Priscilla’s filling up already…
CentreStage has announced the lead cast for its upcoming production of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert – The Musical! at the Geelong Arts Centre in September. The trio who will appear bedecked in flamboyant costumes creating sensational, memorable production numbers are: Jules Hart (Tick); Mark Monroe (Bernadette) and Lochlan Erard (Adam, pictured).
The buzz around Geelong’s Priscilla is such that the big musical is already setting early-sale box office records at the revamped Arts Centre. It’s advisable to book early at www.geelongartscentre.org.au
There are still some name parts and ensemble positions to be filled as these three Go West in their bus Priscilla , where they discover that It’s Raining Men pleading Don’t Leave Me This Way while asking What’s Love Got To Do With It? There are plenty more big, bold songs where they came from – and still some cast name spots and ensemble positions yet to be filled – if you’re interested email priscilla@centrestage.org.au
I Wanna Be Yours in Drysdale
The Melbourne Theatre Company is in Geelong early next week presenting a modern British love story.
It’s the widely acclaimed debut play from London Laureate Zia Ahmed. I Wanna Be Yours, is a modern-day romance that asks whether love really is all you need. The story reads: Haseeb and Ella meet at a performance workshop. He’s a poet and she’s an actor hired to help him with his enunciation. Their attraction is immediate. They start dating, get serious and fall in love. Soon there is each other’s family and friends to navigate, and then big questions about the future – moving in together, marriage, children. Does it matter that Haseeb is British–Pakistani and Ella’s a white girl from Yorkshire? Can their love surpass the cultural and physical boundaries between them? Find out at The Potato Shed on June 1 – two performances at 1.00pm and 7.00pm. Booking details HERE
Songs and Bells in Geelong’s Monastery
Favourite Geelong singing group Wonderous Merry will present an afternoon concert of popular songs at the little-known monastery in Breakwater. Titled Songs And Bells, the concert’s special guests will be Geelong Handbell Choir. The concert is 2.00pm Saturday June 3 in The Monastery, 47 – 49 Tanner St, Breakwater. Adult tickets are $25, children admitted free. They’re available through try booking or at the door.
Hit After Hit – That’s Just Brill
Following two sold-out Morning Showtimes with Hail Hail Rock & Roll and Conquest & Rebellion, Drop Of A Hat’s next Morning Showtime at The Potato Shed is Just Brill– The music that came from New Yorks’ Brill Building. That 11-story office building close to New York’s Broadway was the base for songwriters and producers for three decades, churning out hits like Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, Sweet Caroline, Save The Last Dance For Me, Oh Carol, Do Wah Diddy Diddy and many, many more. Now their story is told, and it’s fascinating. Just Brill is researched, written by Colin Mockett with Adam Parsons and Reyna Hudgell providing the live music. 10.30am Tuesday June 6 at The Potato Shed, tickets $17 book at tickets.geelongaustralia.com.au
Find Ireland’s Lonesome West
– in Torquay
Torquay Theatre Troupe will present Martin McDonagh’s The Lonesome West, directed by Glen Barton, for its second 2023 production, opening June 8. Arguably the darkest and funniest of McDonagh’s Leenane trilogy of Irish plays, The Lonesome West tells a simple story of two brothers who find themselves stuck in the same Leenane house together after their father has died. Old conflicts, religion and poteen fans their hatred of each other till they use their apologies to open old wounds. The Lonesome West is in TTT’s Shoestring Theatre June 8 – 17.
Proof is at the Woodbin
Geelong Rep’s next play in their Woodbin Theatre is Proof, written by David Auburn ad directed by Greg Shawcross. The company promotes the play thus: On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s who hopes to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind. Over the long weekend that follows, a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problem of all: How much of her father’s madness—or genius—will she inherit? Geelong’s Proof stars Georgia Chara as Catherine, Caitlin Mathieson as Claire, David MacKay as Robert and Andrew Smith as Hal. Proof opens in the Woodbin 7.30pm June 30. Booking details HERE
Scoundrels in Geelong? Never!
Geelong’sTheatre Of The Damned has announced yet another big musical first for Geelong. Following the smash Catch Me If You Can and forthcoming Blood Brothers, the company will stage Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in May next year. The comedy musical – based on the 1988 film, has a snappy, jazzy score which garnered no fewer than 11 Tony nominations on its Broadway debut. It follows the careers of two good-looking hustlers who make their money by charming rich widows in the South of France. They decide that the town isn’t big enough for both, so stage a challenge. The Geelong version will begin auditions later this year after TOTD’s season of Blood Brothers has closed.
Joseph is appearing in Newtown
Geelong’s GSODA Juniors will present the now-classic Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat in Sacred Heart College’s McAuley Hall, Newtown late June. Tickets/details from try booking
Jersey Boys are coming, too
Geelong Lyric Theatre Company will be presenting the jukebox musical Jersey Boys – the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons – in the refurbished Geelong Arts Centre’s Play House in October. Find details online at the GAC.
Windfire Festival dates.
Geelong’s annual Windfire Music Festival which places fine music in our region’s churches and excellent acoustic venues has announced its 2023 dates and artists. The Festival will run from Friday 6 October to Sunday 15 October, 2023. It’s Festival Program will be available soon. and season passes will be available in the second half of 2023. The 2023 Windfire festival will feature:
The Geelong Chamber Orchestra, director – Jamie Parker with guest artists – Lee Abrahmsen (soprano), Joy Lee (harpsichord), Rosemary Hodgson (lute) & Christopher Watson (tenor).
The Melbourne Women’s Choir: Director – Faye Dumont
Melbourne Conservatorium Staff and students Brass ensemble – director – Joel Brennan
Trio Stella – Marcus Allport – violin, Alison Feiner – viola, Timmothy Oborne – cello and associate artists Emily and Terry Norman (harpsichord).
The Exelsis Choir director – Tom Buchanan.
Along with Free lunchtime concerts on the coast –at Queenscliff, Torquay, Point Lonsdale,Portarlington and Drysdale
Keep watching this website for further details.
Want to join Geelong’s Awkwardstra?
Geelong’s newest musical entity is designed for those who love to play instruments together in a group – but without the rigours and discipline of a formal band or orchestra. You don’t need to audition to join, and the Geelong Awkwardstra meets weekly to play together in whatever configuration the group’s individual instruments make up. That puts a little pressure on the Awkwardstra conductor/arranger Ian Crowther, but it’s a challenge he relishes. The Geelong Awkwardstra’s repertoire is suitably eclectic, ranging from pop to classics -so if your interest is piqued, simply roll up with your instrument 7.15pm on a Monday evening at the Vines Rd Community Centre in Hamlyn Heights.
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This website’s editor, principal critic and webmaster, Colin Mockett, was awarded the Order Of Australia Medal in this year’s Australia Day Honours. The award was for services to the Arts and local history in Geelong. Central would have been this website, which was set up specifically to support local arts, theatre and music communities by publishing news and details of upcoming plays, concerts and events free of charge – as well as reviewing local productions. Colin says he sees the reward as a tribute to the quantity and high quality of the arts scene in Geelong. We can all count ourselves winners!
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