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Welcome Ozians to 2008 – the year of WICKED! We hope you had a glorious Christmas and wicked New Year!
It’s been a thrillifying couple of months for WICKED AUSTRALIA – we launched our new gravity defying website last Halloween and have held the most extensive Australian and New Zealand theatrical auditions in many years.
Last December in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland, more than 1800 performers auditioned for the eight Principal and 24 ensemble roles for WICKED, the hottest musical in the world.
John Frost, Co-Producer of the Australian production of WICKED, was joined by the U.S. creative team, Lisa Leguillou (Associate Director); Stephen Oremus (Musical Supervisor); Mark Myars (Dance Supervisor); Joel Fram (Musical Supervisor from London), Corinne McFadden-Herrera (Dance Assistant) and Australian Musical Director Kellie Dickerson to conduct the Australian auditions.
‘The WICKED auditions were the most exhaustive of any that I have known or experienced, says John Frost. ‘And the competition for the character roles, particularly, was fierce.
‘We were looking for extraordinary performers — four men and four women — for the Principal roles. The ensemble, like the Principals, must have terrific voices, but they must also be strong dancers, and some — playing the roles of the flying monkeys — must be trained in aerial acrobatics.
‘The 1800 auditioned in front of four members of the creative team from the WICKED production at the Gershwin, Broadway’s biggest theatre. It was draining for all of us, and will continue to be, we expect, right through the next three months. When we are finally satisfied we’ll have a dazzling cast for this magical musical. We expect to announce the Principals and ensemble, probably in late February.’
John Frost said WICKED is ‘an eye-popper'. A spell binding blend of scenery, costumes and astonishing special effects. It will cost $12 million and it will take three months to transform The Regent Theatre before the Australian premiere in July. Rehearsals begin in May.
To view Channel 9’s A Current Affair story click here.
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Photograph by Serge Tomann ©
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