| The Boy from Oz | |
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Original Broadway Poster. |
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| Music | Peter Allen |
| Lyrics | Peter Allen |
| Book | Nick Enright (original) Martin Sherman |
| Productions | 1998 Sydney 2003 Broadway |
The Boy from Oz is a jukebox musical based on the life of singer/songwriter Peter Allen and featuring songs written by him. The book is by Nick Enright. The production had its world premiere, directed by Gale Edwards, at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Australia, on 5 March 1998 and toured Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, playing to over 1.2 million theatre patrons. It ran for a total 766 performances over two years.[1] The production starred showman Todd McKenney as Peter Allen and The Divinyls lead singer Chrissy Amphlett as Judy Garland.
Contents |
Entertainer Peter Allen is performing a cabaret in which he describes his life story, explaining how he came to terms with who he was and integrated the various influences in his life ("The Lives of Me"). In retrospect we learn how in the 1950s, the young Peter Woolnough started singing, dancing and playing the piano in rural Australia. He changes his last name to Allen and performed concerts in Australia and Asia as one half of a duo known as "The Allen Brothers." He meets American performer Judy Garland, who hires him for her show. Thus he achieves a dream to work in New York. Peter soon becomes romantically involved with Judy's daughter Liza, and they marry. Peter appears in New York City with the Rockettes. As time progresses Peter develops a relationship with a man, Greg Connell, and his marriage ends ("I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love"). Ultimately he finds peace with his sexuality ("Bi-Coastal") and the legacy of his alcoholic father ("Tenterfield Saddler") but is unable to overcome his mortality ("Once Before I Go").[2]
The Boy from Oz was the first Australian musical to reach Broadway. It started previews at the Imperial Theatre on 16 September 2003, opened on 16 October 2003 and closed on 12 September 2004, at the end of Hugh Jackman's contract. It was adapted for the American audience by playwright Martin Sherman, who removed some of the Australianisms (such as 'jackaroo') and expanded the role of U.S. characters Garland and Minnelli. The show played 32 previews and 365 performances. Directed by Philip William McKinley, with choreography by Joey McKneely, it starred Jackman as Peter Allen, Isabel Keating as Judy Garland, Stephanie J. Block as Liza Minnelli, Beth Fowler as Marion Woolnough, Jarrod Emick as Peter's AIDS-stricken lover Greg Connell, and John Hill as Mark Herron (Judy's husband). Jackman won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, and Keating won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. The show also received nominations for four other Tony Awards, including Best Musical.[3]
Despite the accolades, Ben Brantley of The New York Times panned the show, calling it an "indisputably bogus show" [4]
The Boy from Oz returned to Australia from 3 August 2006 to 10 September 2006 in a new production especially designed for the arena stage (audiences of over 10,000 people), called Boy from Oz Arena Spectacular. Directed by Kenny Ortega, Hugh Jackman reprised his New York role as Peter Allen. He was joined by Australian actresses Chrissy Amphlett and Angela Toohey, reprising their roles as Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. Shardyn Fahey-Leigh played the role of Young Peter Allen with Dylan Speedy. Rarmian Newton and Joshua Waiss Gates, both of whom later starred in Billy Elliot the Musical, were understudies in the Australian production. Peter's mother, Marion, was played by Colleen Hewett.[5][6] The show had a support cast of 40 singer-dancers and a 25-piece orchestra.[7]
The show also featured the vocals of Australian girls' high school choirs from Penrhos College when in Perth, and, while in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane, it featured the vocals of 100 girls from the Australian Girls Choir.[8]
All songs written by Peter Allen except as noted
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| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Hugh Jackman | Won |
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Mitchel David Federan | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Isabel Keating | Won | ||
| Theatre World Award | Mitchel David Federan | Won | ||
| Hugh Jackman | Won | |||
| Isabel Keating | Won | |||
| Tony Award | Best Musical | Nominated | ||
| Best Book of a Musical | Martin Sherman and Nick Enright | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | Hugh Jackman | Won | ||
| Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Beth Fowler | Nominated | ||
| Isabel Keating | Nominated | |||