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Musicals from Hal Leonard Australia
New Release MUSICALS
Hal Leonard Australia is pleased to announce some exciting new shows being released for performance.  Now there will be even more shows to choose from for your upcoming seasons!

Announcing…

NEW RELEASE:

Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA
Two Acts, Book Musical, Pop / Rock, Rated PG  Original Broadway Version
Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA is a contemporary musical take on a grand classic tale of the timeless bond between an enslaved Nubian princess and an Egyptian soldier. As forbidden love blossoms between them, the young lovers are forced to face death or part forever. Together, they set a shining example of true devotion that ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between their warring nations, heralding a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity. With a pop-rock score that features stirring ballads and rousing choral numbers, Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA is a modern crowd pleaser that embraces multi-cultural casting and exuberant dancing, staging and singing. * Not available for performance by schools

 Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA School Edition   Synopsis as above Two Acts, Pop / Rock, Thru Sung / Operetta, Rated PG
*Only available for secondary schools performing on school grounds

  
Jungle Drums - Junior Musical, Raged G
Australian artist and composer, Graeme Base follows his successful book-to-musical conversion of Sign of the Seahorse with another of his successful and well-loved stories: Jungle Drums – where this time, the animals of Africa are the focus.  Ngiri is the smallest warthog in Africa.  Tired of being teased, he wishes things could be different.  When old Nyumbu the Wildebeest gives him a set of magic drums, he is sure his wish is about to come true.  But the animals in the Jungle are in for a big surprise when Ngiri’s wish is granted in a most unexpected way. Mr. Base says "Children will be drawn by the silly switcheroos and comical expressions of dismay among the animal cast".

Forever Plaid - One Act, Book Musical, Rated G  Original Off-Broadway version (1990)
One of the most popular and successful musicals in recent memory, this deliciously goofy revue centres on four young, eager male singers killed in a car crash in the 1950s on the way to their first big concert, and now miraculously revived for the posthumous chance to fulfil their dreams and perform the show that never was.  Singing in the closest of harmony, squabbling boyishly over the smallest intonations and executing their charmingly outlandish choreography with over-zealous precision, the "Plaids" are a guaranteed smash, with a program of beloved songs and delightful patter that keeps audiences rolling in the aisles when they're not humming along to some of the great nostalgic pop hits of the '50s.

Have A Nice Life - A Therapeutical, 4 female, 3 male  Instrumentation: tbc  Music and lyrics by Conor Mitchell.  Book by Matthew Hurt.  Based on an original idea 'Group' by Conor Mitchell
Have A Nice Life charts the arrival of new girl Amy to a run down therapy group in a nameless place. The hapless therapist Patrick, struggles to integrate the newcomer to five strangers who know each other far too well. But Amy is not who she says she is… Have A Nice Life is one of Conor Mitchell's most performed musicals having been produced first in Ireland then Berlin, Edinburgh, London and New York. It recently won Best Score at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2006. This is a show for actors. The seven characters take us on their journeys with tears and laughter throughout. Show stopping numbers and heart breaking ballads are the building blocks of this untraditional book musical.

FUTURE RELEASE:

next to normal is a rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt.  Its story concerns a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effect that her illness has on her family. The musical also addresses such issues as grieving a loss, suicide, drug abuse, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life. Two Acts, Rock Musical, Rated R

The musical was nominated for 11 Tony Awards in 2009 and took home 3 for Best Original Score, Best Orchestration, and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (Alice Ripley).  It won the Outer Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Score and received Drama Desk Awards nominations for Outstanding Actress (Ripley) and Outstanding Score.  next to normal was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, becoming just the eighth musical in an over 90-year history to receive the honour. (The previous was for Jonathan Larson's Rent in 1996).  * Not currently available for licensing

Two Acts, Book Musical, Pop / Rock, Rated R  Winner of 8 TONY Awards, including BEST MUSICAL, SPRING AWAKENING celebrates the unforgettable journey from youth to adulthood with a power, poignancy, and passion that you will never forget. Adapted from Frank Wedekind's 1891 expressionist play about the trials, tears, and exhilaration of the teen years, it has been hailed as the "Best Musical of the Year" by the New York Times, New York Post, Star Ledger, Journal News, New York Observer, and USA Today. * Not currently available for licensing

Full evening - One Act, Book Musical, Rated PG  A rare combination of unprecedented originality and blinding talent, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE boldly addresses a great unspoken desire in all of our hearts: to be entertained. If you've ever sat in a dark theatre and thought, "Dear Lord in heaven, please let it be good," this is the show for you! It all begins when a die-hard musical-theater fan plays his favorite cast album on his turntable, and the musical literally bursts to life in his living room, telling the rambunctious tale of a brazen Broadway starlet trying to find, and keep, her true love.  Melbourne Theatre Company presented the Australian Premiere production in 2010 starring Geoffrey Rush as the Man-In-The-Chair. * Not currently available for licensing

Don’t delay. Visit our website to order a perusal copy or apply for performance rights. We look forward to working with you on your next production! With warmest regards, Stuart Hendricks, Nikol McKail & Christine Chan - Music Licensing & Hire Department www.halleonard.com.au

Please note:
Standard Terms and Conditions Apply – please visit our website for details.
All works marked Currently Restricted, Coming Soon or Future Release are currently not available for amateur licensing. When these shows become available we will send out an email announcement to all our clients
Shows on Future Release or Coming Soon are not available for perusal at this stage.  Your request will be kept on file until materials are available.

Playmarket is trying to find the quickest way of letting interested musical theatre companies know of new works that may interest them, and of work that becomes available for amateur licence as soon as it's available. We are compiling a group email of companies that may like to be included in an occasional headsup along these lines, with a brief  synopsis and maybe review extracts - and sometimes a reminder of older works that may be suitable too.  I would then be able to email you any work that interested you on request, and at no cost, for your perusal. This system would also enable us to pass on any other information that comes to hand that may be of interest to those involved in Musical Theatre. Anyone interested in being included on this list - and if you have any queries - please email me, Jean Betts at scripts@playmarket.org.nz.

Welcome to ORiGiN™ Theatrical  - Book a minimum of 5 performances for any of these shows before December 31 2010, have their last performance date on or before June 30 211 and we will give you half price royalties and 1 months free additional material hire for either the rehearsal or orchestral set. In addition all Perusal Material for these shows is only half price – just $12.00 a set.

ACE A heart-warming coming-of-age story about Danny, a troubled 10-year-old boy who, through a series of heroic and haunting World War I & II adventures with a mysterious fighter pilot names Ace, unlocks the door to a fantastic new world. He finally comes to understand his ever-grieving mother, his overbearing grandmother and the father he never knew. Ideal for strong child role, great scenic possibilities Cast Requirements: 7 Male, 7 Female, 4 Children, 10 musicians Genre / Style: Historical, Family Drama, Pop Sound  Musical Numbers: In The Skies, Life Can Be Cruel, it Took This Moment, Make It From Scratch, Be My Bride, Letter From The Front, The Dogfight, Soaring Again, It\'s Just A Matter Of Time, I Know It Can Be Done, Missing Pieces, Sooner Or Later, In The Skies (reprise), We're The Only Ones and more… Music by RICHARD OBERACKER, Book and Lyrics by RICHARD OBERACKER and ROBERT TAYLOR  6 Kevin Kline Awards, including Outstanding New Musical

CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS  Harvey Cheyne is a spoiled 12-year-old boy who falls off his father's ocean liner in the North Atlantic in 1928. Rescued by Manuel, a Portuguese fisherman, Harvey is brought aboard a New England fishing schooner and put to work. Thrust into a pre-modern world of ropes, sails and fishing lines, Harvey rebels, and he is soon branded a "Jonah" and blamed for the ship's bad luck. But with Manuel's help and friendship, Harvey leaves his boyhood behind, wins over the crew, and learns the value of hard work, spirit and song. The musical is based on the Rudyard Kipling novel and the classic Academy Award-winning film Ideal for Male casts or choral groups, nautical enthusiasts, classic film fans. (Though Captains Courageous was written for an all-male cast, the show can be performed by mixed-gender groups with women taking the tenor roles and the role of Harvey played by a girl). Cast Requirements: 17 Men, 1 Boy, 12 musicians, 2 Acts  Genre / Style: 1920's, Classic drama  Musical Numbers: Out Of The Sea, Little Fish, I\'m Harvey Ellesworth, Cheyne, Ten Seconds/Not So Bad, Heed The Signs/Once There Was A Day, I Make Up This Song, A Hundred Years Ago, That\'s Where I\'m Bound, Jonah, You Never Saw, Song Of The Sea, Grand Banks Sequence, Regular Fellas, I\'m Home, I Make Up This Song and more… Book & Lyrics by Patrick Cook, Music by Frederick Freyer Outer Critics Circle nomination for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical
 

CHARLOTTE SWEET Discover the lunatic and marvellous world of Charlotte Sweet, the vivacious Victorian high soprano, who helps the circus of voices escape the clutches of their nefarious impresario (with his evil helium balloons) in this tuneful trip back to the world of the English music hall. “Charlotte Sweet mixes the adorable and the strange, and it is delectable. A parody that rise above parody and stands by itself.” – New York Times Ideal for talented singers, limited production resources Cast Requirements: 4 Male, 4 Female, 4 Musicians, 2 Acts Genre / Style: Operetta/English music hall, Comedy Musical Numbers: At The Music Hall, Charlotte Sweet, A Daughter of Valentine\'s Day, Forever, Liverpool Sunset, Layers of Underwear, Quartet Agonistes, The Circus Of Voices, Keep it Low, Bubbles In Me Bonnet, Vegetable Reggie, My Baby And Me, A-Weaving, Your High Note, Katinka/The Darkness, On It Goes, You See In Me and more… Libretto by Michael Colby, Music by Gerald Jay Markoe 2 Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Music and Lyrics

CINDERELLA This new musical take on the traditional tale has a bookish and nearsighted heroine who finds and captures the heart of a studios prince. Full of wit, warmth, and charm, this Cinderella contains a beautiful original score and a few unexpected twists that make for a funny and lovable show for both kids and adults. Cast Requirements: 3 Men, 7 Women, 1 Musician, 2 Acts Music by FITZ PATTON; Lyrics by DAVID KISOR; Book by JOE MCDONOUGH

It may seem strange to be thinking about Christmas in May, but here at ORiGiN™ Theatrical we think it's never too early to start planning your end of year show!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL  The Academy Award-winning composer Michel Legrand has teamed with Sheldon Harnick, one of theatre's most celebrated Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning librettists, and the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge's prophetic Christmas Eve is reborn. From the pages of Dickens comes this scintillating musical adaptation of the Yuletide classic that continues to touch hearts and minds the world over. This universal story is ultimately one of family and conscience, of desperation and regret and second chances.

Give your audience the holiday gift of embracing its warmth and wisdom as never before, carried on the wings of a soaring theatrical score.  http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/Musicals/AChristmasCarol/tabid/153/Default.aspx

WHITE CHRISTMAS  Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil's former army commander. The dazzling score features well known standards including Blue Skies, I Love A Piano, How Deep Is The Ocean and the perennial favourite, White Christmas.  This is an uplifting musical worthy of year-round productions. http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/Musicals/WhiteChristmas/tabid/132/Default.aspx

THAT TIME OF THE YEAR  An original Christmas/Hanukkah musical revue.  Celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah with this fun-filled musical romp highlighting the joys and anxieties of the holiday season. Featuring original songs it's the perfect holiday treat.  "Hysterical... full of good cheer." - The New York Times  "Terrifically funny... smart, tuneful and completely winning holiday fare... audiences will want to see it for a perfectly swell night of holiday wit and warmth." - BroadwayWorld  * * Free Perusal Material available for this show when you quote the code TTOTYPP http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/Musicals/ThatTimeOfTheYear/tabid/126/Default.aspx

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS  Have you ever wondered just where Santa Claus came from? L. Frank Baum knew. The same man who created The Wonderful Wizard of Oz lets us in on his secret; the story of Saint Nicholas as told to him by Necile, the nymph who found Claus and raised him as her own in the world of Knooks, Faeries, Ryls and, yes, even the dreaded Awgwas. "Beware the Awgwas," Necile warns Claus, "they hide under beds to frighten human children!" So Claus decides he must leave the world of the Immortals and live among the humans, making toys to make children happy.

This delightful tale answers once and for all how Santa Claus made the first toy, why he climbs down chimneys and, most of all, how he learned to laugh that great "Ho, Ho, Ho."  http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/ProductionDetailsDisplay/tabid/72/prodid/11749/Default.aspx

STRIKING 12  Our final show isn't about Christmas, but seeing as it does take place a few days afterwards we thought it was a good fit...  A grumpy, overworked New Yorker who resolves to spend New Year's Eve alone in his apartment when an unexpected visitor brings some much-needed cheer. The evening springs to life through an eclectic score that combines pop, rock, jazz, showtunes and more...  Ideal for young performers.  * * Free Perusal Material available for this show when you quote the code STRIKEPP   http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/Musicals/Striking12/tabid/125/Default.aspx

This is just a small selection of our Christmas flavoured shows. If you'd like a complete list please don't hesitate to get in contact with us http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/ContactUs/tabid/64/Default.aspx  

May Spotlight Profile

Little Mary O'Brian had a dream - and that dream became Dusty Springfield. The extraordinary story of the life and music of one of pop music's "Greatest Female Stars." With 30 "top of the pops" songs that could have been written to form a musical, "Dusty" has everything - laughs, tears, triumphs and tragedies. To that add stunning costumes & sensational 60's choreography.  ‘Big songs, fabulous costumes and blonde wigs’ – Otago Daily Times  

Dunedin Operatic opened ‘Dusty’ last Friday & has received standing ovations, & rave reviews. The show has been staged in a 400 seat theatre on a multi levelled set that successfully achieves 39 scene changes & 100s of costume changes  The show is set from 1954 to 1999 & includes all the famous songs ‘Dusty’ is known for, the authenticity of the production has been carefully crafted as a lot of the characters involved are still alive today  There are a total of 27 performers in this production who all play multiple roles, at the completion of this run the wardrobe will be offered for hire to other Societies intending to stage this production.  The performance rights to the show are available from Origin Theatrical http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/ProductionDetailsDisplay/tabid/72/prodid/12423/Default.aspx  – check out our web site www.dunedinoperatic.org.nz   for further ‘Dusty’ information. Sam Keen – Secretary, Dunedin Operatic

In April 2010, Porirua Little Theatre enjoyed an enormously successful production of the New Zealand premiere of Curtains by John Kander and Fred Ebb. The how is a big, brassy musical comedy set in Boston’s Colonial Theatre in early 1959. Just as a new show, Robbin’ Hood, a Tale of the Old West, starts its pre-Broadway run, its talentless leading lady drops dead. To solve the murder, Lieutenant Frank Cioffi sequesters the theatre and everyone in it.  What ensues is an hilarious pastiche to a golden age of musical theatre as Cioffi tries to figure out whodunit, while at the same time drawing on his love of the genre to ‘fix’ the show. With plenty of big dance numbers, elaborate costumes and laugh-out-loud moments, Curtains played to four weeks worth of nearly-packed houses, with the last week and a half completely sold out. The audience was left buzzing and grinning after every performance. Curtains provides many opportunities for your company of all ages, to shine, with plenty of strong roles in its ensemble cast, an extremely busy chorus, an exciting array of costuming challenges and a very broad scope for your set, lighting and sound designers. Most importantly, though, Curtains, is fun – guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of your cast, crew and audience (and hopefully your treasurer)!
http://www.origintheatrical.com.au/Musicals/Curtains/tabid/87/Default.aspx  Matt Bentley – Director

BAD GIRLS: The Musical - the Australasian Première presented by Rotorua Musical Theatre Casa Blanca Theatre 16^th April to 1^st May 2010 –  Directed by Richard Marshall  This show, based on the British Television series BAD GIRLS, captures the essence and drama of the life and lives of prison in all its nakedness.  So for a first time Director to choose and present something in the nature of BAD GIRLS was, one could say, a gamble, but the show has proved to be a hit with audiences.  This is evidenced by a sell out season and indeed Richard is to be congratulated on his interpretation and presentation of life in the fictional women's prison, Larkhall.  It is the story of new idealistic Wing Governor Helen Stewart and her battle with the entrenched old guard of Officer Jim Fenner and his sidekick Sylvia Hollamby.  It also follows the love story that develops between Helen and charismatic inmate Nikki Wade.  Other featured characters include Shell Dockley and her runner Denny Blood, old-timer Noreen Biggs, the Two Julies and the ultimate top dog, King-of-Gangland's missus, Yvonne Atkins. The music is of course unknown to audiences but many of the songs are very catchy and some of the lines delivered by the cast are hilarious.  At the same time, the show has moments of tragedy and pathos.  It is a roller coaster ride.  Ups and downs, sadness and humour.  It is a great show for intimate theatre.  The crit for The Daily Post summed it up for us with his final paragraph "My wife and I were amazed at the high level of professionalism and service provided at Casa Blanca Theatre.  A captivating performance by many of our own local talent proves Rotorua has so much to offer the world".  http://www.halleonard.com.au/catalogue/itemview.html?item_id=464
Glenys Searancke, QSM – President Rotorua Musical Theatre

From Origin Theatrical, Sydney www.altarholics.com (official fan site) THE ALTAR BOYZ

Book by Kevin Del Aguila, Conceived by Marc Kessler, Kevin Davenport. Music and Lyrics by Gary Adler, Michael Patrick Walker 
Synopsis  ALTAR BOYZ is a foot-stomping, rafter-raising, musical comedy about a fictitious Christian boy-band on the last night of their national "Raise the Praise" tour. The Boyz are five all-singing, all-dancing heartthrobs from Ohio: Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham. With their tight harmonies and spectacular choreography, the ALTAR BOYZ will delight your audiences. As they perform their signature hits such as "Rhythm In Me," "The Calling," and "I Believe," the Boyz question their loyalty to each other and ask whether or not faith is really holding them together. They finally deliver a message of unity, that "there is no star as bright as its constellation, no harmony in a single voice."

Awards
2005 Outer Critics Circle Awards - Best Off-Broadway Musical

Critic Quotes
“Thank heaven for ALTAR BOYZ! Totally hilarious! It keeps you laughing all evening long. If laughter is a form of salvation, my soul is clean!” Howard Kissel, Daily News
"An energetic crowd- pleaser!" David Rooney, Variety
“Divine! A 90- minute tornado of tasty pop tunes and nifty moves.” Michael Sommers, Star Ledger
“Hilarious! This Sweet and sassy, witty and completely unpretentious show sends everybody out on a cloud of mirth – and we mean everybody! There’s not a soul in the theatre that isn’t captured. Finally, a show to unite the country!” Jacques Le Sourd, Journal News
"ALTAR BOYZ is a moving experience, one sure to attract new congregants to the Church of Musical Theatre." Sandy MacDonald, TheaterMania.com

Cast Requirements
PRINCIPALS  - 5 Men, aged 17-30
COMMENTS  All five men are called upon equally to sing and dance-each character has a distinct personality, and a chance to shine.

CHARACTERS  Matthew - The Leader; Mark - The Sensitive One
Luke - The Bad Boy; Juan - The Latin Lover
Abraham - The Gefilte Fish Out Of Water; Announcer/Voice of G.O.D. - Voiceover

For further details and enquires: Kim Ransley, Managing Director ORiGiN™ Theatrical Level 1, 213 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 PH: (61 2) 85145204 FAX: (61 2) 9518 4611 www.origintheatrical.com.au  kim@originmusic.com.au

November Spotlight Profile …….

Paul Jenden

Writer, Director, Choreographer, Set and Costume Designer
Paul Jenden wrote and directed his first play at eight years old: a classroom adaptation of Charlotte’s Web. In 1975 he graduated from Victoria University with a degree in French Language and Literature and began a theatrical career that has seen him established as a director, designer, dancer, choreographer and writer. In 1980 he left New Zealand to base himself in New York City and toured in the U.S.A. and Canada as well as Europe and Asia. He returned to live in New Zealand in 1989.  Paul has many successes to his name. His first production at Circa Theatre was Fairy Stories in 1996, which began a series of highly successful Christmas shows. His Dancing the Gay Fandango at Taki Rua in 1991 became a top selling show at the 1994 Adelaide Fringe Festival and Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival. His sparkling 1989 production of Le Papillon was one the most popular NZ works ever mounted by the Royal New Zealand Ballet and with Maclary Theatre Productions he produced The Hairy Maclary Show which has toured widely in New Zealand and was featured in Adelaide’s Come Out Festival and at the Victorian Centre for the Arts.  He has designed sets and costumes for Dirty Weekends, Boys at the Beach and Travesties as well as Circa’s annual pantomimes and his own musicals. He has also worked as a movement consultant on Stones in his Pockets, The Cherry Orchard, The Underpants, The Winslow Boy and The American Pilot. He has twice been voted Costume Designer of the Year at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards.  Paul began working as a lyricist in 1988. With Gareth Farr he has written a trilogy of historical musicals, Troy, Monarchy and Rome and is currently working on his new script, The Nero Show. He is also the lyricist for Roger Hall’s pantomimes, including Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood.  Jane Keller will be including two songs in her cabaret from Paul’s works Friday night at conference and Paul will be attending conference in Auckland.

TROY The Musical is about the events and characters before, during and after the Trojan War.
Cast:  Minimum 8 (one silent) playing multiple roles, but could be up to 35
Act 1 - The amorous adventures of the god Zeus begin the events that lead to the Trojan War. He seduces the daughter of Atlas and begins the bloodline that leads to Priam, King of Troy. His affair with a Phoenician princess leads to the royal house of Mycenae and the brothers Agamemnon and Menelaus. Leda is already married to the King of Sparta, but after Zeus tricks her she gives birth to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world. Helen’s mortal and plainer sister, Clytemnestra, marries Agamemnon and becomes Queen of Mycenae. Menelaus marries Helen and becomes King of Sparta. But Helen elopes with Paris, a Trojan prince, and in revenge Menelaus convinces his elder brother to join him in a war against Troy. Meanwhile, on the tiny island of Ithica, Odysseus longs to be part of a great adventure. He joins Agamemnon, Menelaus and the hero Achilles and uses his talent for trickery to help them win the war. In the fighting, the Greek hero Achilles and the Trojan hero Hector are slain, and their ghosts lament the cruelty of war. Finally, it is Odysseus who has the idea for the Trojan horse that the Trojans pull into the city.
Act 2 - After the war, the women of Troy become slaves to the Greeks and participants in their downfall. Achilles’s mad son takes Andromache, who is murdered by his jealous wife. Agamemnon takes Cassandra, but both are killed by an axe-wielding Clytemnestra, who has begun her own affair while her husband was away. Meanwhile Odysseus, aghast at the horrors he has unleashed, has been trying to get back home to Ithica, but encounters various mythical characters like Cyclops, Circe and the Sirens. In a final, insane bloodfest, all the characters stab each other, all the while singing of love and romance. Only Odysseus survives, finally coming home to his faithful wife and vowing to stay safely in Ithica.

MONARCHY The Musical is a light-hearted history of the British monarchy.
Cast: Minimum 8 (one silent) playing multiple roles, but could be up to 50
Act 1 - The silent figure of Death appears and will continue to lurk through the show, escorting the Kings and Queens from the stage as they die. Queen Elizabeth the Second introduces the show and the history of her family. Starting with Egbert, the first King of England, she quickly moves on to a not -so-great Alfred the Great and the machinations of Canute and the Danish kings. A nervous Edward the Confessor gives way to the suave Frenchman, William the Conqueror, who in turn gives way to the feuding Plantagenets. A camp Edward the Second and a clever Henry the Fourth quickly bring on the very wicked Richard the Third, whose death on Bosworth Field brings the Tudors to power. The six wives of Henry the Eighth lament their fate, Elizabeth the First and Mary Queen of Scots sing about being lonely at the top and the first act closes with the execution of Charles the First by Oliver Cromwell.
Act 2 - Queen Elizabeth the Second complains about the escapades of her more recent family, then introduces Charles the Second, the Restoration and a cameo appearance by the seductive Louis the Fourteenth of France. Queen Mary and Queen Anne lead to the Hanoverian Georges and their naughty mistresses. Then a young Queen Victoria sings of her new love for Albert while her older self sings of his loss. She is followed by more familiar monarchs and eventually to the present Queen. Finally Elizabeth the Second comments that it is a hard life, but someone has to do it and takes her place on the throne.

ROME The Musical condenses the life and death of Julius Caesar into one evening.
Cast: 9 (one silent)
Act 1 - Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife, prepares the party and welcomes the guests. Caesar appears and is toasted by his family, despite the whispering behind his back. His protege, Brutus, is especially critical, while Caesar’s nephew Octavian and Mark Antony compete for the position of adopted son. Suddenly Cleopatra arrives and throws the party into chaos. Calpurnia observes her husband flirting with Cleopatra, and Mark Antony’s wife also sees her husband succumbing to Cleopatra’s charms. But Caesar catches Mark Antony and Cleopatra together, decides to adopt Octavian instead and everyone goes into dinner plotting each other’s deaths.

Act 2 - Everyone is more drunk and more dangerous. Caesar sings about the difficulty of keeping power, but is soon stabbed by Brutus. Octavian, Mark Antony and Brutus then try to take power, but Brutus is quickly murdered by Antony. Cleopatra attaches herself to Antony, but his wife Octavia, who happens to be Octavian’s sister, is distraught and stabs him. Cleopatra is forced to commit suicide with an asp, but her death is quickly followed by those of Calpurnia and Octavia, victims of poison. Octavian is the last left standing, having manipulated everyone else’s demise, and he establishes himself as the Emperor Augustus.

From Dominie Drama
Zombie Prom
Music by Dana P. Rowe  Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey  Based on a story by John Dempsey and Hugh Murphy
Synopsis... This girl-loves-ghoul rock and roll musical is set where giddy teen romance is coupled with nuclear paranoia and the law is laid down by a zany tyrannical principal. Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy, Jonny. Her family forces her to end the romance, and Jonny charges off on his motorcycle seeking death in the nuclear waste of the atomic power plant. Even though he is buried in a lead lined coffin at the bottom of the ocean, he returns, glowing. Jonny may be a zombie but he is determined to reclaim Toffee’s heart. And he still wants to take her to the Prom. Principal Delia Strict orders him to drop dead while a scandal reporter for Expose magazine seizes on him as the freak du jour. History, undeterred by some delightful clowning and every conceivable Zombie joke, comes to Jonny’s rescue when it is revealed during an amazing tango that the reporter is the mystery man from Miss Strict’s past and they are Jonny’s parents. A tuneful selection of original songs in the style of popular 50s hits keeps the action rocking across the stage.  Cast: 5m, 5f (with doubling) - This title is available for amateur licensing on behalf of Samuel French Inc from: The home of “The Wiz”, “Nunsense”, “Clue” and many other great musicals! by phone: +61 2 9938 8600  by email: drama@dominie.com.au  by fax: +61 2 9938 8695  or via our website  www.dominie.com.au/drama

From Origin Theatrical, Sydney

The Brain From Planet X

Music and Lyrics by Bruce Kimmel, Book by David Wechter and Bruce Kimmel, Orchestrations by Larry Moore

THE BRAIN FROM PLANET X takes place in the San Fernando Valley, California, U.S.A. during the summer, circa 1958.

A hilarious musical send-up of bad 50’s sci-fi movies, THE BRAIN FROM PLANET X tells the story of an alien invasion circa 1958. A Brain and its two alien cohorts arrive on Earth with a plan to take over the San Fernando Valley - starting with a happy nuclear family. It’s the first step on the road to their quest of taking over the entire planet and destroying the family unit. This rousing, toe-tapping musical features a dancing, singing brain ... what more could you want from a musical?

Cast Requirements

Principals: 3 Female, 4 Male  Featured: 2 Male
Ensemble: Singing-dancing ensemble of Townspeople, Newscasters and Aliens

ORCHESTRATION PACKAGE

1 Piano Conductor's Score
1 Reed (Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Bs Clarinet)
1 Acoustic Bass/Bass Guitar
1 Drums: Trap Set, Toms (High and Low), Tam-Tam, Bells, Mark Tree, Wood Block, Wind Chimes, Police Whistle, Triangle, Tambourine [Mallets, Sticks, Brushes]
1 Synthesizer

"Wildly Funny" The L.A. Times
"Deliciously silly and broad… catchy, clever and nervy" TalkinBroadway.com
"The Brain from Planet X is also a glorious salute to the great American musical, with the same satiric air and sexy style as The Producers and the same nostalgic feel as Little Shop of Horrors" Orange County Register

Reefer Madness
Book by Kevin Murphy & Dan Studney, Music by Dan Studney, Lyrics by Kevin Murphy

1999 Theatre L.A. Ovation Awards
6 Awards including Best Musical (Smaller Theater)

1999 L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards
7 Awards including Best Production

1999 Backstage West Garland Awards 6 Awards including Best Production

Inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name, this raucous musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on an hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. You won't be able to resist the spoofy fun of REEFER MADNESS. The addictive and clever musical numbers range from big Broadway-style showstoppers to swing tunes like "Down at the Ol' Five and Dime" and the Vegas-style "Listen to Jesus, Jimmy," featuring J.C. himself leading a chorus of showgirl angels. This dynamic show will go straight to your head! REEFER MADNESS is a highly stylized and satirical political commentary. It contains adult humor, religious parody and drug use, as well as suggested violence and sexual explicitness. It therefore may be inappropriate for younger performers and audiences.
 

Cast Requirements
PRINCIPALS: 4 Men, 3 Women  FEATURED:  1 Woman
ENSEMBLE:              Singing-dancing ensemble consisting of Reefer Zombies, Kids at the Five-and-Dime, Jungle Orgy dancers, Angels, and patriotic background chorus in the Star-Spangled finale.
 

Orchestration Package
Piano Conductor/Keyboard 1; Bass Guitar; Drums; Woodwinds (Alto Sax, Flute, Clarinet)

For More Information
Visit the Official REEFER MADNESS homepage to learn more about the show
www.reefermadness.org

Originally directed by ANDY FICKMAN and produced by STEPHANIE STEELE for DEAD OLD MAN PRODUCTIONS.

"REEFER MADNESS...is deliberately outlandish and silly. And that's what makes it so good...[the show includes] a dozen or so over-the-top and hilarious production numbers."
Robert Dominguez, New York Daily News

For further details and enquires: Kim Ransley, Managing Director ORiGiN™ Theatrical Level 1, 213 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 PH: (61 2) 85145204 FAX: (61 2) 9518 4611 www.origintheatrical.com.au  kim@originmusic.com.au

From Dominie Drama, Sydney
Dominie Drama is thrilled to be attending the 50^th MTNZ Annual Conference next March, and we look forward to seeing you all there.  Dominie Drama represents the musical catalogue of Samuel French Inc (USA) within New Zealand.  Please visit their website for a complete catalogue of titles www.samuelfrench.com  Some of the titles included in the catalogue are:

Ruthless the Musical - Book and Lyrics by Joel Paley, Music by Marvin Laird. CAST: 1m & 5f. or 6f.  Eight year old Tina Denmark knows she was born to play Pippi Longstocking and she will do anything to win the part in her school musical. Anything includes murdering the leading lady! This aggressively outrageous musical hit garnered rave reviews during its long Off Broadway run which opened with Brittany Spears in the title role.

Clue the Musical -  Book by Peter DePietro, Music by Galen Blum, Wayne Barker and Vinnie Martucci Lyrics by Tom Chiodo CAST: 5m, 3f  The internationally popular boardgame is now a fun-filled msuical comedy that brings the worlds best known murder suspects to life and invites the audience to play along to help solve the mystery of who murdered the host, Mr. Boddy in what room and with what weapon. There are 216 possible crime solutions. Only one person is qualified to unravel the mayhem: a hard nosed female detective. With her added to the mix, the comedy soars…!

Nunsense the Mega Musical -  Music, book and lyrics by Dan Goggin CAST: 1m, 9f + chorus “Nunsense: The Mega-Musical Version" is here! All the fun of the original "Nunsense" has been super-sized! If you're looking for a Large Cast Musical Comedy this award-winning show is the perfect choice.  "Mega-Musical" stars the original five nuns and features five new (male and female) characters including the never-before-seen infamous convent cook, Sister Julia, Child of God. In addition there is a large chorus of men, women and children.   A new song ("One Last Hope") and two expanded dance numbers have been added as well as an optional guest spot for a local celebrity.

The Musical of Musicals The Musical - Music by Eric Rockwell, Lyrics by Joanne Bogart and Book by Eric Rockwell and Joanne Bogart CAST: 2m, 2f The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) is a musical about musicals! In this hilarious satire of musical theatre, one story becomes five delightful musicals, each written in the distinctive style of a different master of the form, from Rodgers and Hammerstein to Stephen Sondheim. The basic plot: June is an ingénue who can't pay the rent and is threatened by her evil landlord. Will the handsome leading man come to the rescue? The variations are: a Rodgers & Hammerstein version, set in Kansas in August, complete with a dream ballet; a Sondheim version, featuring the landlord as a tortured artistic genius who slashes the throats of his tenants in revenge for not appreciating his work; a Jerry Herman version, as a splashy star vehicle; an Andrew Lloyd Webber version, a rock musical with themes borrowed from Puccini; and a Kander & Ebb version, set in a speakeasy in Chicago. This comic valentine to musical theatre was the longest running show in the York Theatre Company's 35-year history before moving to Off-Broadway.

The Secret Garden - Book and Lyrics by Marsha Norman, Music by Lucy Simon, Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett CAST: 12m, 10f, 1f child (doubling possible) This enchanting classic of children's literature is now a brilliant musical by a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. Orphaned in India by cholera, an 11 year old girl is sent to live in Yorkshire with her only remaining relatives - an embittered, reclusive uncle and his invalid son. Their estate includes an overgrowing garden. Flashbacks, dream sequences, a strolling chorus of ghosts, and some of the most beautiful music ever written for Broadway dramatize The Secret Garden's compelling tale of regeneration. A major Broadway hit, this Tony Award winner is a musical treasure for children and adults alike.

Please note that all prices on the website are for USA customers only.  If you would like a quote or perusal material for any of the titles, please contact Dominie Drama directly by email drama@dominie.com.au, or by phone +61 2 9938 8600.  See you in Auckland!

From Hal Leonard Australia
Meredith Willson - Celebrate the Life of the Music Man For over 50 years audiences from around the world have enjoyed
the music of great Broadway and film composer, Meredith Willson.  Although best remembered for his 5 time Tony Award musical, The Music Man that starred the magnificent Robert Preston as super salesman con man Professor Harold Hill, wooing pretty Shirley Jones as Marian  the Librarian, in the 1962 film,  then more recently in the TV film starring  Matthew Broderick and Kristen Chenoweth (The original Glinda from Wicked), Willson also wrote two other successful Broadway musicals, popular songs and film scores.  It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas  is still to this day a regular Christmas favourite.  Celebrating the life of this extraordinary composer we would like to offer  Special Discounts on 2010 productions.  Book one of these shows for your 2010 production before the end of the year (The Music Man, The Music Man Junior; The Unsinkable Molly Brown, It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas and received the following discounts - 50% off all theatrical resources and 50% off your orchestral hire charge. 

Conditions apply:
- Only available for schools and theatre groups performing in 2010
- Only available for applications received between 14th August 2009 to 31st December 2009
- Not available in conjunction with any other discount offer
- Rights are Subject to availability in your area
- Our standard Terms and Conditions of application apply

If you are interested in perusing a script or applying for rights contact Hal Leonard www.halleonard.com.au or telephone 00613-9585-3300  We look forward to working with you on your next production! With warmest regards,  Stuart Hendricks Manager- Music Licensing and Hire Department.
ausshows@halleonard.com.au

September Spotlight Profile ……. Roger Hall

Roger Hall, the most successful New Zealand playwright of his generation, was born in Essex, England. His desire to write and to act was kindled by his father’s talent as an impersonator, frequent family visits to the theatre, (and by his love of post-war British radio and television comedies.  Hall's early scripts were for television, with his debut as a scriptwriter for television coming in 1969, when he collaborated with Joe Musaphia on New Zealand’s first television comedy series In View of the Circumstances. In 1976 he wrote he wrote his first stage play Glide Time, and saw it progress triumphantly after its Circa premiere to almost every theatre in the country. In 1977 came Middle Age Spread, his best-known play, thanks to the film version and a successful London West End production which ran for 18 months and won the Comedy of the Year Award.

In 1977 Hall moved from Wellington to Dunedin as Burns Fellow (1977–78), then stayed on as a half-time teaching fellow in the university’s English Department. He relinquished this position in 1994, moving to Auckland early in 1995. Hall’s work since has continued to hold a loyal audience, often speaking of Hall’s own cultural and generational history and contemporary concerns. Be it the history of immigration from England (Prisoners of Mother England), the stockmarket’s rise and crash (The Share Club and After the Crash) or the ‘90s rash of book clubs (The Book Club). He also experimented with his form widely. In 1983 he collaborated with Philip Norman (music) and A.K. Grant (lyrics) as author of the book for Footrot Flats, based on Murray Ball’s syndicated cartoon strip. This remains one of New Zealand’s most licensed plays. The same team produced the successful Love Off the Shelf (a satire on popular romantic fiction) in 1986 and a number of other works.

In the 1990s, Hall turned to the production of a string of very successful one-handers, which have played here and around the world. One of his most ambitious works has been A Way of Life for a North Island tour by New Zealand Actors’ Company for a cast of 12. In recent years, he has written the box office hits Spreading Out (2004), Taking Off (2004), Who Wants to be 100? (2007). His most recent play is Four Flat Whites in Italy which will premiere with ATC in June. In 2006 he collaborated with his daughter, playwright Pip Hall, on a revue-style commission for the Plunket centenary, Who Needs Sleep Anyway?, which was produced in three cities. Recently concerned by the lack of work for family audiences in our theatres he has revived the Christmas pantomime in collaboration with Paul Jenden, Michael Nicholas Williams and Circa Theatre, and these have also proven popular nationally.

As his author entry in the Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature comments, “While Hall’s play’s are funny, their comedy is that of sorrowful resilience, and of serious social criticism, for all their unfashionable willingness to treat the middle classes with some sympathy. His one-liners can show truth about human manners as well as wit.”

Hall’s plays have been performed in at least ten other countries securing his reputation as New Zealand's best known dramatist. He now has at least 40 plays to his credit. In the last ten years, his works have put $15 million into this country’s box-offices (professional and amateur) and such is his popularity that there is on average a production of one of his plays once every two weeks.

Stage Plays
After The Crash = 5 female, 3 male, 67 pages. The Keynes Avenue Social Club decides that real estate offers the quickest solution to restoring their fortunes.

Aladdin  (Pantomime)  - 2 female, 5 male, 87 pages - The classic tale of Aladdin.

A Way Of Life - 5 female, 7 male, 111 pages. An epic play tracing the lives of several generations of a New Zealand farming family.

By Degrees - 4 female, 70 pages. Four very different women give accounts of their experiences of doing university degrees as 'mature students'.

C'mon Black = 1 male, 44 pages. Join Dickie Hart on a supporter’s tour with the All Blacks in South Africa during the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Cinderella (Pantomime) - 3 female, 6 male, 78 pages. Hall partners up with Paul Jenden and Michael Nicholas Williams to update the popular Pantomime of Cinderella.

Conjugal Rites - 1 female, 1 male, 66 pages Genevieve and Barry have been married for twenty-one years, their children are leaving home, and they've each taken a lover.

Dirty Weekends  (Musical) - 4 female, 4 male, 75 pages. A couple move into a new neighborhood where they get the gardening bug.

Dream Of Sussex Downs - 4 female, 6 male,  53 pages Based on Chekhov's Three Sisters, but set in 1950's Wellington. Three New Zealand sisters are constantly drawn back 'home' - to England.

Dynamite - 4 female, 7 male,  26 pages. A full blooded English melodrama set in Victorian days.

Fifty Fifty - 2 female, 3 male, 80 pages. George cannot understand why his wife left him. The play looks at the problems of redundancy and unemployment, and by the end we may more fully understand the wife's decision.

Footrot Flats (Musical) - 4 female, 4 male, 60 pages. The familiar characters of Footrot Flats provide between them two hours of music and laughter.

Glide Time - 1 female, 6 male, 102 pages The play examines the lives of those forced to work with each other every day in a (public service) job none of them likes.

Hark, Hark The Harp - 2 female, 5 male, 21 pages.  A comedy about a town's reaction to the arrival of Rudolf and his second hand harp for the Citizens' Orchestra.

Hot Water - 4 female, 4 male, 89 pages. To a Taupo bach during the Christmas holidays come the holiday visitors - welcome and unwelcome.

Jack and the Beanstalk  (Pantomime) - 4 female, 4 male, 80 pages  Pantomime of the classic fairytale.

Love Off The Shelf (Musical) - 4 female, 4 male, 64 pages. Two unsuccessful authors turn secretly to romance writing…and find romance.

Making It Big (Musical) - 4 female, 4 male, 77 pages. The rise of (the mythical) Jane Wineberry, Southland's gift to country music, from the Miss New Zealand Show to Nashville.

Market Forces - 3 female, 4 male, 84 pages.  Staff can anticipate changes. Some downsizing is inevitable. The characters from Glide Time battle on.

Middle Age Spread - 3 female, 3 male, 82 pages. Three couples attend a dinner none of them wants to be at.

Mr Punch - 1 male, 26 pages. The dramatic life of Denis Glover devised and compiled from Glover's writings, letters and poems.

Multiple Choice - 5 female, 11 male, 68 pages. Margie Hughes, solo parent, takes her son Paul out of school to teach him at home.

Pirates, Witches & Robbers - 3 female, 4 male, 35 pages. Tales from the Margaret Mahy’s storybook.

Prisoners of Mother England - 6 female, 6 male, 73 pages. Following a group of English immigrants after their arrival in NZ till ten years later.

Robin Hood  (Pantomime)  - 3 female, 15 male, 112 pages. The traditional Robin Hood story but with a pantomime Dame.

Social Climbers - 6 female, 89 pages. A group of women teachers are forced to spend three days and nights together in a tramping hut.

Spreading Out - 4 female, 3 male, 83 pages. A look at a Kiwi family 30 years on as we revisit the characters from Middle Age Spread.

State Of The Play - 2 female, 4 male, 83 pages.  A successful writer takes a weekend writing-for-the-stage school in a small town.

Take A Chance On Me - 4 female, 4 male, 89 pages. Midlife in the lives of six newly single New Zealanders.

Taking Off - 4 female, 56 pages. The story of four women who set out, a little later in life than most, on their OE.

The Birthday Burglar - 8 female, 8 male, 15 pages. An adaptation of a Margaret Mahy story.

The Book Club - 1 female, 35 pages. Deborah, a self-confessed bookbuyeraholic, joins a book club and in doing so changes her life only to have it become exactly what it was.

The Hansard Show - 5 female, 6 male, 48 pages. A history of NZ as seen through the Parliamentary debates from the inception of the House of Representatives.

The Quiz - 6 male, 26 pages. A student gets temporary work at a tobacco factory, where his work mates insist he takes part in a quiz. The price is horrific.

The Rose - 2 female, 5 male, 27 pages. The leader has acquired enormous power without people realising the dangers of this. A man decides to assassinate the leader.

The Share Club - 3 female, 5 male, 63 pages. A comedy looking at the lives, loves and games of eight starry eyed people who have formed a neighbourhood share-club with the intention of making easy money.

Where Would A Songwriter Be Without Love? (Musical) 2 female, 2 male, 300 pages. A tribute to the music of Philip Norman. With songs from Footrot Flats, Making it Big, and more.

Who Needs Sleep Anyway? - 4 female, 4 male, 79 pages. Father and daughter Roger and Pip Hall team up for this witty and moving take on raising children. Commissioned by The Plunket Society.

Who Wants to be 100?  - 2 female, 4 male, 87 pages.  A classic kiwi comedy about that place everyone dreads – the rest home.

You Gotta Be Joking! - 1 male, 54 pages. Dickie Hart leaves country for the city and hates it.

You Must Be Crazy - 2 female, 2 male, 19 pages. An account of the Volunteer Service Abroad experience.

For information about Roger Hall’s works and licencing, contact Katrina Chandra at Playmarket
09 365 2648  agency@playmarket.org.nz      www.playmarket.org.nz

Thank you to Playmarket for allowing us to usethe article was originally printed in Playmarket News #43, Autumn 2009

PRESS RELEASE JULY 16 2009  - ORiGiN™ Theatrical is proud to announce the exclusive theatrical representation of the hit musical “GREASE” in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia. “GREASE” the musical written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey premiered on Broadway in 1972 and played for 3388 performances becoming the longest running musical at the time and has triumphed throughout the world ever since. In 1978 “Grease” went on to become a hugely successful film, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newtown-John.

 For further details and enquires: Kim Ransley, Managing Director ORiGiN™ Theatrical Level 1, 213 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 PH: (61 2) 85145204 FAX: (61 2) 9518 4611 www.origintheatrical.com.au  kim@originmusic.com.au 

About ORiGiN™ Theatrical An Australian independent music company owned and managed by Philip Walker and Philip Mortlock. The two Philip’s came together in 1993 to combine their respective industry skills and develop a group of independent music companies with solid accountability and creative flair. ORiGiN™ Theatrical was created in 2004 with the appointment of Kim Ransley (formerly Theatrical Manager of Warner/Chappell Music Australia) as ORiGiN™ Theatrical’s Managing Director and the establishment of the exclusive representation of theatrical rights to the Rodgers & Hammerstein and Really Useful Group catalogues. Since that time, ORiGiN™ has expanded its representation to include the catalogues of Theatrical Rights Worldwide and Dramatic Publishing. ORiGiN™ Theatrical represents some of the most successful and popular musicals in the world including THE SOUND OF MUSIC, CATS, MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, SOUTH PACIFIC, BUDDY HOLLY STORY, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, CHARLOTTE’S WEBB, OKLAHOMA!, THE COLOR PURPLE, DUSTY THE ORIGINAL POP DIVA, NARNIA, FOOTLOOSE, CURTAINS, THE KING AND I and CAROUSEL.

Hal Leonard Australia is excited to announce
the release of two very special shows One of them has been in development since 405 BC….and the other is brand-new, having only premiered in 2007.

 Edges and The Frogs – a new musical

FREE perusal packs are available for a limited time! Visit www.halleonard.com.au for more information about these wonderful shows, application forms and perusal request forms

 The Frogs - Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Based on a comedy written in 405 B.C. by Aristophanes

Freely adapted by Burt Shevelove and even more freely adapted by Nathan Lane.  The Greek god Dionysos, troubled by the world's ills, embarks on a perilous and frog-infested journey to Hades with his slave Xanthias, to bring back an extraordinary writer who, by providing words of wit and wisdom, will help save mankind from self-destruction.

Featuring cameos from George Bernard Shaw and William Shakespeare

Edges - Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

A song cycle revue by the up and coming team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, winners of the coveted Jonathan Larson Award for songwriting. The show is about the trials and tribulations of moving into adulthood and the search for love, commitment and meaning. With a modern theatrical beat and a youthful vitality and view of the world, EDGES is the perfect show for high schools, colleges and anyone looking for a piece that speaks to a new generation of theatre-goers Contact Erin Matheson ausshows@halleonard.com.au

It is with great excitement that Hal Leonard Australia announces the release of non-professional performance rights in Australia  and New Zealand for Miss Saigon

Music By: Claude-Michel Schönberg Book and Lyrics by: Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr

Miss Saigon is one of the most successful musicals in the world - seen by over 33 million people, in over 25 countries and played in 12 different languages.

Set in 1975 during the final days leading up to the American evacuation of Saigon, Miss Saigon is an epic love story about the relationship between an American GI and a young Vietnamese woman.  Interest in this phenomenal show will be enormous, and limited places will be available for 2009. Get your application in now for consideration for your next season!  Visit www.halleonard.com.au for application forms.

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Blues Clues Live!  The Most Spectacular Place

 Created by Angela C. Santomero and Traci Paige Johnson
This full-scale musical introduces young audiences to the magical world of live theatre. It features all of the characters that kids know and love from the critically acclaimed Nickelodeon television series "Blue's Clues," including Blue, Steve, Mailbox, Mr Salt and Mrs Pepper, Paprika and Tickety to name a few.

BLUE'S CLUES LIVE! THE MOST SPECTACULAR PLACE begins when the curtain greets and welcomes the audience into the wonderful world of Theatre. On stage, Blue and Steve lead the audience on a clue-based journey, in search of the most spectacular place of all. This quest takes them through Storybook Forest, where Blue and Steve meet The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks, The Big Bad Wolf, and other characters from classic fairytales. Blue and Steve even travel to outer space in search of the most spectacular place, discovering planets and other celestial wonders along the way. When they discover the final clue, Blue and Steve learn that aside from the surprise-filled world of Theatre, home is the most spectacular place of all! Nickelodeon, in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 88 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than eight consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

CAST: 1 Man, 1 Woman, Chorus of 10+ (may be played by children or by adults for children) ORCH: Piano or Performance Tracks Audio CD accompaniment  PERUSAL MATERIAL NOW AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO KEEP (NO NEED TO RETURN). Script and Score Sampler and CD Highlights for A$24.00 + gst.

 The Colour Purple

Based upon the novel written by Alice Walker And the Warner Bros./Amblin Entertainment Motion Picture  Book by Marsha Norman Music and Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray THE COLOR PURPLE  is an inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a woman who - through love - finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. This musical adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (and the popular 1985 Steven Spielberg film) spotlights Celie, a downtrodden young woman whose personal awakening over the course of 40 years forms the arc of this epic story. With a joyous score featuring jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music and blues, THE COLOR PURPLE is a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love and a celebration of life. THE COLOR PURPLE premiered at the Alliance Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia and opened on Broadway on November 1, 2005. It was nominated for eleven 2006 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score.

Kim Ransley  Managing Director
ORiGiN Theatrical Pty Ltd
PO Box Q1235, QVB Post Office, Sydney 1230
Level 1, 213 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000
PH: (+61 2) 8514 5204   F: (+61 2) 9518 4611
W:  www.origintheatrical.com.au  

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 NEW AUSTRALIAN / NEW ZEALAND RELEASE….

 Nunsense - The Mega-Musical Version

“Nunsense: The Mega-Musical Version" is here! All the fun of the original "Nunsense" has been super-sized! If you're looking for a Large Cast Musical Comedy this award-winning show is the perfect choice.  "Mega-Nunsense" starring the original five nuns features five new (male and female) characters including the never- before-seen infamous convent cook, Sister Julia, Child of God. In addition there is a large chorus of men, women and children.  A new song ("One Last Hope") and two expanded dance numbers have been added as well as an optional guest spot for a local celebrity. "Nunsense", the winner of four Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best Musical was called "A hail of fun and frolic" by the New York Times. And now it's bigger and better than ever!  It would be a sin to pass up the opportunity to present it!

This title is available for amateur licensing on behalf of Samuel French Inc from Dominie Drama:  The home of “Grease”, “The Wiz”, “Nunsense”, “Clue” and many other great musicals! by phone: +61 2 9938 8600 by email: drama@dominie.com.au  by fax: +61 2 9938 8695 or via our website  www.dominie.com.au/drama 
Please contact us if you wish to peruse, purchase or license the title.