Australian Musical Theatre Festival, Launceston, May 2023
Australian Musical Theatre Festival Artistic Director Tyran Parke has announced the line-up for the fourth Australian Musical Theatre Festival that he has curated. The 2023 Festival will be held in various locations around Launceston from 17 – 21 May. Since its inception, the festival headliners have included music theatre royalty such as Rob Mills, Jemma Rix, Paulini, Philip Quast, Simon Gleeson and Callum Francis. This year, the stars heading to Tasmania are Rachael Beck, Todd McKenney and Elenoa Rokobaro.
Australian Musical Theatre Festival (AMFT) is an opportunity for musical theatre lovers, creatives, and industry professionals to get together, share, nurture and celebrate the genre. Held in Launceston, it includes a diverse public program with performances occurring in beautiful theatres, as well as the parks, the alleys, the pubs and the wineries.
Australian Musical Theatre Festival Artistic Director Tyran Parke adds: “I'm excited that our spectacular fourth program has garnered the collective talents of Australia's leading lights in the theatre. I’m thrilled to reveal the many events that promise to combine these artists with audiences in unique performances all over the city. Among the new additions, we will reveal a musical walking tour, a winery visit with a difference, a revitalisation of an existing city landmark, a starry cast for a new Australian musical, a sing-a long of a true theatre classic and an offering from the master of musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber, to be rehearsed over the course of one day before a single performance with full orchestra and headline cast! “
Rachael Beck will appear in many events including her solo show and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tell Me on a Sunday’- a musical prepared remotely, then rehearsed over one day. The festival received special permission from Lloyd Webber to perform the hit show in this unique way, which will see one woman’s story dispersed amongst nine fantastic divas’, each forwarding the narrative through one song. Musical Theatre stars, Elenoa Rokobaro, Queenie van de Zandt and Jodie Harris are just some of the cast travelling to Launceston for the show.
Todd McKenney will host several shows and sing in a variety of concerts including ‘Choir in the Pub’ – a chance to sing a Peter Allen classic with Australia’s original Boy From Oz.
Elenoa Rokobaro will lead Raise the Roof a gospel Musical Theatre performance in a local church and appear throughout the program.
All three will host workshops, panel events and masterclasses joined by industry professionals including choreographer Andrew Hallsworth and performer Loren Hunter, who will star in a new Australian musical Paper Stars. All these artists will appear alongside Tasmanian performers in over forty events curated by director Tyran Parke.
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Images: Cameron Jones Visuals
