On the Twentieth Century March 4, 2012

Neglected Musicals is pleased to announce On The Twentieth Century as the next musical presentation on Monday 5 March at 2pm and 8pm at the Darlinghurst Theatre.
Directed by Stuart Maunder
Musical Director Luke Byrne

Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Music by Cy Coleman
Based on plays by Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur, and Bruce Millholland. By arrangement with Origin Theatrical on behalf of Samuel French Inc.
On The Twentieth Century opened on Broadway in 1978 directed by Harold Prince and starred John Cullum, Madeline Kahn, Imogene Coca and Kevin Kline. It ran for 11 previews and 449 performances and had a production on the West End in 1980 which ran for 165 performances.
Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s 1932 showbusiness farce, Twentieth Century was turned into a musical where most of the action takes place aboard a train - the Twentieth Century Limited, as it speeds from Chicago to New York. Producer Director Oscar Jaffee, the flamboyant high priest of Broadway is now in desperate straights and makes a last ditch effort to rise again by signing tempestuous movie star Lily Garland to act in his next epic.
Songs include On The Twentieth Century, I Rise Again, Veronique, Never and Babbette.
Starring
John Diedrich, Katrina Retallick, Michael Falzon, Lara Mulcahy Blake Ericson, Mark Simpson, Jay James Moody, Elise McCann
With
Erica Byrne, Jocelyn O'Brien, Tim Dal Cortivo, Richard Woodhouse
NEGLECTED MUSICALS is a theatre initiative dedicated to presenting musical theatre that has never (or rarely) been seen in Australia, whether it be that the musicals were not considered commercial enough for an Australian season or they just didn’t get picked up by an Australian producer.
A musical chosen to be presented by NEGLECTED MUSICALS may have had a long run on Broadway and the West End but never made it to Australia or may have had a short run off Broadway to critical acclaim but didn’t go any further for one of a hundred reasons. It may even have been a financial flop overseas but have artistic merit and worth a look.
NEGLECTED MUSICALS presents a reading of a chosen show with scripts in hand and with the musical numbers sung through, after only a few rehearsals. There will be two to three presentations, dependent upon the show and cast availability. Although the presentations do not have set or costume design – there are some design elements.
Neglected Musicals is not for profit, where the participants are volunteers. All proceeds from ticket sales fund the next Neglected Musical.