John Farnham rumours continue
John Farnham rumours continue this month, with the recent appearance on Sound Relief, a fundraising concert for the victims of the February bushfires. On the eve of the performance, Farnham had dinner with manager Glenn Wheatley and CEO of Sony Music Australia, Denis Handlin; the dinner included discussion of Farnham recording a new album.
News Limited reported Handlin as saying, “We are now talking about the record, tossing around ideas for songs, writers and producers… I am pretty confident we will have a new studio album out from John Farnham this year”.
Farnham, whilst having retired from major touring in 2003, occasionally performs for fundraisers and other short-run events, and appeared on Sound Relief alongside Coldplay. Handlin also hinted that Coldplay may be asked to write a song for the album, which will appeal to fans who lapped up the combination at Sound Relief.
A representative for Handlin was able to confirm at least that there is discussion about it, stating that it was “early days yet and there’s no set plans”. No further information is currently available, but he did state that more news would be released in the middle of the year, and that an album would possibly be in stores this summer.
Previous suggestions of a comeback for one of Australia’s foremost entertainers began when Glenn Wheatley suggested that it was on the books, but noted that he needed to “sit down with [Farnham] first and formulate what is the best approach”. Farnham himself denied new tours, during the Australia Unites telethon screened on Channel Nine recently. Perhaps the dinner with Handlin was what Wheatley had in mind.
If anyone has any news or updates to this article, please contact Backstage Jobs.
Written By : Naomi Guss
Guys and Dolls – Cast reunite – rehearsals begin!
February 24, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
GUYS and DOLLS
The all star line up for the Sydney season of GUYS AND DOLLS has commenced rehearsals with preview performances starting next week Friday 6 March at the Capitol Theatre. Lisa McCune, Marina Prior, Ian Stenlake, Garry McDonald, Shane Jacobson and Magda Szubanski all got together yesterday with the rest of the 30 strong cast, to fine tune and rehearse the production which was the hit of Melbourne this time last year.
“It’s so great to see the cast altogether again,” said Director Jamie Lloyd. They are such a great gang; the entire rehearsal room is constantly in fits of laughter. We have a fun couple of weeks ahead of us.”
GUYS AND DOLLS which will have its Gala Opening on Thursday 12 March has already taken over $15m in Australia. Sydney will see Australia’s biggest stars, together on stage in the famed Donmar Warehouse Production. Based on Damon Runyon’s famous short stories and set in 1940’s New York, small-time gambler Nathan Detroit bets his big time pal Sky Masterson that he can’t make the next woman he sees fall in love with him. When the next doll happens to be the neighbourhood missionary Sarah Brown, the stage is set for an unforgettable evening’s entertainment. Featuring the hit musical classics Luck be a Lady, If I Were a Bell; I’ve Never Been in Love Before; Take Back Your Mink; Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat, Guys and Dolls and the sensational Havana dance number.
“It has been over 20 years since GUYS AND DOLLS has played Sydney and I don’t know when Sydney will next get to experience this ‘perfect musical’ presented with this calibre of stars,” Howard Panter said.
GUYS and DOLLS
The West End Hit
Music & Lyrics Frank Loesser
Book Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed by Michael Grandage
Australian Direction by Jamie Lloyd
Lisa McCune, Marina Prior, Ian Stenlake, Garry McDonald Shane Jacobson
and Magda Szubanski with Wayne Scott Kermond, Bert Labonte, Russell Newman and Anne Phelan
heading a cast of 30
The Capitol Theatre
Reduced Price Preview performances from Friday 6 March to Wednesday 11 March
Gala Opening and Media night Thursday 12 March
Tuesday to Saturday evenings 7.30pm,
Wednesday matinee 1pm
Saturday matinee 2pm
Sunday 3pm
Tickets now on Sale
Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 729 038
GUY PEARCE STARRING IN WORLD PREMIERE POOR BOY
December 6, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
MTC’s new theatre – The Sumner Theatre – will have its long anticipated opening
with a new play by Matt Cameron and Tim Finn, starring Guy Pearce and directed
by Simon Phillips on Tuesday 27 January.
Poor Boy, which has been commissioned by MTC, is a play with songs about a boy
who announces on his seventh birthday that he is really a grown man who died
some years before.
Combining well-known and new songs by Tim Finn, Poor Boy is a supernatural
ghost story about loss, anguish and redemption.
Pearce plays the grown man Danny, with the other cast to include Matthew
Dyktynski, Sarah Peirse, Greg Stone and Sara Gleeson. Musical Director is Ian
McDonald, Designer Iain Aitken and Lighting Designer Nick Schlieper.
Poor Boy represents a return to the stage for Pearce who was last seen in MTC’s
production of Tennessee Williams’s Sweet Bird of Youth in 2002.
Pearce first came to international attention in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen
of the Desert (1994). He cemented a growing reputation in the noir thriller, LA
Confidential (1997) and then Memento (2000). His other film credits include
William Friedkin’s Rules of Engagement (2000), The Count of Monte Cristo (2001),
The Time Machine (2002), The Proposition (2005), Factory Girl (2006) and Death
Defying Acts (2007). His next screen appearance will be in the adaptation of
Cormac McCarthy’s best-seller The Road.
Presented by arrangement with Poor Boy Enterprises Pty Ltd and Llegup Pty Ltd.
Inspired by an original idea by Tim Finn.
A co-production with Sydney Theatre Company.
The Sumner Theatre
21 January to 8 March
Opening night: Tuesday 27 January at 8:00pm
Booking information: Subscriptions T 03 9684 4555 or www.mtc.com.au
Single tickets (from 1 December 2008):
Ticketmaster 1300 723 038 or www.mtc.com.au
Media source : Christy Hopwood “MTC”
Puppets in Melbourne
November 21, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Puppets in Melbourne is a small puppetry company which aims to educate the Australian public about local puppetry events, as well as provide a resource for builders and performers.
The online resource is unique, providing one of the few Australian places for up-to-date information on the local industry on a regular basis. It’s also currently one of the few Australian puppetry companies to offer services online, from patterns and parts for building puppets at home on a professional level, to custom handmade and original puppets to use. Additionally, Puppets in Melbourne offers a range of topics and articles to help new artists create their own puppets and puppetry shows.
Puppets in Melbourne is the business of Naomi Guss, a puppet maker and designer. Her main interest in puppetry is to design and build the puppets; not so much performing with them. She focuses on puppetry for adults, which can also be enjoyed by children, and does not make toys but puppets to be used on a professional level in the theatre.
She graduated in 2002 from Swinburne University’s theatre course and in 2003 established her own puppetry company, Sticky Apple Legs. The company debuted in 2003, and performed again in 2007. Naomi has undertaken a range of puppetry-related projects over the past few years, from participation in a South Korean festival, to commissions and workshops.
You can find out more about Puppets in Melbourne and Naomi’s work (including a gallery of designs and the online shop) at:
ETETC- Entertainment & Technical event training College
November 9, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
ETETC is Australia’s first industry based training provider for the Entertainment Industry covering all aspects of technical operations. ETETC is a Registered Training Organisation offering courses from Certificate II in Live Production, Theatre & Events to Diploma in Live Production Theatre & Events (Technical Production) and Diploma in Venues and Events.
Current, practical and technical skills are offered to new students who want to work within the varied fields of entertainment, theatre, live performances and corporate events.
ETETC delivers over 40 entertainment units from the Entertainment Training Package. Sound (Live), Lighting, Technical General, Audiovisual are some of the units available.
The industry now recognises the need for training for future continued development across the broad spectrum to address the critical shortfall of skilled personnel.
ETETC’s relationship with it’s sister company All Access Crewing Pty Ltd affords students the opportunity for training on the job and possible recruitment.
ETETC has established links with all major venues in Queensland, lighting, sound and audiovisual services and manufacturers. We have an existing and stable relationship with all Australian Promoters, as well as innovative associations with overseas companies, thus offering an exciting prospect for a career.
The demand for this training is becoming more substantial, with school-based trainees, and current personnel acquiring their formal qualifications by evidence via our online learning environment.
Email info@etetc.com
Telephone +61 7 3352 6371
Facsimile +61 7 3352 7698