| The Boy From Oz | |
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| Original Broadway Poster | |
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| Music | Peter Allen |
| Lyrics | Peter Allen |
| Book | Nick Enright |
| Based upon | The dramatized life of Peter Allen |
| Productions | 1998 Sydney 2003 Broadway |
The Boy From Oz is a jukebox musical based on the life of singer/songwriter Peter Allen and featuring songs written by him.
Written by Nick Enright, the show opened at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, on March 5, 1998 and toured Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, playing to over 1.2 million theatre patrons. It ran for a total 766 performances over two years.
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Broadway version
The show was the first Australian musical to reach Broadway, premiering in 2003 at the Imperial Theater. The show starred Hugh Jackman as Peter Allen, Isabel Keating as Judy Garland, and Stephanie J. Block as Liza Minnelli. Jackman won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. The show started previews on September 16 2003, opened on October 16, and ran through September 12 2004, the end of Jackman's contract.
Australian Arena Spectacular
'The Boy From Oz' returned to Australia from 3 August-10 September, 2006 in a new production of the original musical especially designed for the arena stage (audiences of over 10,000 people), called Boy From Oz Arena Spectacular. Hugh Jackman reprised his NY role as Peter Allen. He was joined by Australian actresses Chrissy Amphlett and Angela Toohey reprising their roles as Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. Peter's mother, Marion, was played by Colleen Hewett. The show had a support cast of 40 singer-dancers and a 25-piece orchestra. Rarmian Newton, who was later chosen to star in Billy Elliot the Musical, was one of the four boys who played young Peter Allen in the Australian production.
In these performances of The Boy from Oz, the musical also featured the vocals of Australian girls' high school choirs from Penrhos Collegewhen in Perth. While the musical is in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane featured the vocals of 100 girls from the Australian Girls Choir. The Australian Arena Spectacular version was directed by Kenny Ortega, who was choreographer of Xanadu, which starred Olivia Newton-John (who sang Allen's song I Honestly Love You which is included in the musical). The original Australian Production starred Todd McKenney as Peter Allen. Todd later became famous for being a (harsh) judge on the Australian version of Dancing With the Stars
Song List
songs written by Peter Allen except ( )
Act 1
- The Lives of Me - Peter Allen
- When I Get My Name in Lights - Boy and Ensemble
- When I Get My Name in Lights (Reprise) - Peter Allen
- Love Crazy - Chris Bell, Peter Allen and Ensemble
(by Peter Allen & Adrienne Anderson) - Waltzing Matilda - Peter Allen and Chris Bell (Trad.)
- All I Wanted Was the Dream - Judy Garland
- Only an Older Woman - Judy Garland, Peter Allen, Chris Bell and Mark Herron
- Best That You Can Do - Peter Allen and Liza Minnelli
(by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Allen & Christopher Cross) - Don't Wish Too Hard - Judy Garland
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - Come Save Me - Liza Minnelli and Peter Allen
- Continental American - Peter Allen and Ensemble
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - She Loves to Hear the Music - Liza Minnelli and Ensemble
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - Quiet Please, There's a Lady On Stage - Peter Allen and Judy Garland
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love - Liza Minnelli and Peter Allen
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - Not the Boy Next Door - Peter Allen and Marion Woolnough
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Dean Pitchford)
Act 2
- Bi-Coastal - Peter Allen and Trio
(written by Peter Allen David Foster & Tom Keane) - If You Were Wondering - Peter Allen and Greg Connell
- Sure Thing Baby - Dee Anthony, Greg Connell, Peter Allen, Trio and Male Ensemble
- Everything Old is New Again - Peter Allen and The Rockettes
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - Everything Old is New Again (Reprise) - Marion Woolnough, Dee Anthony and Greg Connell
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - Love Don't Need a Reason - Peter Allen and Greg Connell
(by Peter Allen, Michael Callen & Marsha Malamet) - I Honestly Love You - Greg Connell
(by Peter Allen & Jeff Barry) - You and Me - Liza Minnelli and Peter Allen
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - I Still Call Australia Home - Peter Allen and Ensemble
- Don't Cry Out Loud - Marion Woolnough
(composed by Peter Allen, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager) - Once Before I Go - Peter Allen
- I Go to Rio - Peter Allen and Company
(by Peter Allen & Adrienne Anderson)
