New musicals find their first stage

Sam Ludeman says he understands the ups and downs of a life in showbiz. Source: Herald Sun

Sally Bennett, The Herald Sun, reports

MUSICAL theatre hunk Sam Ludeman will be back on the boards this week when three new shows are given their first run at Arts Centre Melbourne.

Ludeman, 26, who performed the male lead in Xanadu the Musical, is in the cast of one of the chosen works, DreamSong, a tongue-in-cheek musical about religion.

The Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts graduate has managed to stay on his feet since Xanadu was abruptly shut down and the national tour cancelled just weeks after opening in Melbourne last year.

He immediately landed a role in the Doris Day show, starring Melinda Schneider, and is in the running to be on Channel Nine's new reality TV show The Voice.

"I've got a positive outlook on life and as long as I stay there I'm fine," he says. "I just say that phrase in my head, 'That's showbiz'. I expect anything to be possible and that's the beauty of it but also what lets it down."

DreamSong, along with The New Black and Cautionary Tales for Children, make up this year's New Music Theatre Series, also known as Carnegie 18.

The series aims to unearth "bold, innovative and compelling new Australian work" from independent artists and ensembles.

Ludeman says a spot in the final three is hotly contested ensuring the highest quality work makes the cut.

He describes DreamSong as a musical comedy - "it's kind of a piss-take of Hillsong" - in which he plays Fake Jesus.

Pastor Richard Sunday and his "Evangelical Megachurch" are in financial strife following the Global Financial Crisis, so he invents the second coming of Christ to raise cash and keep saving souls.

"Religion is such an interesting debate so I think this show appeals to all ages," Ludeman says. "But if you're Christian or a Catholic you might not like the message it's sending."

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NEW MUSIC THEATRE SERIES
Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, February 1-7
Tickets: artscentremelbourne.com.au or 1300 182 183

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The New Black
By Stephen Helper in collaboration with Leeroy Bilney and the Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts
"A musical journey of justice, identity and winking ambition."

Cautionary Tales for Children
By Claudia O'Doherty, based on the poems of Hilaire Belloc, and performed by the Arena Theatre Company
"A lyrical satirical cabaret at which you may lose your head entirely."

DreamSong
By Hugo Chiarella in collaboration with Robert Tripolino
"An irreverent musical satire of faith, fortune and the Mega-church.''

Melinda's as sunny as Doris Day in So Much More Than the Girl Next Door

Sam Ludeman who played Sonny in Xanadu The Musical, and Rohan Browne - Christie Whelan’s (Clio/Kira in Xanadu The Musical) real-life fiancé – back Melinda Schneider in her Doris Day tribute show.

The Sunday Telegraph reports

IN her affectionate, thoroughly engaging tribute show Doris Day - So Much More Than the Girl Next Door, Melinda Schneider emphasises that she is not interested in giving an impersonation.

Performing more than 20 of Doris Day’s hit songs including Que Sera, Sera, Sentimental Journey and Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps, she stays true to her own voice and style, interpreting the songs her way yet it's still unmistakably Doris with her sunny, girl-next-door charm, uncannily so at times.

Co-written by Schneider and David Mitchell, the show tells Day's story chronologically from small-town Ohio to Hollywood fame with four difficult marriages along the way. Woven through it are parallels with Schneider's own life, giving us a personal connection to the award-winning country music star.

Schneider performs with infectious warmth and enthusiasm and is in wonderful voice, bringing light and shade to songs from the whip-cracking fun of Calamity Jane's Windy City to the poignancy of Autumn Leaves.

She is backed by a terrific eight-piece band under musical director Michael J Harding and is admirably backed by singer-dancers Rohan Browne and Sam Ludeman, who both put in stylish performances.

Some may find the show a little saccharine but Day's fans won't be disappointed with most of the audience clearly revelling in the nostalgia.

Every dog's Doris Day has arrived - Melinda Schneider's Doris Day tribute

What a good Day ... actress and singer Melinda Schneider / Pic: Tim Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

Vanessa Keys, The Daily Telegraph, reports

THE role of the understudy - or in this case underdog - in Melinda Schneider's Doris Day tribute promises to be a walk in the park.

The country music singer is holding open "pawditions" today at 11am at the Lyric Theatre for two pooches to understudy her beloved canine co-stars, cross labrador kelpies Rosie and Daisy.

"They're 13 now and get quite tired so they can't do all the shows. I need two dogs who are obedient, who come when called, sit and stay and don't mind being serenaded by me, of course," Schneider said.

"It doesn't even matter what they look like. All shapes and sizes are welcome."

Doris Day - So Much More Than The Girl Next Door opens at the Lyric Theatre on Friday and runs until November 13.

A year in the making, the concert is Schneider's "homage" to the American actress and singer whose talent first captivated Schneider as a young child.

"I fell in love with her while watching Calamity Jane," she said.

"She exuded fun and people wanted to be around her because of that. This show is full of emotion."

Day herself is too frail to fly to Australia to watch the show but has sent Schneider her blessing.

"She was an animal activist - at last count she was living with 14 dogs - so she loved that the script involved dogs," she said.