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Theatre's future decided today?
Monday, May 19, 12:00am AEST.
The fate of Melbourne's famous La Mama Theatre could be decided as early as today with the
company to know whether or not it has enough money to guarantee its long-term future at
the Faraday Street site.
As reported earlier this year, the theatre's director, Liz Jones, received a letter
from lawyers acting on behalf of the family who own the venue, confirming it is on the
market and asking Jones to make an offer. It followed the death of 89-year-old Rose Del
Monaco, who owned the site and was a strong supporter of the theatre.
Now, the time has come for La Mama to decide whether or not it can afford to buy
the theatre, with a deposit of $170,000 required today if the company is to purchase the
theatre it has operated from for some 40 years.
If the $170,000 deposit doesn't land by 5pm, the venue is likely to be auctioned
off and the end could be near for one of Melbourne's finest theatrical institutions.
According to The Age, about $140,000 had been raised as of Friday.
"We doubt very much we could buy it at auction," Jones told the
newspaper.
"We've got a whole series of meetings set up with people in the next couple of weeks,
but to get people's commitments by Monday, you can't talk to big corporations and
governments on those sort of terms."
La Mama has offered to buy the venue for a total cost of $1.7 million.
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The
Jungle kicks off at Cleveland Street
Sunday, May 18, 10:14pm AEST.
 From the same
author who gave us the films Cosi and Map Of The Human Heart, Australian
playwright, screenwriter and novelist Louis Nowra brings us The Jungle, a sordid
new play that opened at the Cleveland Street Theatre in Sydney on Friday night.
The Jungle is about a one-night stand in more ways than one. Moving from the streets
of King Cross to harbour view penthouse apartments, connections are made. A junkie street
walker. A corrupt cop. A Kurt Cobain fanatic. A gay businessman. A Romanian lover. A faded
rock star. You do the maths.
This bold production showcases the graduating actors of the Actors College of Theatre and
Television at Sydney’s newest venue, the ACTT’s own Cleveland Street Theatre. The
Jungle is based on real-life characters in Nowra’s own stomping ground and Pete
Nettell’s direction in this Brecht-meets-Tarantino style of blacker-than-black comedy
provides the necessary bumpy ride these (literally) hard-hitting characters demand!
“It works a little like a peep show; you pay your money, take a seat, the lights come
on and, as you watch, you’re entertained, horrified and and enthralled," said
ACTT director Lesley Watson.
Pete Nettell is the founder of Focus Theatre, responsible for innovative productions of
Sondheim's Assassins (2003), Into the Woods (2004), Putting It
Together and The Handbag (2005), Dinner (2007) and the recent
sell-out season of Blowing Whistles (2008) Downstairs at Belvoir.
“I worked with ACTT actors in 2007 and am thrilled to have the opportunity to return
and direct these talented students in this powerful piece," he said.
Already boasting an impressive array of graduates, this year’s acting graduates are
only the second group to have completed three years of training utilising the innovative
Eric Morris/Meyerhold acting technique. This is the only college in Australia to offer
this landmark method that is being praised by actors across the world. The mid-year intake
starts July and applications are now open.
The Jungle runs until May 24. Bookings: (02) 9212 6000.
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Sad
loss: Dr Rodney Seaborn dies
Sunday, May 18, 7:56pm AEST.
He was once labelled the "unofficial patron saint" of Sydney theatre and the
industry is today mourning the loss of Dr Rodney Seaborn, whose impact on the arts in
Australia is mammoth, and constantly under-rated.
Dr Seaborn passed away over the weekend after suffering a massive heart attack.
The man synonymous with theatre in Sydney is best known for his famous purchase of
the SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross, which saved the Griffin Theatre Company from
certain extinction in the mid 1980's.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald two years ago, Dr Seaborn
said he had particularly fond memories of what he considered Sydney theatre's golden age -
the 1930's.
"There was the Empire, the St James, Her Majesty's, the Royal, the Palace, the
Criterion, the Tivoli - all big theatres, all packed with good shows. When I came back
after the war, that had more or less gone," Dr Seaborn told the newspaper.
Dr Seaborn was born into a family of theatre-goers but it was that purchase of the Stables
in 1986 that put him on the theatrical map. Buying the theatre saw him set up the Seaborn,
Broughton and Walford Foundation, which still owns the theatre.
Without Dr Seaborn's intervention, the Stables would have almost certainly been
demolished. Now, 22 years later, it stands as the home of one of the finest theatre
companies in the country and is renowned for its cosy, intimate nature.
The Seaborn, Broughton and Walford Foundation went on to purchase and restore the
Independent Theatre and to assist the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, The Ensemble,
the ANPC, Theatre of Image, Bell Shakespeare Company, Company B and Performing Lines, to
name but a few.
Dr Seaborn's dedication and commitment to theatre was honoured at the 2006 Sydney
Theatre Awards, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
A few years earlier, he was made a director and life governor of the National
Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). NIDA currently houses the Rodney Seaborn Library.
Dr Seaborn also has a popular playwright's award named after him, which presents
writers with a $10,000 prize to develop and produce their work for the stage. Dr Seaborn
once said the idea of the award was to "encourage and support the development of new
material".
Dr Seaborn's funeral is expected to be held on Wednesday.
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Latvian
director hits Belvoir
Sunday, May 18, 7:07pm AEST.
Latvian director Vladislavs Nastavshevs, who trained with Lev Dodin at the acclaimed Maly
Theatre in Moscow, is bringing a magnetic and intimate contemporary rendering of
Strindberg’s masterpiece text to the Belvoir Street Downstairs Theatre from June 4,
when Miss Julie opens at the popular venue.
It is Midsummer’s Eve and the servants on the estate of the Count are celebrating.
With her father absent, Miss Julie mingles graciously. It is only a matter of time however
before the peasants and their spirit of reckless abandon win over the Count’s
daughter and she throws off the shackles of her aristocratic pedigree, leaving her
unabashedly yet unstably in the arms of her father's valet, Jean.
A psycho-sexual pas de deux ensues – a balancing act where the stakes are the highest
imaginable. Miss Julie delves deep into the messy undercurrents of our modern society: the
desire for power, class, weapons of exploitation, emotional weapons of sexual
manipulation, and the cornerstone of our modern world – the notion that not all men
are created equal.
Director Vladislavs Nastavshevs says the production, the result of a Drama Centre of
London workshop, is born from discussions with lead actress Sarah Becker about their
common desire to liberate the classical text from its bonds of stuffy, English
“traditional-ness”, and move it away from naturalism.
“Although the play conveys the bitter aftermath of a liaison between members of
separate classes, and explores duelling ideas about the balance of power between men and
women, and sex and love, Miss Julie isn't simply a play about the constrictions
of class, or even of sex, but about the deeper conflict between the human soul and the
physical body it must inhabit," Nastavshevs said.
“Strindberg is depicting the spirit at war with the needs of the flesh, as well as
the evolving human being in natural rebellion against the constraints of civilized
society. Strindberg himself calls it his “Masterpiece”. It’s an intimate
and intricate unravelling of two bodies inhabiting the same space, which is why it’s
perfect in the Belvoir Street Theatre Downstairs space,” he said.
Miss Julie previews on Wednesday, June 4 ahead of a Thursday, June 5
opening night. Bookings: (02) 9699 3444.
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Unforgettable
talents at Whitehorse
Sunday, May 18, 4:45pm AEST.
 Mainstay talents Julie Anthony and Simon Gallaher will
combine for a special concert at the Whitehorse Centre in Nunawading next month, giving
local audiences an opportunity to see two of Australia's greatest entertainers on stage
together.
Anthony has held a distinctive place in the
hearts of Australian and international audiences for more than 20 years, while
Gallaher’s longstanding success as a performer has also inspired many, and together,
this dynamic duo never fails to impress.
The pair first performed concerts together in 1992 in a very successful capital city tour
entitled An Unforgettable Evening, where they discovered they had a unique vocal
blend and complemented each other’s style and timbre. They also loved working
together and singing similar repertoire as well as having a terrific rapport on stage.
Together they continue to expand their duet repertoire and it ranges from the classics of
Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin, through to contemporary hit songs as well
as the musical stage greats of Richard Rodgers and Lloyd Webber.
Julie Anthony and Simon Gallaher perform at the Whitehorse Centre on June 14. There will
be both an afternoon and an evening performance.
Bookings: (03) 9262 6555.
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Standing
ovation for Warlow
Friday, May 16, 1:16am AEST.
They remained seated for the majority of the bows - until, that is, Anthony Warlow walked
on stage. The opening night audience at The Phantom Of The Opera in Sydney last
night gave the veteran performer a personal standing ovation for his outstanding
performance as the Phantom in the tuner, which arrives in the Harbour City after
successful seasons in Brisbane and Melbourne.
The opening night performance at the Lyric
Theatre, watched by a star-studded audience, was followed by an exclusive after party at
the Harbour Grand Ballroom, featuring a dark Phantom theme and atmosphere.
The show now settles in for what is expected to
be a hugely successful run in Sydney, with some $10 million in advance sales for the
season being held going into last night's performance.
The Phantom Of The Opera is the longest running musical on Broadway, having
recently celebrated 21 years since its debut in London’s West End, and has won more
than 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tony Awards. It’s been 11 years since
the musical was last performed in Sydney.
- Troy Dodds
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Kookaburra
helps kids in need
Thursday, May 15, 11:15pm AEST.
It is a story to warm the heart; a story that proves the importance of a national musical
theatre company that not only presents mainstage shows but has a solid focus on education
and introducing new audiences to live performance.
Earlier this month, Kookaburra CEO Peter Cousens took a group of disadvantaged
children from western Sydney to see blockbuster musical Billy Elliot - the first
of many such trips planned by the company.
The kids were from Eagles RAPS, a youth suicide prevention centre in Blacktown, and
for some, it was not only their first experience of live theatre, but their first trip
into the Sydney CBD.
"I found it very moving," Cousens said.
"For them it was quite astounding, I don't think they knew totally what they
were going to get into, but they had a very fulfilling experience and the Billy Elliot
people were great - we sat around in the theatre afterwards and watched the stage
being re-set and the head mech came and talked to them about how a show is structurally
put together."
Eagles RAPS was established in 1997 by Sally and Marten Wynn to assist with the
prevention of youth suicide.
It began out of concern of local residents for the youth of the area. It does not offer
professional counselling, but has networks to be able to refer youth to professionals when
required. With the assistance of Blacktown Council, Eagles RAPS established a drop-in
youth centre in the disused rural fire station.
The recent visit to Billy Elliot was by no means a one-off - plans are
already underway for another visit to the show soon, while Kookaburra has also secured a
visit to The Phantom Of The Opera at the Lyric Theatre.
"I'd like to get this idea into the culture of musical theatre producers
around Australia that this is the kind of thing that they should get involved in,"
Cousens said.
"We'll facilitate it and help make it work but it's really the generosity of
these companies that are actually making it happen."
Cousens said he'd like to try and take kids from the troubled south-western Sydney
suburb of Macquarie Fields to the theatre at some point in the future as the initiative
continues to take off.
Click here to see a video of the kids at Billy
Elliot (quicktime)
- Troy Dodds
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Star-studded
opening for Sydney Phantom
Thursday, May 15, 12:00am AEST.
A celebrity-filled foyer is expected at tonight's glittering opening night performance of The
Phantom Of The Opera at Sydney's Lyric Theatre, as the city prepares to welcome
Anthony Warlow to the lead role in the musical for the first time.
“It’s an exciting time,” said producer Tim McFarlane from The Really
Useful Company.
“Anthony Warlow was the original Phantom when this magnificent show first
played in Australia and this is the first time he has played the role for Sydney
audiences.”
Guests for tonight's opening include Tell Me On A Sunday star Jolene Anderson,
Maggie Tabberer, Caroline O'Connor, Chris Bath, Natarsha Belling, Virginia Gay, Deborah
Hutton, Amanda Keller, Antonia Kidman, Matt Lee, Kate Mac, Kate Ritchie, Lisa Wilkinson,
Alex Perry and Simon Westaway.
“Sydney loves an opening night,” said co-producer John Frost.
“Tonight's opening has a diverse mix of Australian theatre legends, television
stars, and celebrities from the worlds of fashion, comedy, film and media."
New Yorker and Associate Director Arthur Masella arrived in Australia this week to oversee
The Phantom Of The Opera’s eagerly awaited Sydney season. He has steered 15
productions of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical under its iconic director Harold Prince.
Also in Sydney this week is Associate Choreographer Patricia Merrin, English born and a
former Royal Danish Ballet artist. Patricia was involved in casting this Australian
production and has a long history of Phantom involvement.
The Phantom Of The Opera is a huge musical production. With 130 cast, crew and
orchestra members, each performance has 230 costumes, spectacular sets, 14 dressers, 120
automated cues, 22 scene changes, 281 candles and 10 fog and smoke machines. And it
contains some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous music, including 'The Phantom Of
The Opera' and 'Music Of The Night'.
The Phantom Of The Opera is the longest running musical on Broadway, having
recently celebrated 21 years since its debut in London’s West End, and has won more
than 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tony Awards. It’s been 11 years since
the musical was last performed in Sydney.
AussieTheatre.com's Troy Dodds and Erin James will be at tonight's opening,
bringing you full and extensive coverage of the event. Have your say on The Phantom Of The
Opera by clicking here.
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Broadway
gig "a dream come true"
Wednesday, May 14, 9:03pm AEST.
 Deone Zanotto says scoring a job
in the iconic Broadway musical A Chorus Line was "a dream come true"
but has admitted she misses her home country of Australia.
Zanotto, who produced standout performances in
several Australian musical productions including Footloose and Dirty Dancing,
is in her second year with A Chorus Line, understudying the roles of Connie,
Diana, Judy and Kristine and appearing in the ensemble.
"This city is known as the city of dreams
and it has turned out to be all it's cracked up to be and a whole lot more," Zanotto
told AussieTheatre.com from New York.
"I won the green card lottery and three weeks after getting approved I was
packing up my apartment in London and heading for the Big Apple. It has been my dream
since I was a little girl to work on Broadway and I was going to make it happen no matter
what!"
Zanotto said that A Chorus Line is a show she's always wanted to be in.
"Nine weeks after I arrived they held auditions and three weeks after that I
was in rehearsals," Zanotto said of the whirlwind first few months in her new home.
"It is a buzz, I walk to work every night amongst the bustling tourists in
Times Square and think about how unbelievably grateful I am to have this experience in my
life.
"Broadway is amazing, being on stage here is amazing and living in this city
is a blessing. Having said all that I do miss home, but this life is all an adventure and
I want to experience all I can."
- Troy Dodds
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Guys
And Dolls changes show times
Tuesday, May 13, 9:41pm AEST.
 The
star-studded revival production of Guys And Dolls changes its performance times
this week to cater for the winter months, while producers have announced they will be
selling "house seats" at a premium rate from May 27.
"House seats", normally reserved for
audience members of importance or key representatives of the production team, will be
available for public purchase for $129.90 for Friday and Saturday evening performances and
$119.90 for other performances.
However, the new publically available
"house seats" are not the most expensive tickets for Guys And Dolls,
with the show's "VIP Red Carpet" package costing $165.00 for weekend
performances. This package includes Exclusive Red Carpet Box Office Collection; A Reserve
Premium Seating in the Stalls; Guys And Dolls Programme; Chocolate Box per
person; Ice Cream per person; Beer, Wine, Sparkling Wine or Soft Drink per person and VIP
Red Carpet Hospitality Bar.
From tomorrow (Wednesday, May 14), all evening
performances will commence half an hour earlier than previously scheduled at 7.30pm, with
a Wednesday matinee at 1pm, a Saturday matinee at 2pm and a Sunday performance at 3pm.
Guys And Dolls is playing at
Melbourne's Princess Theatre with tickets on sale until June 22.
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Pillowman
heads to Belvoir
Monday, May 12, 10:14pm AEST.
 One of the
blackest of black comedies ever written for the stage, Martin McDonagh’s The
Pillowman, will open at Sydney's Belvoir Street Theatre on June 4.
This award-winning play has taken the theatre world by the throat with acclaimed
productions recently seen from London to New York. Hot on the heels of his sensational
Hedwig And The Angry Inch, The Pillowman will mark Craig Ilott’s
directorial debut for Company B which previously presented McDonagh’s The
Lieutenant Of Inishmore in 2003.
Set in a totalitarian state, The Pillowman tells of Katurian, an arrogant
yet largely unpublished fiction writer who is interrogated by the police about the brutal
content of his short stories and their similarities to a series of strange child murders
occurring in his town. When Katurian’s mentally impaired brother is called in for
questioning, two sardonic policemen resort to absurd methods of interrogation to uncover
the truth. What unfolds is a twisted tale of suspense and horror.
In his most recent play, McDonagh explores new territory with a unique blend of
dark and comedy, offering a compelling world of story. In the words of Katurian, "The
first duty of a storyteller is to tell a story”.
Thrilling, tantalising, manipulative and vicious, The Pillowman
investigates the raw human desire for fantasy, the dangerous potential of truth and
narrative, and the all-knowing power of the storyteller.
“The desire for a good story is timeless," Illot said.
"Martin McDonagh is the contemporary master of suspense – a weaver of a
great tale and it’s the tradition of storytelling that taps into the hearts of us all
– to be told a great story and want to know what happens next.”
The sensational cast includes Marton Csokas (Who’s Afraid of Virginia
Woolf?, Riflemind, Romulus My Father), Damon Herriman (The Spook, The Underpants,
Cloudstreet), Steve Rodgers (Riflemind, Cloudstreet, Twelfth Night), David
Terry (All Saints, Edmond, The Impossible Dream), Dan Wyllie (Don Juan in
Soho, The Pillowman (MTC), Love My Way, Cloudstreet), Amanda Bishop and
Lauren Elton.
The Pillowman had its world premiere in 2003 at the Royal National Theatre, and
subsequently received the 2004 Olivier Award and an Evening Standard Award nomination for
Best New Play.
Martin McDonagh’s other plays include The Beauty Queen Of Leenane, The
Cripple Of Inishmaan and Tony nominees The Lonesome West and The
Lieutenant Of Inishmore. His short film Six Shooter won a 2006 Academy
Award.
The Pillowman opens at the Belvoir
Street Theatre on June 4. Bookings: (02) 9699 3444.
---
Parke's
cabaret hits Melbourne
Monday, May 12, 9:47pm AEST.
 Musical
theatre and cabaret star Tyran Parke will take his popular cabaret show A Little
Knight Music to Melbourne's Butterfly Club next month.
Press notes for the show read: "Tyran descends into fantasy and becomes convinced he
is the knight errant of cabaret. The self-styled Don Quixote (with musical maestro, Nigel
Ubrihien as his Sancho Panza) sets out in search of adventures while battling the
windmills of the mind. A talented story-teller, Tyran tells of the chorus boy trying to be
noticed, casual employment as an exorcist’s usher and singing for the maximum
security inmates at Riker’s Island. Each quest is celebrated in story and song,
culminating in the quest to create the role of a lifetime; his award winning portrayal of
George Seurat in Sondheim’s Sunday In The Park With George in Sydney."
Parke recently completed the prestigious cabaret
course at Yale University. Auditions were held worldwide with only a handful chosen to
study under such cabaret greats as Amanda McBroom, Sally Mayes and Julie Wilson. Parke
used the experience to workshop the show Chinks In The Armour (later renamed A
Little Knight Music) which achieved great acclaim in Sydney, Perth and Paramatta.
A Little Knight Music plays at the
Butterfly Club in Melbourne on June 12 and 13. Bookings: (03) 9690 2000.
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Business
booms for MTC
Monday, May 12, 9:16am AEST.
The Melbourne Theatre Company is celebrating a dynamic 2008, with subscriber figures at a
five-year high, strong growth in its Private Patrons’ Program, and two new homes in
the Southbank Cultural Precinct finally becoming a reality.
At the end of April 2008, the number of MTC subscribers has hit 19,136, which is 690 more
people than 2007’s total and the company’s highest level in five years.
Additionally, the number of subscription tickets sold to MTC’s 2008 Season has
already exceeded last year’s total by 3,375, recording a three-year high of 170,468.
These figures are expected to continue to grow, as the company will be selling 2008
subscriptions until August.
Meanwhile, MTC has also enjoyed strong growth in its Private Patrons (donors) Program this
year, enjoying a 22 per cent increase over the same period in 2007.
Significantly, MTC returned its eighth consecutive budget surplus in 2007, earning 88 per
cent of its income through ticket sales, tours, donations, sponsorship and fundraising.
MTC Artistic Director Simon Phillips said he’s delighted with the company’s
successes, especially as it gears up to move to its two new Southbank homes – the MTC
Theatre and MTC HQ.
“It’s tremendously satisfying that so many people are engaging with us as the
company embarks on such an exciting new stage in its financial, artistic and cultural
growth,” Phillips said.
Currently under construction on the corner of Southbank Boulevard and Dodds Street in
Southbank, the MTC Theatre will open in the first half of 2009.
A long-awaited new performing home that will enable the company to reaffirm its position
as one of Melbourne’s leading cultural mainstays, the MTC Theatre will house the
500-seat state-of-the-art Sumner Theatre, the Lawler Studio space capable of seating 160,
function and VIP rooms, a full cafe and various bars, foyers and display areas.
Additionally, MTC HQ will replace the Company’s existing Ferrars Street headquarters,
which are literally falling down. MTC HQ will ensure the company is functioning at its
peak by housing all of its departments – administration, production, workshop, props,
scenic art, wardrobe and rehearsal rooms – under one structurally sound roof. MTC
will move to these premises at 252 Sturt Street, Southbank in late 2008.
---
Mamma
Mia! film to open July 10
Sunday, May 11, 6:34pm AEST.
 Film distributors have confirmed that the new movie
version of the worldwide hit musical Mamma Mia! will open in Australian cinemas
on July 10, a week before it opens in the United States.
The movie stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan,
Amanda Seyfried (pictured), Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Stellan
Skarsgård and Dominic Cooper.
Press notes for the film read: "An
independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna
(Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Seyfried), the spirited daughter she's raised
alone. For Sophie's wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends -
practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Baranski) -
from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited
three guests of her own. On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down
the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna's past to the Mediterranean paradise they
visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old
romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities."
The film version follows the extremely
successful stage show, which was one of the most successful musicals ever staged in
Australia. It opened at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne in 2001 and toured Australia
until 2005.
The show's final touring cast was Kellie Rode,
Natalie Alexopoulos, Esther Hannaford, Jennifer Vuletic, Emma Powell, Silvie Paladino,
Christopher Parker, Nathan Wright, Bobby Fox, John O'May, Peter Hardy, Bruce Roberts, Glen
Hogstrom, Tracey Case, Alinta Chidzey, Grant Durham, Susie French, Markham Gannon, Louise
Kelly, Kieron Kulik, Glen Oliver, Eve Prideaux, Paul Ross, Damion Scarcella, Daniel
Slater, Melle Stewart, Ian Toyne, Helen Walsh and Belinda Wollaston.
---
The
Vagina Monologues to play at NIDA
Sunday, May 11, 2:56pm AEST.
Eve Ensler's famous live theatre experience The
Vagina Monologues will be presented at NIDA in Sydney next month to raise funds to
stop violence against women and girls.
The show is being presented as part of V-DAY, a
catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalise
the spirit of existing anti-violence organisations. This year marks its 10 year
anniversary.
The June 29 performance at NIDA features Noni Hazlehurst, Julia Zemiro, Fran Kelly, Amanda
Keller, Maggie Blinco, Annie Byron, Terese Casu, Vivienne Garrett, Sandy Greenwood, Pamela
Jikiemi, Odile Leclezio, Genevieve Lemon, Alice Livingstone, Dina Panozzo, Pamela Rabe,
Rainee Skinner, Wendy Strehlow, Jessica Tovey, Jacki Weaver and many more.
The production will play at the Parade Theatre,
with proceeds donated to the NSW Women's Refuge Movement.
---
New
chapter for Hatpin
Sunday, May 11, 2:56pm AEST.
Hit Australian musical The Hatpin is
preparing for two significant steps in its life with the release of the original cast
recording next month and a planned season overseas via the New York Music Theatre
Festival.
As the excitement about an original Australian musical playing overseas builds,
writer James Millar has revealed a bold plan to have the American season feature the
original cast that was so heavily critically acclaimed in Sydney.
"All of us involved with the production are very excited about having the
chance to take it to the New York Music Theatre Festival," Millar told AussieTheatre.com.
"It's a top opportunity to show the piece to another community. I think it
will be really interesting to see how quite a left-of-centre Australian story reads to an
overseas audience.
"We are making every effort to take the production as it was - including our Aussie
cast and team who are available - over with us. It's a mammoth task to do this, though,
and since it's still early days we still dont quite know how it will all work."
Written by Millar and Peter Rutherford, The Hatpin focuses on a desperate
mother, Amber Murray, who makes a heartbreaking decision, the consequences of which are
still being felt today. Using the moral support she gains from her friendship with the
free spirited Harriet Piper, she fights the injustices of circumstance and tragedy to find
hope and strength. The piece is inspired by a true story.
"It's very cool, without the benefit of out of town try outs and long workshop
seasons in Australia, to have the opportunity to continue to refine the piece over the
next few months - based on its first season - in the lead up to this second season,"
Millar said.
"I am really excited that The Hatpin will play in New York, but I am even
more excited about the opportunity to watch other brand new shows that will be playing
there as well. I love festivals - It's like being a kid in a candy store."
The cast recording, featuring the original Sydney cast, is set to be released on
June 20, and features 22 tracks. Cover art is yet to be released, but the CD will be on
sale via Middle Eight Music.
- Troy Dodds
---
Bendall
steps down
Thursday, May 8, 9:08am AEST.
Award-winning independent Melbourne company
Theatre @ Risk will be heading into a period of significant change in the coming months,
with its Artistic Director Chris Bendall stepping down this week after more than seven
years with the company.
Bendall has been appointment as the new Artistic Director of Deckchair Theatre in
Fremantle. Creative Producer Kirrilly Brentnall and Associate Director Victor Bizzotto
will also leave the organisation, both of whom co-founded Theatre @ Risk with Bendall in
2001.
The Board has appointed John Paxinos and John-Paul Fischbach to take over as co-Executive
Producers of the company.
“Although I will be sorry to leave Melbourne, I am very excited to have the
opportunity to take on this new and exciting position," Bendall said of his move to
Perth.
"I look forward to the new possibilities and challenges ahead with Deckchair
Theatre, and will continue to support the development and creation of new Australian drama
in my new role. I am immensely proud of Theatre @ Risk’s achievements over the past
seven years. Since our first production in May 2001, we have made a strong imprint on the
Melbourne cultural scene, and continued to do so right up until the last event of 2007,
the Festival of New Writing."
Incoming executive producers Paxinos and Fischbach write: “The Auspicious Arts
Incubator supports independent performing arts projects, performances and artists to
achieve sustainability. The small and medium sized companies that make up the vibrant
independent scene in Melbourne are a great source of creativity and energy. These young
companies are also the companies at risk. We are thrilled to steer the evolution of
Theatre @ Risk to help to support new, exciting and innovative work happening in
Melbourne.”
---
Rising
Star entries close this month
Tuesday, May 6, 9:34pm AEST.
 Entries
into AussieTheatre.com's Rising Star competition close in just three weeks, with
the judging panel - made up of some of the most respected names in theatre - gearing up to
select the winner.
The winner of the competition wins a raft of
prizes, including an opportunity to perform at Light The Night 2008 and on Channel Nine's Mornings
With Kerri-Anne. In addition, the winner will attend the opening night performance of
Kookaburra's Tell Me On A Sunday and will spend time in the rehearsal room with
the show's star, Jolene Anderson. A headshots package, a fully produced cabaret show and a
place in a workshop being presented by the respected Margi De Ferranti are also part of
the prize collection.
The judging panel that will decide the winner
from our five finalists is AussieTheatre.com Managing Editor Troy Dodds,
Kookaburra Artistic Producer Peter Ross, theatrical producer Rodney Rigby, AussieTheatre.com
London correspondent Skye Crawford, vocal coach Margi De Ferranti, performer and writer
James Millar, AussieTheatre.com Deputy Editor and actor Erin James, Light The
Night producer Shaun Rennie and respected theatrical agent Les Solomon.
"It is an excellent range of prizes, a
wonderful judging panel and a sensational opportunity for a young performer," said AussieTheatre.com
Managing Editor, Troy Dodds.
"We don't want anyone to miss out so we're
encouraging everyone to enter the competition now to avoid disappointment."
Entries close on May 26.
For details on how to enter the Rising
Star competition, click here.
Picture: 2007 AussieTheatre.com
Rising Star winner Emily Cascarino.
---
Debate
emerges over Malthouse
Tuesday, May 6, 8:55pm AEST.
An intriguing debate has emerged in Melbourne
over the artistic choices of the city's famed Malthouse Theatre.
The Malthouse's Artistic Director, Michael
Kantor, announced the company's "season two 2008" program this week,
incorporating shows from June through to December.
Kantor enthused: "Assembling this
extraordinary program of theatre making and performances has been as exhilarating for us,
as we hope the experience will be for you. We will present new works commissioned and
developed specifically for this season, as well as the most astonishing works, in so many
theatrical styles, from stages far and wide."
But Melbourne's The Age newspaper took
a shot at the season via an article headed "Malthouse program brings out the
critics".
The article, by Robin Usher, said, in part:
"Most of the program launched yesterday follows the pattern established over the past
four years by director Michael Kantor: something directed by him, some cabaret and/or
dance, a new work by Kantor's old colleague Barrie Kosky, and a return season by an
independent company."
The article quotes Geoffrey Milne, theatre
historian and senior lecturer in drama at La Trobe University, as saying he was impressed
after Kantor's first year in 2005 but results since have been patchy.
"They seem besotted with adaptations, which make up 25 per cent of the work. This
means there is a serious diminution in opportunities for playwrights," he said.
"Since they seem to have shot the writer, it would be more accurate if the name was
changed to Malthouse Performance Company, rather than theatre company."
The Age's theatre critic, Martin Ball,
is also quoted in the story, saying many Malthouse productions "lack depth".
The 1000-word story has attracted criticism from
the respected Alison Croggon, who works for The Australian newspaper, published
by News Limited, a rival to The Age's publisher, Fairfax.
On her regular blog, Croggon talks about the
Malthouse's launch and then declares: "And what do we hear from the Age?
That its 'aesthetic vision is too limited' and lacks 'diversity'! How much diversity do
you want? But hey. Look at the byline. It's no surprise that this beat up is by Robin
Usher, who has never permitted the facts to get in the way of a good snark."
Later, she says: "This kind of stuff makes
me throw up my hands in bafflement and despair. Of course the Malthouse is not beyond
criticism - all our companies ought to be scrutinised and held to account. But let's base
criticisms on the work to hand, not on a bunch of lazy and unexamined assumptions."
Croggon goes on to say that The Australian
provides a "more balanced coverage".
Click here
to read The Age's original story, and here to
read Croggon's response.
---
Blackbird
opens in Germany
Tuesday, May 6, 8:46pm AEST.
 Sydney Theatre Company’s
(STC) production of Blackbird by David Harrower opens this week at one of
Europe’s most prestigious theatre festivals, the Rührfestspiele in Recklinghausen,
Germany.
Directed by STC Co-Artistic Director Cate Blanchett and featuring Paula Arundell, Danielle
Catanzariti and Peter Kowitz, Blackbird was critically acclaimed during its
season at STC’s Wharf 1 from December to February and at the New Zealand
International Arts Festival in February 2008.
"Taking an all-Australian production of a play by a Scottish playwright to a German
stage brings great opportunities for STC and many of our artists," Blanchett said.
"Its terrific to open in a week when STC also has three other mainstage
productions on offer in Sydney; The Year Of Magical Thinking, The
Serpent’s Teeth and Rock ‘n’ Roll, plus a new Romeo And
Juliet at Wharf 2.”
The raw and challenging Blackbird, focusing on issues of love and abuse while
tackling one of society’s most unsettling taboos, plays at the Rührfestspiele
Festival from May 8 to 12. Other highlights of the festival include Speed-The-Plow
from London’s Old Vic featuring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum and Sombrero
from the world-renowned Compagnie Philippe Decouflé.
In his review of Blackbird for AussieTheatre.com, Troy Dodds
said, in part: "As confronting and thrilling as Blackbird is at times, there
are elements of this production that simply do not work. Cate Blanchett's direction seems
uneven at times to the point where the play becomes terribly unconvincing. It's like
someone is holding a remote control pressing the "fast forward" and the
"rewind" buttons incessantly, as the play goes from being fast-paced (too
fast-paced, at that) to being slow and dragged-out almost at the click of a finger. This
is a bumpy 90 minute ride, and Harrower's brilliant script is at times let down by the way
the production itself is structured."
---
Phantom
hits $10 million in sales
Monday, May 5, 8:54pm AEST.
 Producers are celebrating after ticket sales for the forthcoming
Sydney season of The Phantom Of The Opera reached an incredible $10 million.
After successful seasons in Melbourne and Brisbane, the show commences previews on
May 11 ahead of a May 15 opening night.
“This is a stunning result,” said producer Tim McFarlane.
“Sydney audiences really know how to embrace a show and the message is clear
that the winning combination of the world’s greatest musical continues to work its
magic."
One man who can't contain his smile is co-producer John Frost. Not only is he enjoying
this $10 million result, but his forthcoming production of Wicked has already
taken $7 million in advance sales.
“We had known from its phenomenal success in Melbourne and Brisbane that this
would be a hot ticket, and it is great that Sydney audiences are so receptive," Frost
said of the Phantom success.
The Phantom Of The Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius known only as
‘The Phantom’ who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House. Mesmerised by the
talents and beauty of a young soprano - Christine, the Phantom lures her as his protégé
and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul, The
Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealously,
madness and passions collide.
“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece has been seen by more than 80 million people
in 124 cities around the world,” McFarlane said.
“Audiences have taken it to their hearts and the production is still a truly
magnificent spectacle. We are confident it will continue its incredible world-wide success
in Sydney."
Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au.
---
More
problems for Todd
Sunday, May 4, 7:11pm AEST.
Troubled theatre star Todd McKenney is again
in the news for the wrong reasons today, primarily over a fake collapse during rehearsals
for a performance in Adelaide last week.
McKenney, who is currently fighting drugs charges after being caught with GHB in his
pocket last weekend, pretended to collapse on stage while singing 'I Go To Rio' during
rehearsals for the Adelaide Police Tattoo. Thousands of school children were in attendance
at the rehearsal.
McKenney's agent has denied the Dancing With The Stars judge was making light of
his arrest last week.
"There was no association whatsoever with what happened in the past ... he was just
doing what Peter Allen does in that song," Jayne Ambrose told The Sunday
Telegraph.
There's more drama surrounding McKenney, with the Nine Network pulling more than $1
million in advertising from the radio station that employs the star as its breakfast host.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that an angry Nine boss David Gyngell told MIX 106.5
it would no longer advertise with the station after McKenney repeatedly took the mickey
out of Nine's principal newsreader, Mark Ferguson.
It's understood McKenney performed comedy skits on his breakfast show relating to
Ferguson's visits to disadvantaged schools.
---
The
Hatpin to premiere in New York
Friday, May 2, 9:24am AEST.
 The hit Australian musical The Hatpin, written by James
Millar and Peter Rutherford, has been accepted into this year's prestigious New York
Musical Theatre Festival, AussieTheatre.com understands.
Held in September and October, the Festival
presents a multitude of musicals every year and is seen as a stepping stone to greater
heights, with several shows that premiered at the Festival ultimately landing on Broadway.
Written by James Millar and Peter Rutherford,
The Hatpin focuses on a desperate mother, Amber Murray, who makes a heartbreaking
decision, the consequences of which are still being felt today. Using the moral support
she gains from her friendship with the free spirited Harriet Piper, she fights the
injustices of circumstance and tragedy to find hope and strength. The piece is inspired by
a true story.
In her review of The Hatpin for AussieTheatre.com,
Joanna Erskine said, in part: "The Hatpin is a revelation in Australian
theatre. Anyone in the audience on opening night could tell that the standing ovation was
not just for Millar, Hardwick, Rutherford and the cast. It was a proclamation of a stellar
new Australian musical that is finally hitting the big stage and isn’t afraid to
tackle some pretty dark issues. It was the heralding of a new age in which we have
something to play against the domination of Broadway, a show about our history (no matter
how murky) and a show to be proud of."
---
Stars
line up for Paralympic concert
Thursday, May 1, 7:17pm AEST.
 Australia's biggest musical theatre stars will turn out in force to
perform at a special concert being presented in Sydney next month to help the Australian
Paralympic team get to Beijing.
Organisers have announced that there will be performances by Ana Marina, Tamsin Carroll
(pictured with host David Campbell), Rhonda Burchmore, Amanda Muggleton, Peter Cousens,
John Paul Young, Genevieve Lemon, Paul Capsis, Toni Lamond, Leonie Page, Michael Cormick,
Sharon Millerchip, Derek Metzger and many more stars of our live theatre industry plus
cast members of major musical shows such as Billy Elliot, The Phantom of the Opera,
Shout!, Spamalot and The Rocky Horror Show.
Arena Management along with the Billy Elliot Company, Ticketmaster,
Showbiz, Molly’s Cradle wines and high profile industry stars and creatives are
donating their goods and services for this event. The more money raised, the more athletes
can be sent to Beijing to represent Australia at the Paralympics.
“As we prepare to send our biggest ever team to a Paralympic Games overseas, we are
extremely grateful for all the support we receive,” said Darren Peters, Australian
Paralympic Committee CEO.
“The entertainers in this show are among the very best in Australia, and to
think they have donated their time for our Australian Paralympic team is absolutely
fantastic."
A Musical Send Off will be held at the
Capitol Theatre on Monday, June 16. Bookings: 136 100.
---
Tell
Me in Melbourne
Thursday, May 1, 12:00am AEST.
 National musical theatre company
Kookaburra will make its debut outside of Sydney later this year after confirming its
production of Tell Me On A Sunday, starring the All Saints actress
Jolene Anderson, would open at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre on September 3.
Kookaburra has faced a degree of criticism over its "national musical theatre
company" tag, given it performed exclusively in Sydney last year.
The company announced today that single tickets for Tell Me On A Sunday
would go on sale on Monday, May 5 through Ticketmaster.
“We had a great response to our subscription sales this year and expect the single
tickets to sell out quickly," said Kookaburra CEO and Artistic Director, Peter
Cousens.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's revised Tell Me On A Sunday charts the course
of a newly single girl arriving in New York. Brimming with the optimism of ‘starting
over’ she sets out to seek success, companionship and, of course, love. But as she
weaves her way through the maze of the city and her own anxieties, frustrations and
heartaches she begins to wonder whether - in fact - she's been looking for love in all the
wrong places.
Tell Me On A Sunday stars Jolene Anderson whom audiences will recognise from her
current lead role as Nurse Erica Templeton on All Saints. Anderson was also
winner, with David Campbell, of Channel 7’s hit TV talent show It Takes Two
in 2007.
“Jolene brings enormous honesty and heart to this role in a way that intimately
connects with Australian audiences everywhere”, said Peter Ross, director of Tell
Me On A Sunday.
Tell Me On A Sunday will first open at the Merrigong Theatre, Wollongong (July 29
– Aug 2) then transfer to Glen Street Theatre, Belrose (August 5 – 16) followed
by a season at the Everest Theatre in the Seymour Centre (August 19 – 30) and then
move to Melbourne on September 3.
---
Making
short work of theatre
Thursday, May 1, 12:00am AEST.
The fourth big year of the youth version of international hit Short & Sweet is
set to launch a new generation of talented writers and actors on the local theatre scene.
Fast & Fresh 2008 will present a week of performances of original short plays –
each no longer than 10 minutes – all created and presented by high-school age
students.
Riverside Theatre Parramatta is again the home of the festival, with heats nightly at 7.30
from Monday, June 2 to Friday, June 6 leading to the gala grand final on Friday, June 13.
In keeping with the Short & Sweet manifesto, participants of Fast & Fresh are
eligible for sponsored awards (complete with great prizes) such as Best Actor, Best Play,
Best Director, the People’s Choice and more.
Returning Festival Director Neil Gooding (producer of the recent Australian musical hit The
Hatpin) said he is thrilled with not only the large number schools returning with new
work and new performers, but the huge number of schools and drama schools entering for the
first time.
“As part of the Short & Sweet family - which produces more new Australian work
(and showcases more Australian actors) than anyone, Fast & Fresh is the most exciting
of all," Gooding said.
“With literally hundreds of great young creative people involved, all of them
bursting with potential, we have the future of Australian theatre right here.”
Schools involved include Colyton High, Mount St Joseph Milperra, Abbotsleigh College
Wahroonga, North Sydney Boys’ High, Kellyville High, Manly, Oxley College, Katoomba
High, Elderslie High Narellan, St Josephs Gosford plus youth theatre groups Action Atelier
(Bondi), Min and Madness Productions (Castle Hill) and Punchbug Productions
(Erskineville).
Tickets for the season can be booked through Riverside Theatres box office: (02)
8839 3399 or online at www.riversideparramatta.com.au.
---
Altar
Boyz headed to Sydney, Melbourne
Thursday, May 1, 12:00am AEST.
Hold on to your halo and dust off your crucifix, the world’s most clean-cut
boy band is about to descend on Sydney and Melbourne.
Altar Boyz is a musical-comedy spoof about a fictitious Christian boy-band
looking for their big break – a search that has now brought them down under.
The longest running, most critically acclaimed off-Broadway musical in years, the show is
in its fourth record-breaking year in New York.
Featuring an all-Australian cast, Altar Boyz includes seriously funny songs,
fabulously over-the-top choreography and a host of catchy melodies, with lyrics like
‘Girl, you make me wanna wait’ and ‘Jesus called me on my cell phone’.
Musical styles range from disco to Latin, hip-hop to gospel and rock to heart-rending
ballads.
The show is directed by the highly experienced Kate Gaul, with musical direction by Robert
Gavin and tongue-in-cheek choreography by the talented Antony Ginandjar.
Altar Boyz won the New York Critics Circle Award for Best Musical in 2005. It was
also nominated for seven Drama Desk Awards in the same year and was honoured with two
Drama League Awards.
The Aussie cast includes Cameron MacDonald, Dion Bilios, Tim Maddren, Jeremy Brennan and
Andrew Koblar.
The show opens at the Seymour Centre in Sydney on Wednesday, June 11 and the
Atheneum Theatre in Melbourne on Wednesday, August 13.
Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com.au.
- David Crofts
---
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