Stage Briefs

AUSSIE DIVAS SING BLUES FOR BILLIE

Seven great Australian female singers come together for a very special one-off event at The Sydney Opera House to pay tribute to the late Billie Holiday, otherwise known as ‘Lady Day’. The concert Ladies Sing the Blues, will feature Lady Cool, Amanda Easton, Liza Ohlback, Lucinda Peters, Lindsay Drummond, Joy Yates and Dahlia Dior. They will be backed by a live band consisting of Rick Mellick on Piano, John Maddox on Bass, Chris Fields on Drums and Tim Rollinson on Guitar.

Matthew Lutton New Malthouse Artistic Director

The Malthouse Theatre Board has announced the appointment of Matthew Lutton as the company’s Artistic Director.

‘We are delighted that Matt will be taking up the role of Artistic Director as we embark on the next chapter of the company’s life,’ said Malthouse Theatre Chair, Michele Levine.

Dream Lover, The Bobby Darin Musical for Sydney in 2016

Dream Lover, The Bobby Darin Musical – a story about the legendary American singer, actor and musician – will hold its World Premiere in Sydney in 2016.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said the musical has been secured by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

Keating Sings and Dances Back Into Bankstown

Keating! The Musicalis simply the story of the rise and fall of Paul Keating.

In song. And dance. And swingin’, rockin’ musical fun!

The show debuted in 2005 at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, became a cult hit and went on to tour nationally, become a major commercial hit in theatres such as Belvoir Street and win multiple awards for the script, the production and its actors.

Showtunes and Dementia

Have you ever wondered why you can remember the lyrics to showtunes but can’t recall something you were told ten minutes ago? This crossed my mind when I reviewed a production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in January.

In 1979 I played Joseph at Epping West Primary School (pictured here). My mother still talks about it and that wonderful coat, lovingly stitched together by my grandmother from all her scraps of material.

LES MIS CAST SUPPORT BEYOND BLUE WITH BROADWAY CONCERT

The Australian cast of Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Les Misérables will perform a charity concert raising money in support of beyondblue on Sunday August 23rd at 8.00 pm at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney. Tickets go on sale on Thursday 25th June via Ticketmaster.

Rehearsals Underway for Victorian Opera's Sweeney Todd

Rehearsals are officially underway for Victorian Opera’s final instalment in its Sondheim trilogy, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – A Musical Thriller starring Teddy Tahu Rhodes as the infamous serial-killer at Arts Centre Melbourne's Playhouse from 16-25 July, 2015.

Richard O'Brien to Narrate Special Melbourne Performances of Rocky Horror

Producers Howard Panter and John Frost gleefully announced today (June 18, 2015) that the author of The Rocky Horror Show, Richard O’Brien, would join the production at certain special performances during the Melbourne season, playing the role of the Narrator. O’Brien can be seen at performances on June 30, July 1, 2, 5 (5.30pm only), 7, 8 and 9.

Dear World is Next Neglected Musical

Neglected Musicals will present Dear World, at Hayes Theatre Co on Monday, 3 August, 2015.  Directed by Nicholas Hammond, the 1969 Broadway Musical, Dear World is a clash of good and evil where the forces of idealism, love and poetry win over those of greed, materialism and science.

New Musicals Australia Chooses The Detective’s Handbook and MELBA for Workshops

Hayes Theatre Co and New Musicals Australia (NMA) have announced that two musicals have been chosen to proceed to Stage Three of NMA. The Detective’s Handbook by Ian Ferrington and Olga Solar, and MELBA, by Nicholas Christo and Johannes Luebbers will each will be workshopped with one being chosen for a full production at Hayes Theatre Co in November.