THE WIZARD IS ANNOUNCED!

Australian musical theatre icon Reg Livermore will play the role of the Wizard in the 2014 Melbourne and Sydney seasons of WICKED. 

Reg Livermore AO has been entertaining Australian audiences for almost 60 years, becoming one of this country’s leading and most respected performers. During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s he gave standout performances in Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar, then in 1974 he was rewarded with one of musical’s greatest roles, Dr Frank’n’Furter in the original Australian Production of The Rocky Horror Show, which led to the first in a series of his landmark one-man shows which cemented Reg’s name in Australian theatrical history. Most recently Reg has starred in Mel Brooks musical The Producers and Opera Australia’s production of My Fair Lady.

Reg is the first to admit he’s been content with his garden, and cooking, and recently he’s taken up painting again. But in some ways it was the contentment of resignation.

“I really thought my run was over. The Seventies were my glory years and I had accepted that show business had moved on and that there were many who didn’t even know my name. I can’t say I was happy about that, but I accepted it,” Reg told Stage Whispers interviewer Coral Drouyn with his customary frankness. “And then out of the blue this offer came and I thought ‘Yes, why not?’ Hopefully I still have something to offer to audiences.”

This isn’t the first time that Reg has crossed paths with the Wizard of Oz. Fifty years ago this year he played The Wicked Witch of The West in a pantomime at Sydney’s Tivoli Theatre in which teenage singing star Noelene Batley played Dorothy. Wicked, of course, chronicles what happens before the story of The Wizard of Oz.

“It helps enormously to put things into context if you’ve seen The Wizard of Oz before seeing Wicked,” Reg says. “It’s amazing how both stories, though totally different in structure and genre, are so modern. They’re about acceptance of who you are and the differences in others around you. The lesson is not to take things at face value. A girl can look strange and different, but still be worth knowing. She can have a green face and still be beautiful inside. After all, it’s not easy being green.” He chuckles “Wickedly”.

What a marvellous treat for fans of both Wicked and Livermore.

John Frost said, “I am thrilled that Reg will be starring in the role of the Wizard, it is a complex and challenging role that has lured him back to the musical theatre stage. Reg will be a wonderful Wizard and we look forward to seeing him bring his world-class award winning style to the stage.”

This 10^thAnniversary tour of “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster”(The New York Times) also stars Lucy Durack as Glinda and Jemma Rix as Elphaba, both reprising the roles which shot them to stardom during the original Australian tour. Joining the WICKED Company in his first musical theatre leading role is Steve Danielsen as Fiyero, while doyenne of stage and screen, Maggie Kirkpatrick returns as Madame Morrible. The role of Nessarose is played by newcomer Emily Cascarino,while Edward Grey plays Boq.

Broadway’s #1 show for an unprecedented ten consecutive years, WICKED has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly.

WICKED returns to the Regent Theatre, Melbourne on May 7 for a strictly limited season prior to touring to Sydney and Brisbane.

wickedthemusical.com.au

MELBOURNE SEASON

Venue: Regent Theatre, Melbourne

Previews: 7-9 May, 2014, Season   From 10 May, 2014

Performance Times: Wed–Sat 8.00pm, Wed 1.00pm, Sat 2.00pm, Sun 1.00pm and 6.30pm

Price: Tickets from $69.90*

Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 111 011, Groups 12+ save 1300 889 278

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

SYDNEY SEASON

Venue:  Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Season from 20 September, 2014

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