From the creators of Cabaret and Chicago, The Production Company presents Kander & Ebb’s Curtains, a musical comedy ‘whodunnit’ featuring an all-star cast at Arts Centre Melbourne for a strictly limited season from 20 August 2016.
A parody of backstage murder mystery plots, Curtains is set in Boston 1959 at the opening night of the cowboy musical 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.
Based on the original book and concept by Peter Stone, Curtains is a musical comedy with a book by Rupert Holmes, and features music and lyrics by Broadway legends John Kander & Fred Ebb, and additional lyrics by Kander and Holmes. Songs include: What Kind of Man?, The Woman’s Dead, Coffee Shop Nights, Show People, A Tough Act to Follow, and Wide Open Spaces.
Award-winning Director, Roger Hodgman leads an outstanding creative team. Musical Director is John Foreman, Choreography by Dana Jolly, with Designs by Esther Marie Hayes (costumes), Christina Smith (sets), Matt Scott (lighting) and System Sound (sound). All performances will feature The Production Company Orchestra.
Simon Gleeson, the star of Les Misérables and CHESS returns to The Production Company as Frank Cioffi, leading an all-star cast including Melissa Langton, Colin Lane, Lucy Maunder, Alex Rathgeber, Alinta Chidzey, Zoe Coppinger, Jared Bryan, Stephen Wheat, Simon Maiden, Nicki Wendt, Tony Rickards and John Wood.
Premiering at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in July 2006, Curtains transferred to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway with minor alterations, playing from March 2007. After more than 500 performances, the show closed in June 2008.
The musical garnered eight Tony Award nominations, with Hyde Pierce winning the award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Other Awards include the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical for Rupert Holmes and Peter Stone, and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for Debra Monk.
Curtains
State Theatre – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne
Season: 20 – 28 August 2016
Bookings: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
For more information, visit: www.theproductioncompany.com.au for details.
Image: Simon Gleeson stars as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in Curtains (supplied)