The last few months have been rough for live theatre, with venues across the city remaining closed. While the promise of reopening is tantalisingly near, even when live performance does return it will be under very different circumstances.
The good news is the creative forces driving Sydney’s performance scene embraced the show must go on spirit, coming up with unique ways to stay connected to their audiences. Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres is the latest institution to join the online brigade, with musical star and Riverside regular Luke Joslin leading the way with You’ll Never Walk Alone.
The show promises to be a livestream showtune extravaganza, with Helpmann Award-winning star and director Joslin leading musical theatre luminaries Rachael Beck (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Daniel Belle (Les Misérables), Michael Cormick (Beauty and the Beast), Robert McDougall (Les Misérables) and Penny McNamee (Wicked). They’ll belt out soul-soaring songs form all the greatest hits beamed straight to your living room. Even better, they’ll be accompanied by the magnificent piano perfection of celebrated musical director Michael Tyack.
Joslin says that, like audiences, the stars are keen to step foot inside a theatre once more, withthe evet recorded live within distancing parametres. “We are all so very excited to get back on the boards and to do what we do best.”
This is the first of a series of concerts, and they are one-hit wonders, never to be seen again. So don’t miss out. Make sure you tune in live on Sunday, May 31 at 5pm for the debut hour-long extravaganza. It’s an easy and fun way to help reboot live theatre in Sydney, with You’ll Never Walk Alone a ‘choose what you pay’ affair, with a minimum price of $12 for all that razzmatazz.
Joslin hopes viewers will support them if they can. “This new medium of stream could be a more common occurrence going forward, and therefore it’s important for the sustainability and longevity of this medium to make it pay-per-view. If we want to be taken seriously as a profession, I feel it’s important we rally behind this model. Only then will performers will be deservedly compensated. We have some of the best talent in the world in Oz. If you tune in Sunday, you’ll see what I mean.”
This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
