Cast Members Announced For THE TURN OF THE SCREW at Hayes Theatre Co

Craig Baldwin in association with Hayes Theatre Co has announced some of the cast for the upcoming chamber opera The Turn of the Screw which opens in August. For the first time ever, opera fills the intimate Hayes space with Benjamin Britten's spine-chilling masterpiece The Turn of the Screw.  Helmed by celebrated director Craig Baldwin (Consent, John and The Flick for Outhouse Theatre Co), The Turn of the Screw will feature some of Sydney's finest rising opera stars. 

The role of governess will be played by Sophie Salvesani (La Traviata, West Side Story) and another performer still to be cast. They will be joined on stage by the supremely talented Kanen Breen (The Merry Widow, Sweeney Todd) and resplendent Ben Rasheed (Tosca, Rigoletto) who will alternate the role of Peter Quint. The role of Mrs Grose will be shared by Margaret Trubiano (Carmen) and Ruth Strutt (The Magic Flute, Opera Up Late) with more cast to be announced at a later date. **

Director Craig Baldwin said, “I'm thrilled to be bringing opera to the Hayes for the first time. And what better way to do it, than with a mid-winter ghost story? In that uniquely intimate setting, every whispered secret, every ghostly apparition and every bit of haunting melody will envelop the audience. It will absolutely be a one-of-a-kind experience.”

This gripping tale unfolds in a remote English manor, as a young governess arrives to care for two orphaned children, Flora and Miles. She soon discovers that the grounds, and the children themselves, are haunted by mysterious apparitions. As the governess fights to protect her wards from the sinister forces that surround them, the line between sanity and madness becomes thrillingly blurred.

Britten's evocative score weaves a web of tension, combining hauntingly beautiful melodies with dissonant harmonies, perfectly capturing the ghostly ambiance of Henry James's classic gothic novel.

Baldwin has assembled an impressive creative team including Musical Director Francis Greep (Dry My Tears for The Song Company), Set and Costume Designer Emma Vine (Photograph 51 for Ensemble Theatre) and Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney (Sydney Theatre Award, Best Lighting Design of an Independent Production for Collapsible).

The Turn of the Screw

Presented by Craig Baldwin in association with Hayes Theatre Co

Composed by  Benjamin Britten

Libretto by Myfanwy Piper

Story by Henry James

Director: Craig Baldwin

Musical Director: Francis Greep

Set and Costume: Designer Emma Vine

Lighting Designer: Morgan Moroney

Venue: Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point

Season: 16 August – 15 September

Times: Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Sat matinee 2pm, Sunday 5pm, Thurs matinee 2pm (5 September)

Price: Tickets from $75-89

Bookings: www.hayestheatre.com.au | (02) 8065 7337

*Please refer to the website for cast performance dates

Hayes Theatre Co is a dedicated music theatre and cabaret venue in Potts Point. Named for Australian musical theatre legend, Nancye Hayes AM, Hayes Theatre Co honours and builds on the vast history of Australian Musical Theatre and its practitioners. Productions staged at Hayes Theatre Co have been nominated for and won numerous awards at the Helpmann Awards, Sydney Theatre Awards and Glug Awards. In only its tenth year of operation, the company has gained national and international recognition for its contribution to the Australian music theatre industry. As well as producing multiple in-house productions each year, Hayes Theatre Co is a presenting partner with independent producers and artists. Hayes Theatre Co is made possible through the City of Sydney's Accommodation Grant Program.

Photo Credit: Maryna Rothe

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