Big Band brilliance meets Hollywood glamour! BBD Entertainment presents a lavish evening of classic standards, live orchestral sweep and the kind of vocal interplay that made Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s collaboration so beloved. Two Melbourne dates this spring offer audiences the chance to hear the Great American Songbook delivered with warmth, wit and a 20 piece band.
Tony & Gaga: An Opulent Big Band Experience pairs powerhouse vocalist Sarah C with style icon Dom Bagnato for a show built around the songs that defined an era of sophisticated pop. Sarah C, known to Australian audiences from Dancing With The Stars and X Factor, brings vocal depth and presence to every standard, while Bagnato adds charm and stage charisma to match. Together, they recreate the chemistry that made Bennett and Gaga’s duet albums so appealing.
Behind them stands the Mojo Orchestra, a 20 piece ensemble delivering the lush arrangements these songs demand. Strings, brass and rhythm section fill the room with the kind of live orchestral sound that streaming cannot replicate. The setlist draws from the Great American Songbook, the body of classic standards that both Bennett and Gaga championed throughout their celebrated partnership.
The production plays two Melbourne venues this spring. Frankston Arts Centre hosts the first show on Saturday 5 September at 7.30pm, offering a seated theatre setting for audiences in the southern suburbs. A month later, on Friday 9 October at 7.30pm, the show moves to Birds Basement, the intimate jazz room beneath the city where the orchestra and vocalists will be close enough to touch.
Each venue offers a different way into the material. Frankston’s theatre brings scale and sweep; Birds Basement brings proximity and atmosphere. Both promise an evening of polished vocals, a full live band and songs that have never really gone out of style.
Tickets for both performances are on sale now. For an evening of classic standards, vocal chemistry and a 20 piece orchestra in full flight, book your seats at Sarah C Shows.
Based on the real-life story of history’s Grace O’Malley – an Irish Chieftain and notorious pirate, The Pirate Queen is an adventure chronicling the compelling, inspiring heroine who led an extraordinary life as a rogue, lover and mother in 16th-century Ireland. To protect her people and save her one true love, O’Malley must confront the one woman more powerful than her — her fierce rival, Queen Elizabeth I of England.
From the writers of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, the show combines classic storytelling and a sweeping score, with the powerful, vibrant traditions of Irish dance and song, to create a modern musical event that is both historic romance and a timeless epic.
Excited to be celebrating their 80th anniversary in 2025, MLOC Productions is the third oldest community theatre group in Australia. Founded in 1945 as the Mordialloc Philharmonic Society, they originally attracted return service men and their wives to form part of an 80-strong choir. Early performances included the opening of 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. By 1985, the group had become Mordialloc Light Opera Company (eventually abbreviated to MLOC) and have been performing a variety of productions in south-east Melbourne ever since. The Pirate Queen is an Australian first!
Being a new production to Australia, I had no idea what to expect and no pre-conceived expectations which is always adds difference either way because most shows (especially musicals) one has usually seen or at least heard about before. All I knew was that MLOC had done their amazing promo photo shoot at The Polly Woodside in Melbourne which intrigued me to see the show along with advice from a friend who went to the opening night and had loved it.
Firstly, this is a HUGE show requiring HUGE vocals and the main roles especially really have their work cut out for them in every song. HUGE applause therefore to Ella Fryer in her first lead role in a musical (playing ‘Grace O’Malley’) and Nickolas Brown, also his first lead role in a full-scale show (playing Grace’s true love ‘Tiernan’).
I think the character of Grace probably sang the equivalent of about an hour total, unbelievable stamina up there girl, good job!
Tiernan’s solo ‘I’ll Be There’ was a memorable rendition of heartfelt connection we hope all our men feel for us women, and coming from someone so young, very impressive!
Their entire supporting cast has enthusiasm to boot, (boots donned from the era of course). Varying ages in the show from Grace’s son (played by Jake Christie) to those like Evleen (played by Margot Sephton a MLOC life member) with a ton of stage presence over decades was lovely to see. It’s so important in theatre to bring up the next generation and that’s why I think community theatre groups just keep going full steam ahead; they are full of encouragement and support, both on and off the stage and they are not afraid to try something new.
The story of The Pirate Queen resonated a little of Disney’s ‘Mulan’ at the start as Grace pretends she’s a boy to get onto her father’s ship unnoticed, ‘Les Mis’ with sorrow and hardship, then throwing in some interesting accents similar to that given in ‘SIX’ and ‘Hamilton’. This newcomer to musical theatre certainly has the potential to fit in right where aiming its sword.
And no pirate themed anything would be complete without a sword fight or three. I particularly liked the one where they used slow motion and moderate strobe effect lighting (favourable note here that full/fast strobes are so unsuitable for many watching and though this show could’ve used them they didn’t).
Stormy seas are brought to life with the sudden drop of a massive sail giving us on our seats a gasp with it plummeting near the actors underneath, but yes, thankfully it was part of the theatrics, phew!
Transportation to the Emerald Isle is made authentic by the beautiful music and Celtic feel (special mention to Matthew Horsley, Claire Rainey & Brodie Nash on the pipes and whistles). The energy and true Irish dancing to this music has you toe tapping and there is great musicality in the choreography, as also noticed and mentioned by the friend I went with. We gave a shout out to Wendy Perrow. I couldn’t take my eyes off her quick feet embracing the poetry in motion of all those hops and heels up with the biggest smile of enjoyment on every step; she was having a ball portraying the Irish liveliness of more joyous scenes in weddings and birth celebrations (a baby born on stage, was a new one for me).
The costuming is exquisite; an embellished white gown of the Queen, the rich red and gold of those who guard her empire, and those dancing around the maypole with puffed sleeves, long petticoats and velvet ribbons – wonderful details along with those pirate outfits and boots on the ship sailing Clew Bay in 1558, the domain of the O’Malley clan.
‘Clan Rivalry’ is one thing I’ve experienced first-hand; I married a ‘Campbell’ and I found out you cannot visit the Highlands even these days without comments about their history with the ‘MacDonalds’ competing for dominance from every tour guide and pub owner…. However in this show the O’Malleys must make alliances with the O’Flaherty clan and so together the fathers of Grace O’Malley and Donal O’Flaherty (played entertainingly by Tyler Delacretaz) make a pact, and Tiernan, Grace’s true love, must step aside. Will he ever have the chance to reunite with her again? After all, Grace did say ‘you have my hand’ earlier…..
One thing is surely known after seeing The Pirate Queen’s curtain closing, the adventure spirit is alive and well in amateur theatre and I look forward to more shows from MLOC.
Congratulations to the creative team and cast, it takes bravery to put on a show that hasn’t been seen here before and you have conquered!
CAST
GRACE Ella Fryer TIERNAN Nickolas Brown LORD BINGHAM Keegan Dart QUEEN ELIZABETH I Niamh McPartland DONAL O’FLAHERTY Tyler Delacretaz DUBHDARA Jarod Rhine-Davis CHIEFTAN O’FLAHERTY Nicholas Bywater EVLEEN Margot Sephton MAJELLA Bridie Clark
Venue: Frankston Arts Centre, 27-37 Davey St. Frankston, Vic. The venue (undergoing some renovation currently didn’t affect our viewing) has its own paid car parking onsite, lots of street parking around the area plus heaps of restaurants and cafes, but there is also a generously sufficient bar, coffee and snack bar inside the theatre venue itself too.
Production Team: Artistic Director – Chris Ryan Musical Director – Matthew Pines Choreographer – Bridie Clark Vocal Director – Alyssa Sorgiovanni Production Manager – Debbie Jenkins Sound Designer – Daniel Bowen & James Dobson Lighting Designer – Daniel Bowen & Chris Ryan Costume Co-ordinator – Debbie Jenkins
Book by ALAIN BOUBLIL, CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG, RICHARD MALTBY JR. Music By CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG Lyrics By ALAIN BOUBLIL, RICHARD MALTBY JR., JOHN DEMPSEY