Simon Burke to Join Fisher in London 'The Sound of Music'

Simon Burke will star as 'Captain Von Trapp' in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium from September 24, joining Connie Fisher, who stars as 'Maria' for six performances a week, with Aoife Mulholland playing the role on Monday evenings and Wednesday matinees.  Alexander Hanson leaves the production at the end of his contract. The show, which opened on November 15, 2006 to rave reviews and public acclaim, continues to have an overwhelming and unprecedented demand for tickets.

Australian-born Simon Burke won the AFI Award for Best Actor at the age of 13 for his performance in the film The Devil's Playground.  In London, he has starred as 'Raoul' in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's) and 'Carl-Magnus' in A Little Night Music (Royal National Theatre).  In Australia, his many stage roles include 'Marius' in the original Australian cast of Les Misérables, 'Billy Flynn' in Chicago and 'Billy Crocker' in Anything Goes, for which he received the Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Musical.  He has numerous TV credits as well.

The Sound of Music has music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by "The Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp.

The musical is directed by Jeremy Sams, with choreography by Arlene Phillips, design by Robert Jones, sound by Mick Potter, lighting by Mark Henderson and musical supervision by Simon Lee.

The Sound of Music originally premiered on Broadway in 1959, when it won six Tony Awards, including "Best Musical".  The show first opened in London in 1961 and its last London revival was in 1981, both productions having record-breaking runs.  The 1965 Hollywood film, which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, won five Oscars, including "Best Picture".

The show is presented by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian, The Really Useful Group and Live Nation.

The Sound of Music is booking until 29 March 2008.  Performance times at the London Palladium are at 7.30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays – Saturdays, with Tuesday performances at 7.00pm, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.  Tickets, priced from £25.00 - £55.00 including all booking fees, are available from the London Palladium Box Office on 0870 890 1108 or at www.soundofmusiclondon.com.

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