PRISCILLA Reality Show in Australia Seeks New Grand Prize with Broadway Close

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT will play its final performance on Broadway on June 24, 2012 after 23 previews and 526 performances. The production had been averaging both 60.79% attendance and 41.59% of its gross potential in 2012, down from 70.41% attendance in 2011 and 53.18% of its potential. It's unknown at this time if the production recouped its initial investment. 

As a result of the show's closing, Australia's Herald Sun is reporting that the Australian-based reality talent show on Channel Ten, I Will Survive is now in search of a new grand prize.

Australia media giant Fremantle Media will be presenting a new reality show, which will be broadcast on Network Ten.

Beginning with open auditions, the most talented performers will be selected to come aboard the famous Priscilla bus and retrace the steps of the box-office movie from Sydney to Alice Springs, performing at each outback location on the way.

Along the journey, judges, mentors and industry professionals will challenge, train and critique each of the performers. The field will be slowly whittled down to a final four in Alice Springs, who were then to journey to New York City to receive training as "Tick", and assume a role in the ensemble.  With the Broadway production closing in June, and the London production closed since December, producers are hard at work seeking a new "career-breaking" grand prize.

According to the report: "A Ten spokesperson said the closure of Priscilla will not affect the show or the prizes they have on offer. 'It's unfortunate news, but that's the nature of show business and we were aware this was a possibility...The journey of the contestants is the backbone of this program.'

For the full report in The Herald Sun, click here.

PRISCILLA opened on March 20, 2011 at The Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway) and  stars Tony Award^® nominee Will Swenson, Tony Award^® nominee Tony Sheldon and Nick Adams as the trio of friends on a road trip who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed.

PRISCILLA was awarded a 2011 Tony Award^® for Best Costume Design for Academy Award^® winners Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner’s designs. The new hit musical was also honored with three Best Musical award nominations from the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award organizations. Olivier Award nominee Tony Sheldon received a Tony Award^® nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in addition to Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League nominations, and was awarded the Theatre World Award for outstanding Broadway debut. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner were also honored with 2011 Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Costume Design.

Adapted from the Academy Award^® winning film The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott.  Direction is by Simon Phillips, choreography by Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen ‘Spud’ Murphy and set design by Brian Thomson and costumes by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner. Production supervised by Jerry Mitchell.  Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper, sound design is by Jonathan Deans and Peter Fitzgerald and make up design is by Cassie Hanlon.