Top cast for Girl Crazy in Sydney

Some of the biggest names in Australian musical theatre will appear in a production of Girl Crazy in Sydney.

It was confirmed today that Ian Stenlake, Rachel Beck, Chris Horsey, Emma Cooperthwaite, James Millar [pictured], Belinda Wollaston, Luke Joslin, Kate Parry, John Rowe and Octavia Barron-Martin will star in the show at the Darlinghurst Theatre.

The 1930 stage musical Girl Crazy is famous for making stars of Ethel Merman and Ginger Rogers and has the most endearing and wonderful Gershwin songs ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘Embraceable You’, ‘But Not for Me’ and ‘Strike Up The Band’.

This will be the second presentation of Neglected Musicals at the Darlinghurst Theatre on Monday, July 26 at 2pm and 8pm.

Neglected Musicals is a new theatre initiative dedicated to presenting musical theatre that has never or rarely been seen in Australia. Earlier this year Neglected Musicals presented the Douglas J Cohen musical No Way To Treat A Lady.

The musicals are presented as a reading with scripts in hand and with the musical numbers sung through, after only a few rehearsals.  The presentations do not have set or costume design – just the book, the songs and the performers.

There have been several film versions of Girl Crazy, all quite different in plot with added and omitted songs including the 1943 film with Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. The 1990’s musical Crazy For You takes its essence from Girl Crazy – now you can see what started it all.

“Presenting Girl Crazy gives the audience a rare chance to witness the birth of the American Musical – with George and Ira Gershwin as proud parents,” said director Nicholas Hammond.

According to his father, Danny Churchill is too focused on girls and parties and therefore goes girl crazy. So Danny’s father ships him off to a mostly male town in Arizona with the goal of getting Danny’s attention focused on more serious matters. However, soon after arriving, Danny falls in love with the local postmistress, Molly Gray. He wins Molly’s affections – but can he beat off a New York rival?

“We are so lucky to have such a great cast and creative team for the second Neglected Musical,” said producer Michelle Guthrie.

“With so much talent this wonderful Gershwin score will sound spectacular.”