CASTING ANNOUNCED!!!!!!!!

[TOM]

The 2004 season shows have now been cast.

HIGH SOCIETY- You're dreams have come true! Tamsin Carroll is starring, but not as Liz. She's actually playing the lead role of Tracy. Also starring is Simon Burke, Marty Fields and Christen O'Leary.

CAROUSEL- David Campbell is playing Billy Bigelow.

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN- Marina Prior is playing Annie Oakley. I personally can't see this working but you never know- the casting could be totally inspired and Marina might surprise us.

Anyways, hope this helped.

[Talissa]

*blinks*

*rubs ears*

Didya shout loud enough in that subject line?

Marina's Annie Oakley? Wow, that's a surprise. Although I was half expecting something like that to happen.

And Christen's in High Society? I'm very glad to hear that

[nadine]

*Nadine wakes up and rubs her eyes to see that casting news properly*

Tamsin's in High Society???

*yippee*

I'm assuming HS must be the first one since they've announced the most cast members for that production - what a cast *sigh*

*fingers crossed it doesn't clash with everything else I've got tickets for*

[Talissa]

Oh! I just realised that this means that Christen probably won't be able to continue on with Urinetown after Melbourne, if she's caught up in High Society. That's a shame

Of course, I assume she'd be Dinah Lord, which she'd do well

[nadine]

She still may be able to do both - it really depends I guess when the UT national tour would be.

You have to remember with MTC productions usually it doesn't tour till the next year unless it is already stated and MTC haven't stated when the tour will be.

So if HS is on in July should could very well do both.

[Talissa]

Hopefully. She's such an excellent Little Sally. I'm having trouble thinking of anyone who'd do quite as well.

[nadine]

Check the SWF on this page

www.mollison.com.au/production/mailing.html

Unless Tamsin went back to her normal red I'd say she's dyed it brown <g>

Also David looks mighty damn fine in those shots

ETA: As the page says tickets go on sale 10 May from $156

[Talissa]

Well, aren't you the clever one to find that ;-)

I still say it's gonna be mighty odd seeing Marina as Annie Oakley. She does seem to be branching out, recently. Witches of Eastwick, this...

And that reminded me that Christen has Ruby Moon in early June, as well. She'll likely be wanting a rest by the time all this is over!

[Sally]

*sobs with excitement*

[nadine]

Here's the official info from 26 April Herald Sun and let me just say a big noooooo right now about the dates for High Society - I can't go to the Saturday night performance since I've promised to take my little nephew to Beauty and the Beast on Ice *arghhh*

Oh well must go to an earlier day instead

Pistolero princess
By Alison Barclay

EVERYBODY run, Marina Prior's got a gun! The formerly sweet maiden of music theatre is packing pistols to play the lead in Annie Get Your Gun, as rootin', tootin' rascal Annie Oakley.

The Irving Berlin musical is one of three big Broadway shows to be revived by Melbourne's Production Company this winter.

And soprano Prior won't look too darn purty, if she can help it.

"It's rough and ready. But I love doing these things. I've played princesses for so long! In the past few shows I have done, most of my work has gone against type, and challenged me. I love it.''

The Annie role will be Prior's first big sing since giving birth to her third child, Jacob, now three months old. Though the Production Company gives its casts only a fortnight to put on a show, famous faces gladly wait for an invitation. David Campbell will star as Billy Bigelow in Carousel, by Rodgers and Hammerstein, in August.

For Cole Porter's High Society in July, the roll call is grander still -- Tamsin Carroll of Oliver! as Tracy Lord, Marty Fields as Mike Connor and Simon Burke as C.K. Dexter Haven.

The Production Company, which stages concert versions of popular musicals, last year spawned an original show, Gary Young's Sideshow Alley, which has been picked up for production by Playbox later this year.

The spin-off is thrilling for Production Company co-founder Jeanne Pratt and general manager Rachael Taylor -- given the limits the company puts on its teams.
"(Other musicals) rehearse for six weeks and ours rehearse for two, go to whoa,'' Taylor says.

What's the allure for directors, who must engineer "big traffic and songs'', as Adam Cook puts it?

"The time frame in which these things are executed is really tight and unnerving,'' Cook, director of High Society, says.

"But it gives you less time to faff about.''
Taylor hopes the company's choices will woo even more people "away from their TVs and CDs''.
"You can see these three great shows for $156.''

MELBOURNE PRODUCTION COMPANY
Shows: High Society, July 14-17;
Carousel, August 18-21;
Annie Get Your Gun, Sept 29-Oct 2.
Where: State Theatre
Bookings: 1300 136 166.

[Talissa]

www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9386843%255E16947,00.html

Another article with the announcement, but it's also a very good article about the state of theatre here.

[Talissa]

I just realised that High Society manages to completely clash with Ruddigore!!!!! *sulks*

Edit: No, I just checked and there's no Wednesday performance. Yay!

[nadine]

That Australian article was a good insight to the musical theatre industry here in Australia.

I can't wait to see who they cast in Sideshow Alley since it sounds like a fantastic musical.

re: High Society

I think I'll have to work my way around this to go to either the Wed, Thurs or Fri show *sigh* - if my parents come since they're interested in seeing it it'd probably be Friday then *ugh*

The Age also has a tidbit on it.

theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/23/1082616316183.html

[Kath]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this list and new to the Production Company! Can anyone tell me, through which agency are the single tickets normally sold?

I assume that the subcription tickets are a separate thing direct through the Production Company and you can't actually select what row, seat no etc.

If anyone can shed some light, I would be very grateful.

Thanks.

Kath

[Talissa]

Hey Kath

Welcome to Wayakka!

TPC performs at the State Theatre, in the Arts Centre, so their tickets are available through Ticketmaster, or by going to the Arts Centre box office.

And as for the subscriptions, I'm fairly sure you do get some say in seat positions, and subscriptions are available at the Arts Centre box office as well. There's more info about that here.

Hope that was some help

Nadine, I'll be going to the Wednesday show, since I have very little choice in the matter

And I'm really not too fond with the trend discussed in the Australian article. I don't know if it's just me, but I've always felt that the nice, entertaining musicals have far too little actual substance and plot. Sure, they're fun, but give me a Les Mis any day.