The Rocky Horror Show
Following a sell-out 2014 Australian tour of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show to Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, this award-winning production returns in 2015 for a limited season at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from April, then a return season to Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from June.
The coveted role of Frank N Furter will again be played by television and theatre star Craig McLachlan, fresh from shooting the title role in the third series of ABC TV’s top rating drama series The Doctor Blake Mysteries. McLachlan was awarded Best Male Actor in a Musical at the 2014 Helpmann Awards for his role as Frank. Playing the roles of Janet and Brad, the naïve young couple caught up in a situation they don’t understand, will be musical theatre favourites Amy Lehpamer (Once, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Stephen Mahy (Grease, Jersey Boys). Reprising his role as Riff Raff, Frank’s loyal handyman, which he played across the world will be Kristian Lavercombe, while his sister Magenta will be played by Jayde Westaby, who has been working extensively in the UK (Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show UK tour).
Returning to the cast from the 2014 Australian tour will be Nicholas Christo (My Fair Lady) as Eddie and Dr Scott, and Brendan Irving (An Officer and a Gentleman) as Rocky. Columbia, the groupie in Frank’s entourage, will be played by Angelique Cassimatis (Mary Poppins, King Kong), and the Narrator by stage and television veteran Bert Newton (Wicked, The Producers).The Phantoms will be played by Meghan O’Shea (A Chorus Line), Suzanne Steele (Wicked), Darren Tyler (Legally Blonde) and Drew Weston (Mary Poppins), while the Swing/Dance Captain will be Nicholas Eaton (War Horse).
“After the huge success of last year’s tour, we received so many requests to bring this 40th Anniversary production of The Rocky Horror Show to Sydney. Finally now, a year later, a theatre is available so we’re elated to bring this much-loved iconic musical back to Sydney, before a return visit to Melbourne,” said producers Howard Panter and John Frost. “There is no one who can play Frank N Furter like Craig McLachlan – he won the Helpmann Award for this role last year. Craig oozes that risqué charm that an actor playing Frank needs, as well as bucket loads of sex appeal. And we are both thrilled and a little bit nervous to have the great Bert Newton play the Narrator and dance the Time Warp with us. With Craig and Bert leading this wonderfully talented cast, this is sure to be a wild and sexy night out. Sydney theatregoers should give themselves over to absolute pleasure before madness takes its toll!”
The Rocky Horror Show is a true classic and one of theatre’s most endearing and outrageously fun shows. It opened at London’s Royal Court Theatre on June 19, 1973, quickly developing a cult following, and was adapted into the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which has the longest-running release in film history. This iconic brand holds a unique place in theatre history, a show which has defied the decades and continued to grow in popularity. In 2010 the music of Rocky Horror was showcased in the smash hit TV show Glee, seen by over 20 million people world wide. Rocky Horror even has its own postage stamp.
Millions of people all over the world have and continue to see productions of The Rocky Horror Show and sung along to classics like Sweet Transvestite, Dammit Janet, I Can Make You A Man, Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me, Over At The Frankenstein Place and of course The Time Warp.
SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star
Season: From 11 April 2015
Performance Times: Tues 7pm, Wed–Sat 8pm, Sat matinee 2pm,
Sunday 1pm & 5.30pm
Price: From $69.90*
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 795 267
Groups 8+ call 1300 889 278
Venue: Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
Season: From 12 June 2015
Performance Times: Tues 7pm, Wed–Sat 8pm, Sat matinee 2pm,
Sunday 1pm & 5.30pm
Price: From $69.90 (additional transaction/processing fees may apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or phone 1300 111 011
Groups 8+ call 1300 889 278