Australian Musicals

Our 'Australian Music Month' continues with our collection of Full-Length Australian Musicals. This selection will not only excite and entertain your talented performers, but we hope will instil a strong sense of pride as you perform works created right here on our home shores. Inspired by the true Australian story of Amber Murray, The Hatpin is a moving and hopeful story about friendship and courage. Dealing with motherhood, poverty and the resilience of women thriving under extraordinary pressures, this show looks at the public’s judgment of private choice, the power of self-liberty and the notion of “care”. The Hand of Courage - Sung by Caroline O’Connor. A contemporary retelling of the well-known parable, Prodigal is the story of Luke Flannery and his typically Australian family.  On his eighteenth birthday, Luke runs away to Sydney, rather than work in the family business.  When he comes out to his parents, their rejection causes him to plunge recklessly into the city's nightlife.  He returns home, broken, to a family who struggle to reconcile the son who left with the one who has returned.  Featuring a contemporary score, Prodigal is a starkly humorous and poignant look at the challenges of growing up. Show Medley – Sung by Dean Bryant, Jules Hutchison, Amanda Levy, Barry Mitchell & Graham Pages This comedy in three Acts uses a clever parody style. It is both funny and poignant in it exploration of contemporary truths. With a theme of women’s issues and empowerment. Tracy and the Virgins are an all-girl cheer-squad of militant virgins who tour U.S. High schools preaching the virtues of virtue. It’s gradually revealed that one or two (or more) of the teens might in fact be “born again” virgins. Focusing on the fairer sex, these five totally righteous babes sing and dance their way through three unique stories about friendship, success and making their dreams come true. Rated G--it hits the spot! Show Medley – Sung by Amanda Levy, Esther Hannaford, Rosemarie Harris, Verity Hunt-Ballard & Kellie Rode. (Craig Christie & Andrew Patterson) Now with NEW additional songs (optional) – “Bang Me”, “The Viking” & “Vindaloo” It’s a musical banquet. It’s a glamour fest. It’s a political minefield. Eurobeat – the Eurovision Musical is an original adaptation of the infamous Eurovision Song Contest. Set in Sarajevo and hosted by the glamorous Boyka and her tall, blond, pretty and dumb co-host Sergei they present for the enjoyment of the audience 12 acts representing an eclectic mix of countries. Show Medley (Craig Christie & Mark Jones) A musical duologue, After The Beep traces the lives of a 30ish couple after their relationship of five years ends. From the moment that Jason leaves Samantha behind in their flat the two of them never speak face to face, relying instead upon messages left on their answering machines to communicate. This play by well-know Australian playwright, Alan Hopgood (author of “Weary”: the story of Sir Edward Dunlop; “The Carer” and “The Golden Legion of Cleaning Women” was premiered at the Russell Street Theatre in 1963 by the Melbourne Theatre Company.  This successful musical ran for twelve weeks to capacity and was the first of the ‘footy’ plays, blazing the trail for “The Club” and those that followed. Complete and return the Perusal Request Form now!*   We’re going to have another “Free Stuff Week” soon for all our Facebook friends, so make sure you “Like” our Facebook page to be up to date and in the running for lots of great, FREE theatre stuff. For more information please visit our website or call us today and bring the magic of one of these Australian musicals to your school or community theatre. We look forward to working with you on your next production!

Side by Side - by Sondheim

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Music by Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne

Continuity by Ned Sherrin

The sophistication, wit, insight, heart and genius of Broadway’s most innovative and influential artist is at the centre of this acclaimed tribute to composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim. This dazzling array of some of Sondheim's best-known songs features numbers from landmark shows that revolutionised musical theatre with their masterful craft and astounding creativity. 

This wonderful show celebrates legendary Sondheim musicals, from the early part of his career, such as West Side Story, Gypsy, Company and A Little Night Music, and features musical theatre standards including Losing My Mind, I’m Still Here, Being Alive and Send In The Clowns.

This celebrated score will be performed by three singers who have enjoyed international acclaim for their performances:

Photo credit:  Kurt Sneddon - Blue Print Studios.

L-R:  Amelia Cormack, Margi de Ferranti, Enda Markey, Jessica Rowe.

AMELIA CORMACK's extraordinary voice has seen her perform in musicals such as Priscilla and LoveBites, as well as releasing her debut solo album in 2010.  

  

MARGI DE FERRANTI has wowed audiences in many Australian and international productions including Mamma Mia, Les Misérables and Aspects Of Love.

ENDA MARKEY has appeared in major international productions of Sondheim's Follies and Side By Side By Sondheim.  As a solo performer he has toured all over the word appearing in concerts and cabaret.

Popular television personality JESSICA ROWE will narrate the show, exploring the themes in Sondheim's work, with more than a few entertaining anecdotes about this most fascinating talent.

The original production of Side By Side By Sondheim began in London in 1976 to overwhelming success, where it ran for four years.  The Broadway production opened in 1977, and enjoyed an incredible run of 390 performances -- largely unprecedented for a simple revue. The show started a trend for sophisticated revues that persists today. To this day, Side by Side By Sondheim remains one of Sondheim's most-performed shows.

http://www.sidebysidebysondheim.com.au/

www.facebook.com/sidebysidebysondheim

www.twitter.com/SondheimAU

Produced on Broadway by Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell.

Presented by arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd, exclusive agent for Music Theatre International NY

HELP US CELEBRATE STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S 81st BIRTHDAY 

You could win a fantastic Stephen Sondheim prize pack which includes two tickets

to the show, a copy of Stephen Sondheim's wonderful book Finishing The Hat, a $250 gift voucher for Middle Eight Music - Australia's Premier Show Music Store, and a copy of Sondheim! - The Birthday Concert on DVD (Region 1).

To enter visit our website http://www.sidebysidebysondheim.com.au/

Australian Junior Musicals

To continue our celebration of all works Australian during the month of March,                      we are pleased to highlight our exciting collection of Australian Junior Musicals. We hope this selection will not only excite and entertain your talented young performers, but also instill a strong sense of pride as they perform  works created right here on our home shores. From celebrated Australian author and artist Graeme Base, the creator of Animalia, The Eleventh Hour and Uno’s Garden comes this exciting tale of greed and high adventure in one musical act. This adventurous show based on the successful children’s picture book was originally performed as a concert with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (in conjunction with Playbox).  Story: When villainous Gropmund G. Groper and his brainless henchfish accidentally unleash a toxic tide on idyllic Reeftown, pretty pink Pearl Trout, her soldiercrab beau Bert Hardshell, and Pearl’s headstrong brother Finny, all have different ideas of how to deal with the disaster. Pragmatic Bert uses his head, organising a military mission to locate the source of the poison. Finny and his Catfish mates rely on muscle, looking for trouble down at Groper’s Bar (and finding it). And Pearl trusts her heart, heading out into the vastness of the open ocean in search of the fabled New Reef of legend. In the end all three combine to bring the Groper to trial and lead the Reef-folk to a wonderful new home. This second exciting musical from famed author and illustrator, Graeme Base in also a book-to-musical conversion of his successful and well-loved story: Jungle Drums – where this time, the animals of Africa are the focus. Story: Ngiri is the smallest warthog in Africa.  Tired of being teased, he wishes things could be different.  When old Nyumbu the Wildebeest gives him a set of magic drums, he is sure his wish is about to come true.  But the animals in the Jungle are in for a big surprise when Ngiri’s wish is granted in a most unexpected way. Mr. Base says "Children will be drawn by the silly switcheroos and comical expressions of dismay among the animal cast". Mathew Frank and Dean Bryant met while studying Musical Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Their musicals have won many awards including a Green Room Award for Best Original Score (Prodigal) and they are the creators of  the first Australian musical produced off-Broadway, at the York Theatre in 2002 (also Prodigal). Their adaptation of Sonya Hartnett’s young-adult fiction book, The Silver Donkey, has toured US high schools twice and been read at Melbourne Theatre Company. Story: The piece opens with a man telling his brother a story; “Once, in a village by the sea, there was a blind soldier, three brave children who found him in the woods, and a silver donkey that brought him luck”. The village comes alive, there is a war being fought just down the road, but village life continues on as normal. Marcelle, ten, and her little sister Coco find a blind soldier in the forest. He is trying to get home to his sick brother across the sea. He has a charm in the shape of a silver donkey, and tells them a story. Stories and songs include ‘Road to Bethlehem’, ‘Waiting for the Rain’ and ‘Cliffs of a Foreign Land’. Complete and return the Perusal Request Form now!* FUTURE RELEASES: So these couple of shows are not Australian, but we are very excited to announce the following junior shows will be Coming Soon. Stay tuned for more details on the release of these new junior titles. * Coming Soon Not currently available for licensing * Coming Soon Not currently available for licensing For more information please visit our website or call us today and bring the magic of one of these Australian junior musicals to your school or community theatre. We look forward to working with you on your next production!

Choral reading day discounts and giveaways

Dear Choral Reading Day Singers, Thank you for attending our annual Choral Reading Day in February. We hope you enjoyed singing through the latest in our choral collections led by the incomparable George "Battle of the Choirs" Torbay. Did you also make it to Sue Arney’s Classroom Resource Workshop on the day? Sue is one of Australia’s leading Music Educators and we are privileged to have her join our team to promote our extensive range of classroom resources and school musicals throughout Australia. As a 'thank you' to the schools who attended this reading day, we would like to offer you some very special discounts, deals and FREE STUFF on some of our Musicals and Choral Products. FREE 2011 Musicals and Plays Brochure with BONUS 21 track CD sampler. To receive a FREE Brochure and CD simply email us at ausshows@halleonard.com.au with your name, school name and mailing address. FREE Perusals and discounts on your next Broadway Junior or MTI Kids ShowKit. Each school that had a representative at the reading day can receive: Three FREE perusals for shows from the Kids, Broadway Junior or School Edition Collections (offer valid until 30th April 2011.) OR 10% off the cost of a ShowKit for ANY show in the MTI Kids or Broadway Junior Collection* To redeem this offer, please complete either a Perusal Request form or Application form for a Junior Musical and mention that you attended the reading day. This form can be found via this link below on our website. FREE Deer River Choral Folder. Directors of orchestras, bands and choirs throughout the world depend on the consistently proven high quality music folios manufactured by Deer River Folio Co. Try out this folder today!  Go in to the draw to win one of twenty Deer River Choral Folders Head to our Facebook page, “Like us” and then email us at ausshows@halleonard.com.au with your name, school name and mailing address. Don’t miss our upcoming FACEBOOK FREE STUFF WEEK in April. A week of giveaways of musical scores, music books, Broadway CDs and much more. Conditions Apply: To order a perusal copy please complete a perusal request form. These offers end on 30th April 2011. The Discount ShowKit offer is valid only for musicals in the Broadway Junior® and MTI Kids Collection™ and excludes any future releases. Applications are subject to our standard terms and conditions. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer.