World Premiere Musical Li’l Elvis and the Truckstoppers 2025
Brisbane Powerhouse is thrilled to announce the world premiere of Li’l Elvis and the Truck stoppers, bringing the beloved animated TV series to life, blending nostalgia with a healthy dose of rock ‘n’ roll. Kicking 2025 off with a bang, this live musical adventure will take the stage for a limited opening season from Friday 10 to Sunday 19 January 2025.
Long before Bluey took over the world, another completely original Australian animated show was breaking new ground. First developed in the 1990’s as a joint venture between Australian Children’s Television Foundation and Viskatoons, and aired on ABC TV, Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truck stoppers is a story that resonates deeply with themes of identity, community and music’s transcendent power.
The story follows a multicultural group of children and their adventures in outback Australia. Li’l Elvis Jones lives in the tiny outback town of Wannapo where ten years prior, an old guitar case was left at Grace ‘n’ Len’s Roadhouse. Inside was a baby swaddled in a rhinestone-studded wrap. Dedicated Elvis fans, Grace and Len Jones adopted the boy and named him Li’l Elvis.
Li’l Elvis and his two friends, Lionel Dexter (didgeridoo) and Janet Rig (drums), form the band The Truck stoppers, and the storyline follows their adventures playing Didgi billi rock and getting about their outback town.
The star-studded original cast included Nick Giannopoulos (The Wog Boy trilogy, Acropolis Now and Wogs At Work), Michael Veitch and Marg Downey (The D-Generation, Fast Forward and Full Frontal), Tom E Lewis (The Chant Of Jimmie Blacksmith), and celebrated singer-songwriter and actor Wendy Stapleton among others. The production team even included a young Rove McManus!
Brought to life by a national team of creatives with support from the original series writers and producers, Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers – The Musical offers a chance to share this iconic story with a new generation.
Director, Madison Thew Keyworth, director/choreographer for Australian and New Zealand seasons of major musical productions including Disenchanted, The Wizard of Oz and Mamma Mia, has a first-hand understanding of the production’s place within Australia’s arts and cultural landscape:
This show is such an incredible opportunity for Australian audiences! Like so many others, I grew up watching this cartoon; the songs, characters and landscapes are lodged deep within my childhood memories and to have the privilege of unpacking and reimagining them for stage has been an amazing experience.
In creative development for the last two years, we’ve had the honour of bringing the original creators together with our favourite Australian writers, to build a show which ultimately reflects our own experiences of belonging within this wide brown land.
When Peter Viska, owner of independent Victorian animation studio Viskatoons, first pitched the idea of the animated series to television networks in the 1990’s, he never imagined that the characters would travel the world, let alone return thirty years later to find new audiences amongst today’s generations.
We are so proud of the production and the team’s respect for the original creation, WC, the rest, and I, eagerly await the joy of Digibilli Rock taking hold of audiences in the aisles.
Years in development, the team behind the new live musical production of Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truck stoppers includes actor and writer James Millar, known for his remarkable portrayal of Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, quick-witted comedian Steph Tisdell, Darwin-based playwright Rachael Chisholm and Glenn Moorhouse, the musical director behind American Idiot.
Now, for the first time, this iconic tale leaps from the screen to the stage in an electrifying new production. Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truck stoppers (2025) is not just a musical theatre show; it’s an anthem for community spirit, for the vibrancy of youthful adventure and for the power of rock ‘n’ roll. With original songs, high-energy choreography and a narrative filled with humour and emotion, Li’l Elvis Jones and the Truckstoppers is set to be a rich, charming and unforgettable musical experience. Don’t miss out!
Season Details
Venue: Brisbane Powerhouse
Date: : 10 – 19 Jan 2025
For more information click HERE
