News

Quit Horsing Around, This Is Puppetry

At a Fitzroy cafe, Finn Caldwell has ordered boiled egg with soldiers. Perhaps he is homesick. But if War Horse continues as it has begun, chances are the English actor turned Puppetry Director will have to get used to a global lifestyle.

War Horse has, ironically, taken on a life of its own. Since opening at the National Theatre in 2007, millions of people have seen the stage show in London’s West End, New York, Toronto and Los Angeles. Hollywood director Steven Spielberg even turned it into a movie.

Whipping Up the Fun in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

When the Australian production of the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opens at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, Jennifer Vuletic’s Baroness Bomburst will add the ‘naughty’ touches to this family entertainment. She spoke to Neil Litchfield.

STOP PRESS: Jennifer won the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role on a Musical at the 2012 Sydney Theatre Awards.

Rob Guest Endowment 2012 Finalists Selected.

Following hundreds of applications and auditions, judges Kellie Dickerson, Jason Coleman and Stuart Maunder have selected the following six finalists for the 2012 ANZ Trustees Foundation, Rob Guest Endowment:  Kirby Burgess (An Officer & A Gentlemen), Andy Conaghan (South Pacific), Euan Doidge (A Chorus Line, Legally Blonde the Musical), Samm Hagen (Rock of Ages), Glenn Hill (Legally Blonde the Musical, Dr Zhivago) and Allyce Martins (Wicked).  These six finalists will perform with a full orchestra at the 2012 Rob Guest Endowment Gala Concert 

Calling all Music Theatre writers for the next big hit

The Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne is calling on Music Theatre writers to submit new works, which could be developed into a major stage hit.

Works selected will be put through a three-stage development process which will end with a “main stage” showcase for the general public and industry producers.

Industry Consultant and Lecturer in Music Theatre at the VCA, Martin Croft, said the New Work Music Theatre Project was a great opportunity for writers to create the next big thing in Australian Music Theatre.

KING KONG Musical Live On Stage in Melbourne

After five years in development the spectacular musical KING KONG  will premiere 15 June 2013 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne for its exclusive Australian season, produced by Global Creatures, makers of Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular (WWD) and How To Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular (HTTYD, in association with DreamWorks Theatricals).

From Bangarra to Ballet

The Australian Ballet have announced that Ella Havelka from Bangarra will be joining the company.

She will be the first Indigenous dancer to join The Australian Ballet. Havelka will perform her final shows with Bangarra Dance Theatre in Terrain in Brisbane this week and will start rehearsing with The Australian Ballet in Sydney in November.

Artistic Director David McAllister said he was thrilled that Havelka had accepted the offer to join the company.

Travelling Full Speed on the Freeway to Success.

Australian Cabaret performer Tim Draxl appears in his acclaimed show Freeway: The Chet Baker Story as part of the 2012 Melbourne Festival. He spoke with Coral Drouyn.

It all began with an un-birthday present. You don’t know what an un-birthday present is? That’s a present your parents give you on a sibling’s birthday, so that you won’t feel left out.

Black Swan State Theatre Company Season 2013

Western Australia’s Black Swan State Theatre Company has announced its 2013 season, featuring a mix of classic and new works.

Six plays will be staged at the Heath Ledger Theatre, with a further production to be staged in the Studio Undergroundas part of the Perth Fringe World Festival 2013.

The season features:

Bruce Beresford directs the WA Premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith’s comedy Day One, A Hotel, Evening, with a cast including Roz Hammond.

War Horse Cast Announced as Rehearsals Commence

The National Theatre of Great Britain and Global Creatures have announced the cast of the Australian production of the multiple Tony and Olivier Award-winning show War Horse. Rehearsals commenced today (October 2) in Sydney, with the cast and creative team coming together to start work on this unique stage production.

Circque du Soleil Invites Sydney to join in Bug Dance Flash Mob

Cirque du Soleil is currently presenting OVO in Sydney, a spectacular show which invites audiences into the colourful and energetic world of insects. On Wednesday 3 October at 1pm, a swarm of Cirque du Soleil performers, representing fleas, beetles, spiders and crickets, will take over the forecourt at Customs House, Circular Quay and they are inviting Sydney-siders of all ages to join them in the Bug Dance.

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