Matilda launches in Australia

Tickets for the Sydney Premiere Season of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda The Musical will go on sale on Wednesday, 15 October 2014

The winner of over 50 international awards, including 12 for Best Musical, Matilda The Musical is the most-anticipated theatrical event of 2015 and will make its Australian Premiere at Sydney Lyric Theatre with performances commencing from 28 July 2015.

The Australian Premiere Season of Matilda The Musical was launched today at an event in Sydney with the NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Major Events, Andrew Stoner, representatives from The Royal Shakespeare Company and Matilda’s Composer and Lyricist, Tim Minchin.

Tim Minchin said, “I am incredibly excited that Matilda is opening in Sydney. Ten years ago this month, I was writing songs for the 2004  Christmas show at the Old Fitz in Woolloomooloo. The first time I straightened my hair and put on thick eye make-up was downstairs at the Seymour Centre. I even wrote songs for the musical that opened the Joan Sutherland centre in Penrith, (the opening song of which I extensively stole from when I wrote the opening number for Matilda). Last year I fulfilled a dream of acting in a Stoppard at the Sydney Theatre Company. Long before anyone took much notice of my silly tunes, Sydney offered me some of the most edifying and hilarious experiences of my career. The thought that in less than a year, the Lyric’s curtain will be opening on our darling Matilda feels just perfect.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Major Events Andrew Stoner said, “The NSW Government is proud to have secured the Australian Premiere Season of Matilda The Musical for Sydney, through our tourism and major events agency Destination NSW. There is no doubt that internationally acclaimed productions, such as Matilda, are a major draw card for visitors to our beautiful Harbour City, making them an important aspect of the Government’s goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure by 2020.”

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director said, “We can’t wait to come to Sydney with Matilda The Musical. We are so proud of this wonderful show and are looking forward to opening it in Australia and sharing its wit and pizzazz with Sydney audiences.We’re privileged to be working in Australia with fantastic producing partners, Louise Withers with Michael Coppel and Michael Watt and on behalf of us all, we are very grateful to the NSW Government for all their support.”

Featuring music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical has proven an enormous success in London’s West End and on Broadway, where productions continue to play to packed houses and capture the imagination of young and old alike.

Matilda The Musical is directed by Tony Award® winner Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage), who helms this production with a book by Tony Award®-winning playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. The production has sets and costumes by Tony Award® winner Rob Howell, with choreography by Tony Award® winner Peter Darling (Billy Elliot), orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Tony Award® winner Hugh Vanstone, and sound by Simon Baker.

Matilda The Musical will be produced in Australia by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Louise Withers, Michael Coppel & Michael Watt with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers.

The Australian premiere season of Matilda The Musical is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.