Joshua Robson Productions, the team behind the recent Sydney seasons of Bonnie & Clyde and In The Heights has confirmed they will be holding the Sydney premiere of City of Angels next year. Pitched as a “smart and stylish film noir musical”, this season will commence at Hayes Theatre Co from 23 June 2023, with no confirmed end date as of writing.
City of Angels features music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel and book by Larry Gelbart. This specific production is being directed and choreographed by Sam Hooper, with music direction by Lucy O’Brien, costume designs by Esther Zhong and lighting design by James Wallis. Tickets will be available at $85.00 AUD for adults, with discounts bringing down preview prices to $75.00 and concession tickets to $79. Tickets can be booked via the Hayes Theatre Co website, or by contacting their box office during business hours on (02) 8065 7337.
In the late 1940s, Stine, a bookish writer of detective stories, struggles to adapt his crime novel into a workable screenplay. As Stine tries to maintain some integrity in the backstabbing world of Hollywood, his protagonist, a hardboiled private eye named Stone, fights for survival in a city full of criminals and opportunists. In a clever design choice, the stories are told on a split stage: Stine’s world is in full colour, while Stone’s appears in black and white.
City of Angels has always been a favourite show of mine. The lyrics are incredibly witty and fast paced, and the dialogue and wordplay of the script is a step above all other books in music theatre. I intend to pay tribute to the traditional blueprint of the “split stage” but working with our design team to create a fresh creative interpretation of the two worlds within this multi-Tony award-winning musical. I can’t wait for audiences to be blown away by the design transformations we make and to hear the amazing jazz orchestrations of Cy Coleman
Sam Hooper – Director and Choreographer
