Stage Briefs

Traditional Opera on the decline in Australia

The national opera review discussion paper has painted a picture of a traditional mainstage art form in steep decline. Here are some of its main findings:

Since 2009, attendances at Australia’s Major Opera Companies have increased by 55 percent or 9.2 percent per annum, defying global trends. However, that achievement has come primarily through the strong diversification of Opera Australia’s activities into musicals and events such as Handa’s Opera on Sydney Harbour.

Sam Strong New Artistic Director at QTC.

Queensland Theatre Company (QTC) today (September 22, 2015) announced their new Artistic Director, Sam Strong .

Sam has been the Associate Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) since 2013 and is also currently Chair of Brisbane-based Circa.

Jerry's Girls: Full Cast Announced

Eleven of Australia’s top musical theatre Leading Ladies - Rhonda Burchmore, Nancye Hayes, Silvie Paladino, Christie Whelan Browne, Virginia Gay, Claire Lyon, Kirby Burgess, Chelsea Gibb, Debora Krizak, Josie Lane and Natalie O’Donnell
 - come together for a great musical theatre event in November, along with with Brent Hill.

Simon Gleeson to Lead Asian Tour of Les Misérables

Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Boublil & Schönberg's legendary musical Les Misérableswill launch the Asian tour in Manila in March 2016 with tickets going on sale on Tuesday, 29th September.

Seasons 2016

With numerous theatre companies across Australia announcing their 2016 seasons over the last few weeks, we thought it was time to collect together links to our coverage of the various seasons.

Click on the links below for more detail of individual seasons.

 

 

 

 

 

National

Bell Shakespeare

Opera Australia

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.