Zoe Coppinger, Lisa Sontag and More Join Tony Sheldon in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS at Theatre Royal, Beg. Tonight

Producers Stephen Doorey and George Youakim from James Anthony Productions previously announced the full cast for their upcoming production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the devilishly cheeky, fun-filled Broadway musical. Opening at Sydney's Theatre Royal tonight, 24 October 2013, it will play a strictly limited season.

Joining the cast will be Zoe Coppinger, Rodney Dobson, Xander Ellis, Jillian Green, Matthew Hamilton, Glenn Hill, Vincent Hooper, Zoe Jarrett, Annabel Knight, Nadia Komazec, Phillip Lowe, Stephanie Morrison, Lisa Sontag, Darren Tyler, Caleb Vines, Jake Walasek and Sophie Weiss.

Principal cast already announced are Tony Sheldon as Lawrence Jameson and Matt Hetherington as Freddy Benson. Sheldon is returning to Australia to play this role following his huge success on the West End and Broadway in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Christine Colgate, the naive American heiress targeted by Lawrence and Freddy, will be played by Amy Lehpamer, while John Wood plays Lawrence's "bodyguard" Andre Thibault. Two of the women conned by the pair, Muriel Eubanks and Jolene Oakes, are played by musical theatre favourites Anne Wood and Katrina Retallick.

This all new Australian production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will be directed by Roger Hodgman, musically directed by Guy Simpson and choreographed by Dana Jolly. The plot is based on the highly successful and much loved 1988 film with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Jeffrey Lane, andcentres around the two con men, Lawrence Jameson and Freddy Benson, on the French Riviera.

When Freddy threatens to expose Lawrence's operation, Lawrence begrudgingly agrees to take him under his wing and tutor him in the 'art of the con'. The pair join forces and successfully work the Riviera until Freddy, frustrated by his apprentice 'monkey boy' role, abandons the partnership and starts to compete with Lawrence. It soon becomes apparent that the small French town of Beumont sur Mer isn't big enough for the two of them. They agree on a bet - the first one to extract $50,000 from a young female 'soap' heiress, Christine Colgate, wins and gets to stay. The other must leave town forever. A hilarious battle of 'cons' ensues that will keep audiences laughing, humming and guessing right to the end!

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and 10 Drama Desk Awards. It was originally directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde). The 1988 film of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was directed by Frank Oz, and starred Steve Martin and Michael Caine.

For more about the production, go to www.dirtyrottenscoundrels.com.au.

The show will run at the Theatre Royal, King Street, Sydney, from tonight, October 24, 2013. Performance times: Tues 7pm, Wed - Sat evening 8pm, matinees Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 3pM. Price: From $79.00 (transaction fees apply). Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 723 038. Groups 12+ Save! Call 02 8240 2290 or email groups@ticketmaster.com.au. Premium Tickets & Packages showbiz.com.au.

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