New blood for Lyric’s latest
BLOOD Brothers, one of London’s most popular musicals playing for just under 25 years, will be staged in Leongatha in September.
This show started as a simple production in a school hall before being further developed, so it’s apt Leongatha Lyric Theatre’s Peter McAlpine is bringing the show to Mesley Hall in the Leongatha Education Precinct.
Peter first saw the show in Melbourne in the 1990s .
“I caught one of the last shows before it closed. It blew me away and I was hooked. I bought the CD and have been listening to the music ever since,” he said.
It is a big leap from kids and dogs for Peter, who directed the big Wizard of Oz production last year for Lyric, but he is looking forward to the challenge.
And a challenge it will be for Peter, who will be on the lookout for 15 talented performers who have to be strong vocally, be able to act and move well.
While Peter already has some people in mind, he is looking forward to auditions starting Sunday, June 1 for some real surprises.
“It is a fast moving show. There is a lot of light and dark and the story is very moving and highly charged. The chorus people will have multiple roles and it will be a great production to be involved in,” Peter said.
This will be a first for Lyric as no other local theatre company has performed this musical.
“There will be 12 weeks of rehearsals and the show will open September 15, so it will be a fast turnaround but it will be exciting and I can’t wait to get into it,” Peter said.
Peter himself will be flat out casting, directing, set designing and is thrilled to have Elaine Epifano joining him in the role as musical director.
Elaine was to be the musical director for the Young Frankenstein production that has been deferred for now.
Written by Willy Russell Blood Brothers portrays the life of Mrs Johnstone, deserted by her husband. She already has five children and is expecting twins. She cleans house for childless Mrs Lyons who offers unofficially to adopt one of the babies.
Mrs Johnstone reluctantly agrees; she knows the child will be well brought up in a prosperous household.
But, there is a prophecy twins parted at birth will die when they discover the truth, and both mothers do their best to keep the twins, Mickey Johnstone and Edward (Eddy) Lyons, well separated.
The situation becomes harder for both women when Mickey and Eddy meet while playing in the street and when an immediate bond is formed between the two, they become “blood brothers”. A distraught Mrs Lyons eventually moves to the country.
Soon after, Mrs Johnstone is rehoused nearby and the boys meet again when they meet and fall in love with the same girl, Linda.
But as Eddy goes on to higher education, Mickey must take a boring job. After marrying Linda he loses his job.
He turns to crime but gets caught and sent to jail. On his release he becomes dependent on tranquillisers. Linda turns to Eddy, now a councillor, for help. Eddy gets Mickey a job – and a house.
Then Mrs Lyons tells Mickey Eddy is having an affair with Linda and Mickey goes after Eddy armed with a gun. He finds him at a meeting but cannot shoot him – until Mrs Johnstone bursts in and tells them the truth.
Mickey kills Eddy and in turn is shot by the police.
The story actually mirrors the life of Marilyn Munroe, who is mentioned through the story.
An information session will be held this Sunday, June 1 at 2pm and auditions will follow from 3pm to 6pm and again on Tuesday, June 3 from 7pm to 10pm. For all enquiries, contact director Peter McAlpine 0407538245.
Oh brother: a decade long dream for Peter McAlpine is fast becoming a reality, with the announcement he will be directing the exciting Blood Brothers musical for Leongatha Lyric Theatre that will open on September 15 at Mesley Hall.
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Posted by Sarah Vella on May 27 2014. Filed under Arts & Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
