DanceLife Blog

A David and Goliath scenario this fast tracked musical Arena Production of Starlight Express is making waves and collecting fans at every stop. Originally written to entertain the young children of Andrew Lloyd Webber over thirty years ago it is still enlightening and heart warming the world over...

With constant reminders of the economic crisis on our shoulders it was a welcomed relief to find myself down at Auckland's premiere Vector Arena last Saturday for some light theatre entertainment. Starlight Express, the popular musical theatre show that ran in London for eighteen years and has toured numerous countries around the world is currently on the road in New Zealand. Unlike the original production where the theatre was specifically decked out for the cast to whiz through the audience and leap across bridges this revamped Arena production means the large and assumable costly sets have made way for 3-D films, minimalist but superb lighting design and a hidden orchestra. This by no means detracts from the entertainment value, instead it allows the audience to witness every trick and tumble that goes on during the 90 minute performance and keeps the viewer suitably glued.

Starlight Express, not a mind bending theatre experience, it simply offers a David and Goliath scenario of the underdog steam train 'Rusty' beating the odds against the more powerful and experienced diesel train 'Greaseball' and 'Electra' the electric train. The excitement IS however that the entire show is performed on roller skates. You never would know that this slick, fast and exhilarating show with its twenty four strong on stage cast, had some members with no skating ability only months earlier. Each performer confidently executes Arlene Phillips' choreography and glides about with the greatest of ease, coupled with belting out some well recognized Andrew Lloyd Webber tunes (and making the words be understood) is no mean feat!

A visually spectacular show with catchy tunes and a fast paced storyline Starlight Express offers the odd laugh and audible collective audience sigh. This is a feel good show that leaves the viewer satisfied they've got more bang for their buck with the dazzling stunt skating and the odd stand-out performance to the clever use of film technology and humour that relates to parent or child alike. Notable mentions to the incomparable Mykal Rand as 'Electra' a veteran in this exciting role, Graham Harvey who very convincingly understudied 'Greaseball' and also to Kiwi talent Rebecca Wright who plays 'Pearl', love interest to 'Rusty'.

One of several laugh out loud moments is the witty Country & Western parody 'U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D.', not to be outdone by familiar torch songs 'Only You' and 'Starlight Express'.

Some musicals leave you bewildered, some musicals leave you feeling agitated, Starlight Express is neither of these things, it is quite simply a feel good musical theatre experience that will have you humming as you leave the theatre.

Thanks to Cimone from I.N.C. for covering the show for DanceLife.
I.N.C. Artist Management - Sydney is a boutique Talent Agency that represents Actors, Singers, Dancers and Choreographers across Television, Corporate, Film, Theatre and Musical Theatre within Australia and abroad. With clients numbering fewer than twenty it allows us to provide personal and tailored attention to each artist and equips I.N.C Artist Management - Sydney to guide our clients on a career path specific to their needs. www.internationalcollective.com.au

DanceLife went to Melbourne last weekend to go and see Wicked and to have a chat with one of the stars of the show Lucy Durack who plays Glinda. See part one of the interview above.

Lucy has fast become one of Australia's rising young leading ladies of musical theatre with a list of major roles to her credit including Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, Miss Dorothy in the Australian Premiere of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me Kate, Rikki Rose in Respect and Laurey in Oklahoma!.

Originally hailing from Perth, Lucy graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre) and prior to graduating was cast in the Brisbane and Sydney seasons of Mamma Mia! in which she understudied and performed the role of Sophie.

Lucy's screen credits include the lead role of Cassie Bennett on Channel 7's Headland, All Saints, the Australian feature film Finding Nigel and the worldwide broadcast of the BBC2 Voice of Musical Theatre Competition in Cardiff in which she was a finalist.

While regularly performing in concert with various orchestras throughout Australia, Lucy's cabaret appearances include Immaculate Confection which toured to Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Tasmania and the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, All Star Cabaret for the Sydney Theatre Company, Cavalcade for His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, and the 2003 Sydney Cabaret Convention for which she received the Judges' Award for her work with Matthew Robinson.

Lucy has a firm commitment to workshopping and performing new Australian work, having created roles for Mel Morrow and David Mitchell's The Palace Whore, Nick Enright and David King's The Good Fight, John Shand's Rainbow's End (including the subsequent SBS recording), Guy Noble's Karaoke The Musical and Matthew Robinson's Pratt Prize-winning musical Metro Street.

For more interviews please look at our YouTube Page www.youtube.com/dancelifeaustralia 

Wicked is currently playing at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne. To purchase your tickets please go to www.ticketek.com.au.

Catch Part One of our interview with the very energetic Turanga and Elenoa who play Chad and Taylor in the upcoming Australian production of High School Musical! Both of these guys were a pleasure to chat with! To catch more DanceLife interviews simply head to www.youtube.com/DanceLifeAustralia

Fast becoming notorious for reworking vintage gems from the 60s, 70s and 80s, Sydney's hilarious female trio, The Margaritas, serve up a delicious mix of cabaret and burlesque with a deliciously wicked sense of humour. Tart and complex with a hint of bitterness, these sophisticated temptresses will add some of your old favourites into the blender and serve them up with a twist for Mardi Gras 2010. NB: Creators Jackeline Laso, Nathalie Cotte, Natalie McCormack. DanceLife caught up with the girls to chat about their new show 'On The Rocks'.

1. Tell us how you found each other and formed 'The Margarita's'?

We knew each other for a while working together in the entertainment industry. We were all at a point in our careers where we wanted to create our own project and manage ourselves.

We all have a very kooky sense of humour. So finding each other was a blessing as it is not easy finding people you can work together on a creative level as well as being good friends.

2. You are all triple threat performers. Do you think this is a key ingredient to creating a successful show?

It really depends on the show itself. For our particular show it works well to have experience in singing, dancing and acting as it draws on all of them. In general it is very useful to be versatile but it really depends on what you want to do and the show you are trying to create. Some shows run more on just the music and musical talent, some just on dance and then others such as musicals tend to draw on all 3 elements. We are a vocal group - a band if you will, but we bring in theatrical elements such as dance, movement, costumes, and characterisations which suits our show and adds to the entertainment value of it.

Also, comedy is a big ingredient for us and during our creative process and rehearsals, we often go beyond the realms of good taste/what's possible but it's this over-zealous approach that gleans the best results. Often one of us might say "Now I know this isn't possible, but what if we had naked men/fireworks/an albatross colony interrupt the last verse of this song...?" Triple threat ability is very handy obviously, but the fact that we are creatively inspired, believe we're offering something unique and immensely enjoy what we do really shines through in performances and is key to the success of our shows.

3. We last saw you in Slurp, Don't Sip which received standing ovations and rave reviews. How do generate new show ideas and where do you get your inspiration from?

We tend to each be inspired by different songs and have a base idea or 'vision' for it. We'll workshop it together and something will grow out of that. We draw inspiration from so many different sources mainly the music or song itself - artists we like, pop culture, movies, everyday life situations - pretty much everything and anything.

We choose songs and part-parody part-tribute them - usually endeavouring to insert an unexpected twist at some point, or giving the song an unusual flavour or theme. It may be a song people will have heard many times, but they will have never seen it presented the way The Margaritas do it! We're inspired by many varied and legendary vocalists, from James Brown to Kate Bush, and our choreography ranges from classical ballet to waacking (one of our members Jackeline Laso has studied in New York). A comedic influence is Benny Hill - although it's more like we are the buxom young ladies and Benny rolled into one!

4. Recently you were seen busting out into song throughout Sydney's public transport system. How effective was this strategy in getting your name out there?

It was great! We definitely lightened up people's faces when we sang and from what we could tell, the public really enjoyed it. It would have been pretty memorable considering it's not what you see every day. One lady approached us and hired us for her daughter's 21st.

It was like small-scale flash-mobbing and was a very pro-active way of getting out there and making the public aware of us. I cherished seeing people smiling on public transport.

5. Tell us what we can expect to see in your new show 'On The Rocks' which will debut at Sydney's Seymour Centre's from 25th March?

It will be a pastiche of vintage songs which we interpret in our own special way. Lots of colour, movement and song laced with our own special brand of humour as we add our own twist to a very eclectic soundtrack! There are lots of surprises install. Cheeeeecky.... is what I can say. It's a very exciting show!!

THE MARGARITAS IN ‘ON THE ROCKS' (25 Feb- 6 Mar Thu-Sat 9.30pm, $18-25, Seymour Centre, Downstairs Theatre)
Bookings & More Info: Box Office P: 02 9351 7940 W: www.seymourcentre.com  

After a successful 20 week season at Melbourne's Princess Theatre Guys and Dolls staring Lisa McCune along with a few other aussie stars will be coming to Sydney in March 2009 for a strictly limited 12 week season at the Capitol Theatre.

This sharp, sexy and contemporary version of GUYS AND DOLLS is an enduring, endearing classic. Based on Damon Runyon's famous short stories and set in 1940's New York, small-time gambler Nathan Detroit bets his big time pal Sky Masterson that he can't make the next woman he sees fall in love with him. When the next doll happens to be the neighbourhood missionary Sarah Brown, the stage is set for an unforgettable evening's entertainment. Featuring the hit musical numbers If I Were a Bell; I've Never Been in Love Before; Take Back Your Mink; Sue Me; Adelaide's Lament; Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat and Guys and Dolls.

Tickets on Sale from September 22
Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au
www.guysanddollsthemusical.com.au

The hit musical Chicago is set to hit the stage early 2009 in Brisbane. The audition brief was just released so it's time to start training hard. Broadway Jazz, Tap, Jazz and Technique classes are where you should be focusing your energies.

Auditions will be held in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne during October. Your agents will be in contact with you all shortly to give you the brief. Dancer be prepared to do a audition in the style of Bob Fosse. If you are successful from there you will need to sing a song of your own selection which best demonstrates your vocal range. Have sheet music available for the accompanist. If you are successful in the dancing and singing audition you will be invited to read from selected parts of the script. More on Chicago soon!

The rumor mill is flying about what new productions are heading to Oz in 2009/10. Avenue Q will be coming down under towards the end of 2009. You can join the mailing list now for updates and ticket news!! http://www.avenueqthemusical.com.au

AVENUE Q is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; still, the neighbors seem nice. There's Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fianceé Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod -- a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie Monster; and a very cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. And would you believe the building's superintendent is Gary Coleman?!? (Yes, that Gary Coleman.) Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

Check out the video below from the 58th Annual Tony Awards for a taste of what Avenue Q is all about.

Have the principal cast members of Wicked had enough after a year in the spotlight? For any artist a year playing the same character 8 times a week with no variation could be a little tiring. Let's hope Sydney siders get the chance to see the fab cast who are in Melbourne now.

Lisa Leguillou who came out for the original casting will be back in Oz in September to put the potentials through their paces. First round auditions will happen from 24th August with callbacks in early September.

These auditions are closed only so please contact your agent for all details.

Finally after nearly a year of announcing that Ms Poppins would be coming to Australia we finally have a July 2010 opening date in Melbourne and audition information! Woohoo!

Based on the beloved books by Australia's P.L. Travers and the classic 1964 Walt Disney film, MARY POPPINS will open at Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne in July 2010. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher, for Disney Theatrical Productions, MARY POPPINS the stage musical features the Academy Award®-winning music and lyrics of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The stage production has been created, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh, by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who wrote the book, and the Olivier Award-winning team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, who composed new songs and additional music and lyrics.

Olivier Award-winning director Richard Eyre leads the creative team, with co-direction and choreography by Tony® and Olivier Award winner Matthew Bourne. Set and costume designs are by Tony Award® winner Bob Crowley, co-choreography by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear, lighting design by Howard Harrison, orchestrations by William David Brohn and music supervision by David Caddick.
Associate Director is James Powell, Associate Choreographer is Geoffrey Garratt, and Musical Director is Paul Christ.

ADULT AUDITIONS
Auditions will be held from 4th through 24th October 2009, in Melbourne and Sydney.

CHILDRENS AUDITIONS
Auditions for the children's roles of Jane Banks and Michael Banks will take place in the first part of 2010. Further information about these auditions will be available in late November 2009.

All artists should have excellent singing voices and first rate dancing skills. Strong acting ability is also required both from principal performers and the ensemble. The show moves between a variety of worlds, both real and magical and the ensemble and many principals will be required to play a variety of characters within the musical.

MARY POPPINS features a cast of 34, excluding the children's roles.

MORE DETAILS HERE
http://www.dancelife.com.au/ads/subcat/Musicals-Theatre

WICKED Australia is partnering with Taronga Zoo for WICKED Day in 2009. WICKED Day is celebrated worldwide in the last week of October in cities where the musical is playing. It is designed for WICKED to give something back to the local community. With the strong themes about how humans interact with and how they treat animals in WICKED, Taronga Zoo is an ideal recipient of some volunteer support.

The WICKED cast will be working at Taronga Zoo to assist with their Backyard to Bush project on Thursday October 29. This project involves bush care and management to ensure that this precinct remains a pristine Australian bush habitat for the range of native Australian animals that roam within. About 20 members of the WICKED cast will be involved.

In addition to rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty, the team at WICKED will also take collections in the theatre for Taronga Zoo during the week from October 27 to November 1.

Fans of the show who wish to celebrate WICKED Day are encouraged to book tickets to the matinee performance on Sunday 1 November and dress as their favourite WICKED character. There will be on-the-spot WICKED prizes for the Best Dressed prior to the commencement of the matinee. Winners will also have the opportunity to have their photo taken with the cast after the show.

To check out what is happening for WICKED Day Worldwide visit: wickedday.com

www.wickedthemusical.com.au

WICKED is setting box office records at Sydney's Capitol Theatre. Demand for tickets is intense. But some are kept unsold until just before every performance.

A limited number of front row seats - specially priced at $30 per person - are held in reserve for the WICKED Ballot. Fans who arrive at the Capitol Theatre box office two and a half hours ahead of every performance can enter the ballot. Their names are collected and placed in a barrel. The winners are drawn half an hour later and their names called. The winners must be at the draw and have valid photo ID. The winning tickets cost them just $30 and they can buy two, for themselves and a friend. (The tickets must not be sold to a third party.)

"The Ballot is a great way for people to see WICKED if for some reason they can't book ahead," says WICKED's Australian co-Producer John Frost. "They may be visitors from interstate or overseas and in Sydney for just a day or two, and haven't booked ahead. Tourists are always among the ballot entries at the Capitol's box office.

"Students and young people love the idea of the Ballot. On impulse they turn up at the box office hoping to buy seats and find there's the chance of getting front row seats at the next performance. And if their names aren't drawn they can come back as often as they like. Eventually, they calculate, they'll get in and have their WICKED way!"

WICKED EMSEMBLE AUDITIONS

Wicked are again looking to cast some more ensemble members for the rest of the Sydney leg of the tour. They are currently in till about June but with the huge uptake of the show it could go on till September.

Auditions in Sydney ONLY - Thursday 14th & Friday 15th January 2010
DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE PRODUCERS DISCRETION

PREPARATION

1) Applicants auditioning for MALE & FEMALE ENSEMBLE are to prepare 2 contrasting songs from contemporary musical theatre repertoire. Bring sheet music, no backing tracks.

2) Please bring appropriate dance gear and water bottle.

MALE & FEMALE ENSEMBLE DANCER SINGERS

Seeking strong and versatile male and female Dancer - Singer - Actors for the roles in the ENSEMBLE.

Artists of ages from 17+ from all ethnicities are encouraged. Applicants will require strong voices of
all vocal types and ranges, as well as very strong dance ability in a variety of dance styles.
The ensemble also includes several character actors and actresses who play minor supporting roles
and understudy principal roles. Those who have acrobatic skills should inform Alice at the auditions.

CONTACT YOUR AGENT FOR AN AUDITION

It was announced today that Amanda Harrison, who has played the role of Elphaba, the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West in the musical WICKED since it opened in Melbourne two years ago, is moving on. After an extensive nation-wide search, Amanda was cast in this iconic role in December 2007, alongside Lucy Durack as Glinda the Good Witch, and opened in July 2008 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne. After a record breaking 13 month season in Melbourne, WICKED opened at Sydney's Capitol Theatre with Harrison and Durack again leading the cast.

After this lengthy, exhilarating and exhausting season of performances, and a recent time of rest and reflection, Harrison has decided to move on. "I've had the most incredible time with WICKED, a wonderful roller coaster ride," Harrison said. "It has been a huge challenge conquering this role, the role of my career so far. It has given me so much, from the friendships I'll carry with me forever and the opportunities outside of WICKED like singing at Carnegie Hall and at Carols in the Myer Music Bowl.

"But the very reasons I've loved playing Elphaba are the reasons I now need to hang up my hat and broomstick. It's such a demanding and all absorbing role. I'm very much looking forward to seeing new Elphabas rising to the challenge, and to new challenges for me, be they film or TV or maybe down the track, more musical theatre, my first love."

WICKED Australia Co-Producer John Frost thanked Harrison for her enormous contribution to making WICKED the huge success it is. "Amanda Harrison brought an edge to Elphaba that is rarely seen; passion, intelligence and inner strength, as well as soaring vocals. WICKED is unique, a phenomenon, quite unlike any other musical. It's one of those rare shows that touches people deeply, mostly through the extraordinary friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. We were blessed to find Amanda and Lucy for these roles, and Amanda has set the bar high for the Elphabas who come after her. I wish her well for the next adventure in her career."

The role of Elphaba will now be shared between Jemma Rix, who has been the Standby Elphaba since the show opened in Melbourne, and Pippa Grandison. Rix, from the NSW Central Coast, played Elphaba in a world first staged adaptation of WICKED in Japan before returning to Australia to join the Australian production. Grandison has played leading roles in musicals like The Witches of Eastwick, We Will Rock You, Company and STC's Into the Woods and A Little Night Music.

Director and Choreographer Joey McKneely has announced the dynamic young cast who will star in the Australian national tour of the show that is credited with changing the face of musical theatre. Joey McKneely was personally chosen by Jerome Robbins to reproduce his original choreography and has now toured the show to wild acclaim and sell-out seasons in London, Tokyo, Paris and Beijing.

"I believe this Australian cast will be the best cast I have assembled in 10 years of doing West Side Story. Their talent has impressed me. Really, Broadway calibre!" - Joey McKneely.

This vibrant new stage production plays at the Lyric Theatre from Thursday 1 July for a strictly limited six week season. It will then tour to Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.

The lead male role of Jets leader turned good-guy Tony, is to be played by Josh Piterman whose voice has become well known across the world thanks to his time with the smash hit singing group The Ten Tenors. A graduate of the Ballarat College of the Arts, Josh has toured with the Melbourne Opera Company, lived and performed in Japan, and has just finished currently sharing a stage with Geoffrey Rush in The Drowsy Chaperone at Melbourne Theatre Company.

The innocent romantic dreamer Maria will be brought to life by Sydney Conservatorium Scholarship winner Julie Goodwin, who has recently completed 200 performances in the lead role of Christine in Australian tour of Phantom of the Opera. Julie is a graduate of both the Sydney Conservatorium High School, and the prestigious Talent Development Project. Having toured in Asia and across Australia Julie is tremendously excited to have won the coveted role of Maria.

The bad boys of West Side Story are the swarthy, hot tempered Bernardo and the all-American troublemaker Riff. Bernardo will be brought to life by the highly experienced NIDA graduate Nigel Turner-Caroll. With roles in hit musicals such as Hot Shoe Shuffle and Jesus Christ Superstar, and the highly dramatic Gallipoli for the Sydney Theatre Company, Nigel brings a defining edge to the character of Bernardo.

The role of Riff will be played by Rohan Browne, whose credits stretch from performing in Happy Feet for George Miller, to The Drowsy Chaperone for Melbourne Theatre Company. With a background including Cats, Chicago and Jesus Christ Superstar Rohan comes well prepared for this demanding role.

The seamstress with the biting humour and quick wit is Anita, to be played by Green Room Award winner Alinta Chidzey. Having just returned from an overseas tour with Dirty Dancing, and a tour with the premiere cast of Dusty: the original Pop Diva, Alinta is looking forward to an exciting tour as the fiery Anita.

Packed with unforgettable songs, including Maria, Tonight, Somewhere, America and I Feel Pretty, West Side Story remains a theatrical landmark. These songs are as popular now as when first written having been recorded by countless famous artists.

Based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, in West Side Story two young people meet, fall in love and pledge their eternal loyalty to one another. Their different backgrounds ensure they are denied a happy future because of the intolerance and hatred of two antagonistic cultures. Fate leads the star-crossed lovers into a tragedy of heartbreaking proportions. West Side Story is as relevant today as when it first burst onto the international theatre scene over 50 years ago - and in every way a ground breaking musical. "Full of Power and Energy! The Must See Musical"- Asahi Newspaper (Tokyo Japan).

www.westsidestorythemusical.com.au

Broadway Tony-Award winning star Donna McKechnie enjoyed one of her greatest triumphs as Sally, in the acclaimed revival of the Stephen Sondheim - James Goldman musical, Follies, in the spring of 1998. "She defined the art of torch singing with ‘Losing My Mind,' raved Variety, joining the New York Times and other critics in unstintingly praising her performance. She is now coming to Australia for the first time.

Ms. McKechnie's Broadway credits include: How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Sondheim - A Musical Tribute (which she also choreographed), On The Town, Promises, Promises!, Company and State Fair, for which she received the Fred Astaire Award for Best Female Dancer for the 1996 season. In London's West End she starred in Promises, Promises, Company, No Way To Treat A Lady (which she also choreographed), Cole Porter's Can-Can and Sondheim's Follies.

Ms. McKechnie is very excited to be coming to Melbourne and Sydney, having never performed in Australia.

Melbourne: Sat 19 June - Bennetts Lane 25 Bennetts Lane @8PM
Tickets 1300 438 849 or www.bennettslane.com

Sydney: Thurs 24 June - The Factory Theatre
105 Victoria Road Marrickville @8PM
Tickets 02 9550 3666 or www.thefactorytheatre.com.au

Based on the extraordinary novel written by Argentine author, Manuel Puig is the enthralling Kiss of the Spider Woman. Darlinghurst Theatre and Gaiety Theatre are presenting this multi-award winning, groundbreaking musical at Darlinghurst Theatre from this Thursday July 8 to August 8.

In a remarkable rendering of the musical genre, Kiss of the Spider Woman is a fierce tale of humanity pushed to its limits. Two men share a prison cell in Latin America. Molina played by James Lee is a gay window dresser convicted of seducing a minor. His straight cellmate, Valentin played by Frank Hansen, is a no-nonsense Marxist locked up for his left-wing revolutionary activities. In this atmosphere of political paranoia and distrust, loyalty is tested and prejudices are confronted. To escape the daily brutality Molina recounts the movies of the ravishing screen beauty, Aurora played by Alexis Fishman. He loves all her films except one in which Aurora plays the Spider Woman who kills with her kiss.

"The honesty and daring of Kiss of the Spider Woman the musical promises to redefine the way you think about musical theatre," said Director, Stephen Colyer. "The intensity and humanity of the musical will be revealed anew to maximize the powerful intimacy of the Darlinghurst Theatre space".

Kiss of the Spider Woman is based on Manuel Puig's 1976 novel, El Beso de la Mujer Araña and became an instant classic, translated around the world. With music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, creators of Chicago and Cabaret and the book written by Terence McNally, Kiss of the Spider Woman the Musical took New York by storm in 1993 and won three Tony Awards - Best New Musical, Best Score and Best Book. The powerful story of Kiss of the Spider Woman has also been the successful basis for a play and a film, starring William Hurt and Raul Julia.

Director, Stephen Colyer started his career as a dancer and choreographer. He has directed Boston Marriage, Dying City, Fit to be Tied, Hello Again, Little Shop of Horrors and What A Shock ‘N' Shame and was Assistant Director on Company B's Twelfth Night .

Musical Director, Craig Renshaw has extensive experience in musical theatre, concerts and television. He has worked on large musical theatre productions such as Cats, Wicked, The Lion King and The Phantom of the Opera.

Playing the role of Aurora is Alexis Fishman. She was nominated for a Helpmann for the role of Mary O'Brien (Young Dusty) in the smash hit musical Dusty in 2006. Her credits include the musical, Shout! , STC's Troupers, Canned Laughter's Closer and Urinetown, The Beauty Spot for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Fishman recently made her theatrical debut in New York in The Hatpin as part of the New York Music Theatre Festival.

James Lee, who plays Molina was most recently in Jerry Springer -the Opera. Lee has been in a number of musical theatre productions including Fiddler on the Roof, Eureka, High Society, Bye-Bye Birdie, The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, 42nd Street and Les Miserables to name a few. In the role of Valentin is Frank Hansen, who most recently played the lead role of Princeton in Avenue Q. Hansen's musical theatre credits also include Rocky Horror Show, Eurobeat, Titanic the Musical, Rent, The Producers and Hair.

Jennifer White plays the role of Molina's mother. In addition to her sole cabaret show Jennifer White -Tripping, some of White's credits include Fiddler on the Roof, into the Woods, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Cosi. In the roles of Aurelio, Marcos and prisoner is Matt Young, who was most recently in the popular Channel Seven series' The Pacific. Young's musical theatre credits include Cabaret, Hello Again, Las Vegas (Confidential), The Producers and Assassins. Jim Williams plays the roles of Gabriel, Esteban and a prisoner. Williams was most recently in the Australian and New Zealand tour of Miss Saigon. Wayne McDaniel plays the role of the warden and was most recently in Sydney Theatre Company's The Overwhelming and Darlinghurst Theatre Company's This is How Goes.

DARLINGHURST THEATRE, 19 Greenknowe Street, Potts Point
DATES: July 8 - August 8

TIMES: Tues - Sat at 8pm; Sun at 5pm; Matinees: Sat 31 July & 7 August at 3pm
TICKET PRICES: Previews $27, Adult $37, Conc $32, Senior $30
BOOKINGS: Darlinghurst Theatre Box Office on 02 8356 9987 OR www.darlinghursttheatre.com

Please find below link of DanceLife's Online Guide To Full Time Dance & Performing Arts Courses 2010. In this guide you will find a huge amount of information regarding dance and performing arts courses being offered throughout Australia for 2010.

Whether you are about to complete your final year at high school or are thinking about options available for when you leave school, our guide will give you what you need to make that all important decision.

Throughout the guide you will hear from dance professionals, dance course teachers and past students from a range of courses. This gives you the opportunity to understand further about the ins and the outs of what each course entails. There is nothing worse than unexpected surprises especially when you enrol for one thing and get another. In saying that it's all about being open to new things. The Australian Entertainment Industry is blooming but competition is fierce as there is an abundance of talented performers out there. Versatility is the key for anyone that wants to be continually working in the industry.

I'm sure our online guide could be a great resource for you to work with.

View DanceLife's Online Guide above (click on the image above) or click HERE to download a copy.