David Venn Enterprises (
The Wedding Singer, Bring It On: The Musical) is thrilled to announce an outstanding all Australian line up of triple-threat talent for the national tour of
Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical which kicks off from 25 May. Tickets are selling fast for
Melbourne,
Sydney,
Brisbane and
Adelaide via
www.cruelintentions.com.au.
Featuring a smash hit '90s soundtrack, this story of romance and seduction is based on the acclaimed cult 1999 film which was re-released to cinemas in 2019 and currently has a new TV series in development. It's the ultimate '90s throwback experience.
Are you ready to make your wager? Laced with back-to-back songs including
Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve),
Every You and Every Me (Placebo),
Bye Bye Bye (*NSYNC),
Sometimes (Britney Spears),
Just A Girl (No Doubt),
Foolish Games (Jewel),
Genie In A Bottle (Christina Aguilera),
Candy (Mandy Moore),
Breakfast At Tiffany's (Deep Blue Something),
Kiss Me (Sixpence None the Richer),
Iris (The Goo Goo Dolls),
I'll Make Love To You (Boyz II Men), and more.
Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical has all the indulgence and escapism you've been craving, complete with hilariously fun scenes and exhilarating performances that will have you singing and dancing in the aisles.
Musical theatre superstar
Kirby Burgess will bring her signature enchantment to the stage as the scheming seductress Kathryn, the role made famous by Sarah Michelle Gellar. The true definition of a triple threat, Kirby's career highlights span stage and screen, having previously starred as Baby in the 10th Anniversary Tour of
Dirty Dancing and most recently as the jaw-dropping villainous temptress Linda in
The Wedding Singer and an acclaimed performance as Campbell in
Bring It On: The Musical. Kirby is thrilled to be taking on the role of the intoxicatingly complex Kathryn. "Cruel Intentions is the perfect send up of the '90s, and shows us just how far we've come since. Kathryn is basically the villain, and while she does some very bad things, she's demonised for being sexually liberated. I love that she takes a stand about this, with such great lines," says Kirby.
Hallmark heartthrob
Drew Weston will be very much the brooding ab-fest as Ryan Phillippe's character Sebastian. Drew is no stranger to the stage, having starred as Danny Zuko in
Grease, in MTC's
Hay Fever, Dream Lover and
Mary Poppins.
Helpmann Award-nominated performer
Francine Cain has a slew of mainstage principal role credits including 'Regina' in the Tony Award Winner
Rock of Ages, and 'Frenchy' in the national tour of
Grease. Francine will play the naive Cecile, made famous by Selma Blair who becomes entangled in Sebastian and Kathryn's plot of revenge, and participates in 'that' iconic kiss with Kathryn.
Kelsey Halge has landed her breakout role as the virtuous Annette Hargrove, the subject of Sebastian's desires, played by Reese Witherspoon in the movie.
Musical theatre favourite
Euan Fistrovic Doidge has been cast in the role of Blaine, following his Helpmann Award nominated role as Felicia in
Priscilla Queen of the Desert and the coveted lead as Tony Manero in
Saturday Night Fever. He played Marius in
Les Misérables and Paul San Marco in the Australian revival of
A Chorus Line, which saw him become the youngest ever Nominee for a Helpmann Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.
The accomplished
Joseph Spanti will take on the role of Greg, and audiences might remember him best with his shirt off, in Netflix's smash hit tween series
Dive Club. Joseph also recently toured as Joey in
Friends! The Musical Parody.
Talented up comer and recent graduate
Rishab Kern will make his professional stage debut as Ronald.
Australian Jazz vocalist, violinist and musical theatre star
Fem Belling stars as Mrs Caldwell. Fem's previous roles include principal characters in
Hairspray,
Fame,
Footloose,
Cats & Liza Minnelli in the 2011 production of
The Boy from Oz starring Todd McKenney. She lays claim to 5 Vita awards, a Green Room Award nomination and shares an ARIA nomination from her involvement in The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra.
A dynamite, energetic ensemble rounds out the cast with
Etuate Lutui,
Daniel Erbacher (
Legally Blonde,
It's Only Life,
Grease),
Sheridan Adams,
Morgan Heynes and
Darcey Eagle (
Billy Elliot, the Musical,
Lazarus,
Tommy).
Leading the creative team is multi-Green Room Award nominated
Alister Smith, who achieved widespread critical acclaim for the national tour of
The Wedding Singer, and sellout seasons of
Bring It On: The Musical. The talented
Daniel Puckey (
Muriel's Wedding The Musical, The Book of Mormon) takes on the role as Musical Director, with dynamic choreographer
Freya List (
Chess, Next To Normal, RENT) bringing fresh '90s energy to the 21 iconic songs which range from powerhouse ballads to rock anthems.
Multi-Green Room Award nominee Costume Designer
Isaac Lummis (
Hello Dolly, A Gentlemans Guide to Love & Murder) will unleash the best of '90s fashion while prolific international Set Designer
James Browne (
Ghost the Musical, Velvet, Cabaret) and accomplished Lighting Designer
Declan O'Neill (
The Wedding Singer, Bring It On: The Musical) will bring to life the moody world of Manhattan's seductive elite.
Craig Wilkinson and the team at Optikal Bloc will take on Video design for the national tour.
Penned by the writer and director of the film
Roger Kumble, along with
Jordan Ross and
Lindsey Rosin,
Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical received rave reviews from Hollywood royalty and original film cast members during its USA and UK tours.
Tickets are on sale now for the
Melbourne season, opening at
The Athenaeum Theatre from
25 May, and
Sydney's State Theatre from
30 June.
The roof of
Brisbane's Fortitude Music Hall is set to rock from
27 July, and the party will hit
Adelaide's Her Majesty's Theatre from
8 September.
The national tour is supported by the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative.