NED KELLY: THE MUSICAL to Make Melbourne Debut with Victorian Opera
Ethan Jones stars as Ned Kelly alongside Maria Mercedes and Robert Grubb at Union Theatre.
Victorian Opera will present the Melbourne debut of Reg Livermore's Ned Kelly: The Musical, playing 24–25 July at Union Theatre, The University of Melbourne.
The acclaimed new production premiered in late March with an exclusive run at Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat, marking the musical's long-awaited return to the stage nearly fifty years after its original premiere.
The production is directed by Victorian Opera's Artistic Director Stuart Maunder AM (Follies, The Pirates of Penzance), with Simon Holt (Cats, Sweeney Todd) returning to conduct. Both Maunder and Holt worked closely with Reg Livermore to further refine the musical, with Holt contributing additional music and new orchestrations for this revised version of the score.
On the production, Stuart Maunder notes: “Victorian Opera is thrilled to have given new life into Reg Livermore's iconic musical some five decades after its premiere. We are proud to have brought this work back to the stage with care and finesse, allowing this legendary part of our national identity to speak and indeed sing in our own voice.”
Fresh from appearing in Waitress, rising star Ethan Jones returns to the role of Ned Kelly following his striking portrayal earlier this year. He is joined again by celebrated stage veterans Maria Mercedes (Candide) as Ma Kelly and Robert Grubb (Sunset Boulevard) as Superintendent Hare.
As members of the Kelly Gang, Liam Head (Wicked) joins the cast as Joe Byrne, alongside Darcy Wain and Luke London, recently in Victorian Opera's The Pirates of Penzance, as Steve Hart and Dan Kelly. Chelsea Dawson (Six) performs as Ned's sister Kate. Rohan Campbell (The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale) stars as Aaron Sherritt, the friend‑turned‑informant whose betrayal shaped the Kelly story. Sally Bourne (Sister Act) appears as publican Mrs Jones, and Darcy Carroll (The Pirates of Penzance) joins the cast as Judge Redmond Barry, who famously sentenced Kelly to death.
Victorian Opera's current and former Opera Prize winners feature as supporting cast, including Douglas Kelly as Sergeant Fitzpatrick and Edwin Living, Rachael Joyce as Ellen Sherritt, Bailey Montgomerie as Constable McIntyre, and Alessia Pintabona in the ensemble. The ensemble also includes Teddy Burgess, Declan Farr, Kristina McNamara, Joshua Morton-Galea and Connor Sweeney.
The legend himself, Reg Livermore AO (Wicked, My Fair Lady, The Producers), stars in a cameo role as Mr Tarleton, the Bank Manager.
Ned Kelly's name is etched into Australian folklore. The infamous bushranger, his gang, and the iconic suit of armour continue to spark national debate: was he a champion of the underdog or a cold-blooded criminal?
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