Kookaburra News - August 2008



TELL ME ON A SUNDAY SOLD OUT IN WOLLONGONG The audience was so overwhelmed with Jolene Anderson’s performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s musical about a twenty-something Aussie woman finding her feet as newly single girl in New York, their cheering started halfway through her final number and ended after the house lights came on. The production was a tour de force. Like a ballet dancer en pointe, Jolene, seemingly effortless, whisked her way through two acts of heartbreak, loneliness, hope, laughter and tears. After the cheering and clapping subsided, ticket sales started to climb. The season of Tell Me On A Sunday at the Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong was sold out. “I saw the show this morning in Wollongong. My congratulations on a great production and to Jolene on a wonderful performance. She is a very talented lady and courageous to take on a one woman show,” wrote Sandra Freer, an audience member in Wollongong. “I saw the brillant Jolene Anderson in Tell on a Sunday last night…she has a gorgeous voice that should be heard and she did a fantastic job,” wrote Karen Beavis, also an audience member in Wollongong. Thank you so much Karen and Sandra. Your feedback made everyone at Kookaburra and Tell Me On A Sunday smile. Tell Me On A Sunday is now playing at Glen Street Theatre and will be on stage at the Seymour Centre from 19-30 August. Don’t miss out!

BARRIE INGHAM IN THE NOËL COWARD LETTERS Witty, acerbic and by a giant of theatre, Noël Coward’s letters are an extraordinary window into his life and the legends he shared it with. Inspired by Barry Day’s The Letters Of Noël Coward, this entertaining evening of readings and timeless songs by “The Master”, brings together Peter Cousens, Trisha Crowe, Katrina Retallick, Andrew Tighe and as a special guest Mr Barrie Ingham with Musical Direction by Luke Byrne. On stage for ONE NIGHT ONLY at the Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre on Monday 25th August at 7:30pm.

KOOKABURRA LAUNCHES IN MELBOURNE PETER COUSENS: [bounding into the office on a relatively lazy Monday morning] Gang! We’re putting on a show! GANG: Uh, yes Pete, we are, three in fact. That’s why we’re Australia’s national musical theatre company. Duh. PETE: No, I mean a different show…a Gala. GANG: A Gala? PETE: Yes. A Gaaaaaaaala. GANG: Ooooooooo…a Gaaaaaaaala. Who’s going to sing? PETE: Well, I’ve done a bit of a ring-around and so far we’ve got Julie Anthony A.M. O.B.E., Rhonda Burchmore, Helen Dallimore, Lucy Durack, David Harris, Nancye Hayes, Bert LaBonté, Silvie Paladino, Marina Prior, Matthew Robinson, Wayne Scott Kermond, VCA - Music Theatre and me! GANG: Blimey, that IS a Gala! This glorious fundraising event, launching Australia’s only national not-for-profit musical theatre company in Melbourne, is bringing together a cavalcade of stars rarely seen together on stage at the one time. On the set of Kookaburra’s Tell Me On A Sunday at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne, Australia’s premier musical theatre performers are coming together to perform songs from the wonderful musicals that have graced Australian stages over the past 40 years. On stage for ONE NIGHT ONLY at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne on Monday, 8th September at 8pm

LITTLE WOMEN LAUNCH After one of the heart-stopping numbers at Kookaburra's Groups Launch of Little Women, The Broadway Musical on Monday night, I didn’t know whether to clap or pass around the tissues. Who would’a thunk it - Sydney is FULL of grown men that cry! Kate Maree Hoolihan (Jo) and Jodie Harris (Beth) were breathtaking in their duet while Stephen Mahy (Laurie) made every woman from 18 to 80 swoon with ‘Take A Chance On Me’ (yes please). An Australian Premiere, Kookaburra’s production of Little Women is on stage at the Seymour Centre from 4 November to 7 December. Tickets are now on sale and with only 3 months until curtain up, they’re selling fast. (Yikes!) Don’t miss this brilliant production. It will be something you and your family with remember (and thank you for) forever.

KOOKABURRA KIDS WORKSHOP For every Kookaburra Kid who dreams of performing on stage – here is your chance. Kookaburra Kids is holding a special workshop at the Seymour Centre before its production of Tell Me On A Sunday on 30th August at 12pm (before the 2pm matinee performance). All Kooka Kids who enrol will have the opportunity to workshop a song from Tell Me On A Sunday on the actual set, meet the star of the show Jolene Anderson, ask her for some performance tips and see her perform at 2pm. To receive further information about this very special workshop don’t forget to:

ROOTY HILL HIGH BUILDS A SET When you head to the theatre to see your next Kookaburra production, be sure to take a really good look at the set. Go on, look. Closer. That’s it! Pretty cool huh. Hours of intricate craftsmanship go into building theatrical sets. The designers and builders are true artists. Now, Kookaburra is opening its doors and sharing its set secrets to a new generation. Students from Rooty Hill High School are undertaking work experience with Kookaburra with the aim of completely building an element of a working set. The design meeting with Steve our Production Manager has already taken place and the building is now set (excuse the pun) to begin! We hope this will provide a fantastic opportunity for these students and their community to connect with Kookaburra and our industry and make it an option for a future career.

*GET UP CLOSE & MUSICAL* WITH AUSTRALIA’S MUSICAL THEATRE STARS** Don’t miss two electric evenings of Up Close & Musical during the Seymour Centre season of Tell Me On A Sunday. The Seymour Centre will come alive with a showcase of established and emerging talent in a theatrical setting after two Friday night performances. Friday 22 August - A Night of New Australian Musicals Featuring Phillip Scott and Helen Dallimore with Amelia Commack, Brad Carroll, Giverny Lewis, Simon Brook McLachlan and Kathryn Sgroi. Friday 29 August – A Night of New International Musicals Featuring Jackie Rees and John O’May with Amelia Commack, Michael Lee Porter, Kathleen Moore, David Rogers-Smith and Anna Lee Robertson UC&M kicks off at 11pm and lasts for approximately 1 hour Seymour Bar open from 9:30pm Price: $22, includes a standard drink

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA IN CONCERT Based on Elizabeth Spencer’s novella set in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953, The Light In The Piazza is about a young American tourist, Clara Johnson, who meets and falls in love with a young Italian, Fabrizio Naccarelli. When her mother Margaret learns of the affair she does everything in her power to stop it for reasons which the audience eventually comes to understand. The lush score, soaring melodies and beautiful singing from the cast of The Phantom of the Opera will bring this multi-award winning love story to life. With Sarah Bakker, Deborah Caddy, David English and Todd Goddard. On stage for ONE SHOW ONLY at the Lyric Theatre, Star City, Sunday 17th August 2008 All proceeds will be donated to the Actors Benevolent Fund of Australia.