MELVYN MORROW

Melvyn Morrow's first scripts were performed by Gordon Chater and Jill Perryman at the Phillip Theatre, the Downstairs Revue and on The Mavis Bramston Show. His musicals (book & lyrics) include: Morality! (Edinburgh Festival, London Fringe, off-off-Broadway and Sydney (retitled Between Earth and Sky); Postcards From Provence (starring Opera Australia baritone, John Pringle - Zenith Theatre and ABC Radio); Vroom Vroom (Theatre South); Mad Louisa Lawson (Stables); Offenbach In The Underworld and When It Happens (Café Basilica); as well as seven Christmas at the Opera House pantomimes including the nationally popular Santa Meets The Bushrangers. TV work includes Sons and Daughters, The Mike Walsh Show, Star Search and many ABC/Opera Australia simulcasts including the Tribute to Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge. Melvyn’s musical, A Song To Sing, O, the story of Gilbert and Sullivan and George Grossmith, was produced by Dame Bridget D’Oyly Carte at London’s Savoy Theatre, directed by the author. Australian productions have starred Anthony Warlow and Dennis Olsen. Melvyn has updated book and lyrics for Opera Australia’s The Gondoliers (four productions) and The Mikado, and for Simon Gallaher’s G & S trilogy, The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado and H.M.S. Pinafore. With David Mitchell, Melvyn wrote the musicals Peter Dawson - Off The Record (Adelaide Festival 1988) and Jack O’Hagan’s Here Comes Showtime (Marian St) and the lyrics for the song 'Lest I Forget' (Rebel) recorded separately by Debra Byrne and Judi Connelli. Melvyn's plays include Beating A Retreat, (Stables 1995) and A Touch Of Paradise (Downstairs Belvoir St 2000). He devised and directed the cabarets Broadway Bard (Bell Shakespeare Company & Café Basilica), Tae Kwon Shakespeare (festivals Australia wide) and Shakespearean Idol (music by Joe Kelly). Shakespearean Idol won the 2006 AWGIE for Music Theatre. In 1996, Melvyn was nominated for a Mo Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Musical Theatre. With David Mitchell and John Michael Howson, Melvyn is the co-writer of the hit musicals SHOUT! and Dusty, The Original Pop Diva.