Frost keen to take Zhivago to the world

Leading musical theatre producer John Frost says he will continue to produce revivals of popular musicals, but will also look at more riskier choices such as Doctor Zhivago, which will open in Sydney next year.

Leading musical theatre producer John Frost says he will continue to produce revivals of popular musicals, but will also look at more riskier choices such as Doctor Zhivago, which will open in Sydney next year.

Frost is the driving force behind the Zhivago musical, which is based on the famous novel by Boris Pasternak.

Frost is more than aware of the talk that the show is too much of a risk and an unknown entity for Sydney, but he is looking well beyond the Lyric Theatre season.

“Every show is a risk,” Frost told AussieTheatre.com. 

“But this work is for the world, and I believe it has a strong commercial life after it plays the main stages.”

Frost, who is riding a wave of success with the current Australian productions of Wicked and Fame and recently produced Chicago, says he “loves the music and story” of Dr Zhivago and is keen to make shows like it part of his repertoire.

“I want to see more new musicals created in Australia but at the same time I will continue to do revivals that I think the public want to see,” Frost said. 

“That’s why I’m producing Fame, and it has been such a hit. And that’s why I will do a R&H or Grease – the public want to see them and I need to make money so my investors can do new works as well. At the end of the day it’s a business.”

Doctor Zhivago hit the big screen in 1965 as an epic, drama romance by David Lean and created a star of Omar Sharif in the title role. The film remained popular for decades, and as of 2010 was the eighth highest grossing film of all time.

The show opens at the Lyric Theatre in February.