News

Large Performing Arts Centres Scaling Down

Theatre companies and producers large and small are closing down to abide by regulations banning gatherings of more than 500 people.

Opera Australia announced Sunday night that it is cancelling the rest of its Summer season including Handa's Opera on the harbour.

This includes all performances of Attila, Carmen and Great Opera Hits at the Sydney Opera House that were scheduled from Monday 16 through to Saturday 28 March. 

Vale Tony Gould

Memorial event postponed.

The arts in Australia lost one of its most fervent champions with the passing of Tony Gould, AM on March 10, 2020.

The founding Director of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Tony was remembered by those who knew him well and worked with him as someone who was not only passionately supportive of the performing arts but also cared deeply for the people behind the art.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie National Tour

Cancelled / postponed due Covid-19.

An inspiring story, feel-good pop score, and one fabulous teen.  Meet Jamie New. 

The critically acclaimed, Olivier Award nominated, West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will have its Australian Premiere Season at the Sydney Opera House from 18 July 2020 prior to a national tour.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest for Melbourne

Exclusive to Melbourne, a stage adaptation of one of the world’s most iconic stories comes to Her Majesty’s Theatre for a strictly limited season from 23 May. 

Bittersweet: The Rise of the Australian Musical

QPAC now closed

Tony Gould Gallery,Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane. Until 4 April, 2020

Beth Keehn reports.

Perfect Boss For 9 to 5

Season postponed

Producers John Frost, Suzanne Jones and Ambassador Theatre Group Productions have announced that Eddie Perfect will play the egotistical boss Franklin Hart Jnr in Dolly Parton’s hit musical 9 TO 5, bringing to the role his mix of comic timing and musical theatre credentials. 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL will have its Australian Premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 19 April, 2021 followed by a season at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne from 25 July.

Aussies On and Off Broadway

If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere - goes the famous song. But Australians making it big in the New York theatre scene are few are far between. David Spicer met three Aussies giving it a red hot go - composer Eddie Perfect, producer Neil Gooding and playwright Stephen Helper.

The biggest thing you notice in Times Square as an Australian theatre buff in late 2019 was the towering image of Ainsley Melham. The actor-singer was still Disney’s poster boy for the musical Aladdin, after spending six months in the lead role.

Acting and Being

Coral Drouyn talks to Noni Hazlehurst about her most defining role.

“Acting is easy, BEING is hard.” So says the very special Noni Hazlehurst, who has managed to do both across all media: film, television, radio and theatre. Noni is finishing up her two years plus run with Mother, a one woman play written especially for her by one of our most esteemed playwrights, Daniel Keene.

The play has been a very special labour of love for Noni for more than four years now and Noni is coming to the end of yet another successful tour.

The Secret Garden Adult Cast

Production cancelled - full details

Producers John Frost and Opera Australia have announced the full adult cast for the 25th anniversary production of The Secret Garden which will play at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star from 2 August, then transfer to Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne from 13 November.

Frozen Leads Announced.

As it approaches its Australian premiere in Sydney in July, Frozen is has announced the two performers that have been cast in the lead roles of Elsa and Anna.

Jemma Rix (Elsa) and Courtney Monsma (Anna) will bring the iconic roles to life in this new production from the producers of Aladdin, The Lion King and Mary Poppins which begins performances at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from July 2020.

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