Currently playing to packed houses and rave reviews at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne, Global Creatures’ production of Muriel’s Wedding The Musical will head to Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre QPAC this September, following its season at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.
Winner of 5 Helpmann Awards, 7 Sydney Theatre Awards, an Awgie Award, the 2018 David Williamson Prize and an ARIA Award Nomination, Muriel’s Wedding The Musical celebrated its’ world premiere in Sydney in November 2017 and was universally hailed a smash hit by critics and audiences alike at last week’s Melbourne premiere.
“I am thrilled to bring this new Australian musical to Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre,” said Producer and CEO of Global Creatures Carmen Pavlovic. “Muriel’s Wedding The Musical brings one of Australia’s most iconic and loved films to the stage. This is a brash musical with a very big heart featuring award winning music by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall.”
Playing the iconic and much-loved lead role of Muriel Heslop, in her very first professional stage production, is Natalie Abbott. Hailing from the South Coast of NSW, 23-year-old Natalie has been ‘singing since before she could talk’ – according to her mother.
And much like Muriel, Natalie left her small coastal town and moved to the big smoke – Sydney, where she completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Musical Theatre at the Australian Institute of Music.
Stepping into the role of Muriel’s best friend Rhonda is Brisbane actor Stefanie Jones. Stefanie’s music theatre career began at the age of seven when she appeared as Young Eponine in Cameron Mackintosh’s 10th Anniversary Tour of Les Misérables.
A graduate of Victorian College of the Arts, Stefanie’s theatre credits include Liesl in The Sound of Music, Jean MacLaren in Brigadoon, Dream Laurey in Oklahoma!, Dream Lover, Once The Musical, South Pacific and Carmen Live or Dead.
The cast also includes David James (The Boy From Oz, The Sound of Music) as Bill Heslop, Pippa Grandison (Mary Poppins, We Will Rock You) as Betty Heslop, Jacob Warner ( The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet) as Perry Heslop, Caleb Vines (The Wizard of Oz, How To Train Your Dragon) as Malcolm Heslop and Manon Gunderson-Briggs (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical original Sydney season) as Joanie Heslop.
Christie Whelan Browne (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical original Sydney season) plays the role of Tania Degano, Imogen Moore (Oklahoma!, Anything Goes) as Janine Nuttall and Catty Hamilton (MAMMA MIA!) as Cheryl Moochmore.
Jaime Hadwen (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical original Sydney season) plays Agnetha Fältskog with Laura Bunting (Wicked, Mary Poppins) as Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Maxwell Simon (Green Day’s American Idiot, The Boy From Oz) as Björn Ulvaeus and Evan Lever (Anything Goes, La Cage Aux Folles) as Benny Andersson.
Chelsea Plumley (Sunset Boulevard, Grease) plays the role of Deidre Chambers, Brice Nobes is played by Jarrod Griffiths (professional debut) with Stephen Madsen (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical original Sydney season) as Alexander Shkuratov, Dave Eastgate (Doctor Doctor, Open Slather) as Ken Blundell and Kenneth Moraleda (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical original Sydney season) as Charlie Chan.
The Muriel’s Wedding The Musical ensemble cast includes Colin Dean, Tom Sharah, Joshua Robson, Kaeng Chan, Noni McCallum, Ashleigh Rubenach, Prue Bell, David Ouch, Jan Di Pietro, Zoe Coppinger, Andrew Seymour and Caitlin Quinn.
The stellar creative team behind the critically acclaimed production is led by award winning theatre director Simon Phillips, set and costume designer Gabriela Tylesova, choreographer Andrew Hallsworth, lighting designer Trent Suidgeest, sound designer Michael Waters, music supervisor Isaac Hayward and musical director Daniel Puckey.
Muriel’s Wedding The Musical is a theatrical version of PJ Hogan’s iconic hit film, updated to today by the writer himself with music and lyrics by Australian award winning songwriters Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall with additional songs by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson written for ABBA.
Muriel’s Wedding The Musical plays Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre QPAC from 19 September (opening night: 21 September). Tickets on sale on Thursday 4 April 2019. Tickets for the Melbourne (continues to 16 June) and Sydney (previews from 28 June – opening night: 4 July) seasons are also available. For more information, visit: www.murielsweddingthemusical.com for details.
The Muriel’s Wedding The Musical Original Cast Recording is also available, click here for details.
Image: Muriel’s Wedding The Musical – Sunshine State of Mind – photo by Jeff Busby