News

Elaine Paige to Tour Australia in October

Musical Theatre legend Elaine Paige will be returning to Australia in October 2012, following the success of her 2009 tour.

Elaine Paige is a bona fide legend of musical theatre. Making her West End debut in 1968 she was thrust into stardom when she originated the role of Evita Perón in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1978 production of Evita, winning the Laurence Oliver Award for Performer of the Year. Paige followed up by creating the role of Grizabella in the record-breaking production Cats, recording the Top 10 hit song “Memory”.

Death of a Salesman Transfers from Belvoir to Theatre Royal

Belvoir’s sold-out production of Death of a Salesman will transfer to the Theatre Royal for two weeks from 23 October 2012.

‘We have been overwhelmed by the audience’s response to Death of a Salesman. People are queuing from 7am to buy day seats and standing room and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to meet the demand,’ said Belvoir’s General Manager Brenna Hobson.

War Horse for Sydney and Brisbane

The National Theatre of Great Britain and Global Creatures announced today (June 16) that the multiple Tony and Olivier Award-winning War Horse will extend its’ Australian production to include seasons in Sydney and Brisbane in 2013, following its previously announced Melbourne season.

Die Young and Have a Good-Looking Corpse

It’s a sad but familiar story. The young rock star whose flame burns out due to living life in the fast lane. In the case of legendary musician Gram Parsons he literally did end up in flames, albeit after he died. His life is being portrayed in Melbourne in a new show performed by Jodie Lane.  Lucy Graham reports.

Jordie Lane, the 27 year-old Australian singer-songwriter, has put his writing life in Los Angeles on hold to prepare to play legendary musician Gram Parsons in Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons.

Theatre in a Time of War

Australian actress Hellen Rose believes theatre can make a difference. After finishing a season of her one-woman show Dangerous Curves and Hairpin Bends in Sydney, she took the leap and jumped on a plane to Afghanistan.

She reports from The Rose Theatre at The Yellow House, Jalalabad.

Melbourne debut of Robert Lepage Theatrical Epic Lipsynch

Lipsynch, the nine-hour theatrical tour-de-force by master Canadian director Robert Lepage makes its Melbourne premiere in the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne from August 4 – 12, 2012.

On a flight from Frankfurt to Montreal, a nameless young woman dies, leaving behind a wailing baby. And so begins the epic panorama linking nine lives and spanning seven decades in Robert Lepage’s theatrical event, Lipsynch.

4th National Puppetry and Animatronics Summit

Puppetry Centre Stage – Where It Belongs - Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, July 5 – 8, 2012.

Puppeteers, students, academics, and aficionados will unite in their shared passion for the dynamic, powerful and vibrant art of puppetry at the 4th National Puppetry and Animatronics Summit hosted by the Victorian College of the Arts.

Michael Crawford: The Original Phantom

English actor and singer Michael Crawford now lives in a small house by the beach north of Auckland. He moved there five years ago to recover from chronic fatigue syndrome. The change has worked so well for him that he returned to the West End in The Wizard of Oz, resumed doing the occasional concert and is promoting his latest album. Ironically The Phantom of the Opera will be haunting many theatres in New Zealand from next year, with the Australasian release of amateur rights to the show. Neil Litchfield spoke with Michael Crawford.

Life is Far More than a Cabaret for David Campbell

Fresh from three years running the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, David Campbell is now on tour singing classic hits from the 1980’s. He’s also co-hosting Channel Nine’s Morning Show and producing other cabaret artists across the country.

On the eve of his current tour, inspired by his new 80s album Let’s Go, he caught up with Neil Litchfield.

To what extent are your album choices driven by the fact that it’s also going to be a live performance?

60 Years of Melbourne Gang Show

Lucy Graham reports.

Never mind Queen Elizabeth’s 60th Diamond Jubilee, this month the Melbourne Gang Show is celebrating its 60th season. They’re in a festive mood and, given their track record for final curtain marriage proposals, there may be more than the usual number of actual diamonds on show this year.