West End's PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT to Close December 31

With an astounding array of outrageous costumes and featuring a score of dance-floor classics, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical opened at the Palace Theatre in March 2009. The production will now have its final West End performance on 31 December 2011.

Next month Ray Meagher, best known on television for playing Alf Stewart in the long running Australian soap Home and Away, will re-join the West End cast as mechanic Bob following his hugely successful run in the show last year. He joins Don Gallagher (Bernadette), Richard Grieve (Tick) and Oliver Thornton (Adam) who play the glamorous Sydney-based performing trio.

Australian born Ray Meagher's acting career has spanned a period of over 35 years on film, television and stage. His is best known for playing the ongoing role of Alf Stewart in the Australian soap Home and Away, a role which he has played since the first episode of the series in 1988. In 2010 Meagher won the Gold Logie Award for the Most Popular Personality on Australian Television. In 2007 he joined the Australian cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical to play Bob in the original Sydney production. Meagher has worked extensively in pantomime throughout the UK, most recently playing Captain Hook in Peter Pan in Tunbridge Wells. His extensive Australian theatre credits include work for Queensland Theatre Company and the Adelaide Festival. His many film credits include Breaker Morant, The Chamberlain Report and Mail Order Bride.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical had its world premiere in Sydney in October 2006 and subsequently wowed audiences and critics alike in Melbourne and New Zealand, becoming the most successful Australian musical of all time. After a return Sydney season and a recent run in Toronto, in March this year the Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical opened at the Palace Theatre in New York. Further international dates are planned for Italy and Brazil. Discussions are also taking place regarding other international territories including Scandinavia, Germany and Asia. Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, Choreography is by Ross Coleman, Musical Supervision and Arrangements by Stephen ‘Spud' Murphy and Production Design is by Brian Thomson. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Oscar®-winning Costume Designs, which were originally designed for the film. BAFTA Award winning Make Up Design is recreated by Cassie Hanlon. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper and Sound Design by Michael Waters. Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is produced in London by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott, John Frost, Michael Chugg, David Mirvish and The Really Useful Group, in association with MGM on Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber, based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.Dates: Final Performance 31 December 2011Address: Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London W1Performances: Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm Website: priscillathemusical.com

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