Adelaide Festival Centre Season 2017

The 2017 Adelaide Festival Centre Season has all the perennial favourites and much-loved festivals, mixed in with a host of exciting new productions and events in what promises to be a great year of music, theatre, dance and exhibitions.

This inclusive, diverse program has something for everyone, from our existing Festival Centre friends, as well as children, teenagers, older patrons and those new to our community.

2017 will be an exciting period of renewal and change as the redevelopment at Adelaide Riverbank and Adelaide Festival Centre begins. While there will be building works around Adelaide Festival Centre, we aim to minimise disruption to patrons. From January through to December the Festival Centre will remain open, offering an abundance of shows in our venues for Adelaide audiences and visitors to enjoy. We will be updating ticket holders with the latest information (on access and parking) prior to their show. This information will also be available on our website.

The 2017 program features more than 900 artists in 498 performances throughout the year, which includes 835 Australian artists. There will be more shows on offer as our festival programs are announced throughout the year, with international shows from France, Italy, Hungary, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Netherlands, China, Greece, the UK and more. The 2017 season showcases seven world premieres, five Australian premieres, 15 Adelaide premieres and 10 Adelaide exclusives to date.

Before we head into 2017, finish off this year with the queens of kook The Kransky Sisters in A Very Kransky Christmasin December, or sit back and enjoy the glitz and glamour of a Gatsby themed, 1920s Christmas Proms.

December also sees Helpmann award winner Michael Griffiths team up with Michaela Burger and Greg Wain to performPorter & Piaf, a double bill celebrating the colourful lives and timeless songs of Cole Porter and Edith Piaf.

New Year's Eve is all about nostalgia as we re-live the music of the swingin' '60s with Dusty The Musical, which runs throughout January. Amy Lehpamer, seen recently as Maria in The Sound Of Music, returns to the Festival Theatre asDusty Springfield, one of the iconic singers of our time. Amy will be joined by a talented cast including Todd McKenney, and cabaret star and well-known TV personality Virginia Gay. As if one musical wasn't enough, in June we welcome the multi-award winning and sensational Matilda The Musical in the Festival Theatre. The first opportunity to buy tickets for this show for all ages will be through our 2017 season subscription.

January is jam packed with shows and workshops for kids including On Stage Summer School, the hugely popular ABCMe hit Operation Ouch! live on stage with the terrific twins Dr Chris and Dr X, and popular children's TV animal adventure expert Steve Backshall is back with Deadly 60 Live! Pole to Pole Tour.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says: "We're continuing on a very exciting journey here at Adelaide Festival Centre. The Centre redevelopment brings with it new opportunities, but the core of what we do remains unchanged - providing world class arts and entertainment for all South Australians and visitors to Adelaide.

"Partnerships and collaborations are important to our success and we're extremely pleased to be working with some great producers including The Production Company on Dusty and The Royal Shakespeare Company on Matilda, as well as South Australia's leading performing arts companies.

"This year's program offers a diverse array of shows, festivals and events that we know you will enjoy."

Collaborations with home companies in 2017 include the Australian premiere of SAUL, presented by the Adelaide Festival in association with the State Opera of South Australia, David Bowie: Nothing Has Changed and Scotland The Bravewith the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Long Tan with Brink Productions, 1984 and Rabbits with State Theatre Company South Australia and Big Bad Wolf and Beep from Windmill Theatre Company.

Enjoy some unique international music early next year with the Butterfly Ladies Band from China, cool French flavours with the latest So Frenchy So Chic artists Nouvelle Vague and the return of world-renowned Italian pianist and composerLudovico Einaudi.

The Festival Centre gets Fringey in February with a number of shows as part of Adelaide Fringe including Tubular Bells For Two, a musical triathlon with bells on, and punk cabaret in An Evening with Amanda Palmer, described as fearless, provocative and controversial. Sun Rising perform The Songs That Made Memphis with music from some of the greats including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, and take a trip to The Edge with the award-winning 21stanniversary production of Trainspotting, a pumping rave and no-holds-barred, action-driven story that provides a window to the Edinburgh heroin scene of the 80s.

Great music is timeless and The Whitlams will demonstrate this with their 25th Anniversary Tour performing with the Adelaide Pops Orchestra in the Festival Theatre in May.

Our Something on Saturday program turns 40 in 2017. This program for 2-10 year olds has become an Adelaide institution with local families, many having attended with their children and now grandchildren. It continues to entertain more than 15,000 people every year with performances, exhibitions, and arts and crafts for children to enjoy. One of the highlights this year is Herman and Rosie with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Our GreenRoom program celebrates its 10th birthday in 2017. GreenRoom makes the Arts Accessible to all South Australians between 18-30, and all year there will be $10 memberships and heavily discounted tickets, including limited $10 tickets to select shows. Members can access free workshops with artists, giving them priceless experiences with some of the world's most acclaimed artistic minds.

Adelaide Festival Centre presents three of its signature festivals in 2017, starting with DreamBIG Children's Festival in May. Highlights include a spectacular opening event with 2000 school children and teachers walking across the Adelaide Oval foot bridge. The winter festival season kicks off with our popular Adelaide Cabaret Festival, with an array of galas to be held at Her Majesty's Theatre, including two Variety Galas, a Family Gala and Closing Gala. Other sneak peeks include a co-commissioned work Ancient Rain with Paul Kelly and Camille O'Sullivan with Feargal Murray, and indulge in a feast for all senses at the annual Cabaret Dinner. OzAsia Festival will again celebrate contemporary Asian performance and demonstrate why it is Australia's leading annual contemporary arts festival focussing on Asia.

Dance lovers will adore Sydney Dance Company's Frame of Mind, a widely powerful double bill charged with superlative dance. Still with dance, our inSPACE: Development program, where innovative, new shows are developed, presentsSplit Second Heroes, a high-tech take on age old quest for self-discovery, and Angelique, which invites us to lift the veil on what ordinarily remains unseen.

Since it was named a UNESCO City of Music in December 2015, Adelaide's reputation as a vibrant musical mecca has continued to grow. This global recognition shines a spotlight on Adelaide's thriving music scene and provides a platform on which to build further exchange programs and musical collaborations within the worldwide Creative Cities Network of UNESCO. One off those collaborations is UNESCO's International Jazz day held annually on April 30. In 2017 Adelaide Festival Centre and jazz legend James Morrison will work in close collaboration and play a major role in these worldwide jazz celebrations, with International Jazz Day forming a springboard into International Jazz Week in May. And don't miss the brilliant James Morrison performing with his Academy Jazz Orchestra at Her Majesty's Theatre in September.

Other music includes Morgan's International Piano Series, this year featuring the talents of Denes Varjon, Behzod Abduraimov and Alexander Gavrylyuk. Internationally acclaimed pianist Simon Tedeschi and narrator John Bell will bring their magic to a tragic yet uplifting story of love and loss in Enoch Arden. Cocktail Concerts return with intimate music at cocktail hour from Adelaide's favourite violinist Niki Vasilakis.

Community involvement is an important part of the Festival Centre's commitment to audiences and there will be plenty of events and performances as part of World of Cultures, as well as Our Mob, both of which celebrate our rich multicultural ties. Other stellar favourites returning in 2017 include Christmas Proms, and come and engage with our year-long program of Exhibitions as part of our dynamic visual and performing arts offerings.

There are a number of special programs for all ages. Our CentrEd schools program (primary and secondary students) will provide exciting performing and visual arts learning opportunities. Morning Melodies is your chance to experience a superb selection of daytime entertainment at affordable prices and our Overture program continues to provide access to the arts for those who may otherwise be unable to attend performances presented at the Adelaide Festival Centre.

With loads of options for wining and dining, corporate hospitality and great function venues, plus this smorgasbord of year-round shows, events, festivals, exhibitions and more, 2017 at Adelaide Festival Centre will be brimming with events and activities for all South Australians.

For full program details including co-presenters visit adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au

Get social with us on Twitter & Instagram @AdelaideFesCent #AdelaideFesCent17 and Facebook facebook.com/FestivalCentre