Producers Howard Panter, John Frost and GWB Entertainment today announced that the 2018 Australian tour of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show will play in Melbourne at Her Majesty’s Theatre from 13 July next year for a strictly limited season.
Leading the cast will be television and theatre star Craig McLachlan, donning Frank N Furter’s legendary fishnet stockings in his Helpmann Award-winning role. He will be joined by Kristian Lavercombe – who astounded audiences in the 2014 / 2015 tour as Riff Raff, while musical theatre favourite Amanda Harrison (Wicked, We Will Rock You) joins the cast as Magenta.
Nadia Komazec (Matilda, The Phantom of the Opera) plays Columbia, Brendan Irving (The Bodyguard, An Officer and A Gentleman) returns as Rocky, with Adam Rennie (Jekyll & Hyde, Love Never Dies) playing the dual roles of Eddie and Dr Scott.
Playing the roles of Brad and Janet, the naïve young couple caught up in a situation they don’t understand, are Rob Mallett (Les Misérables, Singin’ In The Rain) and Michelle Smitheram (Dream Lover – The Bobby Darin Musical, Georgy Girl).
The ensemble cast includes Bianca Baykara (The King & I, Priscilla Queen of the Desert), Ross Chisari (Aladdin, Man of La Mancha), Hollie James (My Fair Lady, Carrie The Musical), Hayley Martin (Anything Goes, Singin’ In The Rain), Stephen McDowell (Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Poppins) and Geoffrey Winter (The Bodyguard, Into The Woods).
“We are thrilled to bring The Rocky Horror Show with this exciting new cast to Melbourne. With Craig leading this wonderfully talented group of performers, this is sure to be an even wilder and sexier night out than ever before,” said the producers. “Melbourne theatregoers have always been the most enthusiastic.”
“When the 2018 tour was announced we received so many requests from Melbourne asking when their favourite rock and roll musical was returning, we couldn’t help but say yes. To say we are thrilled to dance the Time Warp across Australia again is an understatement. Give yourself over to absolute pleasure before madness takes its toll!”
Also announced today, Richard O’Brien, the creator of much-loved cult musical, will join the cast for the Perth season playing the Narrator, while stage and screen leading man, Cameron Daddo will play the Narrator in the Adelaide and Brisbane seasons of the show.
O’Brien not only wrote the musical but also played the role Riff Raff in the film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Perth audiences will be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see ‘The Master’ perform in his iconic musical masterpiece. Daddo’s most recent stage credits include Captain Von Trapp in the London Palladium production of The Sound of Music across Australia, The Haunting at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre, and previously in the musical Legally Blonde.
The Rocky Horror Show will re-open the refurbished Festival Theatre – Adelaide Festival Centre from 28 December 2017, before playing at Brisbane’s Concert Hall – QPAC from 18 January, Perth’s Crown Theatre from 17 February, and Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre from 13 July 2018. For more information, visit: www.rockyhorror.com.au for details.
Image: Craig McLachlan as Frank N Furter (centre) with the 2014 Australian Cast of The Rocky Horror Show – photo by Jeff Busby