Calamity Jane is the unexpected gift that keeps on giving. Filling the western boots of the titular role, Virginia Gay is back and this time finds herself in the Sydney Opera House. So, what should audiences expect from this latest production of CALAMITY JANE?
The Studio of the Sydney Opera House is set to transform into the boot scootin’, stripped back, Golden Garter Saloon as Ronald Hanmer and Phil Park‘s adaption of Charles K. Freeman’s stage play CALAMITY JANE is set to take over Sydney Opera House in this critically-acclaimed production.
Running from the 14th October to the 16th November, audiences will have the chance to discover Virginia Gay in the role of Calamity Jane which she clinched the Sydney Theatre Award for ‘Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical’ in 2018 for.
From the moment they step into the theatre, audiences are transported to the unruly West American, rough-and-tumble town of Deadwood – teeming with gamblers, showgirls and a rowdy sense of volatility. You may even find yourself part of the action!
Theatre Thoughts hollered out in the fields with queries for the cast of Calamity Jane and we had four come’a’running. Cast members Virginia Gay, Billie Palin, Kaya Byrne and Kala Gare gave us some rootin’ tootin’ answers to The Quick Five as we found out more about themselves, their love of the wild west and what audiences should expect from the production.
Presented by Sydney Opera House and One Eyed Man Productions
Read the full interview below and then book your own tickets to CALAMITY JANE from the 14th October here.
If you could play one other role in Calamity Jane, what would it be?
Virginia Gay: Wild Bill Hickock – give me the baritone roles! Let me loom sexily in a corner, goddamnit.
Billie Palin: would love the opportunity to play CRATE MAN. Who is that you ask? Buy a ticket and find out *wiggles eyebrows*
Kaya Byrne: Apart from Calamity, I’d have to pick Susan/Adelaide Adams. She just has so many ridiculous bits!
Kala Gare: Something that doesn’t get spoken enough about is how much this town values theatre. Literally the whole town is there every night and gets so mad when the quality of performance is not good. I think there’s a thriving artistic community in the town and I see a real ‘sink your teeth in’ role in the Deadwood agent who is obviously missing from the main crew and there’s a story there – what happened to her to have set up such a thriving theatre loving community to then disappear? Is she secretly working in the Golden Garter, unable to reveal her true identity due to the event which happened all those years ago? There’s a story there.
Which role would you have been in the Wild West? Saloon Owner, Sherrif, Cowboy, Outlaw…plead your case:
Virginia Gay: I woulda been a cowboy. All that ridin’ …
Billie Palin: I would like to think I would have been a powerful and majestic stallion – strap on the harness and let’s go for a ride!
Kaya Byrne: Saloon door maker. Those things would constantly be getting broken in bar brawls and it’d be my life’s mission to achieve the perfect swinging sound.
Kala Gare: I for sure would have owned the saloon but the personality hire. The town’s theatrical agent would have been the real brains behind the business – maybe we had a falling out, maybe that’s where things went pear shaped for her.
What’s your favourite song/lyric from Calamity Jane?
Virginia Gay: “With a rub rub here and a rub rub there” in A Woman’s Touch
Kaya Byrne: “Venus, we’d love to see your Venus!”
Billie Palin: “That’s-a-thicker-than-a-porkupine quills”
Kala Gare: Man, there are so many absolute bangers to choose from – but right now we’re working on A Woman’s Touch and the fact that “a rub rub here and a rub rub there” exists has to be in the top 10.
What’s your favourite western outfit accessory?
Kala Gare: Someone was mentioning spurs the other day and I think I’d love to have them on my boots.
Virginia Gay: Spurs. So your enemy can always hear ya comin’. Wait-no-
Kaya Byrne: Just imagine the snacks you could carry in the old holster/harness situation. Bring it back I say.
Billie Palin: One word: Ass-less-chaps.
Describe this version of Calamity Jane in three words
Virginia Gay: Chaotic queer joy
Kaya Byrne: Immersive, heartfelt, chaos.
Kala Gare: Outrageously joyful CHAOS
Billie Palin: Riproarin’, gutbustin’ hilarity!
CAST
Virginia Gay – Calamity Jane (all Wed – Sun performances, plus Tue 14 Oct)
Billie Palin – Calamity Jane (alternate, Tuesday night performances from October 21)
Kaya Byrne –Lt. Danny Gilmartin
Kala Gare –Katie Brown
Andrew Cutcliffe – Wild Bill Hickok
Victoria Falconer – Susan/Adelaide Adams
Ryan Gonzalez – Francis Fryer
Phillip Lowe – Henry Miller
Tyran Stig – Understudy
Book your tickets to CALAMITY JANE now at the Sydney Opera House from 14th October to 16th November
