Guest Artists Announced for 2014 Rob Guest Endowment Concert

The final line up of guest artists performing at the 2014 Rob Guest Endowment Award Concert, presented by ANZ has today been announced with tickets on sale now via Ticketmaster.

Audiences at the Concert, which is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, will be treated to a performance by Kirby Burgess, who will play the lead role of Frances “Baby” Houseman in the national tour of Dirty Dancing, and by Bobby Fox (Jersey Boys), recently cast as Mickey in next year’s Blood Brothers. The winner of the 2013 Rob Guest Endowment, Samantha Leigh Dodemaide, will also perform.

Fresh from a successful season at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre, the cast of The Tap Pack (Jesse Rasmussen, Jordan Pollard and Thomas J. Egan) will perform a number from their old school meets new school song and dance showcase.

Paying homage to the Mad Men era is a performance by the cast of Swing on This, a new show that debuted at this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival that combines the musical talents of four of Australia’s best and brightest leading men - Michael Falzon (We Will Rock You), Matt Lee (Mary Poppins), Luke Kennedy (The Voice) and Ben Mingay (An Officer and a Gentleman).

Completing the line-up is a spellbinding performance by the thrillifying cast of Wicked, and a performance by the cast of Strictly Ballroom The Musical. The Concert will be hosted by Bert Newton with Lucy Durack.

The Guest Artists will perform alongside the six chosen finalists at a Gala Concert on Monday 13 October at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, where the judging panel, consisting of Todd McKenney, Nancye Hayes and Guy Simpson, will announce the winner of the 2014 Rob Guest Endowment Award.

The six outstanding finalists are Ben Bennett (2013 Rob Guest Endowment Semi-finals Encouragement Award), Andrew Cook (Strictly Ballroom The Musical), Joshua Robson (Les Miserables), Angela Scundi (The Rocky Horror Show), Monica Swayne (Wicked) and Karla Tonkich (Grease).

Now in its 6^th year, the 2014 Rob Guest Endowment Award Concert is a highlight of the Australian musical theatre calendar, and will this year see the winner take home $20,000, with runners up each taking home $1,500. The prize is intended to help a current artist in the musical theatre genre gain the performance experience, guidance and public image to help them become a leading artist in the Australian musical theatre industry.

This year also sees the introduction of two exciting new categories recognising further excellence in the field of musical theatre. The Rob Guest Endowment Technical Award in Honour of Sue Nattrass is a $10,000 cash prize intended to help a current member in a technical department of musical theatre fund the tuition and experience needed to help them become a leader in their field. The Rob Guest Endowment Musician Award, also a $10,000 cash prize, is intended to similarly help a current musician in the musical theatre genre. Both these awards are fully funded by Capitol Theatre and Sydney Lyric.

Tickets for this year’s Gala Concert are on sale now via Ticketmaster. www.robguestendowment.com.au

ROB GUEST ENDOWMENT GALA CONCERT - BOOKING DETAILS

Venue                                  Capitol Theatre, Sydney

Date                                     13 October 2014

Performance Time              7:30pm

Price                                    $59.00 - $120.00

Bookings                              www.ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 558 878

*An additional transaction fee and/or a credit/debit payment processing fee may apply

Image: Ben Bennett, Karla Tonkich, Andrew Cook, Joshua Robson and Angela Scundi (c) Kurt Sneddon