News

Something on Saturday to Delight Adelaide Kids

Many of us had our first taste of live performance when we were children. For most, the experience was thrilling and delightful. It fired our imaginations and in some cases, inspired us to become performers ourselves. Almost without exception that uniquely personal first-time live event found a special place in our childhood memories.

GREASE Announces Return Melbourne Season

A week before the three-month season of GREASE closes in Melbourne on March 30, the entire season has sold out. Over 400,000 Australians, including more than 160,000 people in Melbourne, have enjoyed the production since it opened on January 2 this year.

New Intimate Blood Brothers for Melbourne

Chelsea Plumley joins an formidable alumni of divas including Barbara Dickson, Stephanie Lawrence, Helen Reddy, Carole King, Chrissy Amphlett and Petula Clark when she undertakes the tour de force central role of Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell’s musical Blood Brothers at Melbourne’s Chapel Off Chapel from March 19.

Set in impoverished 1960s Liverpool (UK), Blood Brothers tells the tragic tale of Mrs Johnstone and her twins (Gareth Keegan and Matthew Bradford) separated at birth, then disastrously reunited.

MTC’s 2014 NEON Festival of Independent Theatre

Melbourne Theatre Company Artistic Director Brett Sheehy today (March 13) announced the full program of five new workswhich will make up the MTC’s 2014 NEON Festival of Independent Theatre.

Between 29 May and 3 August this year, MTC will welcome five independent companies – Little Ones Theatre, angus cerini / doubletap, Antechamber Productions & Daniel Keene, Arthur and Sans Hotel – to present a work of their choice, each for a ten-day season in the Lawler at Southbank Theatre.

Leading A “Normal” Life.

On the eve of opening as Diane in Doorstep Arts’ season of the extraordinary musical Next To Normal at GPAC in Geelong, leading lady Natalie O’Donnell takes time out to talk to Coral Drouyn

2013 MATILDA AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED

A trio of veteran female artists noted for thriving in an industry that can overlook mature women has spearheaded the Matilda Awards honouring Brisbane’s most outstanding theatrical achievements of 2013.

Actors BARBARA LOWING and CHRISTEN O’LEARY and director ANDREA MOOR took home three of the five prestigious Gold Matildas. Lighting designer JASON GLENWRIGHT and independent company, SHAKE & STIR received the other top gongs in the 27th annual ceremony on March 10, 2014

30 YEARS OF VITALSTATISTIX

Thirty Vital Years for Independent SA Theatre Company. Lesley Reed reports.

In 1984 theatre-makers Roxxy Bent, Ollie Black and Margie Fischer created a dynamic new South Australian independent theatre company, Vitalstatistix, which soon came to be known amongst its followers as Vitals.

Based at Port Adelaide at the heritage-listed Waterside Workers Hall, the company maintains a feminist perspective, having developed a proud tradition of supporting women artists.

Lisa McCune: Leading Lady

In her former life as a TV script producer, Coral Drouyn once had Lisa McCune killed off (or at least her TV alter ego). As the multiple Gold Logie winner prepares for The King and I in 2014, the star and the screenwriter caught up for a chat.

ONCE IS ENOUGH.

The first launch of the smash hit Tony award musical ONCE, coming to Melbourne in Oct, gave us Guinness, champagne, Irish music and academy award winner Glen Hansard. Coral Drouyn was there to soak up the atmosphere and the champagne (one was enough).

The Production Company Season 2014

Jeanne Pratt AC, Chairman of The Production Company, has announced her Company’s 2014 season.

‘Three very different musicals are coming to Melbourne for our 2014 Season. Spanning sixty years of Broadway creativity, they are three of my favourite Broadway classics. Guys and Dolls opens our season on July 19, Show Boat opens on August 16 and our third musical is La Cage Aux Folles, which opens on November 22.

‘To star in these musicals, we have engaged artists who will shine and enchant our audiences.