Surely if I was honest, one of the tests of true friendship would include a half dozen tough questions like: Can I borrow your new Porsche for the weekend? Can you help me hide a body? Will you come with me to a. . . musical?
When I was a kid, I questioned the idea of why people in movies would sing back to each other, when perfectly normal spoken words would suffice.Plus, what's with the sound of the fully-blown orchestral music that came out of nowhere in a corn field, on a roof, in a cemetery or from under a dark and mysterious opera house – that was enough to do my head in.
After a successful launch in Ipswich early 2025, Music Of The Night: A Celebration Of Musicals – An International Tribute To The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber will return in June to Brisbane Powerhouse, followed by an extensive, nationwide tour.
The show brings four of the most highly talented, yet humble and unassuming Australian vocal artists: Joey Fimmano, Dexter Villahermosa with Michaela Hodgson, and Katelyn Vella who will deliver 'the goods', a complete full course serving of delightful entertainment.
Fimmano was a former 1970s 'Young Talent Time' regular. It remains unsure exactly what else he can't do. He'll give the grand piano a workout. Then donning a flat cap and strapping the piano accordion on, will sing and share fun renditions from 'Fiddler On The Roof' and 'Oklahoma'.
The entire production celebrates the melodic architecture efficiently called musicals. It's about rounding up happy memories still fiercely held captive on vinyl, cassette and CD, and releasing them on a vividly live mega-show.
Superb songs from these blockbuster productions include works by Webber and Rice, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Robert Stevenson, the Sherman Brothers and Walt Disney.
A few covered in the concerts: 'Miss Saigon', 'Fiddler On The Roof’, 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat', 'Phantom Of The Opera', 'Jekyll And Hyde', 'Oklahoma', 'Mary Poppins', 'Cats' and scores more.
This sensational memory-making walkthrough of music has been clearly appreciated by previous audiences. It's been reflected back, in generous proportions, by the "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" plus applause from multi age-spanned patrons. When someone drops in a fun wharfies whistle occasionally, it's really not out of place.
The Music Of The Night's own concert band is live, consisting of drums, bass and keyboards. Fimmano additionally plays the grand piano. With the bright lights for them and stage sights for us, it'll be easy to enjoy the Powerhouse's anonymous darkness in comfortable audience seating.
Feel-good, live music at its very best. Playing these songs everywhere would change the world overnight.
- written by Stu Robertson
Music Of The Night: A Celebration of Musicals – An International Tribute To The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber 2025 Tour Dates
Sun 22 Jun - Brisbane Powerhouse* 1.30pm & 6.30pm showsSat 28 Jun - The Cube (Sydney)
Sun 27 Jul - Panthers Penrith
Fri 1 Aug - Albany Entertainment Centre
Sat 2 Aug - Bunbury Entertainment Centre
Sun 3 Aug - Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
Sat 9 Aug - Geelong Arts Centre
Sun 17 Aug - Newcastle City Hall
Sat 23 Aug - Coffs Ex Services (Coffs Harbour)
Sun 24 Aug - Ballina RSL
Sun 31 Aug - Palms At Crown (Melbourne)
Sat 13 Sep - Wollondilly Performing Arts Centre (Greater Sydney)
Sat 14 Sep - The Art House (Central Coast)
Sat 20 Sep - GPAC (Goulburn)
Sun 21 Sep - Bicentennial Hall (Queanbeyan)
Sat 11 Oct - Redcliffe Entertainment Centre (Brisbane)
Sun 12 Oct - Empire Theatre (Toowoomba)
Sat 25 Oct - Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
Sun 26 Oct - Dubbo Regional Theatre
Sun 2 Nov - Orange Civic Theatre
Sun 9 Nov - Glen St Theatre (Sydney)
Fri 14 Nov - Arts Theatre (Burnie)
Sat 15 Nov - Theatre Royal (Hobart)
Sun 16 Nov - Princess Theatre (Launceston)
Sat 22 Nov - Glasshouse (Port Macquarie)
Sun 23 Nov - Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (Hunter Valley)
Sun 30 Nov - Her Majesty's Theatre (Adelaide)
Sat 6 Dec - Wollongong Town Hall