Madeline Pratt chats to Subculture about her brand new show I’m Yours Maddy which opens at The MC Showroom next week.
Take a listen to the interview right here and all the details are below.
Category: Theatre/Comedy
If you are looking for a new game to play while at work this week then you are going to want to take a listen to this.
This week Subculture’s Dave Griffiths sat down and had a chat with some of the team at Mini Mammoth Games about their new game Pressed For Time.
Take a listen to the interview right here:
Time to dust off those leg warmers and sequined shoulder-pads, Sydney! Penned by the writer of the smash movie, the all-out 80s musical romp The Wedding Singer will hit the State Theatre in less than a month.
Tickets to the David Venn Enterprises’ (Bring It On: The Musical, 50 Shades! The Musical Parody) production are selling lightning fast with more performance dates and fresh new seats added. Get in quick to grab your seats via weddingsingermusical.com.au.
This hilarious hit Broadway musical sees Sydneysider Christian Charisiou star in his breakout title role as jilted-groom and nice guy Robbie Hart, who The Age lauded as “even funnier than Adam Sandler”. The NIDA graduate built his skills in Sydney’s independent theatre scene treading boards at The Old Fitz and Griffin Theatre Company, and perhaps most notably as the title character in Hayes Theatre Co sold out season of Cry-Baby.
“After mind-blowing seasons in Adelaide and Melbourne, I am beyond excited to bring The Wedding Singer to Sydney. This will be my first major musical in my home city and I cannot wait to perform this electric show for Sydney audiences – it’s pure entertainment and I know audiences will go crazy for it,” says Christian.
Producer David Venn is no stranger to navigating theatre tours during a pandemic and was bravely one of the first mainstage theatre producers to announce a national tour, with The Wedding Singer making front page news around the country in November last year.
“Touring a musical during a pandemic is no small feat, but we couldn’t be happier with the responses we’ve received across the country. We’re creating much needed employment opportunities for Australian creatives, driving visitation to key cities and helping to revive the Australian theatre industry. We can’t wait to share the fun of this feel-good musical and party with Sydney audiences” says David.
Born and bred in the Northern Beaches, much loved musical theatre star Stephen Mahy (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Saturday Night Fever, Mamma Mia!) was one of the original Jersey Boys, and has performed so many memorable roles that he’s a household name to musical theatre aficionados. He perfectly personifies The Wedding Singer’s antagonist: slimy Wall Street poster boy Glen Guglia. Stephen is thrilled to be bringing the show to Sydney for the first time.
True triple threat Kirby Burgess (Dirty Dancing) also returns to her hometown of Sydney in the jaw-dropping role of Robbie’s villainous ex-girlfriend Linda. A recipient of the prestigious ASCAP Broadway Musical Theatre Scholarship (New York), Kirby recently wowed audiences as the Ringmaster in Barnum opposite Todd McKenney.
Rounding out the critically-acclaimed lead cast, in the role made famous by Drew Barrymore, is Kinky Boots star Teagan Wouters as Julia, Nadia Komazec as the rebellious Holly, Ed Deganos (The Lion King) as the iconic George, celebrated character performer Susan-ann Walker thrills as Robbie’s naughty beat-boxing Grandma Rosie, dynamite talent Hollie James (Shrek the Musical, Rocky Horror Show) as Angie, and Haydan Hawkins (Miss Saigon, Into The Woods) as Sammy.
The Tony Award nominated musical is directed by multi-Green Room Award nominated director Alister Smith, with an incredible original soundtrack brought to life by Musical Director Daniel Puckey (Muriel’s Wedding The Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Wizard of Oz, The Bodyguard Musical, The Lion King).
After winning a Green Room Award for his work on David Venn’s Bring It On: The Musical, choreographer Michael Ralph (Georgy Girl, The Boy From Oz) brings explosive dance routines jam-packed with nods to all the best iconic 80s music video and dance movies.
From the writer of the original smash-hit movie starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, The Wedding Singer musical achieved a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical.
Following performances on Broadway and across the UK, this adrenaline charged musical features all your favourite characters and a sparkling new soundtrack that does for the 80s what Hairspray did for the 60s.
The Wedding Singer features music by Matthew Sklar (Elf The Musical), lyrics by Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), and a book by Beguelin and Tim Herlihy. A long-time collaborator of Adam Sandler, Tim wrote the classic hit films Happy Gilmore and Billy Maddison, as well as several other Sandler-starring blockbusters in addition to The Wedding Singer.
COVID Safe measures will be in place for all performances, as per government regulations. More information is available via the websites for each venue.
Come join the party and celebrate all the fun of the ‘80s!
There was an electricity last night at the Athenaeum Theatre that I haven’t felt in a live venue for a long time. Even before the cast of The Wedding Singer hit the stage the maskless, full-capacity crowd had a buzz going through it. Perhaps it was the blue carpet arrivals or perhaps it was the fact that the crowd seemed to be relaxed and having fun but it finally felt that was live theatre was back in a post-Covid Melbourne. Luckily for all of us there there was also a buzz amongst the cast last night and they were there to deliver there A-Game.
Based on the 1998 Frank Coraci film of the same name The Wedding Singer centres around Robbie Hart (Christian Charisiou) the lead singer of a well-loved New York wedding band called Simply Wed. And while Robbie is the perfect front-man his band-mates, Sammy (Haydan Hawkins) and George (Ed Deganos) dream of bigger and better things. And while he loves performing at weddings and making people happy even Robbie is starting to realise that he can’t live in his Grandmother’s (Susan-ann Walker) basement forever.
Then on the day of his own wedding to the very sexual Linda (Kirby Burgess) Robbie’s world is turned upside down when he is left at the altar. Suddenly Robbie doesn’t believe in love any more and certainly doesn’t want to be the front-man of a wedding band anymore.
Meanwhile two waitresses that work at the reception centre frequented by Simply Wed watch on and try to help anyway they can. Holly (Nadia Komazec) has recently broken up with Sammy and refuses to admit that he is right when he says that she is not over him, while her best friend Julia (Teagan Wouters) is waiting for the day that her money-hungry boyfriend Glen Guglia (Stephen Mahy) proposes to her so she can countdown to becoming Julia Guglia.
The cast and crew of The Wedding Singer really need to take a bow because everything came together perfectly for this show. As a musical The Wedding Singer goes far beyond your average show that just features covers of 80s and 90s hits. The original tracks here (with music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin) are all memorable and I dare anybody to leave the theatre without humming either It’s Your Wedding Day or Grow Old With You. When it comes to actual stage presence Love The Green is a stand-out while the audience erupted into laughter during the classic I Want To Die.
When it came to the cast there were no weak links. Leading man Christian Charisiou was brilliant all night as he mixed comedy and emotional moments from start to finish while Nadia Komazec and Kirby Burgess sizzled all night… the latter bringing in some amazing burlesque moves. Teagan Wouters handled the more reserved Julia well while Haydan Hawkins and Ed Deganos stole every scene they were in.
Everything comes together amazingly well with The Wedding Singer. The songs are memorable, the cast sensational and even set moves add atmosphere to the show… as does the general staging and lighting. This is a stunning show not easily forgotten by its audience.
Rating Out Of 5 Stars:
The Wedding Singer runs until the 14th May at Melbourne’s Athenaeum. Tickets can be purchased here – https://athenaeumtheatre.com.au/facebook-event/the-wedding-singer-the-musical-comedy/
Brendy Ford chats to Subculture about his brand new show The Pitts: A Cabaret About Wellness By Those Unqualified To Teach It which is on at The Athenaeum Theatre next Saturday.
You can purchase tickets for the show right here:
https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=THEPITTS21
You can listen to the full interview here:
Celine Khoury chats to Subculture about The Thespian Theatre Company’s brand new production – The Invisible Sward.
You can purchase tickets from https://everi.events/event/13254341-a/the-thespian-theatre-company-presents-the-invisible-sword
You can listen to the full interview below:
This week on Subculture David Griffiths reviewed Josh Staley’s The Conjurer At The Card Table show at the Melbourne International Comedy Show.
You can grab tickets to the show here – https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/josh-staley-the-conjurer-at-the-card-table
You can listen to the full review here:
This week on Subculture Dave Griffiths reviewed Joseph Green’s What Are The Chances show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
You can grab tickets to the show right here – https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/what-are-the-chances
You can listen to the full review here:
This week on Subculture Dave Griffiths reviewed Michael Shafar’s 110% show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
You can grab tickets right here – https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/michael-shafar-110
And you can listen to the full review right here: