PRIMETIME Work-in-Development Showing by Millicent Sarre and Joseph Simons (Adelaide Cabaret Festival)

On Thursday 12 June the Adelaide Festival Centre hosted a special work-in-progress showing of PRIMETIME, a new Australian musical co-written and directed by our Music Theatre lecturer Joseph Simons (book and lyrics), and ECM Bachelor of Music Theatre alumna Millicent Sarre (music and lyrics). The show also featured Elder Conservatorium of Music Theatre 2024 graduate Jelena Nicdao in the cast as Stacey; Rosie Hosking in the role of Gloria and Dee Farnell in the role of Kimberly (both singing teachers in our Music Theatre department); and lecturer Dr Joshua van Konkelenberg on piano and musical supervision.

PRIMETIME received a standing ovation and some wonderful reviews in Glam Adelaide and The Barefoot Review.

'... from what we saw in this seventy-five-minute preview, this show has the makings of something big. [...] With only a week of development, what was presented was highly impressive. If the first reading on 12 June is anything to go by, PRIMETIME is well on the way to being the next big Australian musical.'

– Ben Stefanoff, Glam Adelaide

'PRIMETIME is biting-as-all-hell pretty, and savage satire. Pleasing to the ear, it gains laughs while clawing at the mind. [...] The cast is overflowing with diverse skills from music theatre, cabaret, and opera. It all gets used, making the show even richer in appeal. [...] it was clear to all that PRIMETIME is a winner. A new Australian musical that is topical and totally relevant in addressing a myriad of issues in the most entertaining way possible. It must move to full production.'

– David O'Brien, The Barefoot Review

READ AN INTERVIEW WITH MILLICENT SARRE IN INREVIEWREAD AN INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH SIMONS AND MILLICENT SARRE IN GLAM ADELAIDE