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STAGE WHISPERS MAGAZINE: MAY JUNE 2023 EDITION OUT NOW!!!

IN THIS EDITION

 

Be Our Guest

How the stars of Beauty and the Beast fell in love with Disney

 

The Truth of the Legend

Introducing Australia’s Tina and Ike, Ruva Ngwenya and Tim Omaji

 

Midnight: The Cinderella Musical

The Australian musical with a new take on the classic fairy tale

 

Miss Saigon Cast Announced

The cast of Cameron Mackintosh's new Australian production of Boublil and Schönberg's musical Miss Saigon, premiering at the Sydney Opera House in August has been announced.

Leading the cast is Abigail Adriano as Kim, Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer, Nigel Huckle as Chris, Kerrie Anne Greenland as Ellen, Nick Afoa as John, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and Kimberley Hodgson in the role of Gigi.

From Tiny Stables Stage to London and Now Broadway

Image: Jodie Comer in Prima Facie. Photographer: Helen Murray.

Playwright Suzie Miller’s unique blend of legal nous, firebrand feminism and great story-telling has seen her works performed on the world’s smallest and greatest stages. Martin Portus spoke to the Australian playwright ahead of her Broadway debut.  

The Golden Age of Musical Theatre

Theatrical agent Les Solomon pines for large scale commercial revivals of musicals from the 1940s to the 1980s.

I enjoyed seeing a rather magical production of La Cage Aux Folles, the wonderfully rich gay themed Jerry Herman musical that won the Tony Award back in 1984, which is returning this week at the State Theatre in Sydney.

Brianna Bishop to play lead in MIDNIGHT

Brianna Bishop, seen most recently in the national tour of Hairspray as Amber Von Tussle, has landed the lead role of Ella in MIDNIGHT, a major new musical set to open at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne in June. She will join an impressive line-up of co-stars including Shane Jacobson, Lucy Durack, Thomas McGuane, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Raphael Wong, Kristie Nguy, Melanie Bird with Matt Lee and more. 

Australia’s New Elphaba and Glinda

On behalf of his co-producers Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone, John Frost for Crossroads Live has announced the two young actresses who have secured the roles of Elphaba and Glinda in WICKED, which flies into Australia’s Emerald City at the Sydney Lyric from 25 August.

Rolling Thunder Returns

Depicting the Vietnam War from a uniquely Australian perspective, the rock drama Rolling Thunder Vietnam returns from April 2023 for an extended national tour of 14 cities. Based on letters written by Vietnam Veterans, Rolling Thunder Vietnam fuses a live band, audio visuals and a dialogue with the audience. First staged in 2014, a planned 2020 revival was derailed by Covid after just a handful of performances in Geelong. The show’s writer Bryce Hallett discusses the new production.

Cast Announced for City of Angels at Hayes Theatre Co

Producer Joshua Robson Productions (Bonnie & Clyde, In the Heights) in association with Hayes Theatre Co have announced the cast of the upcoming production of City of Angels which plays at Hayes Theatre Co from 23 June.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2023

Adelaide Cabaret Festival is set to celebrate Adelaide Festival Centre’s 50th Anniversary from June 9 to 24, presenting its 23rd program, featuring 342 artists and musicians across 91 performances including 13 world premieres and 20 Adelaide premieres by a large contingent of Australian artists and performers from the USA, United Kingdom, and France. 

“Princesses” Doing It For Themselves

Coral Drouyn talks to the dynamic duo behind the success of the Disney 100 concert.