News

Wicked Returns to Australasia

Casting Update: Maggie Kirkpatrick to play Madam Morrible. 

WICKED, the international Broadway musical blockbuster, returns to the Australasian region later this year as part of its 10th Anniversary Year, playing Auckland for the first time at The Civic Theatre from September 17,  2013, and returning to its original Australian home at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne, from May, 2014 for a strictly limited season, followed by an Australian tour.

Contagion’s Kiss: Lepers' Story Inspires Play

Northern Territory physical theatre company Business Unusual draws on stories from Darwin’s history to create its theatre. Its latest work Contagion’s Kiss is inspired by stories from Darwin’s Channel Island Leprosarium. Nicola Fearn, the co-founder of the company, is also the co-director and co-writer of the work. She spoke to Neil Litchfield from Bordertown, on her road-trip from Melbourne to Darwin, in a fully laden car, complete with dog and a pair of crutches strapped to the roof-rack.

Two Musicals, Two Families

No matter what the subject, musicals need to explore issues and themes everyone can relate to. Rick Elice, the co-writer of Broadway musicals The Addams Family and Jersey Boys (with Marshall Brickman), explains to Neil Litchfield about the stories connected with these two very different musicals.

Vale John Sumner

Melbourne Theatre Company is deeply saddened to announce that its founder and longest-serving Artistic Director, John Sumner AO CBE passed away on Friday 24 May, 2013, after a brief illness, aged 88 years.

Dame Julie Drops In

Like Mary Poppins with her magical umbrella, the great Julie Andrews is dropping in for a series of one-night stands round Australia and New Zealand. And she’s bringing one of Captain Von Trapp’s sons with her. Ahead of he tour, Frank Hatherley spoke to Nicholas Hammond, the American born Aussie who learnt his most important show business lesson from Julie Andrews, whilst playing Frederich in the movie of The Sound of Music.

Aussie Youth Theatre Companies Take on the World

Adelaide-based theatre companies Patch Theatre Company, Slingsby and Windmill Theatre are the flavour of the month in the USA. All recently secured international bookings, including a season on Broadway. Robert Dunstan reports.

It could be something in the water? But regardless what the secret recipe is – Adelaide is producing youth theatre that the world wants to see.

The Addams Family Down Under

Director Jerry Zaks and several cast members of the macabre family’s musical spoke to Neil Litchfield prior to its Australian Premiere in March 2013.

The invention of American cartoonist Charles Addams (1912 – 1988), The Addams Family was originally created as a series of 150 single panel cartoons, first published by The New Yorker in 1938.