News

Die Young and Have a Good-Looking Corpse

It’s a sad but familiar story. The young rock star whose flame burns out due to living life in the fast lane. In the case of legendary musician Gram Parsons he literally did end up in flames, albeit after he died. His life is being portrayed in Melbourne in a new show performed by Jodie Lane.  Lucy Graham reports.

Jordie Lane, the 27 year-old Australian singer-songwriter, has put his writing life in Los Angeles on hold to prepare to play legendary musician Gram Parsons in Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons.

Theatre in a Time of War

Australian actress Hellen Rose believes theatre can make a difference. After finishing a season of her one-woman show Dangerous Curves and Hairpin Bends in Sydney, she took the leap and jumped on a plane to Afghanistan.

She reports from The Rose Theatre at The Yellow House, Jalalabad.

Melbourne debut of Robert Lepage Theatrical Epic Lipsynch

Lipsynch, the nine-hour theatrical tour-de-force by master Canadian director Robert Lepage makes its Melbourne premiere in the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne from August 4 – 12, 2012.

On a flight from Frankfurt to Montreal, a nameless young woman dies, leaving behind a wailing baby. And so begins the epic panorama linking nine lives and spanning seven decades in Robert Lepage’s theatrical event, Lipsynch.

4th National Puppetry and Animatronics Summit

Puppetry Centre Stage – Where It Belongs - Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, July 5 – 8, 2012.

Puppeteers, students, academics, and aficionados will unite in their shared passion for the dynamic, powerful and vibrant art of puppetry at the 4th National Puppetry and Animatronics Summit hosted by the Victorian College of the Arts.

Michael Crawford: The Original Phantom

English actor and singer Michael Crawford now lives in a small house by the beach north of Auckland. He moved there five years ago to recover from chronic fatigue syndrome. The change has worked so well for him that he returned to the West End in The Wizard of Oz, resumed doing the occasional concert and is promoting his latest album. Ironically The Phantom of the Opera will be haunting many theatres in New Zealand from next year, with the Australasian release of amateur rights to the show. Neil Litchfield spoke with Michael Crawford.

Life is Far More than a Cabaret for David Campbell

Fresh from three years running the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, David Campbell is now on tour singing classic hits from the 1980’s. He’s also co-hosting Channel Nine’s Morning Show and producing other cabaret artists across the country.

On the eve of his current tour, inspired by his new 80s album Let’s Go, he caught up with Neil Litchfield.

To what extent are your album choices driven by the fact that it’s also going to be a live performance?

60 Years of Melbourne Gang Show

Lucy Graham reports.

Never mind Queen Elizabeth’s 60th Diamond Jubilee, this month the Melbourne Gang Show is celebrating its 60th season. They’re in a festive mood and, given their track record for final curtain marriage proposals, there may be more than the usual number of actual diamonds on show this year.

Strong Leaves Griffin for One of Three New MTC Roles

Griffin Theatre Company (Sydney) today (June 21, 2012) announced the resignation of Artistic Director Sam Strong, who has accepted the role of Associate Artistic Director at Melbourne Theatre Company. Sam will program Griffin’s 2013 season, which is being announced on 3 September, and then finish up at the end of 2012.

Sondheim to Attend Forum Opening

Lucy Graham reports.

Stephen Sondheim will attend opening night of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Geoffrey Rush at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne this October 27th.

Sondheim will also appear at Her Majesty's on October 22 in One Evening with Stephen Sondheim.

Circus Oz: From the Ground Up

Circus Oz open their new show From the Ground Up in Melbourne on June 20. Coral Drouyn spoke to founder Tim Coldwell and Circus Oz troupe newcomers, Ghenoa Gela and Dale Woodbridge.

Most of us, at some time, have wanted to run away and join the circus – I know I did (especially when my daughters were teenagers). And if we couldn’t find a circus, we invented our own. For most of us that meant using our imaginations but, fortunately for us, some people just don’t know where to stop.

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