Sydney Opera House to Present DORIS Starring Melinda Schneider, 4/13
By: Harmony Wheeler Mar. 05, 2012
After 2011 seasons at Her Majesty's in Melbourne and Sydney's Lyric Theatre, Australia's own Melinda Schneider steps back into the shoes of American musical icon Doris Day for one special encore performance at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Friday 13 April at 8pm.
DORIS is a heartfelt homage co-written by Melinda and musical theatre hit-man David Mitchell (Dusty, Shout!), in which Melinda traces her passion for Doris Day back to the 1953 movie Calamity Jane."She was such a huge talent - a triple threat, as they say - and I fell in love with her at first sight," Melinda recalls. "I thought then she was the best of everything a woman could be. I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be just like her."The clock turns back as Melinda tells the story of Ms. Day's life through such popular standards as "Sentimental Journey", "Que Sera, Sera", "Everybody Loves a Lover", "Secret Love" and a slew of hits from "Calamity Jane", "The Pajama Game" and "Love Me or Leave Me".
"Doris hasn't performed for over thirty years but these are songs that never seem to fade," says Melinda. "The joy of this show is that I get to stand up and sing them every night."
Melinda and David's meticulous research has unearthed a rich account of Doris Day's life, from small-town Ohio to the heights of Hollywood. Her four turbulent marriages, rife with abuse and finally catastrophic financial ruin, are revealed. But throughout, the strength and sunny disposition of the world's celluloid sweetheart shone through. "The more I've found out about Doris, the more I've discovered that our lives have run a parallel course", says Melinda. "We were both born into German-Catholic families, we are both madly in love with our doggies - and we've both been through messy relationships and divorce." Melinda shares some of her own stories in the show as well as those of her idol. "Women are survivors," she says, "so this show is really the universal story of women set to music of the forties, fifties and sixties."
Melinda's recent album, Melinda Does Doris: A Tribute to Doris Day grew out of the encouragement of David Campbell (her duet partner on "Love Somebody" on that album). "If you don't do a Doris Day album", he told her, "I'm going to hit you over the head!"
The album spent nine weeks at number one on the ARIA charts and it is this success that spawned this brand new stage extravaganza, featuring the songs and story of Hollywood's all-time greatest female box-office star, Doris Day.
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE CONCERT HALL
Bennelong Point, Sydney
One show only: Friday 13 April 8pm
Bennelong Point, Sydney
One show only: Friday 13 April 8pm
Tickets from $79
Bookings: 9250 7777 or www.sydneyoperahouse.com or www.ticketmaster.com.au
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