Singing. Satire. Subtext. All at Mach 3! Salty Theatre presents the Australian premiere of Top Gun! The Musical as part of the 2019 Melbourne Fringe for two-nights-only at Chapel Off Chapel: 21 & 22 September.
Writer Billy Palmer is about to crash and burn. His musical adaptation of Top Gun is going off the rails and he really needs a hit… especially after the debacle of Apocalypse Wow! Instead, he’s saddled with a quarrelling cast, a shady ex-military producer, and a bit of bad luck. Now if only everyone would stop singing!
With Book and Lyrics by Denis McGrath and Music by Scott White, Top Gun! The Musical was originally produced as part of the Toronto Fringe, and nominated for multiple Dora Awards, including Outstanding New Musical.
In 2004, Top Gun! The Musical was selected to be part of the inaugural New York Musical Theatre Festival, alongside featured new musicals by Stephen Schwartz, Avenue Q‘s Marx and Lopez and Chicago‘s Kander and Ebb. Now, Salty Theatre is bringing together a stellar group of international artists to introduce Top Gun! The Musical to Melbourne.
Directed by Sarahlouise Younger, with musical direction by David Youings (People Suck: A Musical Airing of Grievances, Altar Boyz – PEP), Top Gun! The Musical features a cast of seven including Ashley Taylor (Nothing to Lose – Force Majeure), Joti Gore (Original Cast of Memphis), Eilannin Harris-Black (Nine – Stage Art), Belinda Jenkin (50 Shades! The Musical – Alex Theatre), Robbie Smith (Thoroughly Modern Millie – The Production Company, The Worst Little Warehouse in London), Guilly Urra (Evil Dead: The Musical, Canada) and Ashley Weidner (Strictly Ballroom – National Theatre).
Salty Theatre is co-founded by Melbourne theatre, dance and cabaret veteran Sarahlouise Younger and Canadian theatre and screen veteran Ashley Taylor. Their first production, People Suck: A Musical Airing of Grievances, had a hugely successful run at The Butterfly Club earlier this year.
“We want to bring together global artists and introduce new works that have never before been seen in Australia. And we want to make people laugh. A lot. And maybe squirm a little bit, too,” says Younger and Taylor.
If you see only one musical comedy about mounting a mega-musical based on a movie, make it Top Gun! The Musical. For anyone who’s ever cringed through Cats, felt the need for speed, or wondered “who thought that would be a good idea?” comes this new satirical musical!
“Top Notch! … an unabashedly cliche-ridden script, enlivened by plenty of laughs and a score that ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous, although it is, in the main, just sublimely ridiculous.” – Toronto Sun
Top Gun! The Musical
The Loft – Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran
Performances: Saturday 21 (sold out) & Sunday 22 September 2019
Bookings: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au
For more information, visit: www.saltytheatre.com.au for details.
Image: Top Gun! The Musical (supplied)