A MUSICAL with the title Disenchanted! might seem unlikely to be popular with theatregoers and become a box-office and award-winning hit.
But the show, which is being staged by Newcastle's Brunker Community Theatre, has been an increasingly popular global hit since it premiered off-Broadway in the United States in December, 2014, five years after a theatre team began putting it together.
And, as the story looks at how 10 women who feature in classic and contemporary fairy tale stories - Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle (Disney's Beauty and the Beast), Mulan (Disney's Mulan), The Little Mermaid (Disney's The Little Mermaid), Pocahontas (Disney's Pocahontas), The Princess Who Kissed the Frog (Disney's The Princess and the Frog, based on the Brothers Grimms' German folk tale), Princess Badroulbadour (known by friends as Jasmine in south-east Asian Aladdin sagas), and Rapunzel, a frail, sheltered girl who has become a strong German woman with a domineering personality - the characters are certainly well-known by many people.
The show, which has seven performances at St Stephen's Anglican Church Hall, Adamstown, between February 10 and 18, has certainly been popular in a one-actor version staged by Sydney performer Eliane Morel that continues to tour Australia since she first performed it at the Sydney Fringe Festival in 2018.
Her show, which only runs for 90 minutes compared to the 115-minute length of the full version, was to have been part of the 2020 Newcastle Fringe Festival, but the festival had to be cancelled because of the COVID outbreak, with Morel putting it online.
But when it was able to go ahead in 2021 it won the prize for Best In Festival at the Newcastle Fringe and Best Show at the Dubbo Fringe Festival.
Andrew Trigg, who has appeared in many renowned Newcastle shows, including Hairspray and Mary Poppins, is pleased to be directing Disenchanted!, which he describes as "a brassy, ballsy, hilarious, not-so-damsel-in-distress collection of musical stories".
And while the musical features such beloved characters as Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, he advises people to forget the princesses you think you know. The original storybook heroines have come to life to set the record straight,
"The premise for the show is that the original storybook heroines present the subversive 'true stories' behind the tales as old as time," Trigg said.
"In order to set the record straight, these royal renegades toss off their tiaras, replacing sugary duets and animated teapots with songs that expose the juicy details of each princess's life post-happily ever after.
"The show is a laugh-a-minute with amazing vocals from 10 of the best musical theatre performers I've ever had the pleasure to work with."
He also notes that he is "very excited to direct Disenchanted! because of its relevance in today's social and political climate".
The characters and their actors are: Snow White - Abbey Kowalke; Cinderella - Lizzy Lindus; Sleeping Beauty - Hayley Doherty; Belle - Grace Callaghan; Mulan - Emily So; The Little Mermaid - Amber Curby; Pocahontas - Leelani Taranawiwat; The Princess Who Kissed the Frog - Pamalyn Hyde; Rapunzel - Kerrie Stephens; and Princess Badroulbadour - Keely Page.
The show's staging team has Silvia Flores as choreographer and assistant director, Melonda Hicks as costume designer, Katie-Jane Laurie as costume designer, Rachel Millard in make-up design, and Lelle Coombes as stage manager.
Sessions: Friday, February 10, 8pm; Saturday, February 11, 8pm; Sunday, February 12, 2pm; Wednesday, February 15, 8pm; Friday, February 17, 8pm; Saturday, February 18, 2pm and 8pm. Tickets: General Admission $35; Concession - Seniors $25. Bookings: Email brunkertheatre@gmail.com or call 0413 495 890 or 0412 797 395.
Tuck Everlasting
WHAT would you do if you could live forever?
Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure beyond her white picket fence, but not until she becomes unexpectedly entwined with the Tuck family does she get more than she could have imagined. When Winnie learns of the magic behind their immortality, she must fight to protect their secret from those who would do anything for a chance at eternal life. As her adventure unfolds, Winnie faces an extraordinary choice: return to her life, or continue with the Tucks on their infinite journey.
Newcastle's Young People's Theatre is presenting the 70-minute Young Adult version of the renowned Broadway show Tuck Everlasting, which is based on the best-selling children's classic by Natalie Babbitt.
The show, which was adapted for the stage by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle and features a soaring score from Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, is a condensed version of the Broadway production, re-conceived by the authors to be performed by nine actors.
The show's director, Riley McLean, notes that there are two alternating casts of actors aged 13 to 18, with the show having a lot of physical elements, including ropes on ladders being used to increase a wide variety of shapes and structures.
"The kids are really enjoying it," he said.
And no doubt the audience will too.
The show, which is being staged in YPT's theatre, on the corner of Lawson and Lindsay streets, Hamilton, has performances between Friday, February 10 and Sunday, February 26. All tickets are $25 - adults at children's prices, with tickets required for children two years and over. Book online through boxoffice@ypt.org.au or phone the box office on 4961 4895 on Saturdays, 9am to 1pm.
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