King Kong the Musical Aug 7
2018, 06:46:19 AM
I actually ended up seeing the Melbourne production 3 times during its run. We are friends with Esther Hannaford who played Ann Darrow, but even then were hesitant to see it initially. Esther encouraged us to see it and said it was like nothing else she’d done or seen before. We ended up loving it and almost immediately booked to go back. That time both Esther and the actor playing Carl Denham were out and we still loved it. We were sitting fairly close in the centre of the stalls (i.e. orchestr
Come From Away Tour Casting Aug 5
2018, 11:11:01 AM
Thrilled for Marika Aubrey - she was amazing as Mrs Wormwood in the Australian production of Matilda! She also welcomed a baby this year (although I think they are still going through the foster care system), so it sounds like there’ll be a couple of bubs on tour!
Dear Even Hansen Maggie McKenna Jul 29
2018, 11:32:10 PM
I don’t think anyone, even those involved in Muriel’s Wedding, would dream of calling it ‘the biggest show Down Under’. It was running at the same time as the Book of Mormon, Aladdin, Beautiful and Dream Lover, all of which had longer runs, more tour cities, more awards and I would say more financial success. I’m sure it was great, and I’d love to be able to see it (mainly for Christie though!), but it was definitely not an earth-shattering smash hit!
Has any high school 'made up a show'? Jul 25
2018, 05:47:07 AM
When I was in year 9 my high school did an original musical that was written by some of the music teachers. It was based on a book written by a girl who attended the school in the late 19th century, basically about how much she hated it, how awful the teachers were and how all the other girls were snobs. As you can imagine, the author was not very popular with school officials at the time!
The book had been adapted to a movie in the 1970s and when writing the musical they copied the st
TOO OLD For the Role? Jun 26
2018, 12:11:40 PM
In Melbourne we have a theatre company called The Production Company that does short runs of professional musicals, usually revivals of popular classics, usually with excellent casts. In 2016 however they did Funny Girl, starring Caroline O’Connor playing Fanny Brice at the age of 54. While Caroline O’Connor is unquestionably a fantastic performer, I actually thought it was insulting to the show, the audience and Caroline herself to cast her in a role that was so inappropriate for her age just f
heeeellllllll yeah Jun 19
2018, 05:10:24 AM
Personally, I think it’s fun to dress up somewhat for the theatre. That being said, it’s totally possible to do that in shorts - nice dress shorts, short sleeve button down or nice polo, loafers or boat shoes and you’d still look ‘dressed up’ while being comfy. Ripped shorts, a ratty old tshirt and flip flops or dirty sneakers really aren’t any more comfortable and do impact on the ‘vibe’ of the occasion, for yourself more than anyone else.
Are blondes allowed to play Nessarose in Wicked? Jun 19
2018, 05:03:52 AM
I know Eponine in Les Mis does not wear a wig. When the show was in Melbourne a couple of years ago I was at a concert on a Monday night and Kerrie Anne Greenland, who played Eponine, was there. Before the show I heard her talking to her friends about how she had been able to wash her hair that day as she was only allowed to wash it on a Monday.
Similarly, Carrie Hope Fletcher couldn’t cut her hair while she played the role on the West End. When she then was in the Dubai production she
Is it worth to travel from Brisbane AU to NYC just to see Cursed Child Jun 19
2018, 04:46:48 AM
I don’t know that I’d bother going to New York specifically for a show that is coming much closer very soon - and my three trips to New York have been based around seeing If/Then, Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. However, if you’ve got other reasons you want to go to New York then you should absolutely still go! While my trips were prompted by shows (and in the latter 2 cases the theatre tickets were booked first), I had plenty of other reasons (including shows!) to go. If you do make the trip, I’
Theaters Comfortable for Jun 16
2018, 02:32:12 AM
It’s very specific, but centre orchestra row E of the Shubert has an aisle directly behind it - where Amanda landed in Matilda. A couple of the seats you’d have absolutely nothing behind you and others you’d have a big enough gap before the next row that it wouldn’t be an issue.
Side orchestra row H Majestic also has a gap of a couple of rows behind it, so would work too.
lovebwy said: "Thanks for all the wonderful advice!!
Quick question! I'm tall, and there is a seat in the Orchestra, on the extreme left side in row K with no seat in front of it. A blessing for me.
Is this a good seat? Will I miss anything? I guess as long as I get to see her at the top of the staircase, its ok.
Should I snag this, or should I just do mezz?"
This was my view from one of the side orchestra seats (not sure of t
Dear Evan Hansen national tour cast Jun 7
2018, 11:15:44 PM
So happy for Maggie! She played Muriel in Muriel’s Wedding the Musical and received wonderful reviews. Her mother is Gina Riley, best know for playing Kim in the tv show Kath & Kim (the Aussie version, not the American remake), but is also a fabulous musical theatre performer.
Celebrities not from the show coming out of the Stage Door Jun 5
2018, 07:47:43 AM
Not at stage door but a couple of years ago I was at a small-ish theatre in Melbourne to see a show that an actor friend was in. We were standing in the foyer near the bar and my mum whispered to me, ‘by the way, Anthony Warlow’s standing behind you’. I would have loved to have spoken to him because he never stage doors, but just didn’t have the guts (and wouldn’t have wanted to disturb him). A couple of the cast members were in early rehearsals for Fiddler on the Roof with him and Peter Carroll
Hamilton May 31
2018, 02:37:20 AM
I prefer to stay in the Theatre District, mainly for convenience. It’s nice to be able to easily pop back to your hotel before your show to freshen up. I’ve stayed twice at the Edison which has a back entrance into W46th opposite the Richard Rodgers Theatre. In January I stayed at the Hilton Times Square on 8th which was also good.
Although personally I think I’d like a bio-musical of Walt Disney most of all!
Jim Parsons tripped onstage today May 14
2018, 08:17:13 AM
It is one thing for an actor to be off book, it’s another thing to have had complete tech rehearsals with full costume changes, etc. A performer flubbing their lines can be covered up but a performer not knowing exactly where to walk to avoid a moving set piece, etc. could be downright dangerous.
A few years ago when Doctor Zhivago was first opening in Sydney, Anthony Warlow injured himself a few hours before the first preview. While his understudy Anton Berezin (who is a fantastic perf
Evita - Eva's 6 Show Week May 9
2018, 10:04:30 PM
They just announced this week that for the upcoming Sydney production starring Tina Arena that Jemma Rix will be playing Eva for one show a week. Interestingly, Jemma was the original Elphaba standby for the Australian production of Wicked. She eventually ended up taking over the role full time after Amanda Harrison suffered from terrible vocal troubles (that plus pregancies and cast departures meant they even had to fly in Carmen Cusack and Jennifer Di Noia at points). Jemma ended up being an a
Audra in Concert May 6
2018, 04:22:34 AM
I saw her in Melbourne at Hamer Hall a couple of years ago (it must have been 31 October 2015 to be exact!). I’ve seen many incredible concerts there - Idina, Sierra, Megan, Lea, 6 years of my school’s speech night - and Audra was absolutely a standout. I think my favourite numbers were I’ll Be Here from Ordinary Days (which I had never heard before) and Baby Mine from Dumbo (which holds special meaning to me) - apparently I like to cry! Another favourite was the hilarious Facebook Song by Austr
haterobics said: "CATSNYrevival said: "I’ve expierenced the opposite where people boo the villain during the curtain call which I think is disrespectful."
Seems like a compliment of the highest order."
When I saw Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the actor playing the child catcher got boos and when we asked him he said that he considered it a compliment.
Broadway Veterans Taking Newcomers Into Their Wings Mar 7
2018, 10:42:53 PM
I know Rob Guest mentored Rob Mills and Anthony Callea when the three of them were in the original Australian cast of Wicked in Melbourne in 2008. Like Guest, Mills and Callea came from pop backgrounds (they were both Australian Idol contestants) and hadn’t worked in theatre much/at all.
After Rob Guest died, producer John Frost said: “People like Anthony Callea and Rob Mills, who has never worked in the theatre before ... The two boys [would be] sitting in the dressing room and Rob [G
