Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical has officially opened at Toronto’s The Princess of Wales Theatre, where it will continue through January 2. The production will then move to Broadway’s Palace Theatre, beginning previews on February 28, before opening officially on March 20.
The musical has been directed by Simon Phillips. Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott have adapted the show from the Academy Award-winning film about three friends searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback. The score is made up of well-known dance-floor songs.
The show stars Nick Adams (Adam/Felicia), Tony Sheldon (Bernadettte), and Will Swenson (Tick/Mitzi), along with Mike McGowan (Frank), C. David Johnson (Bob), James Brown III (Jimmy), Nathan Lee Graham (Miss Understanding), J. Elaine Marcos (Cynthia), Jessica Phillips (Marion), Steve Schepis (Farrah), and Keala Settle (Shirley).
The cast also includes Ashley Spencer, Jacqueline Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey, Thom Allison, Kyle Brown, Bryan West, Tad Wilson, Joshua Buscher, Susan Dunstan, Gavin Lodge, David Lopez, Ellyn Marie Marsh, Jeff Metzler and Eric Sciotto.
In addition, the production has choreography by Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen ‘Spud’ Murphy, set design by Brian Thomson, lighting design by Nick Schlieper, and sound design by Jonathan Deans. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Academy Award-winning costume designs, which were originally designed for the film, while the BAFTA Award winning make up design is recreated by Cassie Hanlon.
Three of Canada’s dailies have published their reviews, and, in general, the critics are responding favorably to the show, and finding much to praise in its physical production and in the performances from the principals.
Read the reviews HERE.
Photo: www.Broadway.com
