Sideshow Alley is an Australian musical by Paul Keelan and Gary Young. Set amongst the 'misfits', 'outcasts' and 'curiosities' of a 1950s Outback travelling show, Sideshow Alley tells the story of Rita, an Italian fortune-teller, Billy, a rugged tent boxer, and Alec, a charismatic drifter, intertwined in a love triangle filled with secrets and lies. It concerns themes of unbridled love and the discovery of identity in a world of prejudice.
Young and Keelan's Sideshow Alley received the inaugural Pratt Prize for Music Theatre in 2002. The prize included a workshop production, staged at Melbourne's Chapel Off Chapel in August 2003 directed by Gale Edwards with a cast including Tamsin Carroll, Greg Stone and Robyn Arthur.[1][2] Melbourne's Playbox Theatre Company announced a full-scale production for its 2004 season but this was later cancelled when Playbox could not secure a co-producer.[3]
Production historyedit
The original Australian production of Sideshow Alley began previews on 20 January 2007 and opened on 3 February 2007 at the Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane. Produced by McPherson Ink, it was directed by Young with choreography by Andrew Hallsworth. The cast included Christopher Parker (Alec), Alex Rathgeber (Billy), Silvie Paladino (Rita), Robyn Arthur (Bev), Mike Bishop (Tiny), Darren Natale (Lady Chiang), Sally-Anne Upton (Fag Ash Lil), Kellie Rode (Annie), Carrie Barr (Cleo), Anton Berezin (Zeke), Emma Hawkins (Dolly Dot), Paul Ross (Snowy), Bay Abbey (Tiger), Irene Dios (Rosie), Emma Hawkins (Dolly Dot), Glen Hogstrom (Larry/Mikey), Luke Stephens (Tom/Archie), Taneel van Zyl, and Grant Durham.[4]
The musical was to transfer to The Palms at Crown in Melbourne. However, with weak ticket sales the production closed in Brisbane after 47 performances.[5]
In September 2007, Kookaburra Musical Theatre announced a Sydney production as part of its 2008 season.[6] This was also later cancelled.
Receptionedit
Sideshow Alley received mixed to positive reviews. Bryce Hallett in the Sydney Morning Herald said that "Keelan's music is an appealing mix of stirring ballads and duets about the fickleness of love, resilience, fortune and fate" and that the musical "has tremendous promise and in its best moments is spirited and heart-warming". He indicated that "Young's book needs refinement, especially the problematic second act which pushes for tragedy without offering sufficient context or logic to convincingly carry it through." Hallett concluded that "Sideshow Alley may not have broken the drought when it comes to producing home-grown musicals, but at least it puts some life and excitement back in the field".[7]
sideshow, alley, musical, sideshow, alley, australian, musical, paul, keelan, gary, young, amongst, misfits, outcasts, curiosities, 1950s, outback, travelling, show, sideshow, alley, tells, story, rita, italian, fortune, teller, billy, rugged, tent, boxer, ale. Sideshow Alley is an Australian musical by Paul Keelan and Gary Young Set amongst the misfits outcasts and curiosities of a 1950s Outback travelling show Sideshow Alley tells the story of Rita an Italian fortune teller Billy a rugged tent boxer and Alec a charismatic drifter intertwined in a love triangle filled with secrets and lies It concerns themes of unbridled love and the discovery of identity in a world of prejudice Sideshow AlleyOriginal cast recordingMusicPaul KeelanLyricsGary YoungBookGary YoungPremiere3 February 2007 Playhouse QPACProductions2007 BrisbaneAwardsHelpmann Award for Best Original Score Contents 1 Development 2 Production history 3 Reception 4 References 5 External linksDevelopment editYoung and Keelan s Sideshow Alley received the inaugural Pratt Prize for Music Theatre in 2002 The prize included a workshop production staged at Melbourne s Chapel Off Chapel in August 2003 directed by Gale Edwards with a cast including Tamsin Carroll Greg Stone and Robyn Arthur 1 2 Melbourne s Playbox Theatre Company announced a full scale production for its 2004 season but this was later cancelled when Playbox could not secure a co producer 3 Production history editThe original Australian production of Sideshow Alley began previews on 20 January 2007 and opened on 3 February 2007 at the Playhouse Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane Produced by McPherson Ink it was directed by Young with choreography by Andrew Hallsworth The cast included Christopher Parker Alec Alex Rathgeber Billy Silvie Paladino Rita Robyn Arthur Bev Mike Bishop Tiny Darren Natale Lady Chiang Sally Anne Upton Fag Ash Lil Kellie Rode Annie Carrie Barr Cleo Anton Berezin Zeke Emma Hawkins Dolly Dot Paul Ross Snowy Bay Abbey Tiger Irene Dios Rosie Emma Hawkins Dolly Dot Glen Hogstrom Larry Mikey Luke Stephens Tom Archie Taneel van Zyl and Grant Durham 4 The musical was to transfer to The Palms at Crown in Melbourne However with weak ticket sales the production closed in Brisbane after 47 performances 5 In September 2007 Kookaburra Musical Theatre announced a Sydney production as part of its 2008 season 6 This was also later cancelled Reception editSideshow Alley received mixed to positive reviews Bryce Hallett in the Sydney Morning Herald said that Keelan s music is an appealing mix of stirring ballads and duets about the fickleness of love resilience fortune and fate and that the musical has tremendous promise and in its best moments is spirited and heart warming He indicated that Young s book needs refinement especially the problematic second act which pushes for tragedy without offering sufficient context or logic to convincingly carry it through Hallett concluded that Sideshow Alley may not have broken the drought when it comes to producing home grown musicals but at least it puts some life and excitement back in the field 7 At the 2007 Helpmann Awards Sideshow Alley won for Best Original Score Paul Keelan and Gary Young and received nominations for Best Female Actor in a Musical Silvie Paladino and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Robyn Arthur References edit AusStage Mangan John 29 November 2002 This show has it all The Age Retrieved 11 March 2016 Jo Roberts 25 November 2004 A brilliant new creator The Age Retrieved 11 March 2016 AusStage Pinne Peter Queensland Sings Theatre Heritage Australia Retrieved 11 March 2016 Kookaburra 2008 Season Announced Australian Stage Retrieved 11 March 2016 Hallett Bryce 5 February 2007 Knockout Aussie tale puts life back into musicals Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 11 March 2016 External links editSideshow Alley at AusStage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sideshow Alley musical amp oldid 1152907585, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
