You Believe in Love the Way I Do and Wings of My Own, Josh Piterman and the company sing Halfway and Ben Mingay, Amanda Harrison, Alex Rathgeber and Kate Kendall sing Up Where We Belong.

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More details about our current edition - www.stagewhispers.com.au/news/our-amazing-print-and-first-ever-e-edition

Our Earlier Coverage of An Officer and A Gentleman

SEASON DETAILS

Venue: Sydney Lyric, The Star

Season: From 8 May

Opening Night:  Friday 18 May

Performance times: Wed-Sat 8pm, Matinees Tues-Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm & Sun 3pm

Price: $70.90 - $135.90

Bookings: 1300 795 267 or ticketmaster.com.au

Groups 12+ (02) 8240 2290