Well-Behaved Women – A New Song Cycle by Carmel Dean
What would Cleopatra, Cathy Freeman, Frida Kahlo, Billie Jean King, Malala Yousafzai, Mary Magdalene, Maya Angelou and Virginia Woolf sound like if you heard them sing?
Well-Behaved Women is a song cycle by Carmel Dean where these women and more are brought to life through powerful and often hilarious songs that celebrate the ways in which their bad-ass behaviour helped them make history.
I am beyond thrilled to be returning home to Australia, after living in New York for 20 years, to premiere my song cycle Well-Behaved Women, said Carmel Dean.
This show is near and dear to my heart – it is how I found my own voice as a composer-lyricist, and it is, I believe, a much-needed celebration of many women of history who fought to have their own voices heard. Women such as Cleopatra, Mary Magdalene, Frida Kahlo, Billie Jean King and Cathy Freeman are brought to life in powerful, moving and often hilarious songs, and their stories will not only entertain and educate, but will also hopefully inspire and motivate. I’m also so excited to finally be able to head back into a theatre, to pay tribute to these incredible women of history, and to showcase these powerhouse Australian performers too!
In January 2020 there were two concert performances of Well-Behaved Women at Joe’s Pub in New York featuring many of Broadway’s leading ladies. Both these night set the place on fire and set the stage for this production. Further developed with Australian audiences in mind, this powerful song cycle will feature four of Australia’s musical theatre leading ladies performing over 16 songs.
“As we return to live performances, I’m reminded of what I treasure in the theatre: truth, simply told, the magic of sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers and seeing something we’ve not seen before,” said director Blazey Best. “I’m so thrilled to be directing this exciting new work, with four of our strongest leading ladies, reminding us of the power of music theatre.”
Casting is currently underway and will be announced soon.
Michelle Guthrie Presents in association with Hayes Theatre Co
WELL – BEHAVED WOMEN
A New Song Cycle by Carmel Dean
Additional lyrics by Maya Angelou and Miriam Laube
Orchestrations by Lynne Shankel
Hayes Theatre Co 19 Greenknowe Ave Potts Point
Dates: From Wednesday 24 March 2021
Opening: Thursday 25 March 2021
Times: Wednesday to Saturday at 7.30pm
Saturday at 2pm
Limited performances on week only
Current running time is 75 minutes
