Auditions for the 26-strong cast begin next week.
Tickets for the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of one of the most beautiful musicals of all time, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, will go on sale this week on Friday 30 April. The contemporary retelling of this beloved story will have its Australian Premiere in Sydney at the Capitol Theatre from 16 November.
Auditions for the 26-strong cast begin next week, and Opera Australia and The Gordon Frost Organisation have received almost 1500 submissions.
"We can't wait to audition musical theatre performers to fill these classic roles. And we're looking forward to announcing our Cinderella, Prince Charming, Fairy Godmother, Stepmother and Stepsisters and the full cast in due course," said Producers John Frost and Lyndon Terracini. "This is one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's greatest scores and this production with beautiful orchestrations, magnificent costumes and sets, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love from the classic story, will have audiences clamoring for more."
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.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres said that securing the Australian premiere of Cinderella was a coup for Sydney and would drive economic benefit for NSW through job creation and visitor expenditure. "Securing world-class events such as Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella for Sydney adds magic and universal appeal to our events calendar while supporting key priorities of the Visitor Economy Strategy 2030.
"Musicals are a major contributor to the NSW visitor economy, and we look forward to welcoming over 20,000 visitors to Sydney to see this classical fairytale come to life on the stage and enjoy all that Sydney has to offer."
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. A spirited young woman with savvy and soul, 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.
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.
Learn more at www.cinderellamusical.com.au
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