John Frost for Crossroads Live and Opera Australia today (April 2, 2025) announced that the Broadway musical ANASTASIA will have its Australian premiere at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne in December 2025 before touring to Perth and Sydney in 2026.
With Jesus Christ Superstar opening in Melbourne, David Spicer speaks to the performers playing Jesus and Judas. Michael Paynter and Javon King reveal that faith, their mothers and love of good tunes bind their passion for the musical.
Michael Paynter has taken ‘long-service’ leave from his gigs as a guitarist with Icehouse and Jimmy Barnes to make his professional stage debut in Jesus Christ Superstar, which is running at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne until June 22.
Image: Annie Aitken and Cody Simpson in rehearsals for Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour
Rehearsals have begun with for Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour, which will debut at the annual outdoor Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour for a strictly limited four-week season from 21 March to 20 April at Mrs Macquaries Point.
Image: Bryan Adams at Pretty Woman announcement. Photo RDW Photography
Singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, who wrote the music and lyrics for PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical, alongside Jim Vallance, was in Brisbane today (Friday 14 February) to make the official announcement that the Broadway and West End musical, based on the popular Rom-Com starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, will have its Australian premiere at QPAC in Brisbane in October 2025.
Former Queensland Ballet Artistic Director Li Cunxin AO has been presented with the Prix de Lausanne 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award in Switzerland.
The award recognises his exceptional career from overcoming adversity early in life, to his rise as a celebrated dancer before leading Queensland Ballet to global success.
Image: Betty Sweetlove photographed by Karina White.
Geoffrey Williams spent some time with Mparntwe (Alice Springs)-based playwright Betty Sweetlove, whose first play The Nestmakers will enjoy its world premiere season at Darwin’s Brown’s Mart Theatre in March.
Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live today (Jan 29) announced the role of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the upcoming Broadway musical Annie will be played by Greg Page, the original Yellow Wiggle in the children’s entertainment group, The Wiggles. The new Australian production plays at the Capitol Theatre from 25 March, before moving to Melbourne’s Princess Theatre from July.
