Events

Published on January 7th, 2024 | by Andrew Bistak

ALL-STAR CAST BRINGING FAMILY SUMMER MUSICAL TO NEW GEELONG ARTS CENTRE

What’s On? Production Company, by arrangement with Origin Music, Tams Witmark and Concord Theatricals, are bringing the family friendly, summer musical YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN! to the newly renovated Geelong Arts Centre in January 2024.

What’s On? is the region’s first home-grown professional theatre company, and is excited to be working in the reinvigorated Geelong Arts Centre’s Story House Theatre.

CHELSEA GIBB as Lucy Van Pelt – Chelsea Gibb is one of Australia’s most sought after leading ladies of musical theatre.

She began her career as Roxie Hart in the Broadway sensation CHICAGO: THE MUSICAL, a role she won after graduating from WAAPA, playing the role to critical acclaim for four years throughout Australia and South East Asia.

Chelsea’s other musical theatre credits include: Reno Sweeny in ANYTHING GOES, Ruby Red in GET HAPPY, Queenie in Andrew Lippa’s, THE WILD PARTY, Anna in the critically acclaimed THE KING & I, and new Australian musicals THE NEW BLACK at The Arts Centre, Melbourne, PINK, Amity Dry’s FAMOUS, Whitney in the Australian premiere of DREAMSONG, Margaret White in CARRIE, Sereghina in NINE and Sally Bowles in CABARET with Paul Capsis. Recently she performed with 10 of Australia’s leading ladies in JERRY’S GIRLS.

Chelsea’s television credits include: ALL SAINTS, GOOD MORNING AUSTRALIA, IN MELBOURNE TONIGHT, MORNINGS WITH KERRI ANNE, JUST FRESH, THE LOST WORLD, SALE OF THE CENTURY, Foxtel/Channel 10’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Chelsea’s film roles include Warner Brothers – GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE 2 and Vicki Tremble in JOSH JARMON. Most recently she played Juliana on NEIGHBOURS.

LUKE ALLEVA as Snoopy – Luke began his musical theatre career in MAN OF LA MANCHA as Juan, Brains in GET HAPPY and Cliff for WE WILL ROCK YOU Australian Tour.

Luke’s West End credits include WE WILL ROCK YOU at The Dominion Theatre, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at Apollo Victoria u/s Joey, Chester and Cesar and WEST END ROCKS UK tour.

On return to Australia, Luke performed in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW u/s Brad and Eddie/Dr Scott, Scranton Slim and u/s Benny in GUYS AND DOLLS, MAMMA MIA! u/s Pepper and Eddie, Young Danny in XANADU, MOONSHADOW The Musical as Dance Captain, A CHORUS LINE  u/s Mike/ Al / Don / Larry, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, HOT SHOE SHUFFLE u/s four brothers including Spring, and also playing the role of Spring in Birdie productions HOT SHOE SHUFFLE in Sydney.

Other roles include: DIRTY DANCING Immersive Cinema playing Luigi, Gene Kelly in the regional tour of GENE & JUDY, Manuel in FAULTY TOWERS tour and Eddie/Dr Scott in John X Presents ROCKY HORROR. TPC musicals Al Saxon in DUSTY, Eddie Ryan in FUNNY GIRL, BOY FROM OZ, 42ND STREET, LITTLE ME, GUYS AND DOLLS, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, THE BOYFRIEND.

SOPHIA KATOS as Sally Brown – As a proud local artist, Sophia makes a welcome return to the Geelong stage following her two seasons (4 and 5) as Mel Barrett on the iconic TV show, WENTWORTH.

One of Sophia’s career highlights was the national tour of Baz Luhrmann’s production of STRICTLY BALLROOM playing the role of Liz Holt and understudying the lead role of Fran.

Other stage credits include I CAN JUMP PUDDLES (Antipodes Theatre Company) FUNNY GIRL (The Production Company) WILD WORLD – THE CAT STEVENS STORY (HIT Productions), CAFE REBETIKA! (The Follies Company), KISMET (The Production Company), REEFER MADNESS (Squabbalogic) and BACHARACH RETROSPECTIVE (PACD Productions).

Television credits include OTHER PEOPLE’s PROBLEMS (online drama series), ABC’s SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY (Matchbox Pictures) and PACKED TO THE RAFTERS (Seven Network).

ANDREW LORENZO as Charlie Brown – Local audiences will recognise Andrew instantly from his most recent triumph, playing the role of Tommy Devito in JERSEY BOYS (Geelong) for which he has been nominated for Best Actor from the Victorian Music Theatre Guild! To have Andrew back in the Geelong Arts Centre with JERSEY BOYS’ Geelong creative team in Paul Watson and Venessa Paech, is a dream come true and audiences are in for another incredible local treat.

Andrew is a Beverly Hills Playhouse Alumni with Hollywood Immersive in LA and has been performing for almost 25 years.

Roles include: Edward Lyons in BLOOD BROTHERS, Barnaby Tucker in HELLO DOLLY, Fred Graham/Petruchio in KISS ME KATE, Jerry Lukowski in THE FULL MONTY and the Australian Premiere of THE ESSENCE OF PASSION as PJ at Gasworks Art Park.

Favorite roles include Daniel Kaffee in A FEW GOOD MEN, the Phantom in Geelong Lyric Theatre Society’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and Danny in GREASE.

QUINLAN KELLY as Linus – Quinlan is a proud graduate of the University of Ballarat Arts Academy, where he completed a Bachelor of Music Theatre.

Quinlan’s theatre credits include; Swing/Old Deuteronomy & Bustopher Jones, Gus, Growltiger cover in CATS (Really Useful Group/GWB Entertainment) for the 2022/2023 International Tour, Caldwell B. Cladwell in URINETOWN (Soundworks Productions), Ensemble/Thomas cover in THE BEAUTIFUL GAME (Manilla Street Productions), Priest in BARE THE MUSICAL (Stage Art), and Tony Manero cover in SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (Stage Art).

Opera credits include; King of the West in THE ENCHANTED PIG (Australian Contemporary Opera Company), Ensemble in IL VIAGGIO A REIMS and DON GIOVANNI (Opera Australia). Quinlan also played the role of Michael in the critically acclaimed and Green Room Nominated, TICK TICK BOOM (dir. by Paul Watson and produced by Pursued By Bear).

 

ANDREW SMITH as Schroeder – Most recently Andrew was cast as Bob Gaudio, one the Four Seasons, in the highly acclaimed local production of JERSEY BOYS – produced by Geelong Lyric Theatre Society with our Charlie Brown creative team Paul Watson and Venessa Paech at the helm. The team is so excited to be working with this brilliant local talent once more.

Andrew was a member of the inaugural graduating cohort of the Elder Conservatorium’s Music Theatre Program in Adelaide. Course credits include the Male Adult in SPRING AWAKENING (dir. George Torbay 2019), Herr Schultz in CABARET (dir. Erin James 2021), and Father Alexandrios/Ensemble in MAMMA MIA! (dir. Zoe Komazec 2021). He was also a Dance Captain on the ECMT Graduation Showcase in 2021.

Other credits include PROOF (Hal, dir. Greg Shawcross 2023), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING (dir. Erin James 2022), CHESS (dir. Tyran Parke 2021), SHAKESPEARE IN THE BAR (dir. Tony Knight 2021), PEACH COBBLER (dir. Laura Desmond 2020), LES MISERABLES (Enjolras, dir. J.J. Geelen 2018), and SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (Anthony Hope, dir. J.J. Geelen 2017).

CREATIVE TEAM

PAUL WATSON – Director – Professional Theatre Credits Include: Madonna/Buddy/Khashoggi – WE WILL ROCK YOU, Australia (GFO), Guy Cover/Swing – ONCE, Australia (MTC/GFO), Norm Waxman – JERSEY BOYS, Australia (New Theatricals), Joey Biltmore/Society Max – GUYS AND DOLLS (Donmar Warehouse/Ambassadors), Yussel/Perchik Cover – Topol in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Australia/New Zealand (TML), Frank/Monty – SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (StageArt), Roger/Mark/Collins – RENT (Various), Judas – JC SUPERSTAR (Harvest Rain/QPAC), Denny – FLOWERCHILDREN (MMT), Mayor Humdinger – PAW PATROL LIVE (Life Like Touring/Nickelodeon), Sebastian/Valentine – TWELFTH NIGHT (Essential Theatre), Willy/Narrator – FLORA THE RED MENACE (Magnormos), Alan – I SING (MMT) and Ensemble – NOSTRADAMUS (MTC).

Paul most recently played the role of Amos Hart in CHICAGO: THE MUSICAL, winning the Best Supporting Actor award from the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria.

Television: AHM, Gold 104, ANZ, Bunnings, Mimosa, Open Uni, Ski, Channel 11, Beaurepairs, Always Fresh, 1st Choice, Metlink, TAC, Herald Sun, Ashes and guest roles on WINNERS & LOSERS, NEIGHBOURS and THE WEATHERMAN.

Musician: Pete Murray, Chong Lim, Disney, and Paul is well known in Geelong as a solo acoustic musician and front man for Pineapple Head – Crowded House Unplugged!

Direction: Paul is a highly sought after, Green Room nominated and Guild Awarded Theatre Director, represented by Ian White Management. Direction Credits include: WE WILL ROCK YOU, WICKED (Guild Awarded Best Direction), TICK TICK BOOM (Green Room Nomination Best Direction), THE LAST 5 YEARS, RENT, THE WEDDING SINGER, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, CHICAGO, WEST SIDE STORY, HONK, CALAMITY JANE, THE WIZARD OF OZ and international productions of ROAD TO WOODSTOCK and BLACK DIVA.

VENESSA PAECH – Choreographer – In 1992 Venessa became the first Australian accepted to the (CAP 21) musical theatre program at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, earning her BFA, with a scholarship at the iconic STEPS on Broadway.

New York credits include: THE TROJAN WOMEN, STARTING HERE STARTING NOW (Off-Broadway), THE LIBRARY (World Premiere), THE MOST MASSIVE WOMAN WINS (Playwrights Horizons), MANHATTAN TAP DANCE ORCHESTRA and the CELEBRATION OF LIFE Concert with Broadway luminaries. Leading Australian performance credits include OKLAHOMA (Ado Annie), THE WORLD GOES ROUND (Lead), WORKING (The Waitress), CABARET (Helga), EUROBEAT: THE EUROVISION MUSICAL (Sweden) (original cast album), and various screen appearances.

Choreographic credits include: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, GYPSY, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and SPAMALOT. YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN! marks her 8th collaboration with Paul Watson, following award-winning seasons of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, CHICAGO, THE WEDDING SINGER, RENT, WE WILL ROCK YOU and THE BOY FROM OZ. Most recently they were behind the hit Geelong production of JERSEY BOYS.

Venessa produced Australian premieres of Stephen Sondheim’s SATURDAY NIGHT, NILE BLUE and LOVE A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION (Green Room Awards). She co-founded OZMADE MUSICALS, the long-running showcase of new Australian music theatre, and directed 3 GUYS NAKED FROM THE WAIST DOWN at Chapel off Chapel.

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN! was originally staged in 1967 with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner and later in 1999 with revisions by Andrew Lippa. It is based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts – a syndicated daily and Sunday U.S. comic strip originally running from 1950 to 2000, continuing in reruns. Peanuts is among the most popular and influential comic strips of all time and is “arguably the longest story ever told by one human being”, with a readership of 355 million over 75 countries and 21 languages. Peanuts focuses on a social circle of young children, where adults exist but are rarely seen or heard. The main character, Charlie Brown, is meek, nervous, and lacks self-confidence. He is unable to fly a kite, win a baseball game, or kick a football held by his irascible friend Lucy, who always pulls it away at the last instant.

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN! is a whimsical and inspiring family musical, with innovative humour and irresistible character relationships that make it a show for all.

The award-winning creative team for this production is well known to Geelong, Victoria and Australian audiences. Directing the production is Green Room Nominated and Guild Award Winning Director, Paul Watson (WE WILL ROCK YOU, WICKED, TICK TICK BOOM, JERSEY BOYS, ONCE) and Choreography is by Green Room Nominated and Guild Award Winning Choreographer, Venessa Paech (THE WEDDING SINGER, WE WILL ROCK YOU, THE BOY FROM OZ, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, CHICAGO, JERSEY BOYS). This team has a long list of musicals created together.

Performance dates for this production are STRICTLY LIMITED to 3 days only – from the 11th to the 13th of January. Ticket prices start from just $42.90 with group and family discounts on offer. This show is set to captivate families up and down the Victorian coast over the holiday break – with fun for all ages.

Facebook: charliebrowngeelong

Facebook: whatsonproductioncompany

Instagram: @charliebrowngeelong

Web: www.charliebrowngeelong.com


About the Author

When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.


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