iOTA - Frank N Furter
iOTA, one of Australia’s most enigmatic, talented and original singer/songwriters, always wanted to be a rock star. Then the moment he became one, he freaked out. In hindsight he admits that it was a pivotal moment in a career that embraces six ARIA Award nominations, four albums, seven singles. Then another opportunity loomed when musical theatre presented itself and iOTA was cast as the lead in Hedwig & the Angry Inch. He needn’t have worried as he took to the stage with gusto making a stunning theatrical debut which in the past 13 months has earned him a Helpmann Award for Best Male in a Musical as well a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Musical and a Green Room Award for Best Performance in a Musical.
And then the fun really began….
August 2007 and we proudly announce iOTA’s involvement in two very different musical pieces. First up in the later half of 2007 iOTA performs alongside Graeme Murphy in Sydney Dance Company’s Berlin. Then in 2008 iOTA embraces the role of Dr. Frank ‘n Furter in Richard O’Briens worlds favorite rock n roll musical The Rocky Horror Show.
His 1999 debut album, The Hip Bone Connection, earned iOTA the first of his six ARIA Award nominations. His current album Beauty Queen Of The Sea embraces the warmth and melody from his third album La Caravana, but really is the sum of all its predecessors. And that leaves iOTA in an interesting place.
“Anything is possible” he says. “This music theatre thing is really getting me yet at the same time if I can keep making music and releasing it I’ll be happy”
PAUL CAPSIS - Riff Raff
Paul Capsis is one of Australia’s most versatile performers. His extensive career has included theatre, film, live concerts and cabaret. Paul has worked with many leading Australian theatre companies (STC, MTC, Malthouse Theatre and Company B Belvoir) as well as in Vienna, Hong Kong and London. He is presently making his theatrical debut in Absinthe in New York.
Paul’s theatre credits include Barrie Kosky’s The Lost Echo (2006, STC) which earned him the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play. Boulevard Delirium in Vienna and Australia (2001, 2002 and 2005 Schauspielhaus, Vienna and 2005 Australia) with his Australian performance earning him the 2006 Helpmann Award for Best Contemporary Concert Performer and the 2006 Green Room award for Best Cabaret Artiste. Other awards include the 2004 Green Room Award Best Cabaret Artiste and 2002 Helpmann Award for Best Live Musical Presentation for ‘Capsis vs Capsis’ at the Sydney Opera House.
His music background is varied having sung with Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Russell Crowe, the Soweto Gospel Choir of South Africa, Judi Connelli, Todd McKenney, Mark Trevorrow and Marcia Hines amongst others.
Paul’s film credits include Ana Kokkinos’ 1998 film Head On which won him the 1998 Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Supporting Actor and a nomination for an AFI Award in the same category.
His CD 'Paul Capsis Live' is available at all good music stores and the forthcoming ‘Everybody Wants To Touch Me’
soon will be!
ANNE WOOD - Magenta
Anne’s career began with the original Melbourne cast of Cats. She followed this with a repeat performance in the first Australian tour of the production before joining the German company.
She spent six successful years working in London and Germany, with A Swell Party marking her London West End debut. Other U.K. and European credits include lead roles in Aspects Of Love, Barnum, Crazy For You, Romance Romance, Into The Woods and Closer Than Ever.
After returning to Australia, Anne appeared as Irene in Crazy for You and Elsa Schraeder in the The Sound of Music – both performances earning her Green Room nominations.
Anne spent nearly three years playing the lead role of Donna in the original smash hit production of Mamma Mia! earning a Green Room Award and an invitation to play the role on London’s West End.
Since then she has appeared in Closer Than Ever, Carousel, Australia’s Leading Ladies Concerts, Minefields And Miniskirts, Menopause The Musical and has been performing in cabaret with Shaun Murphy of Combo Fiasco fame.
Most recently, for The Production Company, she appeared as Meg Boyd in Damn Yankees and as Phyllis Stone in Stephen Sondheim’s Follies.
MICHAEL CORMICK - Eddie / Dr. Scott
Michael Cormick has an international reputation as an accomplished singer and actor. Since winning New Faces in 1978 he has had a diverse career throughout Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe.
In his home country of Australia, he has played lead roles in musicals including Cats, Into The Woods, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Grease, Eureka, Sunset Boulevard and End Of The Rainbow. Michael is perhaps best remembered for the role of the Beast in Disney's Beauty And The Beast (for which he received a MO Award).
On the West End Michael has played Sir Percival Glyde in The Woman In White, Raoul in The Phantom Of The Opera and Wild Bill Hickok in Calamity Jane. He has also performed the roles of the Arbiter in Chess and Che Guevarra in Evita in Beirut and featured as a guest performer in the Royal Command performances in London of The Phantom Of The Opera and Les Miserables, and at the opening of the Christmas Festival at Royal Albert Hall, London.
More recently Michael has appeared in concert throughout Italy.
LISA ADAM - Columbia
Originally from Perth, Lisa graduated from WAAPA with a BA in Musical Theatre, before moving to Sydney where she joined the a cappella quintet Bite My Chilli, performing festival seasons in both Adelaide and Melbourne.
2002 marked Lisa’s professional musical theatre debut with Man Of La Mancha in which she understudied and performed the role of Aldonza. Other theatre credits include The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband (Laura), Debbie Does Dallas-The Musical (Debbie Benton), Pearlie In The Park (Pearlie), Eurobeat-Almost Eurovision (UK, u/s Bronya) and Topol’s Fiddler On The Roof (Tzeitel).
Film and television credits include Swinging, Water Rats, Backberner, Life Support, Heroes Mountain, Garage Days, Cushion Kids, The “O” Word and The Sleeper.
Lisa is thrilled to be taking on the role of Columbia and would like to thank her family for their unwavering love and support.
Lisa is a proud member of MEAA.
KELLIE RODE - Janet
Kellie is one of Australia’s musical theatre’s rising stars. Since graduating from WAAPA’s BA Musical Theatre in 2000 her career has taken off allowing her to perform across the globe.
Straight after graduation Kellie scored the role of Swing and Understudy in the Australian premiere production of Mamma Mia! in Melbourne. She went on to perform the lead role of Sophie in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Auckland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brisbane (return season), and Melbourne (return season).
Her recent Musical Theatre work includes Sideshow Alley (World premiere 2006), OzMade Musicals 2006, Virgins (New York and Melbourne) for which she received a 2006 Green Room Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress and OzMade Musicals 2005. Her other credits include: Mandy Patinkin Masterclass (Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2006), Tsunami Appeal Brisbane 2005, Adelaide Christmas Carols 2004, S.O.S. Iran Charity Concert 2003.
ANDREW BEVIS - Brad
Andrew Bevis has starred in a diverse range of leading roles both in his native Australia and on London's world famous West End.
A prolific piano player, Andrew began his theatrical career aged 18 as Trainee Musical Director on the Original Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera. He then made his stage debut as Barnaby Tucker in the acclaimed revival of Hello, Dolly! (GFO) before touring Asia and South Africa with the international cast of Les Miserables. Andrew was then invited to join the original London production at The Palace Theatre in London’s West End performing the roles of Montparnasse and Marius.
Further West End Credits include Tremont - "Chick with a Dick" in Jerry Springer the Opera (Royal National Theatre/Cambridge Theatre), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Piccadilly Theatre), Tobias in Sweeney Todd (Opera North), Terminus; These People; Diamond and Ray Cooney's Time's Up. Andrew starred as Lt. Joseph Cable in South Pacific for BBC Radio 2 and most recently as the title role in Cameron Mackintosh's Martin Guerre (Watermill Theatre).
Australian stage credits include: Follies (Sydney Opera House), Henrik in A Little Night Music (MTC / IMG), Spring Awakening and Favourite Names for Boys (Railway Street Theatre Company).
Andrew recorded the voice of Prince Lune for The Cat Returns (Disney Animations) opposite Tim Curry, Anne Hathaway and Elliot Gould.
SIMON FARROW - Rocky
Simon graduated from The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPPA) with a Bachelor of Arts (Dance).
Simon has worked with companies including The Ninth Floor and Kompany Kido.
His stunt work has taken him around the world working on stage shows for both Disneyland and Universal Studios. Simon’s screen credits include The Bastard Boys, Valentine’s Day, the US miniseries - The Pacific and most recently The Long Weekend.
GRANT SMITH - The Narrator
Grant is delighted to be joining the cast of The Rocky Horror Show as “The Narrator”. Prior to this ‘time warp’ he appeared in the recent Production Company shows as “Babcock” in Mame and stepped in at short notice for Bud Tingwell as “Dimitri Weisman” in Follies.
Grant trained in music and dance in Western Australia and subsequently at the Royal College of Music Opera School in London. Early experience in Gilbert & Sullivan was followed by on going work in London’s West End in a number of shows including Sweeney Todd and Barnum.
Australian audiences in Sydney and Melbourne were treated to Grant’s standout performances as “Gus the Theatre Cat” and “Growltiger” during the premiere season of Cats (1985 – 1987). Following this were roles in Man of La Mancha and a National tour in Lend Me a Tenor. A return to the Opera stage in the 90’s bought on-going work with the various Opera Companies Australia wide. Grant delights in the opportunities of work on both the Opera and Music Theatre stages from Di Fledermaus and Madea to the recent Sleeping Beauty at the Malthouse.
Grant has been nominated for a number or awards for his performances and in 2000 he received the inaugural Sir Robert Helpmann Award for Best Male performance in an Opera for the role of “The Architect” in The Eighth Wonder.
Phantoms:
Luke Alleva, Frank Hansen, Verity Hunt-Ballard (Dance Captain), Gareth Keegan, Lucy Maunder, John O’Hara, Angela Scundi, Taneel Van Zyl, Thomas Webb and Nathan Wright.
