Sydney Season Of ONCE Extended By Popular Demand

Darlinghurst Theatre Company has announced that the Sydney season of ONCE is to be extended through 6 August due to unprecedented public demand.

Director Richard Carroll's production stars Toby Francis, Stefanie Caccamo and Jay Laga'aia. It features musical direction by Victoria Falconer and stunning movement sequences created by Hamilton's resident director Amy Campbell. Playing to packed houses and nightly standing ovations since it opened on 7 June, ONCE has received unanimous critical acclaim.

The extension of the Sydney season of ONCE is strictly limited to make way for Amy Campbell's new production of A CHORUS LINE, which makes its long-awaited premiere on 27 August. Following the extended Sydney season ONCE will embark on a tour of NSW, with tickets selling fast for performances in Wollongong, Lismore, Newcastle and Orange. It will also play a short season at the Canberra Theatre Centre, before opening at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre on 17 September.

Based on the movie of the same name by John Carney, with a book by Enda Walsh, ONCE is inspired by love story of its songwriters, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. It is the only Broadway show with music that won the Academy Award, Grammy Award, Olivier Award and Tony Award.

Fans of Glen Hansard will be thrilled to learn that Toby Francis actually plays the songwriter's own guitar in the show. It sports the trademark hole that Hansard wears into the top of the instruments he plays and, as Creative Producer Amylia Harris says, "it is treated with much reverence by the company, as though Glen himself were with them on stage each night."

Darlinghurst Theatre Company's production of ONCE plays at the Eternity Playhouse until 6 August before touring. Tickets for the extension go on sale today at: www.darlinghursttheatre.com.