LATEST 2 October:

Australia and New Zealand's musical theatre communities are planning a series of tributes, including a public memorial service in Melbourne, for entertainer Rob Guest, who died this morning after suffering a massive stroke. Productions including Billy Elliot, The Rocky Horror Show and The Phantom of the Opera will dedicate to Guest, who suffered a massive stroke at just 58 years old. Friends are planning a public service at a Melbourne theatre - either the Regent or the Princess - with songs and speeches. Guest's family met this afternoon to discuss arrangements for the service, in about ten days' time, and also a private funeral to be held early next week. Marina Prior, who starred alongside Guest in The Phantom of the Opera for two years, today recalled him as having a childlike enthusiasm for the limelight, but being devoid of a star-attitude. "Robbie always had the number-one dressing room with the star on the door but the door was always open and the couch was always full with cast and backstage crew," she said. "He was exactly the same to his leading lady, to his producer as he was to the cleaner ... and that's what everybody loved about him." In what he described as one of the hardest moments of his career, Wicked producer John Frost broke the news to the cast cast of sold-out musical, in which Guest was playing the role of Wizard of Oz, after yesterday's matinee performance at the Regent Theatre.

Theatre star Rob Guest has died overnight in Melbourne after suffering a massive stroke. Guest, 57, who had been starring in the musical Wicked, was admitted to Melbourne's St Vincent's Hospital on Tuesday night, a spokeswoman for the production said. He died peacefully in the hospital early this morning.

A hospital spokesperson told the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper the family wanted the public to know he was surrounded by relatives and friends when he died. Guest was born in Britain but enjoyed fame as a pop star in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s and spent a decade in Las Vegas. His stage musical career took him to Australia where he starred in Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. He was awarded an OBE for his services to the New Zealand entertainment industry in 1994. Guest was the world's longest serving Phantom having played the role a record 2289 performances over seven years in front of Australian and New Zealand audiences. He had been at home with his partner Kellie Dickerson, Wicked's musical director, when he collapsed about 10pm on Tuesday, the Melbourne Age reported.

Rob Guest Obituary
Friends and colleagues of entertainer Rob Guest have been shocked by his sudden and untimely death. Musical Theatre New Zealand President John Antony said the musical theatre family around New Zealand were expressing their deepest condolences to Rob’s family and co-workers on the loss of a much loved performer, whose career had spanned many decades, across the globe. With much of his work taking him overseas throughout his career it was often overlooked that Rob had spent many years performing throughout New Zealand – both on stage and on television.  During the 1970s and 80s Rob was a familiar face to New Zealand audiences. He performed in numerous musical theatre productions around the country, making a name for himself as a much valued cast member and encouraging his fellow performers to pursue their dreams of a stage career – in those days a much more difficult decision than for those in the creative industries now.  John Antony recalled his personal pleasure at directing Rob Guest in a unique Auckland production in 1986, when the operetta “Ali Baba” was staged at the Maidment Theatre, involving a cast chosen from over thirty Auckland area secondary schools, with Rob in the lead role. His interest in fostering and mentoring the younger generation to follow in his footsteps was evident even then. The President, Executive and Members of Musical Theatre New Zealand extend their deepest condolences to Rob Guest’s family, with their thanks for being a part of his full life for a time. John Antony President Musical Theatre New Zealand

And special condolences to AMDRAM Wanganui, Rob was their Patron.  A number of individuals and societies have asked for contact details to send a card and it has been recommended that you send it C/- The Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000, Australia.  Karen Kay at Talking Heads Management has also offered to be a point of contact for emails and she will forward them on – thank you Karen -

MTNZ have set up a condolence page where you can leave your thoughts or memories of Rob Guest.  Please email them through to Kate and she will post them. Click here to go to the condolence page