News

Even with Australia’s infection rates from COVID-19 the envy of the world, the obstacles to turning the lights back on and filling large capacity theatres anytime soon are immense. Leading Musical Theatre Producer John Frost does not think that he’ll be able to open a big new professional musical until mid-2021.  Smaller producers are hopeful of returning late this year at best. David Spicer reports.

The generous spirit of Arts workers is continuing in their darkest hour. Actor and writer James Millar (best known as Matilda’s nemesis - Miss Trunchbull) has helped initiate a project involving 225 artists, who are developing new plays and musicals.

It’s unusual writing an article on being a performing artist during a global pandemic - partly because it feels like there’s nothing to say that isn’t a shared experience, but at the same time not knowing which particular avenue of its destruction to explore.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival is going digital with a curated collection of bite-sized clips from artists who were set to feature in the 2020 program.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2020: Bite-Sized & Home Delivered will highlight cabaret favourites sharing posts - stories, snippets and songs recorded whilst they’ve been in isolation and responding to the classic line from Life Is A Cabaret: ‘What Good Is Sitting Alone In Your Room?’

With theatres around the world dark, Stage Whispers celebrates some heroic performances by actors thrown in at the deep end to take over a role with just a few minutes, hours or days’ notice. David Spicer chronicles some great escapes.

In 2018, Opera Australia tenor Diego Antonio Torre Villegas had just arrived home after an intense two days.

“On Tuesday night I sang in a performance of Aida, then on Wednesday I sang out in rehearsal from 10.30am until 6pm for Lucia Di Lammermoor,” he said.