27 Feb 2025
Rehearsals underway for Guys & Dolls musical on Sydney Harbour
Rehearsals have begun with gusto for Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour, which will debut at the annual outdoor Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour spectacular for a strictly limited four-week season from 21 March to 20 April at Mrs Macquaries Point.
International recording artist Cody Simpson has started preparing for his role as high-roller Sky Masterson, opposite award-winning leading lady Annie Aitken as Sarah Brown.
Also busy with preparations for the show is beloved song-and-dance man Bobby Fox as the resourceful Nathan Detroit, star of stage and screen Angelina Thomson as Miss Adelaide, and star of Hamilton Jason Arrow as Nicely-Nicely Johnson.
Director Shaun Rennie says that there’s been a whirlwind of activity, with cast learning all-new choreography by Kelley Abbey and perfecting new orchestrations by Guy Simpson, of the classic Frank Loesser score.
“The whole cast is phenomenally talented and has immediately immersed itself in the exciting world we’re creating. This will be Guys & Dolls as you’ve never seen it before. It’s one of the greatest musicals of all time, and audiences are in for an absolute treat. It’s incredibly exciting!”
Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour promises a night of fun, fabulous singing and a host of show-stopping dance numbers such as ‘Luck Be a Lady’ and ‘Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat’, all set on a floating slice of New York City designed by Brian Thomson with costumes by Jennifer Irwin.
Regarded as one of the finest musicals ever written Guys & Dolls has enjoyed huge success since its premiere on Broadway in 1950, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
From its adaptation to a Hollywood film in 1955 starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando, to the most recent smash-hit revival on the West End, Guys & Dolls continues to prove its timeless appeal as a classic musical theatre favourite.
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is supported by the NSW Government, via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, and through the International Foundation for Arts and Culture as Naming Rights Partner, Dr Haruhisa Handa OA’s Patron in Chief, and OA’s Principal Partner HSBC.
GUYS AND DOLLS
A Musical Fable of Broadway
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon
Music and Lyrics by
FRANK LOESSER
Book by
JO SWERLING and ABE BURROWS
Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).
Creatives
Director Shaun Rennie
Musical Director & Supervisor Guy Simpson
Choreographer Kelley Abbey
Set Designer Brian Thomson
Costume Designer Jennifer Irwin
Sound Design Jim Atkins
Cast
Sky Masterton Cody Simpson
Sarah Brown Annie Aitken
Nathan Detroit Bobby Fox
Miss Adelaide Angelina Thomson
Nicely-Nicely Johnson Jason Arrow
Benny Southstreet Joel Granger
Rusty Charlie Kieran McGrath
Harry the Horse John Xintavelonis
Big Jule Doron Chester
Arvide Abernathy Tony McGill
Lt Brannigan Thomas Campbell
General Matilda B. Cartwright Naomi Livingston
Ensemble:
Sarah Bourke, Rachel Breeze, Olivia Carniato, Nic Collins, Zac de Gersigny, Lachlan Dearing, Matt Douglass, Sienna Embrey, Emma Feliciano, Matthew Hearne, Scarlet Lindsay, Arabella Meleo, Maddie Owen, Bronson Pfeiler, Rania Potaka-Osborne, Isabella Roberts, Julian Seguna, Paul Whiteley, Billy Wilson, Sophie Zidar
Swings:
Clayton Church, Ewan Herdman, Michelle Leung
Rehearsal Images to download: www.opera.org.au/about/media-centre/handa-opera-on-sydney-harbour/
Website: www.opera.org.au/harbour
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point
Performance dates
21 March – 20 April
Evenings 7:30pm
Excluding Mondays and Good Friday on 18 April
Bookings
Adult tickets from $79 (fees may apply)
Children tickets from $59 (fees may apply)
Group and concession prices available for most performances.
Opera Australia Box Office
+61 2 9318 8200
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Caitlin Eames | Publicist | 0433 746 644 | caitlin.eames@opera.org.au