Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA to Have Australian Premiere in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella will have its Australian Premiere in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre in November, presented by Opera Australia and the Gordon Frost Organisation.

Continuing their collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals, most recently The King and I, Opera Australia and The Gordon Frost Organisation are uniting again to produce the Tony Award-winning Broadway production for the first time in Australia, with support from the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella combines the story's classic elements - the glass slippers, pumpkin, a beautiful masked ball and more - along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and making the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too.

"Rodgers & Hammerstein have written some of the most beautiful scores in musical theatre including The Sound of Music, Carousel and Oklahoma, and we're thrilled to continue our association with this lush and romantic new production," said producers John Frost and Lyndon Terracini. "Featuring incredible orchestrations, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love from the classic story, you'll be transported back to your childhood and also be delighted by the contemporary twists. Auditions are coming up, and we can't wait to find our Cinderella, Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, Stepmother and all the other characters for this hilarious and romantic tale."

The Australian premiere has been secured exclusively for Sydney by the Government's tourism and major events agency Destination NSW and will be a major drawcard for visitors to NSW.

"Sydney is a city of the stage and we've been leading the world in getting COVID-safe productions up and running - now we're building on the calendar to keep audiences engaged and visitors planning their next city escape to see a show. We anticipate this production will attract more than 20,000 visitors to Sydney, delivering $13.3 million in visitor expenditure for NSW," said Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres.

One of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most popular titles, Cinderella was written for television, debuting in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance. More than 100 million viewers saw the broadcast, more people than any other program in the history of television at the time. Cinderella was re-made for television in 1965 starring Lesley Ann Warren in the title role, Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon as the King and Queen, and Celeste Holm as the Fairy Godmother. A further television remake followed in 1997 with Brandy as Cinderella, Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother, Whoopi Goldberg as the Queen and Jason Alexander as Lionel.

The stage version of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella made its long-awaited Broadway debut in January 2013, featuring a new book by Douglas Carter Beane and direction by Mark Brokaw, and it ran for two years. Mr Beane's book blends masterfully with the musical's cherished score, with songs including In My Own Little Corner, Impossible/It's Possible, Ten Minutes Ago and Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?

Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is a romantic and exciting experience for anyone who's ever had a dream. Tickets will go on sale on 30 April, with pre-sales from 26 April - waitlist now at www.cinderellamusical.com.au.

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