‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ opens at Hayes Theatre Co

The devilishly cheeky, fun-filled Broadway musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, has officially opened at Hayes Theatre Co. This glittering new production features a hilarious and sinfully talented cast led by musical theatre’s funniest leading men, Rowan Witt and Blake Erickson. Tickets are almost sold out with a handful still available from www.hayestheatre.com.au. To keep up with overwhelming demand, the production will transfer to Riverside Theatres for a strictly limited season. Tickets can be found at https://riversideparramatta.com.au/whats-on/dirty-rotten-scoundrels/ 

Musical theatre star and Hayes Theatre Co favourite, Blake Erickson plays Lawrence Jamieson, a suave conman who believes in tricking corrupt, rich people out of their money to finance his lavish lifestyle. Currently on stage in the national tour of Cluedo, Blake most recently wowed audiences with his hilarious performance as Roger de Bris in The Producers and will later be seen on stage in My Fair Lady.

The cocky small-time American hustler Freddy Benson will be played by star of screen and stage, Rowan Witt who will make his welcome return to the Hayes. Rowan has starred in blockbuster productions Hamilton and Book of Mormon and played the leading role of Georg Nowak in She Loves Me at the Hayes. Currently, he can be seen in television series Ghosts Australia and Totally Completely Fine. 

Christine Colgate, the naive and wealthy American heiress who is the target for Lawrence and Freddy’s con, will be played by Kristina McNamara (Ned Kelly, CHICAGO), and Jordan Shea (The Producers) plays police chief Andre Thibault. Two of the women conned by the pair, Muriel Eubanks and Jolene Oakes, are played by up-and-coming musical theatre stars Aurélie Roque (Pippin) and Scarlet Lindsay (Guys and Dolls). Rounding out the cast in the ensemble Oliver Clisdell, Emma Feliciano, Brendan Godwin, Madelene Kirkwood and Christopher Tendai. 

This all-new Australian production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is directed by Rebecca McNamee (Abigail Williams), musically directed by Dylan Pollard (Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) and making his choreography debut is Cameron Boxall.

Based on the hit 1988 film starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin, this Tony-nominated musical comedy follows two cunning conmen — the elegant, ruthless Lawrence Jamieson and the wildly unpredictable Freddy Benson — as they go head-to-head on the French Riviera in a winner-takes-all game of deception. Their target? A sweet, unsuspecting American heiress. But in a world built on lies and reinvention, nothing — and no-one — is quite what they seem.  

With a razor-sharp book by Jeffrey Lane and an irresistibly cheeky score by David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Tootsie, The Full Monty), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a riot of farcical foolishness, toe-tapping tunes, and whip-smart satire.

Expect bold physical comedy, razor-edged elegance, and performances as dazzling as a Riviera sunset.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels runs at Hayes Theatre through Sunday 21 June, with performances Tuesday to Sunday including matinees. Tickets start from $60 for Under 35s, $69 for previews, and $79 for adults. The show then moves to Riverside Theatres from Thursday 25 June to Sunday 28 June.

Secure your seats today at www.hayestheatre.com.au, and via riversideparramatta.com.au for Riverside Theatres.

Rowan Witt, Kristina McNamara, Blake Erickson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (c) John McCrae