John O'Hara and Lisa-Marie Parker Unite for One Night Only

Inspired by Shubert's Wintereisse (A Winter's Journey), December Songs portrays a brokenhearted young woman, wandering the snowy paths of Central Park. In this contemporary tale of her journey, she finds the strength to recover and begin her life anew. Written by prolific Broadway Composer Maury Yeston (Nine, Titanic, Phantom), December Songs will be performed by Lisa-Marie Parker (Les Miserables, Cats, Blood Brothers).

One lyricist and 18 composers join forces to create a unique music/theatre experience in Songs From An Unmade Bed, a work that explores the colourful life of a modern gay man as he navigates his way through life, love, lust and loss in New York City. Mark Campbell's lyrics on the endlessly surprising experience of urban romance have been set by an eclectic roster of today's musical artists. Songs From An Unmade Bed will be performed by John O'Hara (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Songs For A New World, Wicked).

Musically Directed by Geoffrey Castles (Aladdin, Les Mise?rables, Songs For A New World) on piano, who will be joined by Timothy Hennessy on Cello and Lara Wilson on Percussion.

Directed by Chris Parker (Blood Brothers, Sondheim on Sondheim, Twisted Broadway)
This will be the Melbourne Premiere of both extraordinary works.

American Song Cycle: A Double Bill
DATES: November 19, 2017
TIMES: 5pm
VENUE: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran FULL: $60 (Reserved Seating- 255 seats)

TO BOOK TICKETS: Visit: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au / Phone: 03 8290 7000
WEB: www.americansongcycle.com

John O'Hara

Affectionately known as 'Australia's John O'Hara', John is an in demand actor, singer and radio host.

Professionally, John has worked extensively across Australia and abroad. Highlights include Hair, Shout!, Eureka, Leader Of The Pack, High Society, Oklahoma!, Dusty, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, The Boy From Oz, Rock of Ages, Singin' In The Rain, Elegies, Grease, the tenth anniversary tour of Wicked, Stephen Sondheim's Company and Songs For A New World. Most recently John played Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert throughout Europe aboard the Norwegian Epic.

John's one-man show Dedications premiered to critical acclaim at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival curated in 2015 by Barry Humphries and has since toured Australia nationally. John enjoys a busy concert and corporate schedule appearing regularly for Out From Under, Twisted Broadway, Light The Night, Rock Rhapsody, The Three Waiters as well as regular performances for the City Of Perth, The Perth Theatre Trust and Telethon.

John is a regular voice on radio in Melbourne at Joy 94.9. John hosts popular theatre podcast Ticket A42 for AussieTheatre.com and provides the male voice to vocal warm up app Warm Me Up; both available through iTunes.

Lisa-Marie Parker

Lisa-Marie Parker is a versatile singer and actress whose career has spanned 20 years.

Her various stage credits include: The Sedaka Songbook, Grand DiVisions - A Moved Urban Cantata (Outer Urban Projects), Sondheim on Sondheim (Manilla Street Productions), Taxithi- An Australian Odyssey; Legally Blonde (Exitleft Productions), Blood Brothers (Manilla Street Productions) Nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Linda in Blood Brothers, Green Room Awards (2014), Atlantis-The Concert by Matthew Robinson, Cats (Really Useful Company) Nominated for Female Artist in a Featured Role in a Musical for Jellylorum/Grilddlebone, Green Room Awards (2010); John and Jen (Cast/Producer. Nominated for 5 Green Room Awards (2009) including Best Leading Actress in a Musical and Best Production.); The Sound of Music (ExitLeft Productions), Merrily We Roll Along, Mary Bryant (Magnormos); 1975-A Love Story (Brisbane Canto Coro); We Will Rock You (Louise Withers & Assoc); 1975-A Populist Opera (Melbourne Workers Theatre); Les Miserables (Cameron Mackintosh); McCubbin-A Musical Biography; Hello Dolly, Hair, Music Man, Call Me Madam (The Production Company); And the World Goes Round; Putting It Together; Songs for a New World; Crusade-The Concert (Picture This!) and It's All About Me! Lisa-Marie Charalambous in Cabaret.

Her screen credits include Olivia Newton-John; Dirt Game; City Homicide; Neighbours; Boytown; Scooter Secret Agent; RVIB Carols By Candlelight; AFL Grand Final; The Footy Show; Good Morning Australia, and ROCK IT! as the voice of 'Gamma the Computer' as well as numerous voice-overs and television commercials. Her recordings include McCubbin - A Musical Biography of Frederick McCubbin and Welcome to the Inside of Ed's Head by Eddie Perfect, and the Vocal Warm Up iPhone App - 'Warm Me Up'.

Lisa-Marie is also in demand as a specialized Music Theatre Voice Teacher, Audition Coach and Career Mentor and was a member of the Music Theatre Advisory Board on the development of the new AMEB Music Theatre Syllabus

Geoffrey Castles

Geoffrey's credits as Musical Director include Aladdin (Disney Theatrical Australia), the 25th Anniversary production of Les Mise?rables (Cameron Mackintosh/Michael Cassel), the Auckland season of Mary Poppins (Disney/Cameron Mackintosh), Songs For A New World (Blue Saint Productions/Chapel Off Chapel), Songs From An Unmade Bed (Adelaide Cabaret Festival), Diamonds Are For Trevor (Trevor Ashley/Arts Centre Melbourne/MidSumma & Darwin Festival/Darwin Symphony), What A Shock 'N' Shame (New Theatre) and Hello Again (Gaiety/Darlinghurst Theatre). As Associate/Assistant Musical Director for Wicked (GFO/Universal), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (James Anthony Productions), Mary Poppins (Disney/Cameron Mackintosh), Disney's High School Musical (Jacobsen/Really Useful) and Guys And Dolls (Donmar Warehouse/Ambassador). Geoffrey was the Musical Director for The Annual Sydney Cabaret Showcase in 2005, 2007 and 2009 and his other theatre credits include A Chorus Line (TML Enterprises), Into The Woods (ANZ/Rob Guest Endowment), Mamma Mia (Louise Withers), Pippin (Kookaburra), Spring Awakening (Sydney Theatre Company), Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical (GFO/Back Row Productions) and Altar Boyz (Ovations Live).

Geoffrey holds a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, an AMusA in piano from the AMEB and was awarded the 2002 Young Citizen of the Year for Willoughby City Council.

Chris Parker

Chris graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (2000) and went on to performed leading roles in musicals such as Mamma Mia (Littlestar), Summer Rain (Sydney Theatre Company), Crazy For You (The Production Company) and Sideshow Alley.

In 2001 Chris directed the Australian Premiere production of Songs for a New World (Chapel off Chapel), other credits include: Miss Saigon (GPAC), Blood Brothers (Chapel off Chapel), The Gathering (45 Downstairs), Oklahoma (Arts Academy), M. Fair Lady (GPAC), Ordinary Days (Revolt Art Space), Happy People (Chapel off Chapel), Sondheim on Sondheim (Melbourne Recital Centre), The Last Five Years (45 Downstairs) and Paul Sirett's play Bad Blood Blues (Chapel off Chapel) - nominated for four Green Room Awards, including Best Production and Best Direction. In 2012 Chris' original staging of Les Mise?rables (GPAC) won awards for Best Production and Best Direction. Chris' staging of Mathew Robinson's musical Atlantis (Chapel off Chapel) won Best Concert Presentation at the 2014 Pro Choice Awards.

Chris was the Resident Director for the Australian productions of Avenue Q (Arts Asia Pacific), The Graduate (Andrew Kay & Associates), Moonshadow (Cat Stevens), Georgy Girl - the Seekers musical (Richard East/Dennis Smith), and is currently working on The Bodyguard (GFO). Chris was Associate

Director for Geoffrey Robertson's Dreaming Too Loud Australian tour

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