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Lights go out at Opera House
Tuesday, March 30, 12:00am AEDST.

The lights went out deliberately at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday evening for Earth Hour, but a blackout on Monday night was anything but planned and caused major headaches for venue managers.

The Sydney CBD was plunged chaos early on Monday evening when electricity was cut, trapping people in lifts and blacking out hundreds of traffic lights and buildings.

The Opera House was forced to cancel all performances, including the 6.30pm showing of the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Travesties at the Drama Theatre.

Power supplier EnergyAustralia said in a statement that it had restored power after three hours to most of the 70,000 homes and businesses in the city's central business district, north and surrounding suburbs.

EnergyAustralia could not explain the outage.

There was much criticism as the evening progressed - particularly on leading Sydney radio station 2GB - about the lack of coordination from police and government officials during the incident.


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Natalie on the move
Sunday, March 29, 2:40pm AEDST.

Former musical theatre star Natalie Bassingthwaighte is set to leave Australian shores to follow a career overseas, News Limited newspapers report today.

Bassingthwaighte started her career in theatre but she has moved on to television, where she starred on Neighbours and is now the host of the hit reality program So You Think You Can Dance?

The blonde bombshell is also an accomplished recording artist, with her album 1000 Stars entering the ARIA charts at number one.

Bassingthwaighte started her career in theatre and landed her first major musical role in 2001, playing Adelaide Yates in a Singapore production of Chang And Eng.

She also starred as Ariel in the Sydney production of Footloose at the Capitol Theatre but she is best known for her work as Sandy in Grease, a role she has played in multiple productions including the most recent arena version.

"I think I am definitely going to leave the country for a while, because, I don't know, I am sick of seeing my face everywhere, let alone you guys," Bassingthwaighte told News Limited.

"I'm not sure whether I'm going to go to America or Europe or the UK."


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Rush shines on Broadway
Saturday, March 28, 7:14am AEDST.

In a week that Australian musical Priscilla made its West End debut, another local icon made a splash on the international stage with Geoffrey Rush starring in Exit The King on Broadway.

And Rush is earning rave reviews for his portrayal of a dying monarch in the Neil Armfield directed play, with talk that he may feature in awards talk at the end of the current theatre season in New York.

Rush was praised for his performance in the play in Sydney and Melbourne in 2007 and the New York production has been just as well received.

The Associated Press called Rush's performance "mesmerising" and praised the "inventive" direction of Armfield, who adapted the work with Rush.

In The New York Times, the reviewer who many believe has the power to close a show, Ben Brantley, gushed at the production.

"Exit The King makes better use of what are usually thought of as Brechtian devices than any Brecht production I’ve seen in New York in years... Mr. Rush’s knockout portrayal has some of the weary, contemptuous razzle-dazzle of Laurence Olivier’s great music-hall persona in The Entertainer," he said.

Brantley labelled the show's presentation "genius" and "brutally funny".

In Variety, David Rooney declared: "In his Broadway debut, Rush's supreme achievement is that he forces us to empathize with such a buffoonish, despotic gargoyle. Despite the antic tone of much of the performance -- full of tumbles and pratfalls, nifty scepter tricks and even a Buster Keaton-esque marching-band dance -- there's an emotional undertow at play, and not just when Rush stops cavorting."

Elysa Gardner, writing for USA Today, said: "Rush has a grand time surveying the depths of comedy and pathos offered by Berenger. It's a flamboyant, hilariously physical performance that becomes profoundly moving as the king struggles to come to terms with his fate, and reveals the childlike fear and uncertainty underlying his narcissism."

Frank Scheck of Reuters said: "As he's long demonstrated in his films, Rush is a marvelously physical actor. But he outdoes himself here, delivering a vaudevillian display of dexterity and malleability that makes Groucho Marx seem stiff-limbed. In his virtuosic hands, the act of dying never has been quite so entertaining."

As the play continues its run at the Barrymore Theatre, talk of success at the Tony Awards is likely to skyrocket.

Exit The King tells the story of a 400-year-old Monarch who is told he has 90 minutes left to live. Eugene Ionesco’s great absurdist comedy kicks off in a burst of gorgeous theatrical play. Existential sadness is in full bloom here, and it goes head to head with the ridiculous pleasure of being alive. This King’s fight against decline is a tooth-and-nail, hair-tearing scramble for more life. And whatever it is that’s sucking the life from him is also closing down the whole planet.

While Rush is the only Australian who remains from the original 2007 cast, Armfield and the Australian crew remain in tact for the New York version.

For Armfield, this week's opening was quite a world away from his most recent project, Shane Warne The Musical.


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Witches both nominated
Thursday, March 25, 7:14pm AEDST.

Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack - the stars of the hit Melbourne musical Wicked - have both been nominated for Green Room Awards.

Both Harrison and Durack are nominated in the Best Female Artist in a Leading Role category, alongside Lisa McCune for Guys And Dolls, Genevieve Lemon for Billy Elliot and Lisa Marie Charalambous for the small production of John And Jen.

John And Jen is also nominated for Best Musical, alongside Wicked and Billy Elliot.

The Green Room Awards - which honour Melbourne theatre - have followed the trend of nominating all young actors playing Billy in Billy Elliot by naming Michael Dameski, Joshua Denyer, Rhys Kosakowski, Dayton Tavares and Joshua Waiss Gates as a single nominee in the Best Male Artist in a Leading Role category. The group is up against Eddie Perfect for Shane Warne The Musical and Richard Piper for Billy Elliot.

Billy Elliot scored a total of 12 Green Room nominations, followed by Wicked with 10.

SEE THE FULL NOMINEE LIST HERE

The recipients will be announced in a ceremony on Monday, April 20 at The Playhouse at the Arts Centre in Melbourne. MC for the evening will be the fabulous Julia Zemiro.

The Green Room Awards celebrate all forms of the theatre arts on the professional stage in Melbourne for the preceding calendar year: theatre, music theatre, cabaret, opera and dance. First awarded in 1982, the Green Room Awards represent the toughest assessment by the toughest audiences in professional theatre: the creative peers in the theatre green room.

"This year’s nominees have joined the ranks of Green Room Award nominees from the previous 25 years," announced the Association’s President, Dr Mark Williams.

"Stars of the international stage have been made this year in Melbourne. As leading actresses in music theatre, for example, Lucy Durack and Amanda Harrison in Wicked and Lisa Marie Charalambous in John And Jen stand alongside recognised leaders such as Genevieve Lemon from Billy Elliot and Lisa McCune in Guys And Dolls.


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Mixed reviews for Priscilla
Tuesday, March 24, 10:14pm AEDST.

Australian musical Priscilla has received mixed reviews following its press performance at London's Palace Theatre.

The musical is playing its first international season following strong success in Australia, where it played long seasons in Sydney and Melbourne.

While some reviews for the tuner were good, others weren't so flattering. The Independent’s Michael Coveney, giving Priscilla just two out of five stars, said: “It sort of stinks."

He added: "I will survive, I'm sure, but the Priscilla wave that caught the Palace Theatre last night was a pretty strong blast of lethal elements: costumes that would have looked dated in a 1970s Talk of the Town floor show, a sick-making reunion between Jason Donovan as a drag queen and his little boy by a real-life woman (a rarity in this show) and a book that rhymes hormone with whore moan and demands that somebody shuts his von Trapp."

Writing for The Guardian, Michael Billington said: "Although the show is eventually about a father-son reunion, it never touches the heart.

"And, given the unexplored richness of Australian theatre, it is a pity that this artistically buoyant country should now be represented in the West End by this garish throwback in which camp is determinedly overpitched."

The respected Charles Spencer, who writes for the Telegraph, gave the production the thumbs up.

"It’s 10 times more enjoyable than the movie," he declared.

In The Times, Benedict Nightingale wrote: "Let’s reassure those who recall the film of Priscilla, or helped to make it the cult it remains, that the stage version has everything, maybe more than everything, they could reasonably expect."

He added: "There’s energy, fun, tunefulness and, above all, the most outrageous swirl of costumes that I ... have yet encountered."

TheaterMania gave the show a generally good review, with Natasha Tripney saying: "To complain about the flimsiness of the narrative is to miss the point: the story is there primarily to provide a framework for a string of familiar pop songs."

Producers are hoping the London season will be the catalyst for Priscilla's success internationally, including in America where they ultimately hope it will land on Broadway.

It is unlikely that the mixed reviews will bother the show's creators all that much. Even in Sydney, where the show played for almost a year at the Lyric Theatre before moving to Melbourne, the reviews were never overly spectacular.

The real test will be whether audiences respond to the show and whether or not the positive reviews ensure it is in the very least a moderate success in London in terms of its box office.

Priscilla is adapted from the well known, Oscar winning Australian film, which starred Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp and Hugo Weaving. It tells the tale of a pair of Drag show divas and a transsexual, travelling together on a converted old bus to a live drag show in the midst of the Australian outback/desert.

The show is scheduled to play in London until at least September


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Edwards to direct musical film
Sunday, March 22, 10:14pm AEDST.

Respected theatre director Gale Edwards will be at the helm of a new $8 million Australian movie-musical, which will be filmed in Queensland and enters pre-production in August.

A Heartbeat Away is being produced by Pictures In Paradise, which traditionally concentrates on horror films.

The film tells the story of a young man obsessed with becoming a rock guitar legend who is instead forced to become musical director of his father’s brass band.

A release date and casting has not been announced.


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Priscilla rattles towards opening
Saturday, March 21, 5:54am AEDST.

Hit Australian musical Priscilla is just days away from opening at the Palace Theatre in London, but it has been a shaky ride for the tuner with technical issues hurting its preview process and the March 18 performance cancelled half-way through the show.

It is an almost mirror image to the Sydney premiere lead-up, which saw problems with the show's biggest star, the bus.

The bus was also to blame for the mid-show cancellation this week, and while the performance probably could have gone on once the issues were fixed, child labor laws became an issue given how late it was getting into the night.

The show, which stars Tony Sheldon, returned to the stage for the March 19 performance.

Priscilla has a press night on Monday night (London time) and a gala opening night on Tuesday.

West End Whispers: Behind The Scenes at Priscilla


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Mum's The Word at Parramatta
Saturday, March 21, 5:38am AEDST.

Nothing is more peaceful than the joyous wonder of the first few months spent with your newborn baby. Nothing comes easier than the natural bond that occurs between a mother and her infant. Nothing makes your heart soar more than the angelic sound of your own crying baby... And nothing could be further from the truth!

Mum's The Word shares the joy, frustrations, tears and bliss of motherhood in a triumph of comedy and pathos that has left audiences around the world wanting more.

This brilliant Australian community theatre premiere of the original well-loved comedy will be a hit with mums, dads, kids, grandparents and carers of all kinds - and non-parents too!

Share the on-stage journey of a group of mothers, if not for the belly laughs that will ensue, then at least for the reassurance that - when it comes to the rollercoaster ride of parenthood - you’re not on your own!

The play heads to the Riverside Theatre at Parramatta from March 26. Bookings: (02) 8839 3399.


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Strutting in to Sydney
Saturday, March 21, 5:30am AEDST.

Willoughby Theatre Company in Sydney is preparing to present a production of A Chorus Line from April 28.

In an empty theatre, on a bare stage, casting for a new Broadway musical is almost complete. For these men and women, this audition is the chance of a lifetime. It’s what they’ve worked for - with every drop of sweat, every hour of training, every day of their lives. To have the chance to dance & come through.This is the story of the ones who make it – and the ones who don’t! Out of 17 who put themselves on the line, only 4 boys and 4 girls will win the chance to live their dream.

Winner of 9 Tony awards & a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, A Chorus Line first opened in 1975 on Broadway and was immediate hit. It then went on to become one of the longest running musical theatre productions in history.

Musical numbers include 'What I Did For Love', 'I Hope I Get It' and the big finale number 'One'. They make this one of the best known and best loved musicals ever written.

Willoughby Theatre Company is Sydney’s premier community musical theatre company. Boasting rich production values and some of Sydney’s freshest young talent, its recent hit shows include Beauty And The Beast, Cats, Cabaret, Kiss Me Kate and Sweeney Todd.

The cast features Victor Aguilera, Chris Bamford, Scott Clare, John Cook, Kate Cowley, Luke Davis, Sarah Friedrich, Alice Goodwin, Amy Gough, Doug Graham, Bianca Hicks, Josephine Ison, Chris Jackson, Tim Martin, SaraJane McKinnon, Natalie Neary, Hanna Hussbaumer, Michael Osborne, James Pilason, Miriam Ramsay, Simone Salle, Liz Testa and John Burfitt as Zac.

A Chorus Line opens on April 28 and plays until May 9. Bookings: (02) 9777 7547.


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Final Billy tickets on sale Monday
Thursday, March 19, 11:09pm AEDST.

The final release of tickets for the Melbourne season of Billy Elliot will go on general sale on Monday, March 23 from 9.00am.

Melbourne will be the final Australian city to host this production, which will have been seen by close to a million people in Australia by the time it closes on June 14.

Now a global phenomenon, Billy Elliot opened in London’s West End May 2005 to rave reviews. The Australian production opened in Sydney in November 2007, where it ran for a year – one of only three shows in the last decade to play a season of this duration or more. The 26 week Melbourne season, which opened on New Year’s Eve, immediately followed the Broadway production, which opened in November to extraordinary reviews and was recently named Time Magazine's ‘#1 Show of 2008’.

Melbourne audiences have embraced Billy Elliot. The show broke Her Majesty’s Theatre’s box-office record, becoming the venue’s most successful show ever in terms of sales revenue taken in one week.

Set in the North East of England, Billy Elliot is based on the film of the same name and is a funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of one boy’s dreams set against the historic British miners’ strike of 1984/85.

Bookings: 1300 555 593.


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Caroline's homecoming
Wednesday, March 18, 6:44pm AEDST.

The last time Caroline O'Connor performed in a musical in Brisbane there was no internet, no mobile phones and the hit musical Chicago was only six years old. It was 1981, and the show was Oklahoma!

O'Connor admits it is astonishing that she hasn't starred in a Brisbane-based musical in nearly three decades, but said it adds to her excitement about bringing the role of Velma Kelly to the Lyric Theatre when Chicago opens this week.

However, O'Connor has also revealed she had initial doubts about returning to the musical that took her career to new heights.

"I had some reservations about the physical side of it as Velma is an extremely physical role," O'Connor said.

"But I couldn't resist and as soon as I started I was so glad I did it. It's a dream role and I am having such a lovely time."

Starring alongside Sharon Millerchip, Gina Riley and Craig McLachlan in the tuner, O'Connor said Chicago had had an "enormous impact" on her life and said it was one of the shows that had defined her career.

"I'm having a really great time with it and having such a talented company around me is great," she said.

"I really can't believe it has been so long since I have performed in a musical in Brisbane and I'm very much looking forward to it - I hope they recognise me!"

The well-accomplished O'Connor still has plenty of dreams to achieve, including originating a role in a major commercial musical, something she is yet to do. She said she is considering a number of projects post-Chicago, but wanted to stay with the show for as long as possible.

As for criticism about whether a revival of Chicago would work, O'Connor pointed to tremendous box office success in Brisbane and great figures in Sydney, and said the industry had no sure-fire hits, nor sure-fire failures.

"Ever since I was 19 I've been told it's a bad time to open a show," she said.

"It's just one of those industries - some things are more popular than others. Word of mouth is a very powerful selling tool, I think. At the end of the day I leave the business to other people and just get out there and do the show."

After Brisbane, Chicago will move to Sydney's Lyric Theatre but there is no confirmation of an extended tour, though there are strong rumours that the show will visit Melbourne by the end of the year.

It has been 10 years since O'Connor graced the stage in Chicago in Australia and despite the fact that it's somewhat old territory for the much-loved performer, she still feels a huge responsibility and pressure.

"You have to live up to this show, it's very performance based and it is a real credit to the show that people want to come back and see it, or they are drawn to it for the first time," she said.

Chicago is currently in previews at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC.

- Troy Dodds


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Helpmanns to be held July 27
Monday, March 16, 6:44pm AEDST.

Organisers have announced that the 2009 Helpmann Awards will be held on Monday, July 27.

The Helpmann Awards honour excellence across the performing arts, with a major focus on theatre, and are held annually.

Despite confirming July 27 as the date for this year's ceremony, no venue has been officially announced. Last year, the event was held at the Lyric Theatre in Sydney.

Blockbuster musical Wicked is expected to dominate nominations for this year's musical theatre categories, with both Lucy Durack and Amanda Harrison set to follow Broadway counterparts Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel and both be nominated in the Best Female Actor in a Musical categroy.

Helpmann organisers have also confirmed that despite speculation about Kookaburra's future, its acclaimed production of Little Women could still be nominated for awards. There is a provision in the rules for the panel to suggest shows and performers for awards even if the producing company chooses not to nominate them, or is unable to do so.

- Troy Dodds


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Fairfax shake-up
Monday, March 16, 12:03am AEDST.

Fairfax has shaken up its arts team with a musical chairs-like shift in positions across both The Sun Herald and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Jason Blake, The Sun Herald's long-time theatre critic, has moved to The Sydney Morning Herald as its sole theatre reviewer, with Mark Hopkins to review occasionally and Bryce Hallett to stop reviewing completely. The well-respected Hallett will remain on as an arts journalist.

Stephen Dunne is also no longer reviewing for The Sydney Morning Herald, but retains his role at Friday Metro.

Nicholas Pickard - a one-time writer for AussieTheatre.com and respected blogger - has taken on the role of the theatre reviewer for The Sun Herald, effective as of yesterday.

Clare Morgan is the Herald's new Arts Editor.

- Troy Dodds


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Special concert for victims
Monday, March 16, 12:03am AEDST.



They are thousands of kilometres away but Australia's ex-pat theatre community is preparing for a special concert later this month that will assist those affected by the recent devastating Victorian bushfires and the Queensland floods.

As Sydney and Melbourne count the enormous amount of money raised from Sound Relief concerts over the weekend, the special London event West End's Sunday Best will be presented on March 29 at the Palace Theatre.

The special event will be officially announced today (Monday) with tickets to be available very soon.

Australian theatre mainstay Simon Burke will host the event, which will feature appearances by Rolf Harris, Philip Quast, Tamsin Carroll, String Divas, The Flying Pickets, Rat Pack’s Back and many more.

West End musicals such as Oliver!, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Sister Act, La Clique, Dirty Dancing, Chicago, The Sound of Music, The Lion King, La Cage Aux Folles, Zorro and Jersey Boys are also involved.

The theatre community here in Australia has strongly supported the bushfire and flood relief appeals, with numerous companies and shows raising money in a variety of ways for those involved in the tragedies.

This London concert is a way for those Australians living overseas to lend their heart and spirit to the ongoing appeal for the victims, who are starting the long process of re-building their lives.

The Victorian bushfires last month killed at least 210 people and left thousands more homeless. The vision sprayed across media outlets across the country and indeed the world shocked everyone and saw the generous community spring to action.

Most of the fatalities came from the tiny communities of Marysville, Strathewen and Kinglake, communities that were essentially reduced to rubble during the fires. The people of the towns have pledged to re-build and get on with life.

Producers of West End's Sunday Best say the fires and floods were so devastating that they simply had to do something.

"The expatriate Australian entertainment community and the stars of London’s West End are coming together especially, for one night only, to raise money for this very important and vital cause," they said in a statement.

London is the home to so many Australian theatre performers, who make the move to further enhance their career prospects. Some are performing in West End shows, including Tamsin Carroll, Tony Sheldon and many others.

The concert comes as London prepares to celebrate the official arrival of the mega-hit Australian musical Priscilla, which has received a strong response in preview performances.

Tickets for West End's Sunday Best will be on sale at www.seetickets.com.

- Troy Dodds


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Cats to play Brisbane
Saturday, March 14, 12:03pm AEDST.

One of the world's best known musicals, Cats, will play a Brisbane season later this year, it has been announced. There's been no confirmation if the show will visit other cities.

Cats first opened in London in May 1981 to rave reviews and went on to win a record-breaking number of awards worldwide including two Olivier Awards for Musical of the Year and Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Musicals, and seven Tony Awards. It holds the record of the longest-running musical in West End history having played for 21 years. In addition Cats played 18 years on Broadway and has been presented in over 26 countries, in about 300 cities, in 10 languages.

The show is being produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Atkins Enterprises in association with the Really Useful Group. The production is currently touring overseas.


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Up, up and Away
Saturday, March 14, 11:55am AEDST.

Michael Gow's '80s script, Away, is proving practically as enduring as any Williamson classic, with yet another production of one of Australia's favourite, most-produced plays.

Like equivalent international 'stayers' Tennesee Williams, Arthur Miller, Neil Simon, Alan Ayckbourne and few, if any, others, Gow's dark play about family breakdown harks back to a time when 'staycations' were the order of the day: few had ventured far overseas, beyond, say, Britain & Disneyland.

With topicality undiminished, given the tragic incidence of intra-familial stress, it's likely to prove of special interest, being part of several high school curricula in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria.

There is homage to Shakespeare (it opens with the school's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and ends with King Lear) in Away, which is understood to be largely autobiographical.

In 2005, a national tour commemorated the play's 20th anniversary, a co-production of the Queensland and Griffin theatre companies (where it debuted). Gow is now the Artistic Director of QTC.

One of the more surprising sidelights is that when the play was performed in the US, many had no idea Australia had been in Vietnam, let alone that many Australians died in the conflict.

Away, directed by Lyndelle Green, opens at Chatswood's Zenith Theatre, Saturday, March 21. Bookings: (02) 9777 7555.


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Adelaide hit heads to Sydney
Thursday, March 12, 5:34pm AEDST.

One of the 2008 Adelaide Fringe Festival highlights is coming to Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre in April, marking the Sydney debuts of the innovative Adelaide ensemble floogle, and award-winning playwright, Duncan Graham.

Ollie And The Minotaur tells the story of three 20-something women on their annual summer holiday. It appears to be a typical girly weekend, filled with lashings of gin and hilarity, but the revelation of past betrayal unravels a web of secrets that turns their gin-soaked shenanigans into a brutal and dark examination of their friendship.

This new Australian play, which was short-listed for the 2008 Adelaide Fringe Awards Best Theatre Production and Most Original Work, was developed as an ensemble piece over two years. Writer Duncan Graham, Director Sarah John and the three actors collaborated to explore and produce a script based on a foundation of naturalism that pushes the boundaries of typical theatre form.

According to Sarah John, the strength of Ollie And The Minotaur lies in its naturalistic approach to story telling and the true-to-life performances of the three women.

"The three actors have been with their characters since the play was just a vague idea, and they have been instrumental in the shaping the storyline and characters. The script was developed from discussions and improvisations with the three women about how the situation might play out in reality. Duncan worked from these stories to create a text which utilises a deceptively simple 'everyday-speak' and allows the deeper themes of the play to subtly emerge," she said.

"I hope that even though the audience sits in a theatre, they might feel as if they are in a room with these three women, and thus become complicit in the story as it unfolds."

The play opens on April 16. Bookings: (02) 9699 3444.


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Mandy and Patti to tour
Thursday, March 12, 5:14pm AEDST.

Two of Broadway’s greatest and most venerated stars, Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, are bringing their once-in-a-lifetime musical event to Australia, it was announced on Thursday.

Appearing together for the first time since the original production of Evita, for which they both won Tony Awards, they will perform An Evening With Patti LuPone And Mandy Patinkin in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in July 2009. Tickets for the Brisbane concert go on sale on March 16, and for Melbourne and Sydney on March 30.

Patti LuPone, who recently received rave reviews for her portrayal of Mama Rose in Gypsy on Broadway, has not performed in Australia since the 1999 Sydney Festival, 10 years ago. Following his sell out concert tour of Australia in 2006, Mandy Patinkin has been starring as profiler Jason Gideon in the TV series Criminal Minds.

In An Evening With Patti LuPone And Mandy Patinkin these two amazing artists perform a collection of the greatest songs written for the stage including masterpieces by Stephen Sondheim and Richard Rodgers. This extraordinary show is choreographed by fellow Broadway veteran and friend, Ann Reinking, who won a Best Choreography Tony Award for the revival of Chicago, and is accompanied on piano by Mandy Patinkin’s longtime pianist, Paul Ford.

"What a joy it is to bring Patti and Mandy back to Australia," said producer John Frost.

"This is truly Broadway at its best – two musical theatre legends in a funny, passionate, intimate and totally unforgettable evening, an evening that no fan of musicals should miss."

Frost is also currently co-producing the upcoming revival of Chicago, the smash hit Melbourne musical Wicked and the never-say-die touring production of the famed musical The Phantom Of The Opera, making him one of the busiest theatrical producers in the country.

Patti LuPone’s recent stage credits include Sweeney Todd, a critically acclaimed performance as Fosca in a concert version of Stephen Sondheim’s Passion, which was also broadcast on PBS’ Live From Lincoln Center and a multi-city tour of her critically acclaimed theatrical concert Matters Of The Heart.

LuPone's credits are too many to mention - she is a major theatrical star and legend.

As for Patinkin, his 1980 Broadway debut saw him win a Tony Award for his role as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita and he was again nominated in 1984 for his starring role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday In The Park With George.

Since then Patinkin has become a major theatre star, but has also built a huge following in television.

The show plays in Brisbane at the QPAC Concert Hall on Saturday, July 18 at 8pm, with tickets ranging from $99.00 to $150.00. Bookings: www.qtix.com.au.

In Melbourne, it is at the Hamer Hall on Tuesday, July 21 at 8pm, with the same ticket prices. Book at www.ticketmaster.com.au.

Sydney is the final stop with the State Theatre hosting the show on Friday, July 24 at 8pm. Book through www.ticketmaster.com.au.


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Priscilla lands in London
Tuesday, March 10, 11:15pm AEDST.

Hit Australian musical Priscilla is just hours away from playing its first performance at London's Palace Theatre, with previews commencing tomorrow morning (Australian time) ahead of a March 23 opening night.

The show, which premiered in Sydney in 2006, is based on the 1994 film of the same name and focuses on three drag queens who make their way across the Australian desert in a battered old bus, learning about themselves along the way.

Tony Sheldon, who played the role of Bernadette in the Australian production, leads the London cast.

"When I was first asked to do this show, I did think that it seemed to me to be the ideal film to turn into a musical," said Director Simon Phillips.

"It was actually a film that everyone thought was a musical in the first place, even though it wasn't, and also one that is destined to make the idea of a jukebox musical actually feel that it was a deliberate art form rather than some cynical accumulation of numbers that you could throw together and give everyone a good time, on the grounds that the world of drag and everything that it does has as its very heart the appropriation of great songs of any old diva from anywhere, and the re-rendering of it in the most fantastic costumes you can imagine."

Plans are underway to continue exporting the show around the world.


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Industry banks on riding out the storm
Saturday, March 7, 2:41pm AEDST.

Respected theatre producer John Frost has declared that the industry will survive the global economic crisis but has warned that smart scheduling will be the key to ensuring shows don't flop over the next 18 months.

Frost, who is producing both Wicked and Chicago in Australia, believes that much of the doom and gloom talk is created by the media, with no real evidence that people are cutting discretionary spending.

"People will continue going to the theatre as long as the right shows are on," Frost told AussieTheatre.com.

"The ones that suffer will be those who have programmed poorly. Theatre will survive regardless but it might be a little light on over the next 18 months - we will weather the storm and the future will be a lot brighter."

Frost said that while Wicked's box office figures were down in February, it was a traditionally tough month for theatre and March's figures are stronger.

"Chicago is also doing cracker business in Brisbane and Sydney is starting to warm up too," Frost said.

"The right programming is the key. I wouldn't want to be doing a dark, serious musical at the moment. I wouldn't want to be doing shows that aren't for the masses as the consequences could be disastrous."

Frost's overall message is that while people still have the money to attend theatre, they will be more inclined to do so for a known product or an obvious blockbuster, and could heed the doom and gloom message when it comes to the unknown.

It is understood that Jersey Boys continues to sell well in Melbourne, while Billy Elliot is also doing good figures and Shane Warne The Musical has just finished a solid season, proving Melbourne continues to open their wallets to theatre. Sydney is holding its own, too, with Buddy playing at the Lyric Theatre and the star-studded Guys And Dolls hitting the Capitol Theatre this week.

There has been casualties of the apparent crisis, however, with the biggest by far being the shock collapse of High School Musical, which ended its Sydney run early and dumped a planned national tour. Producers put the blame for the show's failure squarely on the economic situation.

If Frost is right, and it is the unknown or smaller shows that will struggle through this period, then what of the once-burgeoning independent theatre scene, particularly in Sydney where just 12 months ago things were really hotting up.

Well-known independent theatre writer, director and actor, Wayne Tunks, believes the financial crisis could indeed have an impact on the sector.

"Financial crisis or not, it is hard to produce independent theatre, but now shoe string budgets are stretched even further and it is hard to get that little sponsorship money we may have attracted before," Tunks said.

"That said, If the financial crisis scares anyone off producing an independent show then maybe they shouldn't be in the business to start with. If you have a passion for theatre, nothing is going to stop putting on shows."

Frost said talk of the world financial crisis had not scared any of his shows into making budget cuts, saying he was not cutting or increasing spends in any area or department across his musicals.

- Troy Dodds


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Hairspray bound for Australia?
Thursday, March 5, 9:55pm AEDST.

It is being strongly rumoured that a production of the hit Broadway musical Hairspray will land in Australia in 2010, potentially ending years of speculation.

The show premiered on Broadway six years ago and since then, rumours have always swirled about an Australian version, particularly given local producer John Frost has an interest in the musical.

A film version of the musical hit last year and a sequel is currently being planned, it is understood.

What is not clear is whether the rumoured Australian venture would be an arena production, which has been spoken about in the past. If so, it may cash in on using star names and be sold as an 'event' as opposed to a traditional theatre production.

No official announcement has been made.


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Seymour confirms cancelled show
Thursday, March 5, 9:47pm AEDST.

The Seymour Centre has officially announced that Kookaburra's forthcoming production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change will not be going ahead.

A notice placed on the venue's website says: "As you would appreciate, this is a very unusual circumstance and is a decision which we are sure was not taken lightly by Kookaburra."

The Seymour Centre wrote to all ticket holders on Tuesday advising them of their options, which vary depending on the type of ticket purchased, but generally include exchange, credit or refund.

Full details are in each ticketholder's letter, which should be received by tomorrow.

It is not known how Kookaburra subscribers are affected, nor has the Seymour Centre announced a replacement production.


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Sydney gets new cabaret venue
Thursday, March 5, 9:44pm AEDST.

Sydney has an elegant new home for cabaret – Café 212 in Surry Hills. And its March blockbuster - which opened tonight - is the glittering Priscillas In The Mist.

This dazzling dinner show starring Lesley Hancock (Leave It To Diva, Come Fly With Me) and Trevor Ashley (Gentlemen Prefer Blokes) along with Lucinda Shaw (Spamalot) and Kurt Phelan (Priscilla), brings to life the colour, flamboyance, fabulous costumes and songs of the disco era featured in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.

Watch drag diva, Ginger Vitas and her lovely co-star Alana Coke as they transform a 'real girl' from dag to drag in spectacular fashion.

The show features some of the greatest anthems of the disco era, including 'I Will Survive', 'Never Been To Me' and 'I Love the Nightlife'.

Lesley Hancock - just back this morning from launching V Australia in London with Richard Branson (in her guise as 'Judy Free') - is the mad genius behind Leave It To Diva and Cabaret @ 212.

More information: (02) 9215 5137.


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Miss Saigon to hit amateur circuit
Thursday, March 5, 8:58pm AEDST.

They are bui doi – the child face of the tragedy of the Vietnam War, a product of love affairs among American GI’s and local women left behind as Saigon fell. It was a heartbreaking photograph of one of these forgotten children being sent to America in hope of a better life that inspired the classic love story Miss Saigon.

Some 20 years after show opened on stage in London’s west end, Rockdale Musical Society (RMS) is presenting the Australian amateur premiere later this month.

In Miss Saigon, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michael Schönberg (the creators of Les Misérables), along with Richard Maltby, Jr, bring Puccini's Madame Butterfly to the modern world.

An American soldier, Chris, and a local girl, Kim, fall in love, only to be separated during the fall of Saigon. Their struggle to reunite ends in tragedy for her, but with some hope for the son Chris never knew he had.

Playing the challenging and tragic role of Kim in RMS’ production is Jinky Trijo, who follows in the footsteps of her cousin Jennifer who played the same role in the 2007/08 Australian professional tour of Miss Saigon.

"Miss Saigon touches one's heart and soul," Trijo said.

"The undying love of a mother for her son is admirable, which we are called to reflect on. Equally, true love amidst war and distance can truly bring one just so far, which is difficult to imagine and understand by someone who does not know its essence."

Trijo said she is also proud to be part of a musical that she says is of great pride to her native Philippines, having proved that music is truly universal while opening the theatre world's door to Asian actors.

Michael Johnson, who plays Chris, said he had always been a fan of the music of Miss Saigon, but had only witnessed the true magic of the show on stage when he saw a performance of the most recent Australian professional tour.

Aside from always being drawn to the songs made famous by the character, he has enjoyed exploring the complex and deep emotions required for the role.

"Through the genius of its music and lyrics, Miss Saigon moves through a great deal of story and emotional development very quickly, which always keeps the audience on their toes and wanting more, though it does so without forsaking those special moments. You can’t help but be affected on a very deep level by the story and the recurrent themes of love, sacrifice, survival and honour," he said.

Miss Saigon will be performed at Rockdale Town Hall from March 13 to 21. Tickets cost $35, or $30 for concessions (not available Saturday evenings). Call 9591 3395 to book.


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New legal play to open
Wednesday, March 4, 10:54pm AEDST.

Lawyer-cum-writer Tony Laumberg will present a new play at the TAP Gallery from May 7, and this time it's a true story.

Bondi Legal tells the true story of a teenage girl and her mother who take on the might of big business and win!

After her daughter’s prized show pony is ravaged by a chemical company’s grooming product, her feisty mother, Frances, sues the company seeking justice. They are forced to pin their hopes on a neurotic conveyancing solicitor, Brad Pitt (no relation), who’s thrust into handling the hearing at the last moment without any litigation experience whatsoever. What follows is a nail-biting, fish-out-of-water comedy thriller you will never forget!

How do our heroes take on the limitless resources of a corporate heavyweight and its formidable legal team and actually triumph? A clue - as a last resort, Frances - a life coach who dabbles in hypnotherapy - attempts to hypnotise the clueless Brad into believing he’s the world’s greatest lawyer. Does it work? Come see ‘Tony’s Pony Tale’ and find out!

Writer/producer Tony Laumberg and director Richard Cotter team up for their 9th play in what promises to be the wildest and wackiest courtroom showdown ever witnessed.

This is an inspiring true story that proves beyond all reasonable doubt that it’s never too late to realise your full potential and provide justice for all.

Bondi Legal plays at the TAP Gallery, Darlinghurst from May 7 to 31. Bookings: 1300 306 776.


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Home-made theatre the winner
Tuesday, March 3, 5:19pm AEDST.

B Sharp is introducing a new-look season in 2009, made up of two halves designed to facilitate more new Australian work and increased creative development. The first season, from March to July 2009, was launched on Monday night at Belvoir Street Theatre and presents two world premieres, one Australian premiere and two Sydney premieres of new Australian plays.

Ladybird is a pitch black comedy that investigates the lives and loves of four young Russians, living on the urban fringes, doing what they need to survive. Written by new wave Russian playwright Vassily Sigarev (Evening Standard award-winner for Most Promising Playwright, 2002), Small Things Productions have produced a localised adaptation of the translated text, and will present the Australian premiere with critically-regarded director Lee Lewis. Ladybird is a heartbreakingly beautiful play starring the winner of the Best Supporting Actress and Best Newcomer gongs at the recent 2008 Sydney Theatre Awards, Yael Stone, and Best Newcomer nominee, Ian Meadows.

Next up is the Sydney premiere of a new Australian work Ollie And The Minotaur, by Duncan Graham. Three 20-something girlfriends spend a long, hot summer night musing over the past. Beneath the hilarity, however, something darker lurks; something that threatens to putrefy their friendships and memories, and in their place bequeath bitter betrayal and lost innocence. Directed by Sarah John, Ollie And The Minotaur arrives in Sydney after critically acclaimed seasons in Adelaide and Melbourne, and marks Adelaide production company floogle’s Sydney debut.

In May, 2008 AWGIE Stage Award-winner, Beyond The Neck, explores the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Four people struggling with their loss find themselves at the site of the massacre some years later. Written by remarkable young Australian playwright, Tom Holloway, and set to an original score by Steve Toulmin, Beyond The Neck investigates the universal experience and individual manifestation of pain that results from tragedy and trauma. After directing the première in Tasmania, Iain Sinclair (The Seed) returns to the Downstairs Theatre following his highly acclaimed and award-winning production, Killer Joe, in 2008.

Following that is the world premiere of a new Australian work by 2008 Griffin Award-winner, Rick Viede. Whore is an unflinching exploration of freedom, ambition and coming-of-age. Thousands of young Aussie flock to London each year to reinvent themselves – it’s exhilarating to find yourself in a place where you have no history – but, when it comes to constructing a new identity in a place where anything’s possible, how far can you go? Whore is Rick Viede’s first full-length play and this première production will be directed by Christopher Hurrell.

Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk is a dramatic adaptation of the 1865 novella by Nikolai Leskov and opens Downstairs in July. The play tells the story of a lonely woman who, having fallen in love with one of her husband's workers, is driven, by lust, to murder. This contemporary retelling provides a re-visioning of the Lady Macbeth character, desperate to break from the traditional expectations of married life. This new adaptation by Robert Couch will be directed by Joseph Couch, Robert’s son, with costume design by their daughter and sister respectively, Esther.

"Company B supports independent artists and their work because we think it is critical to the diversity of the creative landscape in Australia," said Company B’s Downstairs Theatre Director, Annette Madden.

"We recognise the need for a vibrant alternative to main-stage work through small-scale, collaborative productions in an environment where artists aren’t afraid to experiment and take risks. Our 2009 B Sharp Season is an indication of the vision and strength of the Australian independent sector and we are very much looking forward to seeing these productions come to life in the Downstairs Theatre."

The second half B Sharp 2009 Season will be announced mid-year.


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McGrath has no regrets
Tuesday, March 3, 5:19pm AEDST.

One of Kookaburra's biggest donors, Dr Amy McGrath, says she has no regrets about the funding provided to the organisation, which now appears to have collapsed.

Dr McGrath donated around $400,000 from an incorporated organisation called The Australian Theatre, which is now defunct.

"Kookaburra has done some splendid things," Dr McGrath told Stage Whispers.

"Lots of people are losing money in theatre. 25 productions have recently closed on Broadway. The Sydney Theatre Company has staged a number of dogs this year. The attacks on Kookaburra are like hyenas attacking a carcass."

Meanwhile, it appears Kookaburra's production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is officially dead.

Peter Cousens has sent a letter to the creative team and cast member Marika Aubrey, in which he said the production would be unable to go ahead. The email, obtained by AussieTheatre.com, features an apology from Cousens over the length of time it took to make a decision about the show's future.


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New musical to be workshopped
Tuesday, March 3, 7:59am AEDST.

A new musical theatre piece from two Queensland writer-composers will have an intensive one-week Script & Score Development Workshop this month to help knock it into shape, and catch the eye (and imagination) of potential producers.

Since January 2007, Brisbane based composers Peter Pinne and Paul Dellit have been slaving away on the piano and computer keyboard, to create Suddenly Single.

Suddenly Single follows the lives of three twenty-something guys, Ryan (Electrician), Aaron (IT Specialist) and Luke (S.N.A.P. Sensitive New Age Priest), over a three-year period, as they negotiate the minefield of love and relationships in the world today. The show is an amusing but honest look at metro-sexuals, and their attitudes to body image, marriage, family, cheating and the responsibilities of life. Commencing with the wedding of childhood sweethearts, Ryan and Sarah, and progressing to the point where the guys are all 'suddenly single,' to a wrap-up that has them sorting out their lives, Suddenly Single shows us that relationships aren't easy. Some of them work, some of them don't, but it's nice to be in one. And it sure beats being single!

Between them, Pinne and Dellit have composed the music & lyrics to 16 original music theatre songs, as well as completing Draft #6 of the script.

In December 2007, Suddenly Single was showcased with a 20 minute presentation by Magnormos producer Aaron Joyner as part of OzMade Musicals at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne.

The Script & Score Development Workshop will take place from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20 at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, and will be directed by Shaun Murphy.

The cast includes Tim Dashwood, Penny Farrow, Chris Fennessy, Judy Hainsworth, Natalie O'Donnell and Chris Parker.


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Musical will be uplifting
Sunday, March 1, 3:09pm AEDST.

The upcoming tour of Breast Wishes will see Chelsea Plumley return to Australia for the first time since she starred in Company in 2007 and will mark the commercial musical theatre debut of 2008 WAAPA graduate Gretel Scarlett.

Breast Wishes is an "uplifting" new Australian musical about life, love, loss and silicon that has its World Premiere in the Everest Theatre at the Seymour Centre in Sydney on April 16, where it will play until May 2.

Following the Sydney season the show will embark on a national tour to Wollongong, Newcastle, Parramatta, Canberra, Perth, Gold Coast, Darwin, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Audiences were given a sneak peak at the musical late last year at the Sydney Theatre but it has now been tweaked and all is in readiness for the first national tour of the tuner.

Four women, a bra-fitter who’s seen it all, some show stopping numbers and a brilliant cast will take you on a witty and heart-warming journey of courage and determination through laughter to triumph.

Apart from Plumley and Scarlett, the show also stars Anne Looby, Valerie Bader and David Harris.

Looby has been the major force behind the project and has managed to attract a stellar group of people for the project.

Breast Wishes will be directed by Jason Langley, with musical direction by Michael Tyack, choreography from Nathan Wright, production design by Imogen Ross, lighting design by Trudy Dalgleish and sound design by Michael Waters.

A celebration of breasts and those who support them, Breast Wishes is written by some of Australia's most respected comedic and dramatic writers including Merridy Eastman, Jonathan Gavin, Richard Glover, Wendy Harmer, Sheridan Jobbins, James Millar and Debra Oswald, with music and lyrics by Bruce Brown.

Importantly, the show has original music and stories. And while shows like Menopause have their place, Breast Wishes is very much an emotional, thought-provoking journey. While the show is funny, it also deals with dark issues.

Breast Wishes has quietly risen from nowhere to launch this national tour, but there's been extensive hard work behind the scenes for a number of years.

In late 2007, a workshop was held at NIDA in Sydney, the first showing of what was to come. Following extensive reworking of the piece, a second workshop period was undertaken culminating in a presentation to an invited audience which included a number of Australian industry professionals.

Langley and Tyack then joined the production ahead of its Sydney Theatre showcase last year, and remain involved with the project.

Breast Wishes opens at the Seymour Centre on April 16. Bookings: (02) 9351 7940.

Video: Breast Wishes teaser
20 Questions with... Anne Looby
Will Breast Wishes be a hit on tour? Have your say here
View the Breast Wishes official website by clicking here


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Tee records second album
Sunday, March 1, 11:32am AEDST.

Acclaimed music theatre and cabaret performer last night recorded his second album, Generation whY?, at the Trackdown Studios in Sydney, accompanied by a live studio audience.

The album could be released as soon as mid-April.

Tee was joined on the album by musical director Nigel Ubrihien and a choir of musical theatre stars including James Lee, Jodie Harris, Katrina Retallick, Marika Aubrey and Eliza Anderson, amongst many others.

There were two recording sessions - one at 5.30pm and one at 8.00pm.

The album features numerous songs from the 1980's and 1990's, all of which have had some sort of influence on Tee's life and his generation.

- Troy Dodds


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Roadkill heads to Performance Space
Sunday, March 1, 11:13am AEDST.

Performance Space and Mobile States will present Roadkill later this month, a stunning, highly physical and intensely unnerving piece of dance theatre.

A couple are stranded in the Australian outback with a car that won’t start next to a phone box that doesn’t work. This is a road trip into the agoraphobia and desolation of the Australian outback: a place of dreams and dust and ghosts. A land where backpackers disappear and tragedy strikes the vulnerable. Situated within the minds of its three performers, Roadkill explores their fears and their twisted perceptions of the landscape and its dangers.

Choreographed by Splintergroup, roadkill deals with these psychological states through a vocabulary of intense physicality. Using unorthodox, amazingly irregular movement and intense drama, Roadkill is part road movie, part excavation into the urban legends and paranoia that surround the centre of this continent.

Splintergroup was founded in 2004 and is a flexible and collaborative group whose membership varies. Their extraordinary dance work Lawn was the hit of the 2005 Sydney Festival and was described by The Australian as "Simply one of the best things you will see in the theatre".

The show opens at Performance Space in Sydney on March 18. Bookings: 1300 723 038.


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Maj announces cabaret season
Sunday, March 1, 12:00am AEDST.

The popular Cabaret Soirée season is back DownStairs at the Maj in Perth from April 16 until May 23 every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a six week program of concerts featuring Australia’s hottest cabaret talent.

The season includes:

Fingerprints (16-18 April)
Acclaimed music theatre and cabaret performer Avigail Herman (Cats, Godspell, Follies) presents her heart-warming and funny show about all of us, through the eyes of one of us. Featuring a diverse array of songs written by George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Jason Robert Brown, William Finn and Amanda McBroom, Avigail asks the question what is a fingerprint?

Welcome To Wonderland (April 23-25)
Join Sebastian Crinkle, the world’s most Devilish Drag Queen, in a new original cabaret that comes with a few delightful surprises. Filled with story and song from this Glitterati of Glamour, hold on tight as you take Sebastian by the hand and float on his boat of desire, love and a dirty little secret!

Hallelujah To Her (April 30 - May 2)
From internationally acclaimed singer and actor Natalie Gamsu comes a show about obsessions, dreams, superstitions, hope, escape and coming home. Hallelujah To Her is an evening of songs and stories celebrating the ‘divine ordinary’ in women everywhere. Come along on this magical journey with a cast of funny, moving and crazy characters, bound together with a string of classics from Sondheim, Jewel to Led Zeppelin.

The Duelling Divas (May 7-9)
What happens when an Opera Diva crosses a Broadway Queen and they decide to swap roles? International stage stars Ann Adlem and Elisa Wilson will pitch their formidable voices against one another for the ultimate vocal duel. Scaling music from Wagner, Mozart and Verdi to Kern, Gershwin and Bernstein, with exotic surprises and novelties along the way – the audience will definitely be the winner in any event.

Los Tres Rios (14-16 May)
Back by popular demand, Danza Viva Spanish Dance Company marks the 80th anniversary of famed poet, director and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca's (1898 -1936) arrival in America, with this vibrant flamenco-based cabaret. Los Tres Rios dynamically intertwines the three elements of music, dance and the written word - sung or spoken.

How To Lose A Guy (In 10 Easy Ways) (May 21-23)21, 22 & 23 May.
We’ve all had relationships we’d rather forget. Are you in one right now? Need some help to take out the trash? In the style of a documentary/ talk show, Analisa and Sherry-Anne take you through 10 easy ways to lose a guy. Pepper-spray not included!

Shows start at 8.30pm. Doors and bar open at 7.30pm so you have time to relax with a drink and light refreshments before, during and after the show.

Book at BOCS Ticketing: (08) 9484 1133.


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Warne musical closes, hits the road
Sunday, March 1, 12:00am AEDST

The popular Shane Warne The Musical ends its Melbourne season today and will hit the road, with the show to open in Perth on March 18 ahead of a Sydney season, which starts in mid-May.

The musical opened to mostly positive reviews at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne late last year and has performed well at the box office.

The show was boosted by strong publicity surrounding Shane Warne's ultimate approval of the show and his appearance at the opening night performance.

Written by Eddie Perfect, Shane Warne The Musical follows the life of one of Australia's most colourful sporting characters, Shane Warne.

In her review of the show for AussieTheatre.com, Anne-Marie Peard said, in part: "Shane Warne The Musical will become as legendary as its namesake. It’s not a celebration of Warne the cricketer or a gut-punch to Shane the man. It lets you laugh at him, laugh with him and ultimately cack yourself because his ridiculous, media-controlled, fame-driven life led to a Melbourne-based cabaret performer writing a musical all about it."

Shane Warne The Musical stars Eddie Perfect, Sally Bourne, Robert Grubb, Rosemarie Harris, Matt Hetherington, Jolyon James, Amy Lehpamer, Mike McLeish, Ashlea Pyke and Belinda Wollaston.


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