Stage Briefs

EI8HT for Sydney Fringe

Edgeware Forum, a new theatre collective comprising of six 2013 acting graduates, present Ella Hickson’sEI8HT, directed by Anna Houston at Erskineville Town Hall – The Village Theatre as part of the 205 Sydney Fringe Festival

MEAA recovers $100,000 for Avenue Q actors and musicians

Twelve performers on the satirical musical Avenue Q have finally been paid after their union took legal action to recover $114,000 that was owed to them.

The performers turned to the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), the union for Australia’s entertainment professionals, after the money was frozen during a legal dispute between the show’s producer and his ex-employer.

The Goodbye Girl Next Neglected Musical

Neglected Musicals will present the Neil Simon, Marvin Hamlisch musical comedy The Goodbye Girl at Hayes Theatre Co on Monday 26 October and Sunday 1 November for 3 shows only. Directed by Tyran Parke, with a cast including Deone Zanotto, Aaron Tsindos, Romy Watson, Leah Howard, Caroline Kasper, Lisa Callingham and Emma Cooperthwaite, this 1993 Broadway Musical is based on Simon's original screenplay for the film of the same name which starred film of the same Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss.

An Audience with Smoky and Herb

Glenn T, the playwright, director and producer of one man show An Audience with Smoky and Herb, starring Ian Stenlake, which will be staged at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC in October, speaks to Roger McKenzie.

 

STC appoints Jonathan Church as Artistic Director

Jonathan Church will succeed Andrew Upton as Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company (STC), it was announced today, 25 August 2015. The British artist has been Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre since 2006 and is credited with completely transforming the much-loved UK institution.

Hugh Jackman Set to Return to Oz

Hugh Jackman announced today that he will bring his one-man show to entertainment arenas across Australia this year.

It was described this way by Playbill:

"The one-man song-and-dance spectacular finds Jackman fronting an 18-piece orchestra and performing an array of songs from across the musical spectrum — Rodgers and Hammerstein, American Songbook classics, movie medleys, Peter Allen pop hits. There's even a surprise musical nod to his native Australia."

Stay tuned.

 

Pulling Out All The Plugs

Broadway Unplugged at The Vanguard in Newtown.

The Shape of Things for Sydney Fringe

As the 2015 Sydney Fringe Festival approaches, Jordy Shea prepares to direct and produce Neil LaBute’s well-known play; The Shape of Things at the Kings Cross Theatre. The play stars former West End children’s performer Tina Jackson (last seen in Little Orphan Trashley-Sydney Opera House) and Brave New Word Theatre artistic director Luke Holmes as Evelyn & Adam respectively. The play, which explores art, society, subjectivity and personal relationships, was made into a film featuring Paul Rudd & Rachel Weisz.

Ambassador Theatre Group Leases Theatre Royal Sydney

The renewal of Sydney’s MLC Centre has reached another significant milestone, with co-owners QIC and The GPT Group [ASX:GPT] having agreed terms with Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) for a lease and the management of the Theatre Royal in Sydney.

The Theatre Royal, part of the MLC Centre and situated on King Street, is Sydney’s oldest theatrical institution and one of the city’s premier commercial theatre venues. 

13 The Musical for Bankstown

Following their productions of Hot Shoe Shuffle (starring Daryl Somers) and Keating: The Musical, Sydney independent musical theatre company Birdie Productions now steps up the energy with the cultish hit teen musical: 13– the first ever Broadway show to feature an all-child cast and band.