Central Coast local Rodney Dobson has a starring role in the spectacular Disney Theatrical Production of Beauty and the Beast now playing in Sydney.
Dobson has had an incredible musical theatre career which includes most recently understudying the role of Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Prior to that, his theatre credits include Chicago, Evita, Les Misérables (10th and 25 anniversaries), Singin’ in the Rain, Wickes, Miss Saigon, Legally Blonde, Annie, The Full Monty and Sweeney Todd.
In Beauty and the Beast, Dobson performs alongside Shubshri Kandia as Belle’s beloved father Maurice.
Dobson, who lives at Gosford with his family, was born in Victoria, raised in Perth and moved to Sydney to pursue his musical theatre dream.
He moved to the Coast in early 2000.
“I am lucky to have worked so consistently, very lucky,” he said.
While he has enjoyed all the productions he has performed in, he singled Sweeney Todd out as one of his favourites.
“That was an Australia Opera production, which was both terrifying and wonderfully exciting,” he said.
Beauty and the Beast opened in June at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney and is expected to run through to Christmas.
“This is the first Disney production I have been and it’s an amazingly beautiful show, a real thrill to be a part of,” he said.
The enchanting and timeless tale has been brought to life in a re-imagined production boasting all the spectacle and grandeur audiences know and love.
The production features a total cast of 34, backstage crew of 77 including musicians, 300 costumes and 80 tonnes of scenery and automation.
Based on the 1991 film – the first animated feature ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture – Beauty and the Beast opened on Broadway in April 1994 and garnered nine Tony nominations and one win.
It played for 13 years on Broadway before closing in 2007 and remains to this say one of the top 19 longest running shows in Broadway history.
Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster.
Source:
CCN