WOS TV: Priscilla Stars Celebrate at Gala Opening

Twenty-four hours after facing the critics, the team behind Australian blockbuster musical import Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical were ready to celebrate with a star-studded gala premiere last night (24 March 2009, previews from 10 March) at the West End’s Palace Theatre (See Also Today's 1st Night Photos.

Jason Donovan, Tony Sheldon and Oliver Thornton star as three fish-out-of-water friends heading across the outback in their eponymous pink bus (which is heavily featured on stage).

Adapted from the 1994 Oscar-winning cult film which starred Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical had its world premiere in Sydney in October 2006. Original cast member Sheldon makes his West End debut as transsexual Bernadette, with Donovan as Tick/Mitzi and Thornton as Adam/Felicia, his drag queen colleagues.

The Priscilla score features a host of dance-floor classics including "I Love the Nightlife", "I Will Survive", “Go West”, "Finally", “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, “Hot Stuff”, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and a Kylie Minogue medley.

The stage musical has a book by Allan Scott and Stephan Elliot (writer/director of the film). It’s directed by Simon Phillips, choreographed by Ross Coleman and designed by Brian Thomson (who also conceived the on-stage bus), with costumes (some 380 of them!) by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, lighting by Nick Schlieper, sound by Michael Waters and make-up by Cassie Hanlon.

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For Whatsonstage.com TV, interviewer Theo Bosanquet and director John Gidley were on hand at the Palace Theatre for the Priscilla gala performance and at the London Hippodrome for the post-show party. Amongst our TV interviewees are the show’s stars Jason Donovan, Tony Sheldon, Oliver Thornton and Clive Carter, director Simon Phillips, costume designer Tim Chappel, and other first night guests including Richard Curtis and Anneka Rice.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is produced in the West End by Back Row Productions, Specific Films, Rafford Films, Chugg Entertainment, Gordon Frost Organisation, Mirvish Productions and the Really Useful Group, in association with MGM On Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber.

- by Terri Paddock

Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
	Priscilla - Queen of the Desert Listing Page

Internal Links
	Priscilla Musical Confirms West End Closing Date, 31 Dec - 2nd Sep 2011 news
	Priscilla Bus May Pull Out of Palace at End of Year - 23rd Jun 2011 news
	Cast: Moraghan in Priscilla, Day Joins Hurly Burly - 25th Feb 2011 news
	Richard Grieve Takes Ride on Priscilla Bus, 7 Mar - 2nd Feb 2011 news
	Photos: Lumley Has Busman’s Holiday at Priscilla - 16th Aug 2010 photos
	Cast: Matthew Kelly in Festive Spamalot, Priscilla - 13th Jul 2010 news
	Priscilla Takes Fortnight Off, Finishes Sundays - 24th Jun 2010 news
	Will Swenson Boards Bus Back to Broadway??? - 18th May 2010 gossip
	1st Night Photos: Celebs Frock on at Priscilla Gala - 25th Mar 2009 photos
	Review Round-up: Priscilla’s Drag Queens Reign - 24th Mar 2009 roundup
	Priscilla Queen of the Desert - 24th Mar 2009 reviews
	Show Pics: Priscilla's Platforms & Sequins Aplenty - 17th Mar 2009 photos
	Priscilla: The Boys from Oz Arrive - 16th Mar 2009 features