Presented by One Eyed Man Productions in association with Neglected Musicals & Hayes Theatre Co
RICHARD CARROLL
DIRECTOR
Richard Carroll is a director, writer and producer based in Sydney. Since 2022, he has been Co-Artistic Director of Hayes Theatre Co with Victoria Falconer.
Directing work at Hayes Theatre Co includes The Pirates of Penzance (also adaptor), Ride The Cyclone, Murder For Two, Calamity Jane, Godspell, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Monty Python’s Spamalot (followed by Australian tour), Gypsy, Side Show, and Murder For Two: Christmas Edition, as well as numerous concerts, cabaret shows and events. Later in 2025, he will direct the theatre’s namesake Nancye Hayes in the new Australian work Merry & Bright. Richard won a Sydney Theatre Award for Calamity Jane, and was nominated this year and last year for Ride The Cyclone and Murder For Two.
Richard’s production of Calamity Jane played at the Hayes in 2017, at Belvoir in 2018, and at Queensland Theatre in 2025. It played two sold-out seasons at Arts Centre Melbourne before transferring for a 5-week commercial season at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne, and also toured to Merrigong, Canberra, Riverside and Orange. His production of Once played three times at Darlinghurst Theatre Co, had seasons at Black Swan, Merrigong, and HOTA, and also played a 5-week commercial season at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne. Richard’s productions of Calamity Jane and Once have each sold over 50,000 tickets in Australia.
His other directing work includes Oklahoma! for Black Swan State Theatre Co, The Boomkak Panto (co-director) for Belvoir, An Act of God (co-director) for Darlinghurst Theatre Co, and The Boy, George (also co-writer), a one-person show starring comedian Joel Creasey.
Richard is co-creator and director of the shows Every Musical Ever (The Art House Wyong & Adelaide Cabaret Festival), and The Show Goes On starring Bernadette Robinson (Sydney Opera House & Arts Centre Melbourne). For Neglected Musicals, he has directed presentations of Mame and Meet Me in St Louis, as well as the first incarnation of his Calamity Jane.
Other directing work includes Rewired for Sydney Festival & Hayes Theatre Co, A Night at the Speakeasy for Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and opening gala concerts for Adelaide Cabaret Festival, The Art House, and The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre. Richard’s cabaret work includes: Everybody Loves Lucy (co-writer); Dahlesque (co-writer); ¡Hispanic Attack! (writer/director, national tour); and Don’t Bother To Knock (co-writer/director, Hayes/Adelaide Cabaret Festival).
Richard’s producing and executive producing work includes Sweet Charity and Miracle City for Luckiest Productions, Jekyll & Hyde, Lizzie, Darlinghurst Nights and High Society for Hayes Theatre Co; Calamity Jane, Side Show, and Monty Python’s Spamalot for One-Eyed Man Productions, and Gypsy for Luckiest Productions & One Eyed Man Productions. In 2010, Richard co-wrote and was associate producer of the FOXTEL documentary David Campbell On Broadway.
VIRGINIA GAY
Calamity Jane
Virginia Gay graduated WAAPA, then spent four years pretending to be a nurse on All Saints, six months pretending to be a cop on Savage River (ABC, Paramount+), and five years on Winners & Losers, where she pretended to know a lot about high finance. That last one, particularly, was a stretch.
She recently starred in her adaptation of Cyrano, which had a sold-out season at Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and won a Fringe First for Best New Writing. The production transferred to London’s Park Theatre, where Virginia was nominated for an Offie - an Off West End Award - for Best Lead Actor for her performance. The show was previously a hit for Melbourne Theatre Company and Black Swan / Perth Festival 2022/23.
She won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actress for Calamity Jane, starred in the film Judy & Punch which premiered at Sundance, and wrote and directed her short film Paper Cut, which made Tropfest finals.
She’s an absolute nightmare in Colin From Accounts (S2), chewed up the scenery on Thank God You’re Here, was a grand finalist on Dancing With The Stars, and was nominated for a Logie for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress for After The Verdict. Virginia is also the 2024/2025 Artistic Director for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
She wrote and co-directed The Boomkak Panto for Belvoir, and is currently working on a new play for Windmill Theatre, Mama Does Derby. Her script for Cyrano is published nationally by Currency Press and internationally by Nick Hern Books.
Musical Director Nigel Ubrihien
Choreographer Cameron Mitchell
Designer Lauren Peters
Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest
Assistant Director Dash Kruck
Lyrics by
PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER
Music by SAMMY FAIN
Adapted by RONALD HANMER and PHIL PARK From the stage play by CHARLES K. FREEMAN After The WARNER BROS. FILM Written by JAMES O’HANLON
This production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Australasia) Pty Ltd
Producer Richard Carroll
Associate Producer Michelle Guthrie
Head of Production Jack Daniel Woods
Stage Manager Lauren Tulloh
Assistant Producer Virginia Gay
Promotional Photography Harvey House & Marnya Rothe
Production Photography John McRae & Jeff Busby