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Birkett, Gillespie, Lindars, Field and More Join Cast of West End's Priscilla Queen of the Desert
By Andrew Gans
and Mark Shenton
17 Nov 2008
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Oliver Thornton, Tony Sheldon and Jason Donovan with Priscilla Cockatoos
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| photo by James Morgan | Casting is now complete for the new West End musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert, based on the 1994 Australian film about a trio of drag queens who take their show to the middle of the outback aboard a battered old bus nicknamed Priscilla.
As previously announced, the musical will begin performances at London's Palace Theatre March 10, 2009, prior to a press night on March 23 and a gala night on March 24.
Entitled Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical, the musical is co-written by Stephan Elliott (who wrote and directed the original film) and Allan Scott, directed by Simon Phillips, and features costume designs by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, who won the 1995 Oscar for Best Costume Design for their work on the film.
First brought to the stage in Sydney in October 2006, it now comes to the London stage with a cast led by the previously reported Tony Sheldon, who is re-creating the role of Ralph/Bernadette (Terence Stamp in the film) that he originated in the original Australian production and has played there for two years in seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland; Australian native Jason Donovan, who has long been resident in the U.K., as Anthony "Tick" Belrose/Mitzi Del Bra (Hugo Weaving in the film); and young British actor Oliver Thornton as Adam Whiteley/Felicia (Guy Pearce in the film) with Clive Carter as Bob (Bill Hunter in the film), the mechanic who falls in love with Bernadette when they meet in the middle of the outback.
Newcomers to the company include Zoe Birkett, Kate Gillespie and Emma Lindars as the three Divas, Wezley Sebastian as Miss Understanding, Amy Field as Marion, Danielle Coombe as Shirley, Tristan Temple as Jimmy, Kanako Nakano as Cynthia, Steven Cleverley as Young Bernadette and John Brannoch as Frank.
Completing the cast are Phillip Arran, Matthew Cole, Amy Edwards, Mark Inscoe, Zabrina Norry, Will Peaco, John Phoenix, James Rees, Craig Ryder, Jeremy Secomb and Jon Tsouras.
The musical also features choreography by Ross Coleman; arrangements, musical direction and supervision by Stephen "Spud" Murphy; production designs by Brian Thomson; lighting by Nick Schlieper; and sound design by Michael Waters. It is produced in London by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott, and the Really Useful Theatre Company.
Plans are also currently afoot for a North American production to open in Toronto in the fall of 2009, when a production will also open in Germany, and a Swedish production to open in 2010.
To book tickets, contact the box office at 0844 755 0016 or visit www.priscillathemusical.com.
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