Priscilla is coming to Broadway

Olivier Award nominee Tony Sheldon (Priscilla) and Tony Award nominee Will Swenson (Hair) will lead the cast of the pre-Broadway North American company of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical.

The new stage musical will begin performances at The Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto for a twelve-week only, pre-Broadway engagement beginning 12 Oct 2010 and officially opening on 26 Oct 2010. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert will open on Broadway in Spring 2011 at a theater to be announced.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert will also feature C. David Johnson (Bob), James Brown III (Jimmy), Nathan Lee Graham (Miss Understanding), J. Elaine Marcos (Cynthia), Jessica Phillips (Marion), Steve Schepis (Farrah), Keala Settle (Shirley), and 'Divas' Jacqueline Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey and Nick Adams, as wellas Thom Allison, Kyle Brown, Joshua Buscher, Susan Dunstan, David Lopez, Eric Sciotto, Bryan West, Wayne Wilcox and Tad Wilson. Additional principal casting will be announced shortly.

Australian star Tony Sheldon (Olivier Award nominee for 'Priscilla') will make his Broadway debut as "Bernadette," the role he originated in the original Australian production and played in London's West End.

Will Swenson, who will play 'Tick'/'Mitzi,' is currently starring in 'Hair' in the West End direct from the Tony Award winning Broadway production and was recently seen on Broadway in the revival of '110 in the Shade' and the original musicals 'Lestat' and 'Brooklyn.'

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, adapted from the Academy Award winning film 'The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert,' starring Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce, is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, choreography is by Ross Coleman, musical supervision and arrangements are by Stephen 'Spud' Murphy and set design is by Brian Thomson. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Academy Award winning costume designs, which were originally designed for the film. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper and sound design is by Jonathan Deans. BAFTA Award winning make up design is recreated by Cassie Hanlon.

The show tells the story of Drag queen Mitzi, and her friends Felicia and Bernadette as they make their own personal journeys of discovery as they go across Australia from Sydney to the outback, in a battered old bus named Priscilla, to perform their show - singing their way through disco songs.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is produced by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott Productions, David Mirvish, Roy Furman, Terry Allen Kramer, Nederlander Organization, Terri and Timothy Childs / Ken Greiner / Chip Meyrelles, Bartner Group LLC, Chugg Entertainment, Bruce Davy, Michael Buckley, Stewart Lane, Thierry Suc and Volcano Project /TS3.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert had its world premiere in Sydney in Oct 2006 and has subsequently played in Melbourne and New Zealand, becoming the most successful Australian musical of all time. Following a return Sydney season last year due to popular demand, the London production recently celebrated its first year in the West End at the Palace Theatre. Along with Toronto and Broadway, further international dates are also in discussion for productions in Brazil, Scandinavia and Germany.

The London production, playing at the West End's Palace Theatre, currently stars Jason Donovan (Tick - Mitzi), Tony Sheldon (Bernadette) and Oliver Thornton (Adam - Felicia).