musical theatre – John McRae Photography & Studio

December 5, 2023December 5, 2023

“Murder For Two” at the Hayes Theatre

I photographed production shots for “Murder For Two” running now at the Hayes Theatre in Potts Point. This is a truly fast, furious and entirely silly crime farce with a touch of Xmas, being performed until 22 December, 2023.

“It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s bonkers” – Limelight

Officer Marcus Moscowicz is a small-town policeman with dreams of making it to detective. One fateful Christmas Eve, shots ring out at the surprise Christmas-birthday party of Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney (‘cause he was born on Christmas), and the writer is killed…fatally. With the local detective caught up doing last-minute gift shopping, Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills—with the help of his silent partner, Lou. Did Dahlia Whitney, Arthur’s scene-stealing wife, poison the eggnog? Or was it the celebrated star of The Nutcracker, Barette Lewis? Whodunit?? You’ll have to come along and find out!

Director Richard Carroll
Musical Supervisor Damon Wade
Choreographer Shannon Burns
Set & Costume Designer Keerthi Subramanyam
Lighting Designer Priyanka Martin
Sound Designer Daniel Herten
Stage Manager Jessie Byrne
Production Manager Abbey Pace
Production Assistant Kaylee Ashton
Dialect Coach Linda Nicholls-Gidley

Starring Maverick Newman, Kala Gare and Sam Marques

*Sam Marques will play the role of Detective Marcus on 12th December 2023.

October 18, 2023October 20, 2023

Nancye Hayes shines in Sondheim’s, “A Little Night Music” at the Hayes Theatre

Stephen Sondheim’s acclaimed and seductive musical farce, A Little Night Music, opens tonight at the Hayes Theatre in Sydney.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical, Sondheim’s A Little Night Music is a wonderfully witty and deeply moving romance, exploring desire, passion and regret. IN this new Sydney production directed by Dean Bryant, the audience is swept away by classic songs like “A Weekend in the Country”, “The Miller’s Son” and the iconic and pensive “Send in the Clowns”.

I ventured to the Hayes Theatre for the final dress rehearsal last week to photograph dramatic moments of the players on stage. Although most of my attention was on capturing the best images, I couldn’t help being carried away to Sweden in the 1900, caught up in the drama of the suspicious trysts and love triangles of these engaging characters.

Desiree Armfeld (Blazey Best) with Count Carl-Magnus Malcom (Josh Robson) with Frederick Egerman (Leon Ford) hiding in the corner.

I loved seeing Nancye Hayes on stage as the stylish doyenne, Madame Armfeldt. She certainly defines stage-presence with panache.

If you are in Sydney, I suggest you see this magnificent performance…..a great night out, witty, entertaining, clever use of language, with captivating music and lyrics. Playing until November 11, 2023 Book here:

More production and rehearsal images below…..

September 30, 2023October 2, 2023

Trevor Ashley and the legendary Carlotta team up in “The White Mermaid”

Following a recent photoshoot with Trevor in my studio (see blog entry 15 August, 2023), it has been announced that a raucous team of intrepid thespians are returning to entertain audiences at the Seymour Centre in Sydney, starting from December 7, 2023.

Not remotely referencing a beloved musical film or a cult TV show, the vivacious Tania McMermaid (Trevor Ashley) is checking-in to the underwater hotel The Little Lotus. It doesn’t take long for Tania’s bedazzled fins to catch the attention of the handsome Character Formerly Known As Prince (Jakob Ambrose), but beware – lurking in the shadows is the malevolent sea witch, Gaviscon (the legendary Carlotta AM).

Curtain call from “Moulin Scrooge”, performed at the Seymour Centre in 2022 with Jarred Moore, Carlotta, Trevor Ashley, Jacob Ambrose and Stephen Madsen

For 18 performances only, the full cast of Moulin Scrooge! are reunited for The White Mermaid, under the sea in a musical dose of the ridiculous – starring Trevor Ashley, Jakob Ambrose, Stephen Madsen, Jarrod Moore and the legendary Carlotta AM, with dazzling costumes by Angie White, lighting by Sam Wylie and choreography by Heath Keating.

Angie White (costume designer extraordinaire) puts the finishing touches on Trevor’s costume before the shot

We produced a series of other looks during our photo-session

Tickets for the White Mermaid can be purchased at the Seymour Centre here:

September 11, 2023September 16, 2023

A Little Night Music – at the Hayes

Hayes Theatre Co has announced the cast for the acclaimed Stephen Sondheim musical A Little Night Music, which opens in October. Winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music is a wonderfully witty and deeply moving romance, exploring desire, passion and regret.

As previously announced, Australia’s favourite leading lady and namesake of Hayes Theatre Co, Nancye Hayes plays the role of Madame Armfeldt. The recipient of many industry awards, including three Lifetime Achievement Awards, three Helpmanns, four Green Room, two Glugs and a Mo, Nancye Hayes AM takes on her favourite role for the third time in her illustrious career.

Members of the cast and crew came to my studio to capture a promotional image for their media efforts. We photographed each cast member separately firstly and then set up a group shot for the final capture.

Kiana Daniele, Leon Ford, Nancye Hayes, Blazey Best and Jeremi Campese to star in *A Little Night Music*

For more information on this wonderful production and the entire cast and crew see the following link: A Little Night Music – Limelight

*Portrait of Nancye Hayes taken during the photo session in my studio with the cast of “A Little Night Music”.*

July 31, 2023August 1, 2023

Paul Capsis visits the studio for a new head-shot

I love, love, love the work of Mr Paul Capsis. It seems everything he touches he brings to new life….it moves and emotes with a depth of soul.

For anyone who is not familiar with Paul’s body of work, he is an award-winning Australian actor of Maltese/Greek extraction, a singer and playwright who has been working consistently for decades. He has released four albums, appeared in several films (for example alongside Alex Dimitriades in Ana Kokkinos’ 1998 film “Head On”), appeared in countless theatre productions in Australia and Europe, written and performed in his own auto-biographical play and is a regular in musical theatre and cabaret. In 2012, he won the category of “Best Male Actor in a Play” and “Best New Australian Work” at the 12th Helpmann Awards, for his one-man play “Angela’s Kitchen”, with Capsis portraying multiple roles from his childhood. For more details on his body of work visit this link: Paul Capsis..

It was time for Paul to sit for an updated head shot, so he came to my studio. Usually when I shoot Paul, he undergoes a transformation into some other-worldly character, complete with makeup and costume. In the past, I have captured images of Paul as part of the various productions with which he has been involved, including as the cynical Emcee in the stage production of “Cabaret” (he was amazing in this role) and more recently, in the flamboyant role of Albin in David Hawkins’ Sydney production of “La Cage Aux Folles”. As a chameleon, Paul magically disappears into the skin of his different theatrical personas. This time we aimed to create a simple and more natural portrait of Paul, without makeup or any glitzy trappings. Paul Capsis “unplugged”, if you will.

Production shot for “Cabaret”, Hayes Theatre

*Paul as Albin in The David Hawkins production of “La Cage Aux Folles”, with a new season at the Arts Centre Melbourne from November 9, 2023*

*Paul as Albin – see what I mean when I say it’s not often that I have the chance to photograph Paul without makeup and glitz.*

We had a great time catching up during the photo-shoot. Shooting one-on-one, as in this situation, allowed us more time to reminisce and to have a chat. Normally, with a whole production attached, there is little time and since many more people are involved, you need to keep focused to get all the shots in the limited time-frame. Our recent shoot in my studio was far more relaxed.

Paul is an exciting performer who never sits still, so I can’t wait to see what professional challenge he will tackle next.

April 26, 2023April 27, 2023

La Cage Aux Folles – at the State Theatre

A second season of La Cage Aux Folles was staged at the State Theatre. Not only did I manage to shoot part of the dress rehearsal but I also attended the opening night and shot the red carpet at the beginning of the evening. This also meant that for the first time I got to sit in the audience and actually see the show performed from start to finish as a “normal” person.

Paul Capsis was stunning in the role of Albin. Also the chemistry between Georges (Michael Cormick) and Albin (Paul Capsis) was just magic. I loved the dancers (Les Cagelles) and the choreography (Choreographer: Veronica Beattie)…really well done. In fact the whole cast was perfectly drawn. It was a delight to be thoroughly entertained by all the colour and movement and I found myself completely engaged and invested in the story and the dialogue.

Obviously I wasn’t the only one that liked the show. Here’s a review posted in “Time-Out”

The Red Carpet is always fun…….

Riley Spadaro (Director), David Hawkins (Producer) & Veronica Beattie (Choregrapher)

A few images of the rehearsal……

September 28, 2022October 26, 2022

La Cage Aux Folles in Sydney

La Cage Aux Folles will be playing in Sydney at the Concourse at the end of November. Tickets available at Ticketek here:

Directed By Cameron Menzies
Musical Direction by Craig Renshaw
Choreography by Veronica Beattie George
Production Design by James Browne
Lighting Design by Karen Norris
Wigs and Make-up Design by Drew-Elizabeth Johnstone
Sound Design by Anthony Lorenz

The iconic Paul Capsis will be joining an all-star cast including Michael Cormick to delight Sydney audiences. We captured some images of Paul at the studio recently in preparation for the production. Here are some behind the scenes shots of Paul getting ready for publicity imagery. As always it is a joy to work with Paul. His ability to make you laugh is unsurpassed.

Paul in makeup with Vincent Wang (MUA), watched on by La Cage Aux Folles producer David Hawkins

September 26, 2022October 26, 2022

Bells Are Ringing

CASTS & CREATIVES

Directed by Luke Joslin
Musical Director Su Hee Cho
Choreographer Matthew Jensen
Design Angela Meany
Production Assistant/SM Alexis Worthing
Producer Michelle Guthrie

Starring Penny McNamee
with Andrew Cutcliffe, Wayne Scott Kermond, Octavia Barron Martin, Ava Madon, Drew Livingston, Vincent Huynh, Dean Vince, Emily Cascarino, Joel Houwen, James MacAlpine, Chloe Malek, Siena Elchaar

The Hayes Theatre, Potts Point, is well known for its staging of musicals and theatre productions. One such production is the musical, Bells Are Ringing. This piece is part of a Hayes Theatre’s initiative whereby long standing musicals are selected as part of a “forgotten musicals” genre.

What is also interesting in these productions is that the cast comes together and is given the scripts one day before the musical opens to the public. This means that the cast is challenged with the formidable task of presenting something which is almost not rehearsed…..to the point that they cast members read from scripts on stage as part of the presentations. This creates a captivating set of conditions as the audience is simultaneously invested in the outcome.

As Penny MacNammee states in a recent interview, “The unique and thrilling experience that comes with performing a Neglected Musical, is three-fold for me. Firstly, the challenge of learning and staging a show in just a day, the thrill of performing that show in front of a live audience who are invested in the process, and finally the joy of rediscovering and presenting a forgotten, but cherished musical!”

I was asked to shoot for the production on their first public performance of the show. It was a great experience to capture the moment. The following is a selection of shots…..

If you missed this production at the Hayes make sure you catch one of their works in the future. Keep up to date by visiting their web site here: The Hayes Theatre, Sydney.

May 26, 2021July 22, 2021

Trevor Ashley launches new looks

Trevor Ashley, the Australian musical theatre actor, cabaret and drag artist based in Sydney, is continually inventing new characters and new looks.

Currently he has been working on the Drag Hag podcast and providing re-caps of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (to see episode 4, click here).

At the studio Trevor posed under the lights showcasing a series of vibrant, extravagant and fun new alter egos with costumes by Frida Las Vegas, under the master touch of Daniel Cater (aka Dallas Dellaforce) who took care of hair, make-up and styling.

As a chameleon and from my experience of working with Trevor since the early 2000s, I never quite know who is going to be channeled on set…..Liza, Shirley, Edna or one of his brand new superstars.

April 17, 2016April 17, 2016

Magic happens when Witches come out to play……..

I had the pleasure of working with 4 beautiful and talented woman for the promotional shoot for an up coming musical extravaganza, “Witches”, to be performed with the SSO at the Opera House.

They were Helen Dallimore, Lucy Durack, Amanda Harrison and Jemma Rix and boy, was it fun to work with these witty and enthusiastic ladies. Make-up, hair up and up!….and scrumptiously designed dresses by the talented, Jaimie Sortino. Continue reading “Magic happens when Witches come out to play……..”