Stage Briefs

2016 Rob Guest Endowment Awards Announced

Organisers of The Rob Guest Endowment have launched the 2016 Rob Guest Endowment Awards. The Rob Guest Endowment is one of Australia’s most exciting scholarship programs providing financial assistance and industry support to the next generation of musical theatre stars, creators and musicians. Applications for all awards are now open and the winners will be announced at the Rob Guest Endowment Concert to be held in Sydney in November 2016.

Matilda for Adelaide

Following the announcement of the 2016 Helpmann Award Nominations and news that the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Australian Production of Matilda The Musical has received a record thirteen nominations, it was announced last night that the production will play a season in Adelaide from May 20 2017, following seasons in Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne, where Matilda is currently playing to packed houses.

Cast Announced for Curtains

The cast for The Production Company’s new staging of the Broadway whodunnit, Curtains has been announced. Ken Mackenzie-Forbes, Artistic Director said ‘Colin Lane, John Wood and Nicki Wendt are joining Simon Gleeson, Alex Rathgeber, Lucy Maunder, Melissa Langton and Alinta Chidzey in this Kander & Ebb murder mystery musical comedy. For this hilarious detective thriller we have cast artists with the personality and skill to create Rupert Holmes’ colourful backstage characters.

Spelling Bee for Hayes Theatre Co

After a highly successful Melbourne season, Vic Theatre Company in association with Hayes Theatre Co is thrilled to be bringing their production of the Tony Award-winning musical comedy THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE to Sydney’s Hayes Theatre Co for a strictly limited season from November 17.

SIDE SHOW for Hayes Theatre

One Eyed Man Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co is thrilled to announce the Australian professional premiere of the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical SIDE SHOW, due to play a strictly limited four-week season at Hayes Theatre Co from September 23. This stunning tale of sisterhood from the composer of Dreamgirls is based on the remarkable real-life story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and their transition from ‘circus freaks’ to megastars.

LIZA’s BACK! (is broken) for Sydney

There is no doubt about it.  Liza Minnelli is a true Broadway legend.  However, her appearances on the musical stage have been few and far between, and she’s only ever sung in a couple of true movie musicals…

So what would happen if Liza decided to perform all the great Broadway roles she never got to play, in one special night?

Satre's No Exit for Sydney

As the three characters try to determine why they are in Hell and how they are to be tormented, confessing their crimes and determining their combined fate, they soon come to the conclusion that Hell is other people.

Funny Girl Cast Announced

Ken Mackenzie-Forbes, Artistic Director of The Production Company has announced the full cast for Funny Girl. Opening The Production Company’s 2016 Season on 23 July in the State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne, Funny Girl features a cast of thirty and an orchestra of twenty-seven.

With a new production on London’s West End and a planned Broadway season, Melbourne is set to enjoy a new staging of this classic Broadway musical. Caroline O’Connor plays Fanny Brice, one of the great stars of Broadway’s Ziegfeld Follies.

Jonathan Church Steps Down as STC Artistic Director

Sydney Theatre Company announced today that Artistic Director Jonathan Church has stepped down from the role.

We Will Rock You for Adelaide and Perth

Producers of the new Australian production We Will Rock You have announced details for the Perth and Adelaide seasons later this year. The Perth season at the Crown Theatre will begin on 15 November, and tickets will go on sale on 13 June. The Adelaide season at the Festival Theatre will begin on 30 December, and tickets will go on sale on 6 June.

The new Australian tour of the epic Queen and Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You opened at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on 5 May.