Full cast announced for The Rocky Horror Show’s 40th Anniversary Tour

Craig McLachlan will lead a cast of fresh and exciting performers in Howard Panter and John Frost’s new production of The Rocky Horror Show with the full company confirmed this morning.

The 40th Anniversary Australian tour of Richard O’Brien’s cult classic opens in January 2014 at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC in Brisbane and will tour to Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne until April.

“We are thrilled to have found the perfect cast for the 40th Anniversary Australian tour of this much loved iconic musical,” said Producers John Frost and Howard Panter today.

Craig McLachlan has been cast in the coveted role of Frank N Furter, and will join the production fresh from shooting the title role in the second series of ABC TV’s top rating drama series The Doctor Blake Mysteries.

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 Christie Whelan Browne and Tim Maddren. Reprising his role as Riff Raff, Frank’s loyal handyman, which he played in New Zealand and the UK will be Kristian Lavercombe, while his sister Magenta will be played by Erika Heynatz, who was nominated for a Helpmann Award for her debut musical theatre role in Legally Blonde.

Fresh from the role of Serena in Legally Blonde, 2011 Rob Guest Endowment Finalist Ashlea Pyke will star as Columbia while the dual roles of Eddie and Dr Scott will be played by WAAPA graduate and cabaret sensation Nicholas Christo. In his first leading will be Brendan Irving as Rocky and the Phantoms will be played by Vincent Hooper (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Luigi Lucente (Wicked), Meghan O’Shea (A Chorus Line) and Angela Scundi (Spring Awakening). James Maxfield (A Chorus Line) will keep the company in line as the Swing/Dance Captain.

With the exception of Melbourne, it has been 15 years since the cities in Rocky Horror’s tour schedule have seen a professional production of the musical and tickets are already selling like hotcakes! Now, with the announcement of an exceptional cast, there is even more reason to see this iconic musical in 2014.

“After an extensive audition process we have secured a group of exciting musical theatre talents to complete the cast. We know audiences are going to love doing the Time Warp with this wonderful cast again”, said Frost and Panter.

Millions of people all over the world continue to see productions of The Rocky Horror Show and sing along to the classics. Come on Australia – it’s time to do the Time Warp again!

Visit rockyhorror.com.au

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