The Production Company Season 2018

Jeanne Pratt AC, Chairman of The Production Company, has announced her Company’s 20th Birthday Season.

Jeanne Pratt AC said “I started The Production Company 20 years ago to provide opportunities for Australia’s extraordinary talent. Now as I look back on the hundreds of artists who have worked with us, it’s a veritable Who’s Who of musical theatre. We’ve produced 58 musicals in Melbourne, won multiple awards and toured interstate. Our shows have thrilled audiences of more than 600,000! I couldn’t be more proud. And now for our 20th birthday we’re celebrating with three of our favourites.
The Rodgers & Hammerstein masterpiece Oklahoma! starts the Season.
The Boy From Oz also turns 20 in 2018 and to celebrate our joint birthdays we’re staging a brand new production. And finally an Australian premiere, A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder, all at Arts Centre Melbourne. With a landmark line up of stars, come and celebrate 20 wonderful years with Melbourne’s very own musical theatre company. I’ll see you at the theatre.”

Oklahoma! opens in Arts Centre Melbourne’s State Theatre on May 26 for a season of 11 performances.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s masterpiece Oklahoma! revolutionised the American musical; the first of their legendary shows, it won a Pulitzer Prize and set the standard for modern musicals. It tells the story of the Oklahoma Territory at the start of the twentieth century and of Curly, a farmer who loves Laurey. But Laurey’s not so sure about Curly and wonders if she really loves Jud. And Will loves Ado Annie, but Annie loves...well, everybody.

Oklahoma! features an award-winning line up of stars. Simon Gleeson (Les Misérables Australia and West End) is Curly, Anna O’Byrne (My Fair Lady, The Woman in White West End) is Laurey. Joining them are Robyn Nevin, Elise McCann, Bobby Fox, Ben Mingay and Richard Piper.

Oklahoma!is directed by Chris Parker and TPC Founding Musical Director Guy Simpson (Phantom, My Fair Lady) returns to conduct the TPC Orchestra and Amy Campbell (Violet) choreographs her first TPC musical.

The Boy From Oz opens In Arts Centre Melbourne’s State Theatre on August 11 for a season of 11 performances.

The Boy From Oz is the story of the beloved Australian entertainer, Peter Allen. From singing in pubs at 11, to teenage stardom on television, he was discovered by Judy Garland and went on to marry her daughter Liza Minnelli. Peter achieved global stardom as
a performer and multi award winning songwriter.

Rohan Browne plays the role of Peter Allen. He recently starred in Brigadoon and Singin’ in The Rain, Caroline O’Connor returns to TPC from Broadway (Anastasia) to perform the role of Judy Garland. Matthew Manahan (Brigadoon) plays Greg Connell.

The Boy From Oz will be directed by Green Room Award winner Jason Langley (Brigadoon, Dusty) with Helpmann Award winning Musical Director Michael Tyack (Brigadoon, Dusty) and Choreography by Green Room Award winner Michael Ralph (Dusty, West Side Story).

A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder opens in Arts Centre Melbourne’s Playhouse Theatre on October 27 for a season of 18 performances.

A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder is a new musical comedy about Monty, a penniless clerk who discovers he is ninth in line to be Lord D’Ysquith, the Earl of Highhurst. But the D’Ysquith family dismiss his claim then curiously the eight family members in line to be Earl start dying from unnatural causes! Meanwhile Monty woos money-minded Sibella but also finds himself drawn to young Phoebe D’Ysquith...what could possibly go wrong?

Triple Helpmann Award winner, Mitchell Butel stars as all eight members of the D’Ysquith family. Chris Ryan (King Kong) makes his TPC debut as Monty, Amy Lehpamer (Dusty, Beautiful) is Sibella, Genevieve Kingsford (Brigadoon, Light in the Piazza) is Phoebe and Nancye Hayes returns as the mysterious Miss Shingle.

A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder ran on Broadway for three years and in 2014 won four Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Subscriptions are now on sale at www.artscentremelbourne.com.au or call 1300 182 183

Tickets for single performances go on sale 10 April 

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Musicals in 2018