Broadway hits to tour Perth?

According to The West Australian last week (September 1, Entertainment section), Perth audiences are going to think they are living on Broadway next year, as producers begin to release dates for 2013.

Following on from the successes of Wicked, Mary Poppins and healthy ticket sales for Annie and A Chorus Line, whispers are about that the producers of Legally Blonde, Jersey Boys, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Addams Family and an unnamed fifth production are looking to bring their shows to Perth.

[pull_left]According to the West, an announcement regarding Jersey Boys is imminent.[/pull_left]

According to the West, an announcement regarding Jersey Boys is imminent. It is believed it will play Perth at the end of its tour to Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne, where the Australian production originally opened in 2009. Jersey Boys tells the tale of the 60s pop sensation, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and is full of their hit songs including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.

Currently in rehearsals and opening in Sydney next month, Legally Blonde stars Perth raised musical theatre star Lucy Durack. A Perth tour would enable Durack to return home and follow on from her success as Glinda the good witch, in Wicked. The show also stars Rob Mills, David Harris, Helen Dallimore, Erika Heynatz and Cameron Daddo.

Fingers crossed Eastern states audiences embrace these shows and flock to see them, for ultimately tours to Perth depend on this. Several productions have been rumoured to play Perth in the past, (Priscilla, Strange Bedfellows and Rock of Ages) and never made it.

Hopefully with the re-branding of Burswood to Crown and the mining boom currently pouring money into Western Australia’s economy, Perth becomes an Australian capital city on every producers wish list. We now just need the theatres.

And my guesses for the unnamed fifth production: South Pacific or War Horse.

Opening Dates:

Jersey Boys is currently playing at QPAC in Brisbane and will transfer to Adelaide in October

Legally Blonde officially opens in Sydney on October 4 2012 with previews from Friday 21 September

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opens in Sydney on 16 November 2012

The Addams Family opens in Sydney in March 2013