Latest news with #PrettyWoman:TheMusical
West Australian
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Samantha Jade to play Julia Roberts' role in Pretty Woman the Musical showing in Brisbane and Sydney
Samantha Jade is set to play her 'dream role' after she landed the lead in Pretty Woman: The Musical, based on the iconic movie and made famous by Julia Roberts. The 38-year-old singer and actress will star as Vivian (Roberts' character) in the upcoming Broadway and West End musical, which makes its debut in Brisbane and Sydney later this year. The show will play at Queensland Performing Arts Centre from October 5 and at the Theatre Royal, Sydney from November. 'This is a dream role for me. Such a beloved film that is a favourite of so many worldwide, and I'm delighted to be able to originate the role for Australian audiences,' the Perth-born star said. 'I never thought I would do a musical because I dance and sing, and act, but all separately, not at the same time and this is a big challenge. 'I love this movie so much, and the music in this is next level.' Jade told Sunrise she was in LA checking out of a one-night stay at the Beverly Wilshire, the famous hotel from the film, when she found out she got the role. The 1990 film sees rich businessman Edward (played by Richard Gere) hire Vivan, a prostitute, to join him at several social events; however, things soon get tricky when he begins to fall in love with someone from a very different world. Now, fans of the characters will get to know them in a whole new way with a dazzling theatrical take on a love story for the ages. Jade said the film was her 'comfort movie' that she used to watch with her mum, who sadly died in 2014 after a battle with cancer. 'It was one of our four favourites and last year was the 10th anniversary of her passing, so I was watching it a lot, weirdly, and then I got a call to audition and I was like 'Oh my god' this just seems perfect,' she said. As for who is playing her lover, all Jade could share was that the actor was 'someone Australian and someone great.' 'We couldn't get Richard, but we've got the next best thing.' Suzanne Jones of Jones Theatrical Group said the group knew if they didn't offer Jade the role, they would immediately regret it. 'We knew from the first time Samantha auditioned that not offering her the role of Vivian would be a big mistake. Big. Huge! Her voice perfectly suits Bryan Adams' iconic score, and I know Australian audiences will fall in love with her when she makes her debut at QPAC in October,' she said. No stranger to a live audience, Jade won Channel 7's X Factor in 2012 and has since amassed a collective 91 million streams and 2.3 million sales worldwide, released the song Shake That with Pitbull and released her album NINE in 2015, which hit number two on the ARIA charts. Our homegrown talent has been a regular fixture on Australian TV, starring as Kylie Minogue in the miniseries INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, as well as an ongoing guest-starring role in Home and Away. Her screen credits don't end there; in 2023, she joined the cast of the second season of Celebrity Apprentice, and last year was the runner-up of Channel 7's Dancing With The Stars. Jade has continued with her music career of late, releasing her EP Love. Sick. Vol 2 in August. Pretty Woman: The Musical features a rock score from GRAMMY winners Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (Summer of '69, Heaven), direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and a book by the original movie's director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton. The musical made its Broadway debut at the Nederlander Theatre in 2018 and has played in Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany as well as an extended West End season. Further casting announcements are set to be made in the coming weeks.
Perth Now
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Perth pop singer to bring iconic movie to life on stage
Samantha Jade is set to play her 'dream role' after she landed the lead in Pretty Woman: The Musical, based on the iconic movie and made famous by Julia Roberts. The 38-year-old singer and actress will star as Vivian (Roberts' character) in the upcoming Broadway and West End musical, which makes its debut in Brisbane and Sydney later this year. The show will play at Queensland Performing Arts Centre from October 5 and at the Theatre Royal, Sydney from November. 'This is a dream role for me. Such a beloved film that is a favourite of so many worldwide, and I'm delighted to be able to originate the role for Australian audiences,' the Perth-born star said. 'I never thought I would do a musical because I dance and sing, and act, but all separately, not at the same time and this is a big challenge. 'I love this movie so much, and the music in this is next level.' Jade told Sunrise she was in LA checking out of a one-night stay at the Beverly Wilshire, the famous hotel from the film, when she found out she got the role. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. The 1990 film sees rich businessman Edward (played by Richard Gere) hire Vivan, a prostitute, to join him at several social events; however, things soon get tricky when he begins to fall in love with someone from a very different world. Now, fans of the characters will get to know them in a whole new way with a dazzling theatrical take on a love story for the ages. Jade said the film was her 'comfort movie' that she used to watch with her mum, who sadly died in 2014 after a battle with cancer. 'It was one of our four favourites and last year was the 10th anniversary of her passing, so I was watching it a lot, weirdly, and then I got a call to audition and I was like 'Oh my god' this just seems perfect,' she said. As for who is playing her lover, all Jade could share was that the actor was 'someone Australian and someone great.' 'We couldn't get Richard, but we've got the next best thing.' Suzanne Jones of Jones Theatrical Group said the group knew if they didn't offer Jade the role, they would immediately regret it. 'We knew from the first time Samantha auditioned that not offering her the role of Vivian would be a big mistake. Big. Huge! Her voice perfectly suits Bryan Adams' iconic score, and I know Australian audiences will fall in love with her when she makes her debut at QPAC in October,' she said. Samantha Jade never thought she would take on a musical. Credit: Supplied No stranger to a live audience, Jade won Channel 7's X Factor in 2012 and has since amassed a collective 91 million streams and 2.3 million sales worldwide, released the song Shake That with Pitbull and released her album NINE in 2015, which hit number two on the ARIA charts. Our homegrown talent has been a regular fixture on Australian TV, starring as Kylie Minogue in the miniseries INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, as well as an ongoing guest-starring role in Home and Away. Her screen credits don't end there; in 2023, she joined the cast of the second season of Celebrity Apprentice, and last year was the runner-up of Channel 7's Dancing With The Stars. Jade has continued with her music career of late, releasing her EP Love. Sick. Vol 2 in August. Pretty Woman: The Musical features a rock score from GRAMMY winners Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (Summer of '69, Heaven), direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and a book by the original movie's director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton. The musical made its Broadway debut at the Nederlander Theatre in 2018 and has played in Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany as well as an extended West End season. Further casting announcements are set to be made in the coming weeks.
Time Out
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Oh, pretty woman! Broadway's smash-hit ‘Pretty Woman: The Musical' is coming to Sydney in 2025
Get ready: One of the most iconic love stories of all time is hitting the stage, with Pretty Woman: The Musical coming to Sydney in 2025 – bringing a star-studded cast, memorable one-liners and a whole lot of bangers. The Broadway and West End sensation is having its Aussie premiere in Brisbane later this year before delighting Sydneysiders when it comes to the Harbour City this spring. Adding even more buzz, Aussie pop superstar Samantha Jade will make her musical theatre debut in the starring role of Vivian. This is going to be big. And we mean BIG! HUGE! Since its debut on Broadway in 2018, Pretty Woman: The Musical has broken box office records and captivated audiences in London's West End, as well as in Spain, Italy and Germany. Based on one of Hollywood's most beloved rom-coms – the 1990 blockbuster Pretty Woman, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere – this musical adaptation tells the iconic tale of a chance meeting between Edward (a ruthless businessman) and Vivian (a free-spirited escort) in a whole new way. One of Australia's favourite triple threats, Samantha Jade will play the role made famous by one of her own favourite actors, Julia Roberts. The X Factor Australia winner says, 'I was so familiar with the movie, and it felt like all the stars were aligning when I got the first email to come and audition.' 'I've been lucky enough to sing and dance and act, but separately,' Jade continues. 'Doing them at once, live on stage, eight times a week... that's a whole new challenge.' You can catch Pretty Woman: The Musical at Theatre Royal Sydney from November. Brought to life by a powerhouse creative team, the production features a blazing rock score from Grammy winners Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance ('Summer of '69', 'Heaven'), with direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde), and a book by the original movie's director Garry Marshall with screenwriter J.F. Lawton. Trust us, missing this musical during its Sydney run would be a big mistake. A big, huge mistake! You can join the waitlist for tickets in Sydney here.
Time Out
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Flor Peña keeps shining, now starring in Pretty Woman
With a career spanning over three decades, Florencia Peña has proven herself to be a versatile artist, effortlessly navigating comedy, drama, television, film, and especially in recent years, the world of musicals. Her versatility and stage presence have made her one of the leading figures in the genre in Argentina. Following the overwhelming success of Mamma Mia!, Flor returns to Avenida Corrientes to portray Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman: The Musical — the iconic character Julia Roberts made famous on screen, now brought to life anew in musical form. In this interview, Flor talks about her passion for musicals, the contrasts between her recent works, her perspective on the genre in Argentina, and the role of women in a field that, while growing, still has battles to fight. You just starred in Mamma Mia! with great success, and now you're stepping into the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman. What attracted you to this new character, and what challenges did you face moving from such a festive musical to a story with more romantic and dramatic tones? I think what I like the most is diversifying myself, trying new things. Especially since this is the first time I'm doing two musicals so close together. So I said, 'What character can I choose or what can I do that's different from before?' Mamma Mia! had a more matriarchal energy — she's a mother who chooses to be a single mom, a strong woman running her business, her hotel. Vivian, the character in Pretty Woman, is a loser, a woman who has a job she doesn't like and wants to get out of it. So they are very different. Also, this new project requires me to sing much more difficult songs. So, well, I'm doing something different from what I had been doing. "I like to diversify myself" In recent years we've seen you increasingly involved in musicals. What did this format do for you? Do you feel you discovered something new about yourself as an actress or singer? I have been doing musicals for a long time, and it has always been the genre that fulfilled me the most. I have done a lot of theater, but honestly, not every musical made me want to get on stage and perform. Recently, with Cabaret, Mamma Mia! and Pretty Woman — the last three musicals I did — I really felt excited to perform them, so yes, I'm happy. How do you see the musical scene in Argentina today? Do you feel the audience supports musicals more than before, or is it still a genre that has to earn its place? I think people support it much more now than before. I believe there's a boom in musicals that didn't exist before; people are understanding the musical code more and are turning to this genre. So yes, I think musicals are having a good moment. "There's now a boom in musicals that didn't exist before" Do you have anything lined up after Pretty Woman? Do you want to keep doing musicals, or are you eager to try something else? I have the rights for Chicago, so that's what I'll be doing next. I wish they weren't so close together, but sometimes you get the rights for a certain time and you have to use them, so next is Chicago, and after that I'll take a break from musicals. Chicago is my dream! I've already done two shows by the American choreographer Bob Fosse: Sweet Charity, Cabaret, and now I'll do Chicago. I think I'm going to be the only actress in the world to have done the Fosse trilogy, so I'm happy. "I think I'm going to be the only actress in the world to have done the Fosse trilogy, so I'm happy" Throughout your career, you've broken molds across different genres. In the Argentine musical world, how do you see the role of actresses today? Do you feel there's more space and prominence for women, or are there still barriers to overcome? I think in theater we have more space. Obviously, with leads — women versus men — it's often the case that men always get paid better or that when there's a man and a woman, the man always goes first. Except in the case of Juan Ingaramo — my co-star in Pretty Woman — who is a newcomer; otherwise, the man always goes first on the left. But well, I've understood those things. I fight for my place; I'm an actress who stars a lot, so I can't complain. I've earned my place, and in theater, I've earned the respect of my peers and good reviews, so I consider myself a very respected theater lead. I'm happy. "I consider myself a very respected theater lead"
