Priscilla Queen of the Desert Will End Broadway Run in June; Tour Begins in 2013

By Andrew Gans
16 May 2012

Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams
Will Swenson, Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams
Photo by Joan Marcus

The Tony Award-winning production of Bette Midler's Priscilla Queen of the Desert, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on Broadway March 20, will play its final performance at the Palace Theatre June 24.

When it closes, the musical will have played 23 previews and 526 performances.

The U.S. national tour of Priscilla, according to a May 16 press announcement, will begin in Minneapolis at The Orpheum Theatre on Jan. 8, 2013.

The musical stars Tony Award nominee Will Swenson, Tony Award nominee Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams as "the trio of friends on a heart-warming, uplifting road trip of a lifetime who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed," according to press notes.

Priscilla was awarded a 2011 Tony Award for Best Costume Design for Academy Award winners Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner’s designs. The new musical was also honored with three Best Musical award nominations from the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award organizations. Olivier Award nominee Tony Sheldon received a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in addition to Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League nominations, and was awarded the Theatre World Award for outstanding Broadway debut. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner were also honored with 2011 Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Costume Design.

Adapted from the Academy Award-winning film "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert," the musical is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, choreography by Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen "Spud" Murphy, set design by Brian Thomson and costumes by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner. Production is supervised by Jerry Mitchell. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper, sound design is by Jonathan Deans and Peter Fitzgerald, and make-up design is by Cassie Hanlon.

For more information visit: www.priscillaonbroadway.com.