Words: Debra de Souza
Jonathan Roxmouth, the multi-award winning star of local theatre will perform three concerts entitled FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS, featuring a variety of hits from internationally acclaimed Broadway and West End musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar. The concerts take place at the Teatro at Montecasino on Friday 18 September and Saturday 19 September 2015, both commencing at 8pm and Sunday 20 September at 2pm. Tickets are on sale at Computicket.
Joining Roxmouth on the Teatro stage and sharing a few musical surprises are some of his favourite artists who have made their mark on the musical theatre scene. Guest stars include Afrikaans “Kaapse Draai” singer and recording artist, Nádine; actress, singer and musician, Lindiwe Bungane; TV, stage and movie actress and comedienne, Tracey Lee Oliver; and actor, singer and recording artist, Harry Sideropoulos. Roxmouth and his guest artists will be accompanied by an 18-piece Broadway big band under the baton of award-winning conductor and arranger, Bryan Schimmel (Chicago, We Will Rock You, Jersey Boys) who is also the arranger and co-producer of Roxmouth’s new album.
Concert-goers are sure to be enthralled by the repertoire of From the Footlights which is resplendent with songs by the greatest composers in musical theatre history including Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar), Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd, Company, Into the Woods), Kander & Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) and Jule Styne (Funny Girl, Gypsy); as well as some of the more contemporary composers like Jason Robert Brown (Songs For a New World, The Last Five Years), Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll and Hyde) and Marc Shaiman (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can and the TV Series Smash). The arrangements of these songs have been custom written for Jonathan Roxmouth to flex his vocal versatility and virtuosity to the max. These songs are also featured on Roxmouth’s latest album (released earlier this year) by the same name.
Nádine and Jonathan Roxmouth delighted audiences when they played leading roles in the hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar and next week they will reunite to perform the moving song from this musical “I don’t know how to love him”. For those who are familiar with the movie Dreamgirls and the musical by the same name, Lindiwe Bungane will sing the popular song “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going”. Jonathan and Tracey-Lee Oliver are sure to bring the house down with their duet of “Last Night of the World” (Miss Saigon) while long-standing friend and co-performer, Harry Sideropoulos joins Jonathan to sing the befitting song, “Together Again” (Young Frankenstein). The repertoire also includes “She Cries” (Songs for a New World), “Bring Him Home” (Les Miserables), “One Singular Sensation” (A Chorus Line), “When I Get My Name In Lights” (The Boy from Oz) and the ever-popular “Music of the Night” (Phantom of the Opera) for which Jonathan is best known for, and is not to be missed!
Jonathan Roxmouth began his professional musical theatre career in 2006 playing Vince Fontaine in Grease and continued to play a number of leading roles in many of the biggest musical theatre productions staged in this country. Roles such as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast; Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar and Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard and Tony in West Side Story, which most recently firmly established Roxmouth as one of South Africa’s up-and-coming stars, but it was his powerful performance as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera that made critics and the public alike take special note of Roxmouth’s enormous talents. Aside from musical theatre, Roxmouth has also performed in the hugely popular musical revues A Handful of Keys, Topsy-Turvy, Noel and Gertie and Hats Off! Recent shows by Roxmouth include Call Me Lee and country-wide sold-out performances of his one-man show Stage by Stage.
Don’t miss this rare weekend of musical theatre extravagance featuring popular songs from major Broadway musicals all in one show! Book now at Computicket. For further information visit www.computicket.com, www.montecasino.co.za or www.jonathanroxmouth.com.
CONCERT INFORMATION
Venue: The Teatro at Montecasino
Dates and times:
Friday 18 September @ 8pm
Saturday 19 September @ 8pm
Sunday 20 September @ 2pm
Ticket prices:
R150, R200, R250, R300
Bookings: Computicket by calling 0861 915 8000, visit www.computicket.com
or visit your nearest Computicket service centre. Computicket/box office at Montecasino
Pensioners 10% Discount
Valid only across top three price categories
Subject to presentation of a valid pensioner’s card,
Bookings may only be made at Computicket service centres or at the Box Office at the Teatro
Hospitality and Show & Stay Packages
For Montecasino Group Hospitality Packages (20+ tickets) please contact or telephone 011 367 4250
For Montecasino Show & Stay Packages at one of the Montecasino Hotels
(available for Friday and Saturday 8pm performances)
please contact or telephone 011 367 4250
Online: www.jonathanroxmouth.com and www.montecasino.co.za
ABOUT JONATHAN ROXMOUTH
Jonathan has performed in a wide variety of work from musicals to revue to plays and has earned 10 national and international theatre awards. He gained the bulk of his “training” by participating in a number of musicals at the Natal Playhouse. These included GUYS AND DOLLS, OKLAHOMA! (Ali Hakim), THE MIKADO, ME AND MY GIRL and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. He made his professional debut in the Barnyard’s production of GREASE followed by ROCK ME, AMADEUS and THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY. The big musicals finally beckoned and he played Lun Tha in Packed House Productions’ THE KING AND I.
He joined Roelof Colyn in A HANDFUL OF KEYS – directed by Ian von Memerty and enjoyed a massive success. Jonathan played Gaston in Pieter Toerien and Hazel Feldman’s production of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. He was then cast as the narrating silver tabby Munkustrap in Pieter Toerien’s revival of CATS.
Thereafter he went solo with his first one-man show, IN BLACK & WHITE, at The Rhumbelow Theatre in Durban to critical acclaim before returning to GREASE –in Pieter Toerien and David Ian’s smash hit production which toured locally and internationally. Jonathan teamed up with Alan Swerdlow to write HATS OFF! – a revue based on the songs of Flanders & Swann, which he performed with Louis Zurnamer.
He was then cast in Pieter Toerien’s production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Then came his big break – in the role of the Phantom in Pieter Toerien and The Really Useful Group’s record-breaking return production of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. He then toured with the production to the Manila making history as the youngest English-speaking Phantom yet and winning the International Broadway World Award for his performance.
He then returned to revue with TOPSY TURVY followed by NOËL & GERTIE. He was then cast in Pieter Toerien’s 25th Anniversary production of SUNSET BOULEVARD. Jonathan finally completed his debut album, STAGE BY STAGE, and went on a small tour with the subsequent show. Then came his greatest professional challenge, playing Liberace in CALL ME LEE, which he designed, produced and co-wrote with Ian von Memerty. He has just completed his second Musical Theatre album, FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS.
Jonathan was last seen in his first ever play in Pieter Toerien and KickstArt’s production JEEVES & WOOSTER in PERFECT NONSENSE. He has recently completed his sellout SA tour of STAGE BY STAGE. He recently starred in WEST SIDE STORY in Cape Town. This month, Jonathan will be performing three concerts entitled FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS at the Teatro at Montecasino and later this year he will play the lead in Sweeney Todd.
