Showtime for Pratt’s musicals
AS a child, Jeanne Pratt had two records she loved to listen to – a Frank Sinatra album and the soundtrack to the musical Show Boat.
The Show Boat album triggered a lifelong passion for musicals and although she has seen Show Boat around the world many times, Pratt is excited that it will be staged as part of The Production Company’s 2014 season.
“I saw Show Boat in New York and I sang along to every song,” she said at the season launch at her home, Raheen. “Everyone kept shushing me to be quiet.”
Pratt, who established the successful not-for-profit theatre company 16 years ago, is looking forward to seeing Philip Gould, Alinta Chidzey, Christina O’Neill, Gareth Keegan and Eddie Muliaumaseali’i star in Show Boat at the State Theatre from August 16.
With hit songs including Make Believe and Ol’ Man River, it will be based on the 1994 Broadway revival of the show that premiered in 1927.
“We have doubled our normal run to 10 performances for this musical,” said Pratt.
Another show that Pratt has been keen on staging is Harvey Fierstein’s drag queen musical, La Cage aux Folles.
“We have been trying for years to get the rights and I am delighted that the company is finally able to stage it,” she said.
La Cage aux Folles will star Todd McKenney, Simon Burke, Rhonda Burchmore and Marg Downey and is expected to be so popular that the company has slotted 17 performances at The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne, from November 22.
The show tells the story of a drag queen and his long-time partner Georges and the chaos when Georges’s son, Jean-Michel, meets his fiancee’s ultra-conservative parents. The original 1983 Broadway production won six Tony Awards including Best Musical.
The other musical being staged by The Production Company is the popular Guys and Dolls, which kicks off the company’s season on July 19. It will be directed by Gale Edwards and stars Verity Hunt-Ballard, Chelsea Plumley, Martin Crewes and Adam Murphy.
Pratt will continue her tradition of personally welcoming members of the audience as they arrive for concerts at the Arts Centre – something that she started when launching The Production Company 16 years ago.
To make the shows more affordable for young theatre lovers, there are half-price tickets for anyone under the age of 18.
Enquiries and bookings: www.theproductioncompany.com.au.
REPORT by Danny Gocs
PHOTO of Jeanne Pratt with Simon Burke (left) and Todd McKenney at the Production Company launch. Photo: Jim Lee
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