musical - Whats The Show

9 to 5: The Musical

3 November 2024 Emma Basc

9 to 5: The Musical Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Don Russell Performing Arts Centre hosts Art in Motion Theatre company as they present 9 to 5: The Musical, based on the iconic 1980s film by 20th Century Fox, with music and lyrics written by the legendary Dolly Parton.

Walking into the theatre, it was both intimidating and exciting to see the band sitting right there, front and centre, staring at you as you walked in. It was intimidating because you walked around the corner practically into the band, and it was exciting because the musicians were normally hidden in the pit, and often, community-based musicals rely on recorded music. Who doesn’t love live musicians at a musical?!

My first thoughts on the show were that it was confronting. As a feminist in 2024, where gender parity is still very much a goal to strive for, it was confronting to see this portrayal of workplace culture in the 1970s (which really doesn’t feel like that long ago; if anyone mentions that it was half a century ago, we can no longer be friends) and to realise just how far we have come.

The show was light-hearted and funny and didn’t feel like a lesson in feminist agenda, yet seeing the way actor Aaron Lucas portrayed the villain, Franklin Hart, with the support of the whole male cast, made me uncomfortable, which may have been the intention. I heard someone in the packed audience say, ‘Can they say that now?’ which tells me that the director, Lys Tickner, did a great job of showcasing the themes of empowerment and feminism, without losing the fun-filled musical feel that kept audiences toes tapping.

For those unfamiliar with the show, 9 to 5 is set in an office in the 1970s. The office boss, Franklin Hart, is a sexist, pompous letch with zero ethics with his eye well and truly on Doralee Rhodes, played by Jen Gadeke, a married country girl who can’t seem to make any friends at work. Once the rumour of her affair with Hart is debunked, Doralee is befriended by the new girl and soon-to-be divorcee Judy Bernly, played by Stacey Gobey, and office supervisor Violet Newsted, played by Sarah McCabe, who has taken Judy under her wing, all of whom try to stay away from the office snitch Roz Keith, played by Mary Carter.

We know that when women circle, good things happen. So after a small mishap with poison, one thing leads to another. A kidnapping occurs, and from there, the friends take it upon themselves to hide their misdeeds while also setting the world to rights and creating the kind of workplace that people want to work in. Productivity goes up, escape happens, and the good guy (girls) wins in the end. All set to iconic Dolly Parton music.

The cast do a brilliant job portraying the characters and belting out a tune, I spent the show thinking ‘oh, she’s my favourite….oh no, she is…..ohhh I like her…’ between the female leads and when curtain call came I clapped and cheered for them equally but wanted to boo for Lucas (but did restrain myself), which I’m taking as a sign he did a great job portraying an awful character.

The sets were great. The set changes were really quite simple, and yet when Gadeke climbed the ladder to look for the missing file, I swear I saw a file move! I have to say that the scene with the photocopier might have been set in the 1970s, but it was a little too relatable for a 2020 office. While we may have come a long way with employment law, we haven’t come far at all when it comes to photocopier paper jams!

Hats off to the costume director. Noteworthy moments included the ensemble of Roz (how good are those glasses) and the ensemble of Frank in shorts. Some things can not be unseen; I think that vision will be with me for longer than I wish.

The music is wonderful, with some well-known (and some less well-known) Dolly Parton songs hosting over-the-top dance numbers and dream scenes. Even if you have never heard a Dolly Parton song, you will still be bopping along with the music. A great way to spend an evening.

9 to 5 is at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre November 8, 9 and 10. With just one weekend, and three shows remaining, book your tickets for 9 To 5: The Musical as soon as possible.
https://drpac.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/138177

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

A Serene Soundscape: Noonan & Schaupps Southern Skies Volume 2

28 October 2024 Faith Jessel

Songs Of The Southern Skies Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

On the traditional lands of the Dharug people, The Parramatta Riverside Theatre played host to a celestial journey through the works of Australia’s brightest female songwriters and singers. Katie Noonan and Karin Schaupp’s “Southern Skies Volume 2” reimagines the timelessness of Australian music including industry royalty such as Aunty Ruby Hunter, Kate Ceberano, Missy Higgins, and Sia.

Amidst the pulsing, frenetic energy of Parramatta’s Eats.Beats.Art Festival, Noonan and Schaupp’s performance provided a serene oasis, a pocket of tranquillity in a world that seems to never stop. The crowd, a mix of ages and backgrounds, was visibly captivated by their heartfelt interpretations and innovative arrangements. These carefully curated selections showcased the enduring appeal, depth and diversity of Aussie music, reaching as far back as the 70’s. It was an intimate experience showcasing the talent of two extraordinary artists.

Noonan’s ethereal vocals, paired with Schaupp’s masterful guitar work, breathed new life into iconic and some lesser known gems. Their performance was a stunning tribute to the extraordinary talent of Australian female singer-songwriters, culminating in a meditative and memorable evening.

With less-is-more magic, they paid homage to the original songwriters and singers. This stripped-back approach highlighted the strength of the songwriting itself, revealing unexpected soul in familiar tracks. Who would have thought that Olivia Newton-John’s “Xanadu” or Kylie Minogue carried such spiritual messages and connections?

Noonan’s voice is truly something special. Her incredible range effortlessly bridges the spectrum of human experience. She wields a unique ability to transform a song, cradling the soft moments while reverently holding space for the lyrics, before ascending to operatic heights. Every note is infused with a sage sense of love and authenticity as we witness the music flow through her. Her respect for her craft and why she does it is inspiring and evident in every note.

Noonan is also a natural storyteller. She is so warm, inviting and humorous, introducing each song and their creators with quips, memories or anecdotes – like she’s welcoming you into her living room.

Classical guitarist Karin Schaupp, an internationally sought-after recitalist and soloist, is the perfect musical foil for Noonan. Her technical brilliance and intuitive playing style provided subtle support, intricate harmonies, and emotional depth. A new found appreciation for this instrument and its artists was discovered.

While this performance was a minimalist masterpiece, featuring only Noonan’s vocals, Schaupp’s intricate guitar work, and some sparse percussion, the album itself features guest singers. Make sure you check out Kate Ceberano’s fabulous new version of “Brave” that reveals the raw power of her incredible ability and emotional expressiveness. ‘I Thought You Were God’ with the brilliant Clare Bowditch is a lesson in harmonising and the magic that happens when two great voices come together.

Noonan and Schaupp are a dual talent that sustain, fiercely advocate for, and shape the Aussie music industry scene. There’s a reason these ARIA-winning powerhouses are celebrated. Deceptively simple but deeply profound, “Southern Skies Volume 2” is music that calms the heart, ignites the imagination, and offers enlightenment.

A soundtrack for creative expression or quiet contemplation, Noonan and Schupps are a symbiotic testament to the universal beauty of words and music and the way they can move and inspire.

Don’t just listen to it, experience it.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Sweet Charity – Closing Days

26 October 2024 Debra Campbell

Sweet Charity Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Firstly, ‘Sweet Charity’ is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by the legendary Bob Fosse and based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film Nights of Cabiria. A show so rich in big name history is no easy feat to pull off and the team at the Mountain District Musical Society currently playing the show at Karralyka Theatre in Ringwood have done an outstanding job.

‘Charity Hope Valentine’ is a taxi dancer, a dance partner-for-hire at a seedy dance hall in New York City. Though the job may be decidedly undesirable, Charity’s hopeful romanticism and unfailing optimism lift her out of her circumstances and help her reach for a life beyond. In the past, she’s been strung along and hung out to dry by a series of bad relationships and lousier men. When she meets Oscar, a neurotic, shy actuary seemingly from another world, will she finally find true love at last?

With a laugh-a-minute script by the incomparable, the audience is destined to fall in love with Charity’s limitless spirit, as she lives life “hopefully ever after.” This exuberant, groovy, hilarious musical comedy includes hits such as Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, I’m a Brass Band and Baby, Dream Your Dream.

So, having read and seen many a Sweet Charity production before, my expectations are quite high. The “just want to be loved” leading lady Charity is bright and bubbly as played by Madeleine Magetti with an excellent authentic accent from New York. According to the program, this is her dream role, and what a role; this show is all Charity! Madeleine brought to the main character a sense of longing for the audience to feel for her situation, and laughter of course, but we also knew that Charity was seeking even more than love; for acceptance of who she is and the future she dreams of.

‘Oscar’ played by Leigh Roncon was just sooooo much fun, what a talent in comedy! The elevator scene cannot be beaten with claustrophobic Oscar and the upbeat positive Charity trying to hold him together and not panic; it’s professional quality from both of them in this extensive scripting.

There’s LOTS of dancing in the show and LOTS of great musical numbers, the orchestra is a simply amazing; one of the best I’ve heard in an amateur production for sure.

‘Big Spender’ always packs a punch and that theme (that is impossible not to like) is played throughout the show – I loved watching all the girls act it up in their own personality, all of them different but giving the same story to their men visitors “open for business” LOL.

My favourite group rendition was definitely ‘Rhythm of Life’ with Daddy Brubeck played by Jason Sainsbury-King taking over the stage with his band of new age church hippies under the bridge. If you grew up in the 60s you’re going to tap your feet, sing along and enjoy everything about this and the spot-on costuming, full of flower power; I didn’t want it to end!

A standout solo for me was sung by Vittorio played by Julian Campobasso with ‘Too Many Tomorrows’ and the Beehive & Blonde duet ‘Baby Dream Your Dream’ by Nickie and Helene, played by Nicole Kapiniaris-Anson and Hayley Wooten, was only one part of a show filled with their incredible talents as Charity’s two best friends in the dance hall.

The dance hall scenes are great by all the cast and the ensemble too in this show got plenty of shine time, especially in ‘I love to cry at Weddings’ where I think they were able to ad lib and did such a good job.

Bonus points on clever use of the set, the fountain lake, the big window in the apartment and the props and clothes with the line “hide in the wardrobe” – I couldn’t even tell Charity was there in plain sight as she disappeared into the rack.

The supporting cast bounced well off each other. Both my friend and I felt the enthusiasm and love between them all on stage, and the way in which everyone makes up the finale bows was a fabulous finish with tons of applause for all:

Herman: Michael Gibson
Ursula: Ella Miatke
Carmen: Ellen Lane
Rosie: Jessica Clark
Suzanne: Amber Orchard
Betsy: Gaynor Borlase
Frenchy: Stephanie Vienet
Elaine: Jade Bishop
Alice: Olivia Poggi

Ensemble: Katherine Gloss, Samara Trimble, Ainsley Thomson, Steve Atkinson, Talwyn Gibson, Mark Curran, Nick Toovey, Kyah Pritchard.

Congratulations to Director/Choreographer Di Morgan, Musical Director Vicki Quinn and your production team. We loved it – a happy night out with a bestie who also loves musical theatre.

The Karralyka Theatre in Mines Rd Ringwood is one of the best suburban venues – easy to get to, easy parking, comfortable seats and very reasonable ticket prices. Ticket link: https://www.karralyka.com.au/Theatre/Touring-and-Community/MDMS-Presents-Sweet-Charity

The program is great, too. Give whoever put that together for this show a clap. Make sure you get one. I often think amateur theatre programs are better than professional ones. It has lots of information and pictures of everyone in the cast and creative team.

SWEET CHARITY is playing the rest of this weekend until their Sunday, 27 October matinee – ‘you should see it now’ and note in your diary Mary Poppins in June 2025: https://www.mdms.org.au/

Photo credit: Gavin Andrew

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Kiss Me Kate: Presented by The Gilbert and Sullivan Society

5 October 2024 Poppy Rogers

Kiss Me Kate Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA returns for its second major production of 2024. Straying from the traditional G&S its name suggests, it presents Cole Porter’s musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate.

Based on the book by Sam and Bella Spewack, Kiss Me, Kate is a show within a show; passions run high as former spouses feud onstage and off during a musical staging of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The egotistical leading man, director, and producer Fred Graham (Ian Lawrance) are reunited with his ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi (Hayley Parker), when the two are brought together to star opposite each other as Petruchio and Katherine in a new adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew.

While their barbed and battling relationship puts the entire company on edge, the show’s supporting actress, Lois (Taylor Westland), finds out that her gambling actor boyfriend, Bill (Calen Simpson), has racked up an enormous debt and is hiding out at the theatre to evade the collection by local mobsters.

It’s great to see local groups stage musicals that are well known for their large overseas productions, including the recent West End stage show and, of course, Broadway. The millennials in attendance will be familiar with the themes and characters of The Taming of The Shrew, thanks to 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You.

Opening night at The University of Western Australia’s Dolphin Theatre was well attended and felt like the show had started as soon as you entered the foyer with a news kid (Ashlee Graveson) handing out flyers for that evening’s performance of The Taming of the Shrew. Two menacing gangsters (Samuel Farr and Tracey Myhill) also paced the foyer on the hunt for those with outstanding IOUs to be paid, adding a bit of fun while we waited.

Upon entering the auditorium, it was hard not to be excited to see the Orchestra front and centre rather than tucked away in the pit. However, if you were sat in the first row or two, it did mean they were eye level, so it was easy to get caught up in watching the musicians and not the action on stage.

The simple set and the inventive use of several elements in different ways, including spinning doors around to create the inside of dressing rooms, made for quick set changes. Keeping the set simple also came in handy for times when the entire cast was on stage, which had the potential to feel cluttered. I would have loved to have seen all of the performers in some scenes; however, there was a bit of blocking from those front and centre.

The four leads, Hayley Parker, Ian Lawrance, Taylor Westland, and Calen Simpson, delivered strong vocal performances and were supported by a talented ensemble. At times in the first half, the microphones had either not yet been switched on or could have been turned up more as dialogue was drowned out by the wonderful music. The same can be said for supporting cast members who didn’t have the luxury of microphones.

Well done to the costume team, as dressing a cast of this size can be challenging. I loved the details, right down to the shoe buckles strapped on—very clever.

With Cole Porter’s music and lyrics, it was hard not to keep your toe tapping all the way home. Even the next afternoon, I can’t get “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” out of my head. The cast is clearly having a great time performing this show, which is contagious for the audience.

Kiss Me, Kate is performed at The Dolphin Theatre in Crawley for an 11-show season.
October 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 12 at 7.30 pm
October 5 & 12 at 2 pm
October 13 at 3 pm

Bookings at https://www.gilbertandsullivanwa.org.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Connect Online