“The hope is that with the dinner and the show it can be a little bit like 54 Below in New York, or a little bit of Broadway Sessions that my friend does in New York.” This is the plan that Rory Hughes, of Hues Productions, tells me, taking time out from getting his Broadway and Beyond concert together. And it does sound great. On May 25th Hughes' piece of Broadway will arrive in Dublin at Number 22 with the 'Songs from Disney' guest starring Dubliner and West End singing actor Brian Gilligan, before he takes on the role of Guy in the musical Once this summer at the Olympia.The Disney theme gives Hughes a huge catalogue of songs to choose from. Not only from the films, but also from Disney's numerous forays into theatre. Beauty and the Beast was the first to hit Broadway back in 1993. Then there is the long running The Lion King (that visited the Bord Gais Energy Theatre for a summer run a few years back), add to that stage adaptations of The Little Mermaid,Tarzan and the great Elton John and Tim Rice musical, Aida. In more recent times the team behind Next to Normal and If/Then, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, have joined Disney for a musical version of Freaky Friday.
Hughes, who is no stranger to the New York musical theatre scene himself, first produced Broadway and Beyond back in 2015. Now he’s ready to give it another try, following on from his successful Master Class series, where he brought Broadway Stars of different disciplines over, including the original Elle from Legally Blonde, Laura Bell Bundy. While last October he directed and create the dance show Holding On that was staged at the Axis, Ballymun. This, Hughes tells me, is only the beginning as there are plans for another concert in June, if all goes well, and a few more to come, including one in December.
For the May Disney show, Hughes has brought together 8 singers, which is quite a number. “Well we wanted a little variety,” Rory adds when the thought slips out my mouth. Headlining is Dubliner Brian Gilligan, who will be starring in Once - The Musical as Landmark’s production gets ready for a third summer season in the Olympia. Gilligan also played the lead role in The Commitments during its West End stint and when it came to the Bord Gais Theatre. Joining Gilligan is Laura Bella Griffen, Ranae Von Meding (who has appeared in a number of plays around Dublin, and even wrote one herself that played in Theatre Upstairs). Fearghal Curtis, Carl Stallwood (who was in Grease at the Gaiety, and June Rogers Shows), Jacquline Brunton and Jessica Pritzel (who was on The Voice of Ireland) make up the group of singers for the show.
Giving new talent a chance is always important, and Rory is eager to highlight up and coming singers, or Rising Stars, aimed at “a college student, who wants to break into the scene, and be seen and gain experience with other professionals, and get experience with direction on a new song, or learn a new song,” Hughes tells me.
Hughes enthusiasm and passion for it is obvious. It is a labour of love, as are his Masterclass series, which he is planning to continue. It was through this that I first chatted to Rory, and in October he hopes to have a Broadway star come over to teach a couple of classes, and to give a concert. He was keeping the details close to his chest, despite my best efforts.
For now, Rory is focusing on the next few shows and getting a new outfit for his co-hosting duties with Bunny O'Hare for the first of a series of concerts. By next year he hopes to have six shows that have Irish Westend stars in them. Of course, many Irish singers have moved across to study musical theatre in London, while some have gone on to forge careers there. Killian Donnelly is a prime example, who recently was in Kinky Boots on Broadway, while Jessie Buckley found her way to the West End through the BBC Andrew Lloyd Webber programmes I'd Do Anything (as did Niamh Perry who will be starring alongside Gilligan in Once this summer). The other six he hopes will have Broadway stars in them, allowing people to experience and feel the range of musical theatre talent from both sides.
Hughes has big plans, and the passion and love of musical theatre to pull it off. And giving new talent a chance to shine is always a good thing. For Irish musical theatre fans, it is quite an exciting prospect and for Hughes, the limit seems to be only the sky, and maybe even beyond that.
For more info: https://www.hues.productions/broadway-and-beyond