Australian theatre producer John Frost has announced that legendary performer Marcia Hines will be joining the cast of the iconic hit musical, Saturday Night Fever – which will play at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 27 March 2019.
Australia’s original disco diva, Marcia Hines, will play the role of The Diva, who performs at Disco Odyssey 2001 – the nightclub where Tony Manero dances every Saturday night. Marcia joins Paulini, Natalie Conway and Nana Matapule who have already been revealed as three of the ensemble of singers who will give voice to the much-loved disco Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, alongside a cast of incredible dancers. The rest of the cast will be revealed on 3 February.
Marcia Hines made her stage debut at the age of 16, in the Australian production of the musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar. She went on to perform in many other stage productions including GFO’s Big River and Jerry’s Girls, and most recently the national tour of Velvet. She is currently performing for Sydney Festival in the cabaret Pigalle.
A major recording artist with several hit singles during the 1970s and 80s, Marcia was voted Queen of Pop for three consecutive years from 1976 and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007. She also gained popularity as one of the judges on Australian Idol for several seasons from 2003.
“The sensational Marcia Hines is Australia’s original disco diva and an electric presence on stage,” said John Frost. “Marcia is sure to bring the audience to their feet with the incredible classic songs in Saturday Night Fever. I know Sydney audiences want to forget their troubles and have a good time, so it’s sure to be a party every night at the Sydney Lyric, with the mix of those immortal disco tunes, incredible singers and the hottest dancing you’ll ever see.”
Paying homage to the classic movie, Saturday Night Fever is packed with disco classics, including the Bee Gees’ greatest hits Stayin’ Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever, Tragedy and More Than A Woman.
The 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta and Karen Gorney, was based on a story in New York Magazine by Nik Cohn, who many years later acknowledged that he made up the characters and the story. The movie is credited with defining the 1970’s, while the soundtrack remains the best-selling soundtrack of all time with over 45 million copies sold.
Saturday Night Fever tells the story of 19-year-old Tony Manero, a Brooklyn youth whose weekend is spent at the local discotheque, where life lights up on the disco floor. There, Tony luxuriates in the admiration of the crowd and a growing relationship with Stephanie Mangano, and where he can temporarily forget the realities of his life, including a dead-end job in a paint store and his gang of deadbeat friends.
Saturday Night Fever is based on the Paramount/RSO movie and the story by Nik Cohn, adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood and Bill Oakes, while the new version has been arranged and edited by Ryan McBryde. Music and lyrics are by artists including the Bee Gees.
Saturday Night Fever plays at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 27 March 2019. For more information, visit: www.saturdaynightfever.com.au for details.
Image: Marcia Hines – photo by Riccardo Raiti