FUNNY GIRL, CURTAINS & DUSTY Set for The Production Company's 2016 Season

Today Jeanne Pratt AC, Chairman of The Production Company, announced her Company's 2016 season, starring CAROLINE O'CONNOR, DAVID HOBSON, NANCYE HAYES, SIMON GLEESON, AMY LEHPAMER AND TODD McKENNEY.

"Sensational artists in three great musicals comprise The Production Company's new season. The classic Broadway musical, FUNNY GIRL, will open the season in the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on July 23, the Kander and Ebb musical comedy Whodunnit, CURTAINS is in August and the Australian musical, DUSTY will be in the Playhouse Arts Centre Melbourne from November 12."

Subscriptions for the season are now on sale.

FUNNY GIRL opens in Arts Centre Melbourne's State Theatre on July 23 for a season of ten performances.

The brilliant Caroline O'Connor stars in Gale Edwards' new staging of this classic Broadway musical about the great Broadway comedienne, Fanny Brice. Caroline O'Connor: "I'm so excited to be returning to The Production Company this year to reprise one of my favourite roles, Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL. This show has a very special place in my heart and brings back a lot of wonderful memories particularly as it was in the first season The Production Company ever staged back in 1999. I'm really looking forward to working with my incredible director Gale Edwards again. It's been 3 years since we worked together on Gypsy and that experience is something I'll always treasure. I'm proud and honoured to be part of The Production Company family."

Told in flashback, we follow her life from stage-struck teen to stardom in the Ziegfeld Follies, and her stormy relationship with the debonair gambler, Nick Arnstein.

The sensational Australian tenor, David Hobson makes his debut with The Production Company as Nick Arnstein and the legendary Nancye Hayes is Fanny's mother, Mrs Brice. Nancye Hayes:

"I'm very excited to be part of this season. The opportunity to work with Gale Edwards and Caroline O'Connor (in the same production this time) has me very, very excited. These two women have had wonderful careers and are highly regarded in this country, and to spend time with them both in the rehearsal room and on stage is going to be truly wonderful".

Jule Styne's incredible score includes the hits: Don't Rain on My Parade, People and I'm the Greatest Star.

Directed by award winning Gale Edwards and the Musical Director is Anthony Gabriele who returns from London West End seasons of Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King and CATS.

CURTAINS opens in Arts Centre Melbourne's State Theatre on August 20 for a season of ten performances.

Boston, 1959, it's the opening night of Robbin' Hood of the Old West when suddenly at the curtain call, its supremely untalented leading lady is murdered onstage. The entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, local detective and passionate amateur theatrical who unravels the mystery, fixes the show and falls in love with the ingénue, Miss Niki Harris.

Simon Gleeson, (LES MISERABLES and CHESS) stars as Frank Cioffi. Simon Gleeson: "Curtains is a stunning piece, it is a hell of a lot of fun, we have an amazing cast and a wonderful director, Roger Hodgman. It's going to be fun, impulsive and a laugh a minute, it's a very funny show".

In the role of Niki Harris is Alinta Chidzey. Melissa Langton is the brassy Broadway producer, Carmen Bernstein. Lucy Maunder and Alex Rathgeber are Georgia and Aaron, the show's song writing team.

The creative team that staged last season's enchanting Nice Work If you Can Get It returns for this Australian premiere season. Director is Helpmann Award winner, Roger Hodgman (Show Boat, Grey Gardens), Musical Director John Foreman (The Boy From Oz, Singin' in the Rain) and Choreographer is Dana Jolly (Show Boat, Grey Gardens).

DUSTY opens in Arts Centre Melbourne's Playhouse on November 12 for a season of 17 performances.

In the 1960's, Dusty Springfield took the world by storm with her unique, sensual soul singing and a score of hits including I Only Want To Be With You, Wishin' and Hopin', The Look of Love, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, and Son of a Preacher Man. DUSTY the musical features these hits and many more! It's the story of the shy, young Londoner, Mary O'Brien who transforms herself into the blonde, pop-icon Dusty Springfield.

Amy Lehpamer returns to The Production Company in the role of Dusty Springfield. The brilliant

Todd McKenney will be her camp, loyal hairdresser and long time confidant, Rodney.

Todd McKenney: "I'm really thrilled to be asked to play Rodney in DUSTY working with the beautiful Amy Lehpamer. Rodney is probably the only gay character I haven't played up to this point in my career so I can tick this one off my bucket list! I love the adrenaline I get from doing a Production Company show because everything is so fast.

DUSTY the musical is the creation of the Australian writers John-Michael Howson, David Mitchell and Melvyn Morrow. Ten years since its premiere, it's time to fall in love with DUSTY all over again.

Jason Langley directs DUSTY, his first musical for The Production Company, Michael Tyack, the outstanding expert on musical theatre conducts and Michael Ralph, who did the choreography for West Side Story last season, will choreograph DUSTY.

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