Ride The Cyclone
Hayes Theatre Co from May 23 – June 22
Hayes Theatre Co announced an exceptional cast for their Australian premiere of the viral musical sensation Ride The Cyclone. This striking and critically acclaimed musical blends comedy and tragedy, inspiring millions of views on TikTok and becoming a social media mega-hit.
The exciting fresh young cast that will slay on stage this May comprises Natalie Abbott (Zombie! The Musical, Muriel’s Wedding) as Constance, Bailey Dunnage (RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under) as Noel, Lincoln Elliott (The Hello Girls, Sunshine Super Girl) as Mischa, Justin Gray making his professional debut as Ricky, Ava Madon (A Little Night Music, The Lucky Country) as Jane Doe, and Karis Oka (Fangirls, Six) as Ocean, with understudies Mel O’Brien (Fangirls) and Alec Steedman (Once). 
Helmed by the Co-Artistic Directors at Hayes Theatre Co, Richard Carroll and Victoria Falconer as Director and Musical Director, Ride The Cyclone tells the hilarious and exhilarating story of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir who encounter a freak accident aboard the titular rollercoaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other – the chance to return to life. As the teens compete to prove their worthiness, they sing and dance their way through a series of hilarious and touching performances, revealing their deepest hopes and fears.
Director Richard Carroll (Murder for Two, Calamity Jane) said, “I punched the air when we secured the Australian premiere of this landmark show as the centrepiece of our 2024 season. I can’t wait for audiences here to fall in love with these incredible characters, and become obsessed with these amazing songs. It’s going to be a hell of a ride.”
With book, music and lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, this bold, striking and genre-busting musical started life in Canada, before becoming a hit in Chicago and New York, and then a record-breaking online phenomenon with over half a billion views on TikTok.
Bursting with witty, memorable songs and featuring some of the most compelling characters in modern musical theatre, this remarkable show makes a uniquely uplifting and deeply funny case for what makes a life worth living.
“Supremely witty… and just plain delightful” – The New York Times
“Ingeniously dark and funny” – Washington Post
