''Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' is a jukebox musical with

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physical ...

by Australian film director-writer Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, using well-known pop songs as its score. Adapted from Elliott's 1994 film '' The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'', the musical tells the story of two

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...

s and a

trans woman A trans woman or a transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity, may experience gender dysphoria, and may transition; this process commonly includes hormone replacement therapy and s ...

, who contract to perform a drag show at a resort in Alice Springs, a resort town in the remote Australian desert. As they head west from Sydney aboard their lavender bus, Priscilla, the three friends come to the forefront of a comedy of errors, encountering a number of strange characters, as well as incidents of homophobia, while widening comfort zones and finding new horizons. Produced by Allan Scott in coalition with Back Row Productions, Michael Chugg, Michael Hamlyn and John Frost, the Simon Phillips-directed and Ross Coleman-choreographed original production of ''Priscilla'' debuted in Australia at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney in October 2006. Having had a successful run in Sydney, the production transferred to Melbourne in 2007 and then Auckland, New Zealand in 2008, before returning to Sydney for a limited engagement. The Australasian success of ''Priscilla'' provoked a two-year strong West End production in addition to its

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;'' Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden ...

-produced

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in 2011. While the original production received one out of its seven

Helpmann Award The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. The annual awards recognise achievements in the disciplines of musical th ...

nominations, ''Priscilla'' was nominated for the

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

for Best New Musical as well as two

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

s, winning these awards in the costume design categories.

Synopsis

Act I

The

Mitzi Mitosis – stage name of Anthony "Tick" Belrose – is performing at a club ("Downtown" ustralia and London"I've Never Been to Me"; "It's Raining Men" roadway when his estranged wife Marion, calls in for a favour. While Tick is offstage, fellow drag queen Miss Understanding performs her own number ("What's Love Got to Do With It?"). From the phone in Tick's dressing room, Marion reveals that she needs an act for a few weeks at her business in distant

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' A ...

, Australia. Tick is at first reluctant, but Marion informs him that part of the reason she's asking is because their now eight-year-old son Benji wants to meet his father ("I Say A Little Prayer"). Tick confides in another fellow drag queen Farrah, before deciding he will leave for

. Tick then calls a friend, a

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...

woman named Bernadette to join him but Bernadette's husband has just died. The pair meet at the funeral ("Don't Leave Me This Way"), where Bernadette agrees to join him. Tick also asks a friend Felicia – stage name of Adam Whitely – to come with them ("Venus"/"Material Girl"), with Bernadette taking an immediate dislike to his show-off performance style. Nonetheless, the newly formed trio buy a "budget

Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. ...

campervan A camper van, also referred to as a camper, caravanette, motor caravan or RV (recreational vehicle) in North America, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term describes vans that have been fitt ...

" they nickname "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" ("Go West"). Tick informs them that the trip is a favour to his wife, but does not tell them it is also to meet his son who wants to see him ("I Say A Little Prayer (Reprise)"). As the journey to Alice Springs begins, Adam angers Bernadette after making transphobic jokes about her life before transitioning. Later the group arrives at a bar in

Broken Hill Broken Hill is an inland mining city in the far west of outback New South Wales, Australia. It is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Highway (B79), in the Barrier Range. It ...

, in full drag, and start a bar dance party ("I Love the Nightlife"), but when they return to the bus learn that the townspeople wrote hateful statements on the bus in spray paint. Tick is very upset, but Adam and Bernadette comfort him ("Both Sides, Now"/"True Colors"). While on the road, Adam practices his lip-syncing as Felicia sitting in the giant

high heel High-heeled shoes, also known as high heels, are a type of shoe with an angled sole. The heel in such shoes is raised above the ball of the foot. High heels cause the legs to appear longer, make the wearer appear taller, and accentuate the ...

on the roof of the van ("Follie! Delirio vano è questo! Sempre libera (from La traviata)"). The next morning, Priscilla breaks down and Adam buys lavender paint to erase the vandalism ("Colour My World"). They manage to get the locals of another town on their side and meet Bob, a mechanic from a small town nearby who agrees to help fix Priscilla. The group celebrates that they've found people that accept them ("I Will Survive").

Act II

The second act opens with a group of bogans singing ("Thank God I'm A Country Boy"). Bernadette talks with Bob and learns that when he was in Sydney, he saw her when she was a young "Les Girl" ("A Fine Romance"). The two begin to grow feelings for each other. Later in a bar ("Thank God I'm A Country Boy Reprise"), the trio is about to perform ("Shake Your Groove Thing") when Cynthia, Bob's wife, interrupts their act by "popping" ping-pong balls ("Pop Muzik"). After this, the trio leaves, leaving Bob to wonder about his feelings for Bernadette ("A Fine Romance (Reprise)"). All of a sudden, Bernadette asks if he wants a free ride back to his real home, in which he agrees ("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"). Later when they arrive, Adam dresses up like a woman to try to meet men ("Hot Stuff"), but ends up getting chased and nearly becomes the victim of a

hate crime A hate crime (also known as a bias-motivated crime or bias crime) is a prejudice-motivated crime which occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of their membership (or perceived membership) of a certain social group or racial demograph ...

until Bernadette rescues him by kicking one of his attackers. Later as they arrive in Alice Springs, Tick reflects on the trip after someone literally leaves the cake out in the rain ("MacArthur Park"). As another act performs first ("Boogie Wonderland"), the trio gets ready to perform a variety of songs that they sang or lip-synced on their journey ("The Floor Show"). Afterwards, Tick finally meets his son, Benji, who accepts his father's sexuality and lifestyle ("Always on My Mind/I Say a Little Prayer") and Adam gets to perform his own solo

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

hit, ("Like A Prayer" roadway "Confide in Me/Kylie Medley" ustralia and West End, his favorite singer. Afterwards the gang talks about their plans after Alice Springs, and realize they can't leave each other ("We Belong"). They go off stage together and the company performs a medley of songs to close the show ("Finally (Finale)").

Cast information

*In the West End production, the role of Marion was played by Yvette Robinson whilst Amy Field was on maternity leave (1 December 2009 – 25 September 2010).
**In every production, the role of Benjamin is played by more than one actor, each alternating at certain performances, due to their young age. In the UK Tour the role of Benji was shared between around 30 different boys up and down the UK. ***In some productions (only) Farrah and Young Bernadette were played by the same Actor.

Productions

Australia (2006–08)

''Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' premiered on 7 October 2006 at the Lyric Theatre, Star City Casino,

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

, Australia and ended its run on 2 September 2007. Directed by

Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre com ...

artistic director Simon Phillips, it starred

Tony Sheldon Tony Sheldon may refer to: * Tony Sheldon (actor) Tony Sheldon (born 12 September 1955) is an Australian actor/singer best known for his work in theatre; he is also a writer. Career Sheldon comes from one of Australia's leading theatrical fa ...

as Bernadette,

Jeremy Stanford Jeremy Stanford is an Australian actor and director, known for his role of Tick/Mitzi in the initial stage run of the musical '' Priscilla, Queen of the Desert''. Career In 2022 it was announced that Stanford would be joining the cast of ''Wa ...

as Tick/Mitzi and Daniel Scott as Adam/Felicia with Michael Caton as Bob and Joshua Arkey, Alec Epsimos, Rowan Scott and Joel Slater as Benjamin. The Sydney production transferred to the Regent Theatre in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...

, beginning previews on 28 September 2007 before opening on 6 October 2007. The show closed on 27 April 2008 to make way for the Australian premiere of '' Wicked''. The

production transferred to

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

for a limited run, opening on 28 May 2008 and closed on 6 July 2008. The musical returned to the Star City Hotel and Casino in

on 7 October 2008 for the second anniversary of the show's premiere and closed on 21 December 2008. The show starred original cast members Sheldon and Scott, alongside Todd McKenney as Tick/Mitzi and Bill Hunter as Bob.

West End (2009–11)

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in London

A West End production started previews on 10 March 2009 at the

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia * Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, M ...

with the opening press night on 23 March. It is co-produced by

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musical ...

Really Useful Group The Really Useful Group Ltd. (RUG) is an international company set up in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is involved in theatre, film, television, video and concert productions, merchandising, magazine publishing, records and music publishing. ...

and directed by Simon Phillips with musical arrangements by Stephen 'Spud' Murphy, choreography by Ross Coleman, costume designs by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, production designs by Brian Thomson, and lighting by Nick Schlieper. The original cast included

Jason Donovan Jason Sean Donovan (born 1 June 1968) is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap ''Neighbours'', playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 m ...

as Mitzi (aka "Tick"), Tony Sheldon as Bernadette, and

Oliver Thornton Oliver Rhoe Thornton (born 10 September 1979) is a stage actor and singer who is best known for his contributions to musical theatre in London's West End. Life and career Early life Thornton was born on 10 September 1979 in Abergavenny, M ...

as Adam/Felicia. Notable replacements include Ben Richards as Tick/Mitzi, Don Gallagher as Bernadette, Portia Emare as one of the Divas and

Ray Meagher Raymond Francis Meagher (born 4 July 1944) is an Australian actor, who has appeared in Australian film and television since the mid-1970s. He is notable as the longest continuing performer in an Australian television role, portraying Alf Stew ...

as Bob. The West End production closed on 31 December 2011.

Toronto (2010–11)

The musical opened on 12 October 2010 at the Princess of Wales Theatre in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

as a Pre-Broadway tryout. The musical featured all of the Broadway cast with a new production team. It received largely positive reviews and strong ticket sales. The musical played for 12 weeks, a month longer than originally planned, closing on 2 January 2011. Several modifications were made to the production.

Broadway (2011–12)

''Priscilla'' premiered on

on 20 March 2011 at the

with previews beginning 28 February 2011. Before opening on Broadway, the show made its North American debut at the Princess of Wales Theatre in

for a limited 12-week tryout. The original cast included Will Swenson as Tick/Mitzi,

, again, reprising his role of Bernadette, and Nick Adams as Adam/Felicia. Choreography is by Ross Coleman, set design by Brian Thomson, lighting design by Nick Schlieper and costume designs by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner. Producers include

, who joined the production team after seeing the West End production; Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions; Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films; Allan Scott Productions; David Mirvish; Roy Furman; Terry Allen Kramer;

James L. Nederlander James L. Nederlander (born January 23, 1960) is a Broadway theatre owner, operator, producer and presenter. He is the president of the Nederlander Organization, which was founded by his grandfather. He is also a 13-time Tony Award winner and ha ...

; and Terri and Timothy Childs. The Broadway cast album was recorded in late January 2011 on Rhino Records for release on 15 March 2011. The production released video footage from their North American premiere on Tuesday, 15 February. The Broadway production closed on 24 June 2012 after 23 previews and 526 performances.

Italy (2011–14)

An Italian production opened on 14 December 2011, only a few months after the Broadway debut, at the Teatro Ciak in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city ...

, where it ran until 30 April 2012. The cast included Antonello Angiolillo as Tick/Mitzi, Simone Leonardi as Bernadette, and Mirko Ranù as Adam/Felicia. Later the show was transferred to Teatro degli Arcimboldi in Milan (from 6 November to 31 December 2012), to

Teatro Brancaccio The Teatro Brancaccio (i.e. "Brancaccio Theater"), also known as Politeama Brancaccio, is a 1,300-seat theatre and cinema located in Esquilino, Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

(from 24 January 2013 to 21 April 2013), and to Politeama Rossetti in

Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into pr ...

(from 10 to 26 May 2013). After an hiatus, the production embarked on a tour, opening on 31 October 2013 at the Teatro Alfieri in

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

and concluding on 19 January 2014 at the Gran Teatro in Rome, with some changes in the cast, including Marco D'Alberti as Bernadette, and Riccardo Sinisi as Adam/Felicia.

São Paulo (2012)

In Brazil ''Priscilla'' ran at the Teatro Bradesco,

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaW ...

, from 16 March to 9 December 2012, produced by GEO Eventos, BASE Entertainment and Nullarbor Productions, and starring Luciano Andrey as Tick/Mitzi, Rubén Gabira as Bernadette, André Torquato as Adam/Felicia, Li Martins as Cynthia and Saulo Vasconcelos as Bob. The production included the Brazilian disco anthem "Dancing Days" during the final bows.

US National Tour (2013)

After the show closed on Broadway, a national tour opened on 8 January 2013 at the Orpheum Theatre in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...

with Wade McCollum as Tick/Mitzi, Scott Willis as Bernadette, and Bryan West as Adam/Felicia. The tour played its final performance on 17 November 2013 at the Paramount Theatre in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

UK National Tour (2013–14)

The first UK tour started on 9 February 2013 at the Opera House in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

and concluded on 12 April 2014 at the Theatre Royal in

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...

. Jason Donovan and Noel Sullivan alternated as Tick/Mitzi, with Richard Grieve as Bernadette, and Graham Weaver as Adam/Felicia. The tour included the changes made for the Broadway production, except for the songs by Madonna.

Stockholm (2013)

A Swedish production ran from 21 September 2013 to 18 May 2014 at the

Göta Lejon Göta Lejon is a theatre located at 55 Götgatan in the district of Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden. History Göta Lejon was built in the years 1926–1928 according to drawings by architect Birger Borgström. (1890–1964). Architecturally, the ...

Stockholm Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropo ...

, with Patrik Martinsson as Tick/Mitzi, Björn Kjellman as Bernadette, Erik Høiby as Adam/Felicia, and

Pernilla Wahlgren Pernilla Nina Elisabeth Wahlgren (born 24 December 1967) is a Swedish singer and actress. She has sung in Melodifestivalen several times; her 1985 entry titled " Piccadilly Circus" became popular and successful. She has acted in several plays and ...

as one of the Divas.

Argentina (2014–15)

A non-replica staging premiered on 5 February 2014 at the Teatro Lola Membrives,

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, starring Alejandro Paker as Tick/Mitzi, Pepe Cibrián Campoy as Bernadette, and Juan Gil Navarro as Adam/Felicia. The Buenos Aires production closed on 31 August 2014 and then was transferred to Teatro Candilejas in Villa Carlos Paz, with Alejandro Paker reprising as Tick/Mitzi, Moria Casán as Bernadette, and Diego Ramos as Adam/Felicia.

Athens (2014)

In Greece the show opened on 6 May 2014 at the Badminton Theater in

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates a ...

, where it ran until 15 June 2014, with Giorgos Kapoutzidis as Tick/Mitzi, Fotis Sergoulopoulos as Bernadette, and Panagiotis Petrakis as Adam/Felicia. After an hiatus, the production returned to the Badminton Theater from 26 September to 5 October 2014.

Manila and Singapore (2014)

A non-replica production ran from 9 May to 13 July 2014 at the

Newport Performing Arts Theater The Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT), also known as simply Newport Theater, is a performing arts center on the grounds of Newport World Resorts in Pasay, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is a modern multi-purpose theater named after its l ...

Resorts World Manila Newport World Resorts (formerly Resorts World Manila) is an integrated resort, located in Newport City, opposite Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. The resort is owned and operated by Tra ...

, with Leo Tavarro Valdez as Tick/Mitzi, Jon Santos as Bernadette, and Red Concepción as Adam/Felicia. After a limited engagement from 16 to 26 October 2014 at the Resorts World Theatre in

Sentosa Sentosa Island, known mononymously as Sentosa, and formerly ''Pulau Belakang Mati'', is an island located off the southern coast of Singapore's main island. The island is separated from the main island of Singapore by a channel of water, the K ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

, the production came back to the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Manila from 28 November to 7 December 2014.

Seoul (2014)

Jo Kwon from the band 2AM played Adam in a Korean production which ran from 3 July to 28 September 2014 at the LG Arts Center in

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

Spain (2014–2018)

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

''Priscilla'' premiered on 2 October 2014 at the Nuevo Teatro Alcalá,

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

, with Jaime Zataraín as Tick/Mitzi, Mariano Peña and José Luis Mosquera alternating as Bernadette, Christian Escuredo as Adam/Felicia, David Venancio Muro as Bob, Aminata Sow, Rossana Carraro and Patricia del Olmo as The Divas, Susan Martín as Marion, Cristina Rueda as Shirley, Etheria Chan as Cynthia, and Alejandro Vera as Miss Understanding. After the show closed in Madrid on 28 February 2016, the production embarked on a national tour, opening on 5 August 2016 at the Teatro Jovellanos in Gijón and finishing on 25 February 2018 at the Teatro Principal in

Vitoria-Gasteiz Vitoria-Gasteiz (; ), also alternatively spelled as Vittoria in old English-language sources, is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community' ...

Italy (2015)

Another Italian tour kicked off on 27 May 2015 at the

Teatro Manzoni The Teatro Manzoni is a theatre in the northern Italian city of Milan, located on the Via Manzoni. Opened in 1870 it was originally called the ''Teatro sociale di Milano'', before being renamed after Alessandro Manzoni following his death in 1873 ...

in Milan, starring Cristian Ruiz as Tick/Mitzi, Marco D'Alberti as Bernadette, and Riccardo Sinisi as Adam/Felicia. The tour played its final performance on 8 November 2015 at the

Teatro Coccia Teatro Coccia (, "Carlo Coccia, Coccia Theatre") is the main opera house in Novara (as well as one of the major traditional Italian theatres), and is also the most important "historical" theatres in Piedmont. It faces along via Fratelli Rosselli, ...

Novara Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It i ...

UK National Tour (2015–16)

A second UK tour started on 25 August 2015 at the Opera House in Manchester, with Jason Donovan and Duncan James (and Darren Day from February 2016) alternating as Tick/Mitzi, Simon Green as Bernadette, and Adam Bailey as Adam/Felicia, and closed on 18 June 2016 at the New Theatre in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, including stops in London (at the New Wimbledon Theatre from 5 to 10 October 2015) and

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

(at the Koninklijk Theater Carré from 10 to 22 November 2015). After the tour ended, the production was transferred to

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

for a limited engagement at the Menora Mivtachim Arena,

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

from 4 to 9 July 2016.

Norwegian Epic Cruise Ship

In October 2015, an adapted, shorter version of ''Priscilla'' premiered onboard Norwegian Cruise Lines cruise ship

Norwegian Epic ''Norwegian Epic'' is a cruise ship of the Norwegian Cruise Line built under that line's F3 Project by STX Europe Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. When built she was the third largest cruise ship in the world. Two ...

Auckland (2016)

Eight years after the first run in Auckland, the show returned to the Civic Theatre from 16 October to 13 November 2016, starring Bryan West as Tick/Mitzi, Simon Green as Bernadette, and André Torquato as Adam/Felicia.

Tokyo (2016)

From 8 to 29 December 2016, ''Priscilla'' ran at the

Nissay Theatre The is a theatre in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is located in the Nissay Hibiya Building, designed by the architect Togo Murano. It was completed in 1963 and opened with a performance by the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Since then it has been used to s ...

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

, with Ikusaburo Yamazaki as Tick/Mitzi, Takanori Jinnai as Bernadette, and Yunhak from

Supernova A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or whe ...

and Keita Furuya alternating as Adam/Felicia.

Paris (2017–2018)

The show ran at the Casino de Paris from 25 February 2017 to 7 July 2018, starring

Laurent Bàn Laurent Bàn (born 3 April 1970s in Briey, France) is a French singer-songwriter. Biography Laurent Bàn obtained a degree as a graphic designer-painter. He discovered the French musical '' Starmania'' from Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon and ...

as Tick/Mitzi, David Alexis as Bernadette, and Jimmy Bourcereau as Adam/Felicia. After closing in Paris, the production was expected to embark on a national tour, set to launch in January 2019, but it was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

South Africa and Hong Kong (2017)

A South African production ran at the

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

Artscape Theatre from 28 March to 23 April 2017, and at the

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

's Teatro at Montecasino from 28 April to 18 June 2017, with Daniel Buys as Tick/Mitzi, David Dennis as Bernadette, and Phillip Schnetler as Adam/Felicia. Following the season in South Africa, the production was transferred to the Lyric Theatre in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from 29 September to 22 October 2017.

Munich and St. Gallen (2017–2021)

From 14 December 2017 to 12 April 2018, a non-replica production ran at the Gärtnerplatztheater,

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...

, with Armin Kahl as Tick/Mitzi, Erwin Windegger as Bernadette, and Terry Alfaro as Adam/Felicia, before transferring to the

Theater St. Gallen The Theater St. Gallen is a performing arts center for opera, musical, ballet, and theatre in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and considered to be the oldest professional theatre in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Al ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, from 23 February to 31 May 2019. Additional engagements included new runs at both the Gärtnerplatztheater (15 to 24 July 2019, 4 to 16 February 2020, and 21 to 31 October 2021) and the Theater St. Gallen (15 September 2019 to 4 January 2020).

Australia (2018)

A tour to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the show began performances on 21 January 2018 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, with David Harris as Tick/Mitzi, Tony Sheldon reprising his role of Bernadette, and Euan Doidge as Adam/Felicia. After visiting the Capitol Theatre in Sydney and the Festival Theatre in Adelaide, the production played its final performance on 4 November 2018 at the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane.

Italy (2018–2020)

Another Italian tour started on 15 December 2018 at the Creberg Teatro in

Bergamo Bergamo (; lmo, Bèrghem ; from the proto- Germanic elements *''berg +*heim'', the "mountain home") is a city in the alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from Switzerland, the alpine lakes Com ...

, starring Cristian Ruiz as Tick/Mitzi, Manuel Frattini as Bernadette, and Mirko Ranù as Adam/Felicia, and finished on 21 April 2019 at the Gran Teatro Morato in

Brescia Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and '' comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo ...

. After an hiatus, the tour restarted on 12 December 2019 at the Teatro Brancaccio in Rome, with Cristian Ruiz reprising as Tick/Mitzi, Simone Leonardi as Bernadette, and Pedro Antonio Batista González as Adam/Felicia, and concluded on 16 February 2000 at the Teatro Municipal in

Reggio Emilia Reggio nell'Emilia ( egl, Rèz; la, Regium Lepidi), usually referred to as Reggio Emilia, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, and known until 1861 as Reggio di Lombardia, is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has abo ...

Tokyo (2019)

Three years after its Japanese debut, ''Priscilla'' returned to the Nissay Theatre, Tokyo, for a second limited engagement from 9 to 30 March 2019, with the same lead cast.

UK National Tour (2019–2021)

On 5 September 2019 a non-replica UK tour launched at the

Orchard Theatre, Dartford The Orchard Theatre is a 1025-seat receiving theatre in the centre of Dartford, Kent. It was built by Dartford Borough Council and opened by The Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Grea ...

, starring

Joe McFadden Joseph McFadden (born 9 October 1975) is a Scottish actor best known for his roles in ''The Crow Road,'' '' Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, Heartbeat'' and ''Holby City.'' McFadden won the 2017 series of the BBC One series '' Strictly Come Dancing ...

as Tick/Mitzi, Miles Western as Bernadette, Nick Hayes as Adam/Felicia, Daniel Fletcher as Bob, Claudia Kariuki, Rosie Glossop, and Aiesha Pease as The Divas, Miranda Wilford as Marion, Jacqui Sanchez as Cynthia, and Kevin Yates as Miss Understanding. This version of the show was produced by Jason Donovan and includes new designs by Phil R Daniels and Charles Cusick Smith, lighting by Ben Cracknell, sound by Ben Harrison, musical supervision by Stephen 'Spud' Murphy and Richard Weeden, musical direction by Sean Green, choreography by Tom Jackson-Greaves, and direction by Ian Talbot OBE. On 15 March 2020, the tour was suspended due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

and did not reopen until 21 June 2021, having its final performance on 6 November 2021 at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow.

Linz (2022)

A a non-replica production ran from 1 January to 10 June 2022 at the Landestheater,

Linz Linz ( , ; cs, Linec) is the capital of Upper Austria and third-largest city in Austria. In the north of the country, it is on the Danube south of the Czech border. In 2018, the population was 204,846. In 2009, it was a European Capital ...

, with Karsten Kenzel as Tick/Mitzi, David Arnsperger as Bernadette and Gernot Romic as Adam/Felicia.

Helsinki (2022–)

On 25 August 2022, a non-replica production opened at the

Helsinki City Theatre The Helsinki City Theatre ( fi, Helsingin Kaupunginteatteri; sv, Helsingfors stadsteater) is a theatre located in Helsinki, Finland. Owned by the Helsinki Theatre Foundation, it calls itself a "modern popular bilingual repertoire theatre." The ...

, starring Lauri Mikkola as Tick/Mitzi, Clarissa Jäärni as Bernadette and Niki Rautén as Adam/Felicia.

Wroclaw, Poland (2022-)

The non-replica production premiered at the Capitol Theater in

Wrocław Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, r ...

on 8 October 2022, with an audience preview the night before. Mitzi/Tick is portrayed by Albert Pyśk and Michał Zborowski, Bernadette by Justyna Antoniak and Justyna Szafran, and Adam/Felicia by Rafał Derkacz.

Musical numbers

Original Australian and New Zealand production

Act I *Overture – Orchestra *

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ...

– The Divas and Company * I've Never Been to Me — Tick and the Divas * What's Love Got to Do with It? – Miss Understanding * Don't Leave Me This Way – Bernadette, Tick and Company (†) *

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...

– Felicia and the Boys * Go West – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company *

I Say a Little Prayer "I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967. On the R&B Singles chart it peaked at numbe ...

– Tick and the Divas *

I Love the Nightlife "I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" is a popular disco song recorded by American singer Alicia Bridges in 1978. It went to number two on the US ''Billboard'' National Disco Action Top 30 (now the Dance Club Songs chart) for two weeks. It became ...

– Shirley, Bernadette, Mitzi, Felicia and Company (†) * Both Sides, Now – Bernadette, Tick and Adam *Follie! Delirio vano è questo! Sempre libera (from ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on '' La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his ow ...

'') – Felicia and the Divas * Colour My World – Adam, Tick, Bernadette and Company * I Will Survive – Bernadette, Adam, Tick, Jimmy and Company Act II * Thank God I'm a Country Boy – The Company * A Fine Romance – Young Bernadette and Les Girls *

Shake Your Groove Thing "Shake Your Groove Thing" is a song by disco duo Peaches & Herb. The single reached No. 5 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' R&B Chart. It also reached No. 2 for four weeks on the ''Billboard'' Disco chart in 197 ...

– Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas *

Pop Muzik "Pop Muzik" is a 1979 song by M, a project by English musician Robin Scott, from the debut album '' New York • London • Paris • Munich''. The single, first released in the UK in early 1979, was bolstered by a music video (directed by B ...

– Cynthia and Company *A Fine Romance ''(reprise)'' – Bob *

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song written, recorded and performed by American musician Robert Hazard, who released it as a single in 1979. It is best known for the version of American singer Cyndi Lauper, who covered the song in 1983. It ...

– The Divas and Adam * Hot Stuff – Felicia, the Divas and Bernadette * MacArthur Park – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company * Boogie Wonderland – Marion and Company * The Morning After – Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas *Go West ''(reprise)'' – Adam (*) * Always on My Mind – Tick and Benjamin *

Confide in Me "Confide in Me" is a song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, taken from her self-titled fifth studio album (1994). It was released as the album's lead single on 29 August 1994 by Deconstruction, Imago, and Mushroom Records. The track ...

– Felicia (^) * We Belong – Felicia, Mitzi and Bernadette * Finally / Shake Your Groove Thing / Hot Stuff / I Love the Nightlife / I Will Survive – The Company

Amendments for the West End production

* (†) "I Say a Little Prayer" is the fifth number, and is again reprised as the ninth number of the show in the West End production. This, therefore, means that each number (from the fifth number onwards) in Act I is one number delayed. This gives a total of fourteen numbers in Act I of the West End production. * (*) "Go West ''(reprise)''" is replaced by "

Come into My World "Come into My World" is a song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album, ''Fever'' (2001). Written and produced by Cathy Dennis and Rob Davis, "Come into My World" is a dance-pop song in which the singer pleads to ...

" in the West End production. * (^) Although replaced by "Kylie Medley" in the West End production, "Confide in Me" appears in that medley.

Broadway and Internationally

Act I *Overture – Orchestra * It's Raining Men – The Divas, Tick and Company * What's Love Got to Do with It? – Miss Understanding *

– Tick * Don't Leave Me This Way – Bernadette, Tick and Company *

Material Girl "Material Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album, '' Like a Virgin'' (1984). It was released on November 30, 1984, by the Sire label as the second single from ''Like a Virgin''. It also appears slightly ...

– Felicia and the Boys * Go West – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company *

Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or t ...

/ Like a Virgin* – Adam, Tick and Bernadette *I Say a Little Prayer ''(reprise)''* – Tick and The Divas *

– Shirley, Bernadette, Mitzi, Felicia and Company * True Colors – Bernadette, Mitzi and Felicia *Follie! Delirio vano è questo! Sempre libera (from ''La traviata'') – Felicia and the Divas * Colour My World – Adam, Tick, Bernadette and Company * I Will Survive – Bernadette, Felicia, Mitzi, Jimmy and Company Act II * Thank God I'm a Country Boy* – The Company * A Fine Romance – Young Bernadette and Les Girls * Thank God I'm a Country Boy ''(reprise)''* – The Company *

– Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas *

– Cynthia and Company *A Fine Romance ''(reprise)'' – Bob *

– Adam and the Divas * Hot Stuff – Felicia, The Divas, and Bernadette * MacArthur Park – Bernadette, Tick, The Divas and Company * Boogie Wonderland* – The Company *The Floor Show* – Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and Company *Always on My Mind/I Say a Little Prayer – Tick, Benji * Like a Prayer – Felicia and Company * We Belong – Felicia, Mitzi, Bernadette and Company *Finally (Finale) – The Company ** – Song does not appear on Original Broadway Cast Recording.

UK Tour

Act I *Overture – Orchestra *

– The Divas, Tick and Company * It's Raining Men – The Divas, Tick and Company * I've Never Been to Me – The Divas and Tick * What's Love Got to Do with It? – Miss Understanding *

– Tick * Don't Leave Me This Way – Bernadette, Tick and Company *

– Felicia and the Boys * Go West – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company *I Say a Little Prayer ''(reprise)''* – Tick and The Divas *

– Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas *

– Cynthia and Company *A Fine Romance ''(reprise)'' – Bob *

– Felicia and Company * We Belong – Felicia, Mitzi, Bernadette and Company *Finally (Finale) – The Company

10th Anniversary Australian Production 2018

Act I *Overture – Orchestra * It's Raining Men – The Divas, Tick and Company * What's Love Got to Do with It? – Miss Understanding *

– Tick * Don't Leave Me This Way – Bernadette, Tick and Company *

Better The Devil You Know "Better the Devil You Know" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, taken from her third studio album '' Rhythm of Love'' (1990). The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. The song was released as the album's ...

– Felicia and the Boys (†) * Go West – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company * Go West/ The Locomotion/

Can't Get You Out of My Head "Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song that was recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album, ''Fever'' (2001). Parlophone Records released the song as the album's lead single on 8 September 2001. "Can't Get ...

– Bernadette, Tick, Adam *

– Tick and the Divas *

– Shirley, Bernadette, Mitzi, Felicia and Company * True Colors – Bernadette, Tick and Adam *Follie! Delirio vano è questo! Sempre libera (from ''

'') – Felicia and the Divas * Colour My World – Adam, Tick, Bernadette and Company * I Will Survive – Bernadette, Adam, Tick, Jimmy and Company Act II * Thank God I'm a Country Boy* – The Company * A Fine Romance – Young Bernadette and Les Girls * Thank God I'm a Country Boy ''(reprise)''* – The Company *

– Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas *

– Cynthia and Company *A Fine Romance ''(reprise)'' – Bob *

– Felicia and Company * We Belong – Felicia, Mitzi, Bernadette and Company *Finally (Finale) – The Company * (†) Replace

from the Original Production which was replaced by

in the International Productions.

Recordings

A cast recording of the original Australian production was released on 29 September 2007; both in stores and on the Australian

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...

. All songs, with the exception of the reprise of "Go West", from the original Australian production are present on the recording and are performed by the original Australian cast. A Broadway cast recording was released on 5 April 2011.

Critical reception

In reviewing the West End production, the ''London Evening Standard'' (thisislondon) reviewer wrote: "From the first moments when three divas hang suspended high above a silver-spangled bridge and belt out Downtown, the show never loses its spectacular, helter-skelter momentum of songs to which the drag queens lip-sync." Reviews for the Toronto production include praise for the costumes from the ''Globe and Mail'': "The costumes designed by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, the same team that won an Oscar for the movie, are a fabulous mix of Village People meet Tim Burton culminating in, at the curtain call, a whole crass menagerie of dragged-up koalas and 'roos." ''The Star'' favorably wrote: "This eye-popping, ear-pleasing, toe-tapping honey of a show moves like a cyclone from start to finish and will leave you gasping for breath on numerous occasions, thanks to its spectacular spectacle, its raunchy humour and its virtuoso performances."

Dispute over use of recorded music

Use of a recorded string section in the Broadway production of ''Priscilla'' led to a dispute between producers and the

American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) labor union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in New York City, ...

(AFM). The AFM argues that using recordings in place of live music is a marginal cost-saving measure which cheats audiences of the full, rich sound of a live orchestra. Producers argued that the artistic conception of the show requires a "synthetic pop flavor" that can only be achieved with recorded music. AFM member Scott Frankel, who composed the music for ''

Grey Gardens ''Grey Gardens'' is a 1975 American documentary film by Albert and David Maysles. The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive, upper-class women, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived in poverty at Grey Gardens, a ...

'', stated: "What is most special about seeing a Broadway musical, rather than some other art form, is the interaction between the orchestra musicians and the performers onstage".

Awards and nominations

Original Sydney production

Original West End production

Original Broadway production

References

External links

*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (musical) 2006 musicals Jukebox musicals Musicals based on films Drag (clothing)-related musicals Broadway musicals West End musicals Australian musicals Tony Award-winning musicals