Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - The Musical
Compilation musical in 2 acts based on the film of the same name.
Lyric Theatre, Star City, Sydney, Australia - 7 October, 2006
Palace Theatre, London - 23 March, 2009
Original Cast
The opening cast was as follows:
Bernadette - Tony Sheldon (The Producers)
Tick/Mitzi - Jeremy Stanford (Buddy, Certified Male, High Society)
Adam/Felicia - Daniel Scott (Dusty: The Original Pop Diva)
Bob - Michael Caton
One of the most successful Australian movies of all time is now a dazzling musical spectacular.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is based on the Oscar-winning film that blitzed the box office and caused a sensation around the world. It`s fun, daring, over-the-top and unforgettable. It's an 'on-stage' road movie with attitude and a busload of outrageous costumes and characters.
Priscilla features sensational live performances of the great songs you loved from the film including I Will Survive, Finally and Shake Your Groove Thing. Experience the beauty of the outback on stage with over 20 full-scale production numbers that will take your breath away.
Three fish out of water… Mitzi, Felicia and Bernadette are heading west across the desert to Alice Springs in their battered old bus. They are each on their own personal journey of discovery, but together they put on a show unlike anything the locals have ever seen before.
Now you can be right there on board for a larger-than-life musical adventure.
Story
Anthony "Tick" Belrose, a.k.a. Mitzi Del Bra, a drag queen, accepts an offer to perform at a casino in Alice Springs, a remote town in central Australia. After persuading his friends and fellow performers, Bernadette Bassenger – a recently bereaved transsexual woman – and Adam Whitely, a.k.a. Felicia Jollygoodfellow – an irritatingly flamboyant and obnoxious drag queen – to join him, the three set out for Alice Springs in a large tour bus which Adam/Felicia christens "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". Guy Pearce plays Adam/Felicia, Terence Stamp plays Bernadette and Hugo Weaving plays Tick/Mitzi.
They encounter on the way the less accepting attitudes of rural Australia, sexual violence, and the problems of vehicle breakdowns. The troupe eventually arrives at their destination with costumes and dance routines prepared. Before they arrive, Tick reveals that he is married, and that the trip is a favour for his wife, who runs the casino where they will be performing. Upon arriving, they learn that Tick and his wife also have a young son.
Musical Numbers
- 1 Overture
- Downtown - The Divas and Company
- I've Never Been To Me - The Divas
- What's Love Got To Do With It? - Miss Understanding
- Don't Leave Me This Way - Bernadette, Tick and Company
- Venus - Felicia and The Boys and the Divas
- Go West - Bernadette, Tick, Felicia and Company
- I Say A Little Prayer - Tick and the Divas
- I Love The Nightlife - Shirley, Bernadette, Tick, Felicia and Company
- Both Sides Now - Bernadette, Tick and Felicia
- Follie! Delirio vano è questo! Sempre libera(LaTraviata) feature soprano and the Divas
- Colour My World - Felicia, Tick, Bernadette and Company
- I Will Survive - Divas and Company
- Thank God I'm A Country Boy - The Company
- A Fine Romance
- Shake Your Groove Thing - Tick. Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas
- Pop Muzik - Cynthia and Company
- A Fine Romance (reprise) - Bob
- Girls Just Want To Have Fun - The Divas
- Hot Stuff - Felicia, the Divas and Bernadette
- MacArthur Park - Bernadette, Tick, the Divas and Company
- Boogie Wonderland - Marion and Company
- The Morning After - Bernadette, Felicia, Tick and the Divas
- Always On My Mind / I Say A Little Prayer - Tick and Band
- Confide In Me - feature soprano
- We Belong - Felicia,Tick and Bernadette
- Finale - Finally, Shake Your Groove Thing, Hot Stuff, I Love The Night Life, I Will Survive - The Company