News

2018 Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation Grants and Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award

At a Christmas gathering at the new premises of the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation in Neutral Bay recently, the successful recipients of its 2018 Grants were announced. The Foundation provides financial and practical support for a wide variety of individuals and organisations involved in Australian theatre and performing arts including the funding of an annual grants program.

Thirty nine applications were received and ten projects, events and individuals were successful in receiving a total of $128,000 in grants. They are:

Come From Away Australian Cast

The critically acclaimed new musical, COME FROM AWAY is now playing on Broadway, Toronto and a third company is touring North America. A Dublin and West End production is currently in rehearsal and the Australian company will have its premiere on Saturday 20 July 2019 at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre.

Award-winning creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein were in Australia during November 2019 announce the cast, ahead of attending the musical’s pre-West End engagement at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin next month.

Meet Our Singing American Psycho

The producers of the new stage production of American Psycho - The Musical have announced that the role of Patrick Bateman will be played by Ben Gerrard. The musical of American Psycho, based on the thriller novel by Bret Easton Ellis which also inspired the 2000 film starring Christian Bale, will have its Australian Premiere at the Hayes Theatre Co from 10 May 2019.

2018 Rob Guest Endowment Award

The winner of the 2018 Rob Guest Endowment Award was announced on Monday November 19 at the conclusion of the Grand Final Event held at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. Competing against five other outstanding Semi-Finalists, Annie Aitken (Melba, Muriel’s Wedding) took out the prestigious award after being chosen by an expert panel of judges, which comprised Kellie Dickerson, Jason Langley, Sharon Millerchip and Guy Simpson.

2018 APDG Awards Nominee Announcement

The APDG (Australian Production Design Guild) President, George Liddle APDG, Vice-President Fiona Donovan APDG,  State Committees, Awards Committee and judges have released the nominees for the 2018 APDG Awards.

The announcement took place at the facilities Yeo Creative Solutions on Thursday 15 November.

With the addition of six new categories, the guild is delighted with the calibre and number of award entries submitted this year for the 8th Annual APDG Awards.   

Aspects of Wendy

Wendy Lee Purdy returns home to Sydney from the UK to play Elizabeth in Aspects of Love playing at the Hayes Theatre from 22 November. She chats to Stage Whispers about returning home to appear in this intimate reworking of the Lloyd Webber musical.

Stage Whispers: What is it about Aspects of Love that lured you back to Australia?

Transition Encapsulated in Dance Work

Dharawungara is being performed as part of Chunky Move’s Next Move 11, from November 9 to 17, 2018. Choreographer / performer Joel Bray spoke to Flora Georgiou.

Flora Georgiou: What does Dharawungara mean? 

West Side Story Announces Full Australian Cast

Canberra and Adelaide seasons added

Opera Australia, GWB Entertainment and BB Group today announced the full cast for their upcoming Australian production of West Side Story.

The all Australian cast of 33 features a mix of established performers alongside emerging talent. 

The production will feature Todd Jacobsson as Tony, Sophie Salvesani as Maria, Chloe Zuel as Anita, Noah Mullins as Riff, and Lyndon Watts as Bernardo.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie on Screen

West End musical hit Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, filmed Live in HD,will be screened in cinemas nationally from 24 November 2018.

Jamie is sixteen and lives on a council estate in Sheffield.

Jamie doesn't quite fit in.

Jamie is terrified about the future.

Jamie is going to be a sensation.

Michael Gow’s Away Now On Film

Australian National Theatre Live is releasinhg a film version of Michael Gow’s play AWAY.

It stars Heather Mitchell, Marco Chiappi, Julia Davis, Wadih Dona, Glenn Hazeldine, Natasha Herbert, Liam Nunan and Naomi Rukavina.

Australian National Theatre Livefilmed this Sydney Theatre CompanyandMalthouse Theatre production with 8 x 4K HD cameras during one “live” performance with a packed audience.

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