Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (musical)
Music Various Artists
Lyrics Various Artists
Book Stephan Elliott
Allan Scott
Basis The 1994 motion picture The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert written by Stephan Elliott
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a musical with a book 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 queens and a transgender woman, 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-produced Broadway debut in 2011. While the original production received one out of its seven Helpmann Award nominations, Priscilla was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical as well as two Tony Awards, winning these awards in the costume design categories.
Act 1
The drag queen Mitzi Mitosis – whose real name is Anthony “Tick” Belrose – is performing at a club (“Downtown” [Australia and London]/”I’ve Never Been to Me”; “It’s Raining Men” [Broadway]) when his wife Marion, whom he has been separated from for several years because of his homosexuality, 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, 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 Alice Springs. After he decides to do the job, Tick calls a friend, a transsexual woman named Bernadette – whose birth name is Ralph – to join him but sadly, 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 – whose real name is 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 campervan” 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 cracking jokes about her old life before transitioning. Later the group goes into a bar, 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 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 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 hit, (“Like A Prayer” [Broadway]; “Confide in Me/Kylie Medley” [Australia 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
Original casts
Character Australia West End Broadway Original
UK Tour
Original
US Tour
Anthony “Tick” Belrose (“Mitzi Mitosis”) Jeremy Stanford Jason Donovan Will Swenson Jason Donovan, Noel Sullivan Wade McCollum
Bernadette Bassenger Tony Sheldon Richard Grieve Scott Willis
Adam Whitely (“Felicia Jollygoodfellow”) Daniel Scott Oliver Thornton Nick Adams Graham Weaver Bryan Buscher-West
Bob Michael Caton Clive Carter C. David Johnson Giles Watling Joe Hart
The Divas Danielle Barnes, Sophie Carter, Amelia Cormack Zoe Birkett, Kate Gillespie, Emma Lindars Jacqueline Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey, Ashley Spencer Emma Kingston, Laura Mansell, Ellie Leah Emily Afton, Bre Jackson, Brit West
Miss Understanding Trevor Ashley Wesley Sebastian Nathan Lee Graham Alan Hunter Nik Alexzander
Marion Marney McQueen Amy Field, Yvette Robinson* Jessica Phillips Julie Stark Christy Faber
Cynthia Lena Cruz Kanako Nakano J. Elaine Marcos Frances Mayli McCann Chelsea Zeno
***Farrah / Young Bernadette Damien Ross Steven Cleverley Steve Schepis Regan Shepherd Travis Taber
Shirley Genevieve Lemon Daniele Coombe Keala Settle Ellie Leah Babs Rubenstein
Jimmy Kirk Page Tristan Temple James Brown III Taurean Everett
Frank Ben Lewis John Brannoch Mike McGowan Leon Kay David Koch
Benjamin** Joshua Arkey, Alec Epsimos, Rowan Scott, Joel Slater Gene Goodman, Red Walker, Cameron Sayers, Darius Caple Luke Mannikus, Ashton Woerz Various Shane Davis, Will B.
Australia (2006–08)
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert premiered on 7 October 2006 at the Lyric Theatre, Star City Casino, Sydney, Australia and ended its run on 2 September 2007. Directed by Melbourne Theatre Company artistic director Simon Phillips, it starred Tony Sheldon as Bernadette, Jeremy Stanford 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, 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 Melbourne production transferred to Auckland in New Zealand 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 Sydney 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.
Musical numbers
Original Australian and New Zealand production
Act I
Overture – Orchestra
Downtown – 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 – Felicia and the Boys
Go West – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company
I Say a Little Prayer – Tick and the Divas
I Love the Nightlife – Shirley, Bernadette, Mitzi, Felicia and Company (†)
Both Sides, Now – Bernadette, Tick and Adam
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, 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 – Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas
Pop Muzik – Cynthia and Company
A Fine Romance (reprise) – Bob
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – 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 – Felicia (^)
We Belong – Felicia, Mitzi and Bernadette
Finally / Shake Your Groove Thing / Hot Stuff / I Love the Nightlife / I Will Survive – The Company
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
I Say a Little Prayer – Tick
Don’t Leave Me This Way – Bernadette, Tick and Company
Material Girl – Felicia and the Boys
Go West – Bernadette, Tick, Adam and Company
Holiday / Like a Virgin* – Adam, Tick and Bernadette
I Say a Little Prayer (reprise)* – Tick and The Divas
I Love the Nightlife – 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
Shake Your Groove Thing – Mitzi, Bernadette, Felicia and the Divas
Pop Muzik – Cynthia and Company
A Fine Romance (reprise) – Bob
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – 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.
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