Theatre News

Jason Donovan drives Priscilla into Birmingham

After a successful three years in London, Whatsonstage.com Award winning musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert is set to tour the UK with a two week stop off in Birmingham starring Jason Donovan, Richard Grieve and Graham Weaver.

Based on the Australian movie, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is the uplifting adventure of three friends who hop aboard a battered bus searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they could have ever dreamed of. With a dazzling array of outrageous costumes and a hit parade of dance floor favorites including ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘Say a Little Prayer’, ‘Go West’, ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Always on My Mind’. 

Jason Donovan will reprise the role of Tick, the role he originated in the West End.  As well as Priscilla Queen of the Desert his other West End credits include the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoatand Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. His touring credits include Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, the title role in John Doyle’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd and he can currently be seen as The Artilleryman in The War of the Worlds. His television credits include Neighbours and Echo Beach.

Richard Grieve will play Bernadette having previously played the part of Tick in the West End production of the show. He is probably best known as Jonny Foster in Emmerdale. A native Australian, he played Sam Kratz in Neighbours and Dr Lachlan Frazer in Home and Away. His UK theatre credits include the national tour of Footloose – The Musical and Bells Are Ringing at the Unicorn Theatre. His theatre credits in Australia include Greg Connell in The Boy from Oz and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Graham Weaver will play Felicia, which he played in the West End production of the show. His other theatre credits include Mary Sunshine in Chicago and Assassins.
  
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert originally opened in Australia in 2006 where it ran for two years before opening in the West End for a run of a further two years. The show recently played a hugely successful season on Broadway. Along the way, it has won numerous awards including the prestigious Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Costume Design.
 
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert will play at the New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham from March 18 – 30 2013.