London's Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Extends to 2011; Broadway Future Planned

By Mark Shenton
29 Jan 2010

Don Gallagher
Don Gallagher

The London production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert The Musical, which will celebrate its first anniversary at the West End's Palace Theatre March 23, has announced that it has extended booking through Feb. 26, 2011.

The show will also open at Toronto's Prince of Wales Theatre Oct. 12, with plans for a Broadway transfer to open in early 2011.

Future international dates are also in discussion for productions in Brazil, Scandinavia and Germany.

Beginning March 8, current London stars Jason Donovan (playing Mitzi/Tick) and Oliver Thornton (Felicia/Adam) will be newly joined by Don Gallagher, taking over from original Australian star Tony Sheldon as Bernadette.

Gallagher's previous West End credits include playing Roger de Bris in The Producers, Javert in Les Miserables and Pierre Guerre in Martin Guerre. Other stage credits include His Dark Materials and Stuff Happens for the National Theatre and Henry IV parts 1 & 2, Painter of Dishonour and Back to Methuselah for the Royal Shakespeare Company. On television his many credits include "Poirot," "Casualty," "Miss Marple," "Hancock and Joan," "Victoria and Albert," "Sea of Souls" and "Ballet Shoes."

The company from March 8 will also feature Portia Emare, Emma Lindars and Charlotte Riby as the three Divas, Newley Aucutt as Miss Understanding, Yvette Robinson as Marion, Steven Cleverley as Farrah and Young Bernadette, Daniele Coombe as Shirley, Tristan Temple as Jimmy, Kanako Nakano as Cynthia and John Brannoch as Frank. Completing the company are Christopher Drake, Amy Edwards, Amy Field, Hugo Harold Harrison, Luke Jackson, Hayley Jayne Langwith, Callum Nicol, Zabrina Norry, Will Peaco, John Phoenix, James Rees, Jeremy Secomb, Robert Styles, John Tsouras and Matt Wesley.

The London production will also add Sunday matinee performances over the summer season, beginning June 6 and running to Sept. 5.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical - adapted from the Oscar-winning film "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert" starring Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce - is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, choreography is by Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen 'Spud' Murphy, and production design is by Brian Thomson. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Oscar-winning costume designs, which were originally designed for the film. BAFTA Award winning make-up design is re-created by Cassie Hanlon. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper and Sound design by Michael Waters.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical is produced in London by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott, John Frost, Michael Chugg, David Mirvish and The Really Useful Group.

To book tickets, contact the box office on 0844 755 0016, or visit www.priscillathemusical.com