West End's PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT to Close December 31

Tomorrow, Saturday 3 September 2011, the West End production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical will celebrate its dazzling 1000th performance at the Palace Theatre. Oscar®, Tony and Olivier award-winning Priscilla Queen of the Desert tells the story of three friends who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback. They hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed.

With an astounding array of outrageous costumes and featuring a score of dance-floor classics, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical opened at the Palace Theatre in March 2009. The production will now have its final West End performance on 31 December 2011 (see listings information below for 2011 Christmas performance schedule).

Next month Ray Meagher, best known on television for playing Alf Stewart in the long running Australian soap Home and Away, will re-join the West End cast as mechanic Bob following his hugely successful run in the show last year. He joins Don Gallagher (Bernadette), Richard Grieve (Tick) and Oliver Thornton (Adam) who play the glamorous Sydney-based performing trio.

Australian born Ray Meagher's acting career has spanned a period of over 35 years on film, television and stage. His is best known for playing the ongoing role of Alf Stewart in the Australian soap Home and Away, a role which he has played since the first episode of the series in 1988. In 2010 Meagher won the Gold Logie Award for the Most Popular Personality on Australian Television. In 2007 he joined the Australian cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical to play Bob in the original Sydney production. Meagher has worked extensively in pantomime throughout the UK, most recently playing Captain Hook in Peter Pan in Tunbridge Wells. His extensive Australian theatre credits include work for Queensland Theatre Company and the Adelaide Festival. His many film credits include Breaker Morant, The Chamberlain Report and Mail Order Bride.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical had its world premiere in Sydney in October 2006 and subsequently wowed audiences and critics alike in Melbourne and New Zealand, becoming the most successful Australian musical of all time. After a return Sydney season and a recent run in Toronto, in March this year the Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical opened at the Palace Theatre in New York. Further international dates are planned for Italy and Brazil. Discussions are also taking place regarding other international territories including Scandinavia, Germany and Asia.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, Choreography is by Ross Coleman, Musical Supervision and Arrangements by Stephen ‘Spud' Murphy and Production Design is by Brian Thomson. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Oscar®-winning Costume Designs, which were originally designed for the film. BAFTA Award winning Make Up Design is recreated by Cassie Hanlon. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper and Sound Design by Michael Waters.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is produced in London by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott, John Frost, Michael Chugg, David Mirvish and The Really Useful Group, in association with MGM on Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber, based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Dates: Final Performance 31 December 2011

Address: Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London W1

Performances: Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm

Website: priscillathemusical.com

Ticket prices: £65, £45, £25, £20
a £1 Theatre Restoration Levy will added to each ticket
Booking Fee - £2.00 booking fee applies for all tickets purchased except postal and personal bookings at the Palace Theatre

Box Office: 0844 755 0016

Christmas Performance Schedule: Monday 19 December at 7.30pm
Tuesday 20 December at 7.30pm
Wednesday 21 December at 7.30pm
Thursday 22 December at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Friday 23 December at 7.30pm
Saturday 24 December no performance
Sunday 25 December no performance

Monday 26 December at 7.30pm
Tuesday 27 December at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Wednesday 28 December at 7.30pm
Thursday 29 December at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Friday 30 December at 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Saturday 31 December at 2.30pm & 7.30pm