An Officer and a Gentleman Cast Announced

The producers of the upcoming new musical An Officer and a Gentleman this week announced the principal cast members for the production. The cast will be led by Ben Mingay, currently starring as Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys, and Amanda Harrison, star of the blockbuster musical Wicked.

Ben Mingay plays Zack Mayo, the role brought to life by Richard Gere in the film. Amanda Harrison stars as Paula Pokrifki, the young factory worker originally played by Debra Winger.

The World Premiere of An Officer and a Gentleman will be held in Sydney at the Lyric Theatre on 19 May 2012. For more information see the show’s website. Destination NSW is pleased to support the musical which is an exciting edition to the State’s events calendar.

Coming Soon: Love Never Dies, Capitol Theatre Sydney

From the composer of some of the greatest musicals of all time, Andrew Lloyd Webber's breathtaking new musical - Love Never Dies. This production will play for a strictly limited 20 week season at the Capitol Theatre from next January.

Love Never Dies continues the story of The Phantom of the Opera and features one of Lloyd Webber's finest musical scores performed by a 21 piece orchestra. The production also features a stunning cast of 36, including Ben Lewis, Anna O'Byrne and Sharon Millerchip, as well as over 300 incredible costumes and a magnificent set which is illuminated by over 5000 dazzling lights.

Set in New York's Coney Island 10 years after the Phantom's disappearance from the Paris Opera House, the Phantom still yearns for his love Christine. He engineers a plan that lures her to Coney Island, along with her husband Raoul and their young son Gustave...not knowing what's in store for them.

Running Time is approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes

Visit the official Love Never Dies website here

Mary Poppins Tops Helpmann List

DISNEY musical Mary Poppins leads the 2011 Helpmann Awards nominations, announced tonight, with 12 nods including Best Musical.

Following closely behind is Love Never Dies, the sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s acclaimed musical Phantom of the Opera, with 10 nominations.

Dr Zhivago, which opens in Brisbane on Thursday, and Hairspray received seven nominations each, rounding out the Best Musical nominations alongside Mary Poppins and Love Never Dies.

Performers Anthony Warlow as Dr Zhivago and Lucy Maunder on stage after a dress rehearsal of the new musical Dr Zhivago. Photo: AAP.

Wicked, which swept the 2009 awards with six wins including Best Musical, received two nominations for new male and female leads Jemma Rix (Elphaba) and David Harris (Fiyero).

Victorian actor and dancer Alinta Chidzey was nominated for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her stand-out performance as Anita in West Side Story.

Chidzey clearly impressed selectors when she performed in the number America at last year’s Helpmann Awards.

Last year’s Best Comedy Performer Wil Anderson has once again been nominated for his stand-up, along with Denise Scott, Hannah Gadsby and Tom Gleeson.

Offspring star Eddie Perfect was also nominated for two awards for his cabaret shows Misanthropology and Songs from the Middle.

On the live music front, last year’s Splendour in the Grass and Bluesfest events were nominated for Best Contemporary Music festival.

Brisbane rock band Powderfinger was nominated for Best Australian Contemporary Concert for their Sunsets Farewell Tour alongside The Church’s 30^th Anniversary Concert at the Sydney Opera House, Regurgitator’s Akira concert and Triple J Hottest 100 winners Angus & Julia Stone for their Down the Way Tour.

To see the full list of nominees go to the Helpmann Awards website

Cuban Ballet - Ballet Revolution

“Ballet Revolutión is Ballet unleashed as only the Cubans know how.”

This is a unique opportunity to see some of the world's most talented classical and contemporary dancers from the elite companies in Cuba perform way beyond their normal repertoires. Throughout the show, the performers demonstrate their phenomenal versatility, combining styles as diverse as classical ballet and hip hop.

Passion and ferocity are fundamental to Cuban dancers. They don't just dance with the music they dance inside it and this is production is uniquely Cuban. This dynamism in Cuban dance inspired Producer Mark Brady and Jon Lee to create an exciting new dance event straight out of Havana, and bring it to the world.

Ballet Revolucion is a powerful blend of styles and genres set against a blend of sounds meshed with classic Cuban, modern Latin American and R&B hits by such as Enrique Iglesis, Shakira, Santana, Ricky Martin, Usher, Beyonce and many more.

So come joing the revolution this July!

Perth – Regal Theatre
01/07/11 – 17/07/11

Sydney – State Theatre
19/07/11 – 24/07/11

Adelaide – Her Majesty’s Theatre
26/07/11 – 29/07/11

Melbourne – The Arts Centre, State Theatre
02/08/11 – 07/08/11

Brisbane – Concert Hall Queensland – Performing Arts Centre
10/08/11 – 12/08/11


View the Ballet Revolution Website

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