City of Angels to open at the Hayes Theatre Co

Capturing the gritty sights and sounds of Hollywood’s classic detective movies and set to a brilliant, jazzy Hollywood score, Joshua Robson Productions presents the Tony Award winning stylish film noir musical, City of Angels at Hayes Theatre Co from 23 June 2023.

Winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, City of Angels stars Glenn Hill (Matilda), Aaron Tsindos (Merrily We Roll Along), Shannen Alyce Quan (Six) and Mia Morrissey (Rent) in leading roles. The production also features Paul Hanlon (Hairspray), Home & Away star Penny McNamee (Wicked) and Marcus Rivera (Miss Saigon).

A wonderful supporting cast includes newcomers Madeleine Betts and Ethan Rutledge, Doron Chester (Frozen), social media sensation Chantel Cofie, Sian Crowe (50 Shades! The Musical Parody), Noah Janssen (title of show), Katelin Koprivec (The Deb), Connor Neylon (The Wedding Singer) with Jessica White (Catch Me If You Can) as Margaret.

With a liberal touch of femme fatale and hilarious comedy, City of Angels weaves together two plots unfolding at once, the “real” world of New York ‘hack’ novelist Stine (Glenn Hill) and his fictional alter-ego in the “reel” world, private eye Stone (Aaron Tsindos).

Stine is lured to Los Angeles with the promise of turning his crime novel ‘City of Angels’ into a Hollywood blockbuster, while struggling to balance his relationship with his wife, Gabby (Mia Morrissey) and his overbearing producer Buddy Fidler (Paul Hanlon).

Each movie scene that Stine writes comes to life on stage, bringing double the laughter and intrigue for the audience. In the black and white movie plot, Alaura Kingsley (Penny McNamee), wife of a millionaire, enlists the services of Stone to find her missing stepdaughter Mallory (Chantel Cofie).

Things get steamy when Detective Stone finds Mallory in the most unlikely of places, his bedroom. Stine’s characters become embroiled in a larger-than-life mystery involving a rich man, his missing daughter and a scheming wife.

On its Broadway debut, City of Angels won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical and was also winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival earlier that year.

With a wonderful jazz score by Cy Coleman, sizzling lyrics from David Zippel and book by acclaimed comic screenwriter Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H, Tootsie), it makes for a witty and glorious celebration of film noir and includes popular songs, You Can Always Count on Me and I’m Nothing Without You.

This new Australian production of City of Angels is directed and choreographed by Sam Hooper with musical direction by Abi McCunn and Damon Wade. With wit, humour and a fantastic Cy Coleman score, City of Angels captures the snappy dialogue of a Raymond Chandler novel and the glitzy showmanship of classic Hollywood; the result is a crowd-pleasing musical unlike any other.

“One of the wittiest books ever written… [and] an effervescent score by Cy Coleman.” – Michael Billington, The Guardian

Director/Choreographer: Sam Hooper | Music Directors: Abi McCunn, Damon Wade | Featuring: Madeleine Betts, Doron Chester, Chantel Cofie, Sian Crowe, Paul Hanlon, Glenn Hill, Noah Janssen, Katelin Koprivec, Penny McNamee, Mia Morrissey, Conor Neylon, Shannen Alyce Quan, Ethan Rutledge, Marcus Rivera, Aaron Tsindos, Jessica White | Assistant Director: Julia Robertson | Set Designer: Simon Greer | Lighting Designer: James Wallis | Costume Designer: Esther Zhong | Production Manager: Anusha Thomas | Casting Consultant: Rhys Velasquez | Producer: Joshua Robson Productions