Premiering in Sydney in 2016, this new musical sees Oz music theatre mega-producer John Frost team up with three-time Helpmann Award-winner David Campbell (Shout! The Legend of the Wild One) and director Simon Phillips (Ladies in Black) to celebrate American jazz musician, songwriter and nightclub crooner Bobby Darin.
Darin broke through into international stardom in the late 1950s with the hit tunes 'Dream Lover' and 'Beyond the Sea', among others. He and actress Sandra Dee also became media darlings following an on-set romance during the filming of the 1960 film Come September, after which they married.
Campbell will reprise the role of Darin, joined by Hannah Fredericksen as Sandra Dee.
Co-written by Frank Howson (writer the films Boulevard of Broken Dreams and What the Moon Saw) and John-Michael Howson (co-writer of Shout! and Dusty: The Original Pop Diva), Dream Lover features 34 hits either written or reinterpreted by Darin in the 50s and 60s, including 'Mack The Knife', 'Beyond the Sea', 'Splish Splash' and 'Dream Lover'.
Our Sydney reviewer wrote: "Dream Lover knows what it’s about: Darin’s well-known hits, with his triumphs and tribulations interwoven with songs for added emotional effect. This is a jukebox musical with heart, and its energy and enthusiasm is contagious."