Jason Robert Brown's THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY To Have Australian Premiere At The Hayes 

Producers Matthew Henderson and Neil Gooding are thrilled to present the Australian premiere of the Tony Award winning musical The Bridges of Madison County. Based on the best-selling novel and developed by the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning creative team of Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) and Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, The Colour Purple), The Bridges of Madison County will have its Australian Premiere in March 2020 at Hayes Theatre Co.

The Bridges of Madison County is probably best known as the hit Academy Award-nominated film starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. Francesca Johnson is an Italian immigrant housewife living a happy existence on a farm in the American Midwest. However, while her family are away for a few days at the 1965 State Fair, she meets Robert Kincaid, a National Geographic photographer on assignment filming historic bridges in the area. Their initial friendship develops into a brief but passionate affair which has devastating consequences on both their lives. The Bridges of Madison County captures the lyrical expanse of America's heartland along with the yearning entangled in the eternal question of, 'What if ...?'

Playing the role of Francesca is Kate Maree Hoolihan, who played the role of Scaramouche in the original Australian production of We Will Rock You for which she won a prestigious Helpmann Award. Other notable theatre credits include the GFO/Opera Australia productions of My Fair Lady and Evita. Returning to the Hayes and performing the role of Robert is Martin Crewes. Martin originated the role of Steve Blauner in the World Premiere of Dream Lover for which he was nominated for a Helpmann Award. He was also nominated for his lead performance in the Helpmann Award winning production of Sweet Charity for Hayes Theatre Co.

Making his Hayes debut in the role of Francesca's stoic husband is musical theatre stalwart Anton Berezin (Evita, Sweeney Todd), while in the roles of the Johnson's probing neighbours Marge and Charlie are Beth Daly (Cry-Baby, Hello Dolly!) and Barry Mitchell (Dirty Dancing, Driving Miss Daisy). Making their Hayes Theatre Co debuts in the show are Katie McKee (My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music) and

Grady Swithenbank (Sweet Charity, West Side Story), alongside Zoe Ioannou (West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz) who has previously starred at the Hayes in Big Fish.

A stellar creative team has been assembled included director Neil Gooding (Dogfight, High Fidelity), musical director Geoffrey Castles (Aladdin, Aspects of Love) and choreographer Leah Howard (The Rocky Horror Show). Set designer is James Browne (Cabaret, Miracle City) and lighting designer is Phoebe Pilcher (Starstruck, This Bitter Earth).

The winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Score and Orchestrations, this sweeping romance about the roads we travel, the doors we open and the bridges we dare to cross will leave audiences breathless.

Tickets for The Bridges of Madison County are available now as part of a season subscription with single tickets on sale from 28 October. All bookings can be made at www.hayestheatre.com.au or by calling the Hayes Theatre Co box office during business hours on (02) 8065 7337.

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