Acclaimed Broadway musical, Once, is coming to Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre. This production by Darlinghurst Theatre Company was originally scheduled to open in 2021, before it was cancelled due to lockdowns. Now, it’s finally returning for a limited season. Based on the film of the same name, Once is the only Broadway show with music to have won an Academy Award, Grammy Award, Olivier Award and Tony Award. The show will run from May 6 to June 4, and tickets are on sale now.
Once
This tender love story features a struggling Irish musician, and a Czech piano player who reminds him how to dream. Set on the streets of Dublin, the show features an ensemble of stellar performers who play their instruments live on stage. Toby Francis (Kinky Boots) and Stefanie Caccamo (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) will reprise their lead roles from the 2019 Sydney production. They will be joined on stage by Jay Laga’aia, Pavan Kumar Hari, Abe Mitchell, Patrick Schnur and Jennifer Trijo.
“It asks for so much from its actors,” said director Richard Carroll. “Not only do they need to tell this beautiful story every night with truth, passion and humour – they also need to sing the exceptional songs with all of the same qualities. Plus they are their own band, so every one of them needs to be an exceptional instrumentalist. I am blown away by the capabilities of the cast and creative team with have assembled, and I can’t wait for Melbourne audiences to see them perform.”
The eight-time Tony Award-winning musical features breathtaking tracks like ‘Falling Slowly’ and ‘When Your Mind’s Made Up’. The book was by prolific Irish playwright Enda Walsh, with orchestrations by Martin Lowe, music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová.