Muriel’s Wedding cast announcement

Producers Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures today released the first cast announcement for their upcoming stage adaption of the smash hit 90’s movie Muriel’s Wedding.

Taking on the iconic role of Muriel Heslop will be 20 year old, Melbourne born, newcomer Maggie McKenna. McKenna will be making her professional stage debut after recently returning to Australia from Los Angeles where she was training at the American Musical and Dance Academy (AMDA).

Writer and Director of the original film PJ Hogan said of McKenna: “When I made the film, Muriel was a difficult part to cast. So my smile was huge when I met Toni Collette.  Almost 25 years later I smiled that same smile when I met Maggie McKenna.”

Joining McKenna onstage will be Justine Clarke (House Husbands, A Month of Sundays) playing her mother Betty Heslop. Other members of the Heslop family will be portrayed by Briallen Clarke (Joanie), Michael Whalley (Perry) and Connor Sweeney (Malcolm).

Helen Dallimore (Wicked, Legally Blonde) will beauty consultant Deidre Chambers and is joined by another blonde bombshell in Christie Whelan Browne, who will be playing Tania Degano, accompanied by her bridesmaids Manon Gunderson Briggs and Laura Murphy and husband Chook, played by Aaron Tsindos.

Brice Nobes, is played by Ben Bennett (American Idiot) and Stephen Madsen (Heathers, Rent) is Olympic swimming hopeful Alexander Shkuratov, coached by Josh Quong Tart’s Ken.

The world premiere production will also feature Sheridan Harbridge, Mark Hill, Annie Aitken, Kaeng Chan, Tony Cogin, Adrian Li Donni and Kenneth Moraleda.

The dream theatre director/designer team of Simon Phillips and Gabriela Tylesova (Love Never Dies, Ladies in Blackand STC’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Dead) lead a stellar creative team which also includes choreographer Andrew Hallsworth, lighting designer Trent Suidgeest, sound designer Michael Waters, musical supervisor Guy Simpson, musical director Isaac Hayward with original music by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall.

It was also announced that another, final week of performances has been added to the season, which will now close on Saturday 27 January 2018, with no possible further extension. The production is at Roslyn Packer Theatre with previews from 6 November, opening on Saturday 18 November 2017.

Tickets are on sale now. Details at Sydneytheatre.com.au.