Hayes Theatre Co. to Present MIRACLE CITY, 10/17-11/16

The next production to open at Hayes Theatre Co will be a brand new production of Nick Enright and Max Lambert's musical Miracle City presented by Luckiest Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co from October 17 - November 16 2014.

Miracle City will star Mike McLeish (Keating The Musical, Shane Warne: The Musical) as religious patriarch Ricky Truswell, Blazey Best (Nora & Miss Julie, Belvoir) as Lora Lee Truswell, Hilary Cole (Carrie: The Musical and The Drowsy Chaperone) as Loretta Truswell, Cameron Holmes as Ricky Bob (Mary Poppins), as well as recent NIDA graduate Jason Kos as Billy Trengrove, Esther Hannaford (King Kong, Hairspray) as Bonnie Mae, Marika Aubrey (South Pacific & Last of the Red Hot Mamas) as Eulella, Josie Lane (Fame The Musical and Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert) as Charlene and Peter Kowitz as Millard Sizemore (Blackbird and King Lear). Rehearsals commence next week.

"We are honoured and excited to start working with the spectacular collection of acting and vocal talent that has come together for this production. It's testament to the strength of the piece and the rapidly growing reputation of Hayes Theatre Co that we've been able to put together such a dream cast," said co-producer Richard Carroll.

Set in real time during a live-to-air American evangelical television show, Miracle City tells the story of the Truswells, a family with a dream to build a religious theme park, and the extreme lengths the patriarch Ricky Truswell will go to in order to make their dream a reality. Miracle City had its world premiere at the Sydney Theatre Company in 1996 to huge acclaim.

This brand new production will be directed by Darren Yap - The Serpent's Table, A Murder is Announced, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change - with musical direction by Max Lambert - Hairspray, King Kong, Strictly Ballroom - and choreography by Kelley Abbey - Fame The Musical, Xanadu: The Musical.

"I saw Miracle City in 1996 and I was profoundly inspired by it.....As one of the best Australian musicals ever written, it deserves to be seen again by a new generation of audiences," said director Darren Yap.

The show will be produced by David & Lisa Campbell and Richard Carroll at Luckiest Productions, in association with Hayes Theatre Co. Luckiest Productions were co-producers of the sell-out production of Sweet Charity, which opened Hayes Theatre Co in February 2014 and has been nominated for 8 and won three Helpmann Awards.

"It's a privilege for us to give 21st century audiences a chance to see this legendary piece, "said Lisa Campbell. "Funny, moving and thought-provoking, with beautiful music and a razor-sharp script - it's exactly the sort of musical Hayes Theatre Co was created to showcase."