The Production Company has announced the full cast for its new staging of the Broadway whodunnit, Curtains – at Arts Centre Melbourne from 20 August 2016.
“Colin Lane, John Wood and Nicki Wendt are joining Simon Gleeson, Alex Rathgeber, Lucy Maunder, Melissa Langton and Alinta Chidzey in this Kander & Ebb murder mystery musical comedy,” says Ken Mackenzie-Forbes, Artistic Director.
“For this hilarious detective thriller we have cast artists with the personality and skill to create Rupert Holmes’ colourful backstage characters. This cast reflects the depth of artistic excellence we have here in Melbourne.”
The Australian professional premiere season of Curtains, which first opened on Broadway in 2007. It played more than 500 performances and was nominated for eight Tony Awards. With music and lyrics by Broadway legends John Kander & Fred Ebb – creators of Cabaret and Chicago, Curtains is based on the original book and concept by Peter Stone.
A parody of backstage murder mystery plots, Curtains is set in Boston 1959 at the opening night of the cowboy music Robbin’ Hood of the Old West. The talentless leading lady is murdered onstage during the curtain call and the whole cast are suspects.
A grand tribute to Broadway, it features a hilarious company of characters including a very camp director, a bitter critic, clueless investors and ambitious actresses It is up to Lt. Frank Cioffi, a police detective who moonlights as a musical theatre fan, to save the show, solve the case, and maybe even find love.
Award winning Director, Roger Hodgman leads the outstanding creative team. Musical Director is John Foreman and the Choreographer is Dana Jolly. Designs are by Esther Marie Hayes (costumes), Christina Smith (sets), Matt Scott (lighting) and System Sound (sound). All performances will feature The Production Company Orchestra.
Full Company: Lieutenant Frank Cioffi – Simon Gleeson, Niki Harris – Alinta Chidzey, Georgia Hendricks – Lucy Maunder, Carmen Bernstein – Melissa Langton, Aaron Fox – Alex Rathgeber, Sidney Bernstein – John Wood, Christopher Belling – Colin Lane, Bambi Bernet – Zoe Coppinger, Daryl Grady – Stephen Wheat, Johnny Harmon – Simon Maiden, Oscar Shapiro – Tony Rickards, Bobby Pepper – Jared Bryan, and Jessica Cranshaw – Nicki Wendt.
Ensemble: Daniel Assetta, Amy Berrisford, Brett Fisher, Ashleigh Hauschild, Joe Meldrum, Madeline Perrone, Emma Russell, Alicia Attwood, Matt Douglas, David Hammond, Jess Lindon, Anthony Pepe, Justine Puy, and Darren Tyler.
Curtains opens in the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Saturday 20 August 2016 for a limited season of 10 performances. Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit: www.theproductioncompany.com.au for details.
Image: Simon Gleeson to star in Curtains – courtesy of The Production Company