Stage Whispers correspondents cast their eyes over the best drama on offer next year.
Melbourne Theatre Company
Coral Drouyn says it’s been a long while since she has been as excited by an MTC season as she is about 2015, the third season under Artistic Director Brett Sheehy.
There’s something for everyone, including a couple of world premieres. For me it’s a veritable feast but there are certain must-sees that I have already got in the diary.
The two hot new talents who are currently dancing up a storm in the leads of the new production of Dirty Dancing have a lot in common. Both are recent understudies, who were raised in small country towns where they cut their teeth at dance schools, community theatre and watching Dirty Dancing on video. Neil Litchfield spoke to Kurt Phelan, playing charismatic dance teacher Johnny Castle, and Kirby Burgess the new “Baby” Houseman.
Kirby Burgess grew up in the small country town of Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast.
The 12th annual Your Theatrics International Cabaret Contest (YTICC) promises a spectacular line-up of talent from all walks of the Australian and New Zealand entertainment industry.
MiG Ayesa is one of five featured singers in the current tour of Australia and New Zealand of THRILLER: LIVE, the celebration of Michael Jackson. He told Sally Alrich-Smythe that as a child he’d always wanted to be a rock star but it was a stutter which helped him break into show business.
Nominations were announced today (December 6, 2014) for the Sydney Theatre Awards for 2014, which will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday January 19, 2015 at 6pm at the Paddington RSL.
The Sydney cast of David Williamson’s Rupert will not be travelling with the production to London’s West End in 2015.
Jane Turner, the outrageous Kath in TV’s Kath & Kim, who shares top billing in the production with imported Hollywood star James Crowell, has told Stage Whispers that she was never offered the London season.
“Oh, that’s never been part of the deal,” she said. “I think it’ll be cast over there.”
At a lavish QPAC launch on December 1st Harvest Rain announced their 2015 season would commence with a new revival production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance that plays form 19-22 March in the QPAC Concert Hall.
It stars Andrew O’Keefe as the Pirate King, Nancye Hayes as Ruth, and newcomers Georgina Hopson as Mabel and Billy Bourchier as Frederick, with direction by Simon Gallagher.
Sydney theatre group THE GLUGS - now in their 48th year - proudly present nominations for the 2014 GLUGS THEATRE AWARDS. The awards ceremony will be held on Monday 2 February 2015 at their home base, The Castlereagh Inn.
In 1966 a group of theatre-lovers – critics, journalists, actors and theatre-goers – met occasionally for lunch. Among them famous theatre critic Norman Kessell, JCW’s PR man John Love, and ABC producer Allan Kendall. The group invited international and local theatre guests who spoke about the profession over lunch and a glass of wine.
