SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Has Only Three Weeks Left In Sydney

Sydney audiences are loving the iconic hit Saturday Night Fever at the Sydney Lyric Theatre but the exclusive Australian season only has three weeks left to run. This celebration of one of the most loved films and soundtracks of all time must close on Sunday 2 June.

Critics have praised the high energy production and its cast. ArtsHub awarded Saturday Night Fever five stars and said it is "Extraordinary", and the Sydney Morning Herald applauded "The best ensemble dancing I've ever seen in an Australian production of a musical". SuzyGoSee praised the cast, saying "There is no denying the superstar power of Marcia Hines" while The Australian declared it "A song and dance extravaganza" and Sydney Arts Guide stated it is "Backed by a great, funky band that kept the theatre rocking from beginning to end".

The lead role of Tony Manero is played by rising star Euan Doidge, and Melanie Hawkins is his dance partner Stephanie Mangano. Australia's original disco queen, Marcia Hines, plays the role of The Diva who performs at Disco Odyssey 2001, while Paulini, Bobby Fox, Natalie Conway and Nana Matapule are the star vocalists who give voice to the much-loved disco Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Tim "Timomatic" Omaji is Monty, the MC at the nightclub, alongside Stephen Mahy as Tony's older brother, Angelique Cassimatis as Annette, and Ryan Morgan as the troubled Bobby C.

The cast also includes the best dancers working in Australia today - Justin Anderson, Jared Bryan, Giuliana Carniato, Lachlan Dearing, Lauren Elton, Mitchell Fistrovic, Gaynor Hicks, Elysha Manik, Kiara McGowan, Coby Njoroge, Maddie Peat, Stephen Perez, Erica Stubbs, Lola Rose Thompson, Benjamin Turland and Chris Van Doren. Tony's parents are played by Denise Drysdale and Mark Mitchell in a cameo filmed segment.

"This is the hottest cast that has ever played on Sydney stages" said producer John Frost. "With the sensational Marcia Hines and our wonderful ensemble of singers pumping out those disco hits, and the most talented dancers in Australia strutting those moves, the audience is on their feet every night. It's a party every night at the Sydney Lyric so make sure you get a ticket before we close on 2 June."

The Australian premiere has been secured for Sydney by the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW, and will be a major drawcard for visitors to the State. Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said this blazing new Australian-exclusive production of Saturday Night Fever is one not to be missed.

"Sydney continues to secure the very best musicals for NSW, and Saturday Night Fever is no exception. With an impressive line-up of cast members performing exciting dance routines and belting out an array of 1970s disco classics, you're guaranteed to have a fun night out. Make sure you don't miss out - get together with some friends and make a weekend of it in our spectacular Harbour City," Mr Ayres said.

Paying homage to the classic movie, Saturday Night Fever is packed with disco classics, including The Bee Gees' greatest hits Stayin' Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever, Tragedy and More Than A Woman.

The 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta and Karen Gorney, was based on a story in New York Magazine by Nik Cohn, who many years later acknowledged that he made up the characters and the story. The movie is credited with defining the 1970's, while the soundtrack remains one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time with over 45 million copies sold.

Saturday Night Fever tells the story of 19-year-old Tony Manero, a Brooklyn youth whose weekend is spent at the local discotheque, where life lights up on the disco floor. There, Tony luxuriates in the admiration of the crowd and a growing relationship with Stephanie Mangano, and where he can temporarily forget the realities of his life, including a dead-end job in a paint store and his gang of deadbeat friends.

Saturday Night Fever is based on the Paramount/RSO movie and the story by Nik Cohn, adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood and Bill Oakes, while the new version has been arranged and edited by Ryan McBryde. Music and lyrics are by artists including The Bee Gees.