JAGGED LITTLE PILL THE MUSICAL announces full cast and dates for a Melbourne season

Producers Vivek J. Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David, Eva Price, Howard Panter for Trafalgar Entertainment and Torben Brookman for GWB Entertainment have confirmed that the Australian tour of Jagged Little Pill, the Grammy and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, inspired Alanis Morissette’s, groundbreaking album of the same name will open in Melbourne at the Comedy Theatre from January 2^nd, after its exclusive limited season at Theatre Royal Sydney December 2^nd– 19^th.

Multi-award winner Natalie Bassingthwaighte (she/her) stars in the electrifying and inspiring Australian production of Jagged Little Pill in the lead role of Mary Jane Healy, alongside critically acclaimed film, TV and stage actor and recording artist, Tim Draxl (he/him) as Steve Healy. Making her musical theatre debut, Emily Nkomo (she/her) stars as Frankie Healy, and Queensland Conservatorium of Music graduate Liam Head (he/him) will play Nick Healy.

After originating the lead role of Muriel in Muriel’s Wedding the Musical, and recently performing in the US tour of Dear Evan Hansen Maggie McKenna (they/them) stars as Jo, with emerging stage and theatre performer Grace Miell (she/they) playing Bella and Phoenix is played by AYDAN (he/him) who has maintained a strong following after his appearance on The Voice and featured role as Harry in Fangirls.

Joining them will be the stellar ensemble cast Baylie Carson (they/she), Bella Choundary (she/her), Josh Gates (they/he), Matt Hamilton (he/him), Georgina Hopson (she/her), Marie Ikonomou (she/her), Caleb Jago-Ward (he/him), Jerome Javier (he/him), Giorgia Kennedy (she/her), Coby Njoroge (he/him), Noah Mullins (he/him), Isabella Roberts (she/her), Trevor Santos (he/him), Mon Vergara (they/them), Romy Vuksan (she/her) and Imani Williams (she/her).

Tony Award winning Director Diane Paulus said, 

We are thrilled to welcome this incredible Australian company to the Jagged Little Pill family, led by the remarkable Natalie and Maggie. It was so special to have members of the Australian cast and creative team working with us on the ground in New York to begin our rehearsal process. I can’t wait for Australian audiences—the first beyond Broadway—to experience Alanis Morrisette’s electrifying music in this story about family and healing.

Inspired by the seminal rock album of the same name by seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill is an “electrifying, visceral and stunning” (The Hollywood Reporter) new musical with an original story about a perfectly imperfect American family, written by Tony and Academy Award-winner Diablo Cody (Juno, Tully). Ignited by Morissette’s groundbreaking lyrics and music – from beloved hits such as “You Oughta Know,” “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and “Ironic”, to brand new songs written for the show – JAGGED LITTLE PILL is directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Waitress, Pippin). Through explosive choreography by Tony Award nominee and frequent Beyoncé collaborator Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (“Apesh*t”; “Love Drought/Sandcastles” Live at The Grammys), and the raw power of an onstage band under the Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements of Grammy, Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, American Idiot), this emphatic new musical creates a spellbinding experience that “vaults the screaming audience to its collective feet” (The Guardian).

Tim Draxl said:

I was introduced to Alanis Morrisette and Jagged Little Pill when I was a teenager through my older brother, and it truly was the album that took me from my jazz and musical theatre collection into the world of meaningfully written pop music. It was my road trip album of choice back then and now I am excited to be bringing those same songs to life in this important contemporary story with Nat Bass as my co-star and the rest of this incredible cast.

The story of JAGGED LITTLE PILL centres around the Healy’s, a seemingly perfect suburban family striving to hide the cracks beneath the surface when a troubling event shakes their community. Driven by the themes and emotions of the original album, the musical embraces today’s powerful social voice and burns with passion in its uplifting storytelling, ultimately highlighting the hope and healing that comes when people come together.

Released on June 13, 1995, the tremendous success of Alanis Morissette’s album Jagged Little Pill skyrocketed her to become the bestselling international debut artist in history; a title she still holds, with the record’s sales reaching 33 million copies worldwide and winning 5 Grammy Awards. Now, 25 years after its release, Jagged Little Pill continues to be one of the Top 20 Best-Selling Albums of All Time. In Australia, the album has sold in excess of one million albums, is certified 2 x Diamond, spent 10 weeks at #1 and was the highest selling album in 1996. With 10 eclectic and acclaimed albums released over the subsequent years, Morissette’s music has garnered 7 Grammy Awards (with 14 nominations), a Golden Globe nomination, and total sales of over 60 million albums.

As a non binary, queer human, there are not many roles that I audition for (let alone see on stage) that get to explore gender and sexual queerness. I was drawn to this role because Jo’s journey resonates with me, and I have experienced a lot of what Jo grapples with through the show. The conversations around this role have been incredibly important and needed. We need theatre to be an inclusive, safe and inviting space for everyone. I stand with my trans and GNC sibs and I am proud and honoured to be a part of this community. Our voices are needed in this space right now. We deserve to be seen, heard and represented and I feel very privileged that through this opportunity, I will get to use my voice as I step into the role of Jo in Jagged Little Pill, said Maggie McKenna

NSW Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said:

The Australian premiere of JAGGED LITTLE PILL at Sydney’s newly refurbished Theatre Royal is a significant coup for Sydney. The NSW Government is focused on investing in world-class events to deliver on our goal of becoming the premier visitor economy in the Asia Pacific, and bringing this production to Sydney is yet another sign that Sydney is open for business and we’re welcoming visitors to enjoy our city’s cultural offerings and hospitality. Productions like JAGGED LITTLE PILL are a major contributor to the NSW visitor economy, and with so much to see and experience there has never been a better time to start planning your next visit to Sydney.

The Australasian premiere of JAGGED LITTLE PILL in Sydney is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW and Destination NSW.