The Producers, Chess and Promises, Promises for The Production Company

The Production Company will present The Producers, Chess and Promises, Promises in its 2012 season at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melboune.

The season commences with Mel Brooks' The Producers from July 10 – 15.

The production wil star Wayne Scott Kermond, Brent Hill, Christie Whelan, Mitchell Butel, Trevor Ashley and Rohan Browne

Direction: Andrew Hallsworth & Dean Bryant. Musical Director: Kellie Dickerson. Choreographer: Andrew Hallsworth. Costmes: Kim Bishop & Paris. Set: Adam Gardnir.

The Producers is the story of Max Bialystock, a struggling Broadway producer and Leo Bloom, a stage-struck accountant. They join forces to strike it rich by producing the worst musical ever seen on Broadway. When they receive a musical script from Franz Liebkind, an ex-nazi storm trooper, which tells the story of Hitler’s rise to power in song and dance, they are convinced that they have found a show that is guaranteed to offend just about everybody.

Based on the Mel Brooks movie of the same title, and adapted for the stage by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, The Producers opened on Brodway in 2001, running for 2502 performances, and winning a record 12 Tony Awards (breaking the previous record of 10 Tonys, held by Hello, Dolly!).

Chess, featuring lyrics by Tim Rice and music by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, follows from August 21 - 26.

The cast includes Silvie Paladino, Martin Crewes, Simon Gleeson and Bobby Fox.

Director: Gale Edwards. Choreographer: Tony Bartuccio. Musical Director: David Piper.

Inspired by the Bobby Fischer-Boris Spassky Match of the Century in 1972, the rock score includes  i Know Him So Well, One Night In Bangkok, Where I Want to Be and Anthem.

Like Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita before it, the score of Chess was popularised by a concept album, wel before any production was staged. The musical premiered in the West End in 1986, where it ran for three years, though a subsequent Broadway production of a significantly adapted version of the musical played for just two months in 1988.

The season concludes with Promises, Promises, the 1968 Broadway musical based on the 1960  film The Apartment, with music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and a sript by Neil Simon.

The production, which plays from October 3 - 7, will star Marina Prior and Matt Hethherington.

Director: Nadia Tass. Musical Director: Guy Simpson. Costumes: Isaac Lumis. Set: Shaun Gurton.

Their hits from this show include I Say a Little Prayer, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again and Promises, Promises.

J. C. Williamsons’ original Australian production opened at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne on August 15, 1970. Imported leads Orson Bean and Ann Hilton were supported by a local cast including Gordon McDougall, Bruce Barry, and a show-stealing Nancye Hayes.

www.theproductioncompany.com.au