News

The Lion King: Cast Announced

After a hotly competitive audition process, the cast for the new Australian production Disney’s The Lion King, opening at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre on December 12, 2013 has been announced.

The cast features bright emerging Australian and New Zealand talent, along with a number of seasoned performers.

The call for talent drew 4,000 submissions with a total of 1,860 performers auditioning for the musical, which combines puppetry and masks, ceremony and dance, and a music score of soul-stirring songs.

2013 MELBOURNE FESTIVAL

Melbourne Festival Creative Director Josephine Ridge’s first Festival program invites Melburnians and visitors to experience 105 events and activities, including contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre, visual arts, film, forums, conversations and encounters, with over a third of the events free of charge.

With 19 world premieres and 13 Australian premieres, the Festival runs for 17 days from 11 October 2013.

Blue Man Group

Off-Broadway phenomenon Blue Man Group is headed for Australia with their internationally acclaimed, genre-defying show. Neil Litchfield speaks to co-creator Phil Stanton.

Who would’ve imagined that bald blue men roaming the streets and bars of New York in the late 1980s would be the genesis of an innovative performance company that has evolved into an entertainment institution with a huge international rep.

Australian Dance Awards 2013

On August 5, this year’s Australian Dance Awards, the first held in Canberra, showcased live on stage a good deal of truly remarkable talent..

Strictly Ballroom The Musical

Latest News - Full Cast Announced.

Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical will have its World Premiere season at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in 2014, previewing from March 25, with Opening Night on April 12.

WILD ABOUT TOBY

Toby Schmitz can’t seem to put a foot wrong. As  a  writer, director and actor, he’s been described as “elegant, talented, witty and charming”, a “comic natural with  a mobile, expressive face and eyes that do funny without any words being necessary”. Sam Whiteley spoke with him about another huge year.

2013 HELPMANN AWARDS WINNERS

The 13th Annual Helpmann Awards were being presented tonight (July 29, 2013) live at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, in a ceremony co-hosted by Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan Browne. 

Three productions were equally big winners, with five awards each.

The Secret River received awards for Best Play, Best New Australian Work, Best Original Score, Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play and Best Direction of a Play.

A Dream Job

Coral Drouyn interviews Jeremy Kewley, A Melbourne Actor who has made sure he is always working.

We all like to name drop occasionally; but very few of us have a list like this:-

ARE THE HELPMANNS CREDIBLE?

Peter Pinne suggests there’s something jingoistic about Australia’s annual Live Entertainment Awards, which will be announced at the Sydney Opera House on Monday night. He accuses organisers of snubbing imported classics to promote local producers, with a bias towards subsidised theatre.

New Sydney Home for Music Theatre and Cabaret

Independent Music Theatre and Cabaret has a new home in Sydney, taking over the current Darlinghurst Theatre in 2014. 

It has now been announced that theatre will be renamed the Hayes Theatre, in honour of Australian musical theatre legend Nancye Hayes OAM.

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