The Boy From Oz opens on the Gold Coast

Spotlight Theatrical Company is continuing its stellar year with the all-Australian musical The Boy From Oz.

Spotlight Theatrical Company is continuing its stellar year with the all-Australian musical The Boy From Oz.

The Boy From Oz is the musical created to celebrate the life and work of the legendary Peter Allen.

This is the dazzling, funny and touching story of the great Australian entertainer Peter Allen, from his humble beginnings in Country Australia to his meteoric rise to fame as an international star. Singing in country pubs from age 11, Peter Allen survived family tragedy to become a local TV star at age 16. Discovered by Judy Garland, he married her daughter Liza Minnelli and went on to become a beloved performer and an Oscar-winning songwriter.

The Boy From Oz is the most successful Australian musical ever produced and the only one to ever make it to Broadway. The show skillfully weaves its way around the life and complexities of Peter Allen.

Stepping into the huge task of playing Peter Allen is Matthew Hadgraft. Matthew learnt to sing the hard way: in St John’s Cathedral Choir, 6 days a week! He leapt at music and drama at school then went on to study piano and musicology at the Queensland Conservatorium. Later he studied education and taught for a lengthy stint, which convinced him he actually wanted to perform after all. He played Benny in ABBALIVE – Australia’s Ultimate ABBA Show for 7 years, and earlier this year played Lt Frank Cioffi in Spotlight’s production of Curtains.

When he is not performing as Peter Allen he writes ads for a Gold Coast hit music radio station.

Bringing this production to life is no small feat, with a cast of over 30, a 13 piece live orchestra and nearly 300 costumes. The Boy From Oz is directed by Rhylee Nowell, director of the smash hits Shout, The Producers, Rent and most recently the 2009 record breaking Monty Pythons Spamalot.

The Boy From Oz tells the dazzling and heart-breaking story of the great entertainer Peter Allen and his meteoric rise to fame: from Tenterfield NSW to Hong Kong, Hollywood and beyond, the highlights, the lowlights, the successes and the losses and, most importantly, the instantly recognisable music of Peter Allen.

The show opened at Spotlight Theatre over the weekend. Bookings: (07) 5539 4255.