Based on the famous 1958 Nobel Prize-winning novel by Russian author Boris Pasternak, Zhivago is set against the backdrop of the snowy country before and after the Russian Revolution. The work follows the story of a surgeon-poet and his muse Lara.
Company member and professional photographer Gavin D. Andrew documented a recent day at the theatre for Playbill.com.
Andrew takes us with him on his scenic stroll to and from work, introduces his many castmates and offers an extensive in-depth look backstage at the theatre.
0
of
PHOTO THROWBACK: Backstage at the Now Broadway-Bound Dr. Zhivago's Australian Premiere
PHOTO THROWBACK: Backstage at the Now Broadway-Bound Dr. Zhivago's Australian Premiere
The stage musical adaptation of Dr. Zhivago , based on the 1958 Nobel Prize-winning novel by Russian author Boris Pasternak, is on its way to Broadway ! We look back at this exclusive photo journal from Gavin D. Andrew, who generously documented a day backstage at the 2011 Australian premiere, starring Anthony Warlow.
78 PHOTOS
It's another beautiful day in Sydney, Australia, as I leave my hotel at 12:15 PM to photograph my way to the theatre.
Gavin D. Andrew
It's an easy walk, with plenty of interesting scenery. This is the University of Technology Sydney building. They have cleverly kept the old facade and built a modern building behind it. There is also plenty of shade from the warming sun.
Gavin D. Andrew
I can catch the monorail from the end of my street to the the end of Darling Harbour. Option B is to take the "Light Rail" which is really a tram with no overhead wires. Or Option C: walk. I choose to walk.
Gavin D. Andrew
The radiant Annie Stanford (Gulyobova/female ensemble) catches up to me and poses for a photo as she does her bit for the environment. Since starting the show we all drink vodka instead of water. Not sure if it's better for us...
Gavin D. Andrew
Kathleen Moore (Yalenka/female ensemble) catches up to Annie and me. It's a little slow going when you stop regularly to take photos :)
Gavin D. Andrew
Here is a shot of Cockle Bay (part of Darling Harbour). Looks lovely during the day... looks even better at night!
Gavin D. Andrew
This is the other side of Darling Harbour. The tall gold building slightly left of centre is "Centrepoint," another Sydney icon, and the other end of the "Ye Olde" Monorail.
Gavin D. Andrew
Can you find stage door in this photo? The Crown Casino has cleverly disguised Stage Door as a construction zone... complete with authentic looking construction workers and signs.
Gavin D. Andrew
If you look to the left of the man with the "Slow" sign, this is what you see!
Gavin D. Andrew
The unstoppable Tony Cogin (Priest/Quartermaster/Male Ensemble) arrives at work on his "environmentally friendly transportation device" - also known as a bike!
Gavin D. Andrew
The new advanced system for opening stage doors: a big stick and a comfortable chair. Here's hoping this idea goes viral.
Gavin D. Andrew
Finally, we reach the theatre and begin official proceedings with a company vocal warm up in the rehearsal room.
Gavin D. Andrew
Martin Crewes (Pasha/Strelnikov) spends a good 20 minutes after most people leave, stretching and warming up for his "Russian Dance" show down that will happen early in act.
Gavin D. Andrew
Mischana Dellora-Cornish (Young Tonia/Sasha) gets her hair ready for the application of... well, more hair.
Gavin D. Andrew
This is where most of the male ensemble keep their hair during the show.
Gavin D. Andrew
Annie Stanford kills some time by attending to her dressing room's "mystery puzzle."
Gavin D. Andrew
Todd Keys after 4 hours in make up! Todd told me to say that :-)
Gavin D. Andrew
The puzzle in this dressing room is progressing very well. Maybe it has something to do with Super Swing Elise McCann?
Gavin D. Andrew
Kathleen Moore and Elise McCann pose for a photo in their dressing room.
Gavin D. Andrew
Todd Goddard (male ensemble) makes a last minute adjustment before heading off to start the show.
Gavin D. Andrew
Natalie Gamsu waits patiently for the show to begin.
Gavin D. Andrew
The make up area. On the left are the swings' costumes. Oh Yeah!
Gavin D. Andrew
Jamie Ward (Young Yurii Zhivago/ Yanko/male ensemble) dresses as a vampire in an attempt to broaden the show's appeal to a generation of pale, sun starved teenagers...
Gavin D. Andrew
Meet our beautiful female swings Elise McCann (left) and Emma Hawthorne (right) as they go over their notes during the show.
Gavin D. Andrew
We catch Chris Scalzo and Emma Hawthorne rehearsing the tavern scene. There are usually one of three places that you can find the swings during a performance: the rehearsal room, the green room or side stage, singing and marking through roles.
Gavin D. Andrew
The make up and wigs area. Normally this is a hive of action.
Gavin D. Andrew
Tony Farrell (front left), Tony Cogin (rear left) and Jamie Way (front right) take it easy between scenes in the male dressing area.
Gavin D. Andrew
Jamie Ward - gets bloodied up before returning to the stage. Looks like a pretty nasty wound, but will it be enough to kill him?
Gavin D. Andrew
Sharon Case, head of wigs and make up, demonstrates her technique for wounding young Russian soldiers.
Gavin D. Andrew
If you think that Kathleen Moore looks like she's just hanging around, wait until you see her in about 7 minutes!!
Gavin D. Andrew
Super Swings Emma Hawthorne (far left), Chris Scalzo (middle) and Elise McCann (right) rehearse "A Perfect World" in the upstairs rehearsal room during the show.
Gavin D. Andrew
The show ends and I make my way to Darling Harbour to find something to eat.
Gavin D. Andrew
Too many places to choose from.
Gavin D. Andrew
Ah yes, shall we dine in style tonight?
Gavin D. Andrew
Nah! Oscars is the go... something about that name.
Gavin D. Andrew
The Lyric Theatre
Gavin D. Andrew
This is the "Crossover" just behind the stage. Most of the cast come down here between the half-hour call and beginners call and don't leave until after bows.
Gavin D. Andrew
A quick trip up to the Green Room finds some of the cast and crew relaxing and watching some RUGBY. If you don't know what that is - it's kind of like gridiron but with no helmets or padding.
Gavin D. Andrew
I head back out to the auditorium where the male ensemble gathers for a quick technical rehearsal before the second performance.
Gavin D. Andrew
With the second show looming I head into principal territory and find this on Mr. Anthony Warlow's door.
Gavin D. Andrew
And find two beautiful girls: Taneel Van Zyl (Tonia, Zhivago's wife) and Lucy Maunder (Lara, Zhivago's muse).
Gavin D. Andrew
This time I catch Martin Crewes (Pasha, Lara's husband) applying finishing touches to his make up.
Gavin D. Andrew
I snuck this shot in by climbing on some road cases and shooting over the top of the men's crossover. I found Shaun Murphy (Markel/male ensemble/Resident Director) as he undertakes one of his many costume changes.
Gavin D. Andrew
Here are some shots taken during the show, starting with Luke Joslin (Liberius/Male Ensemble).
Gavin D. Andrew
Caitlin Berry (female ensemble)
Gavin D. Andrew
Mischana Dellora-Cornish is almost unrecognizable as the young boy Sasha Zhivago.
Gavin D. Andrew
Glenn Hill (Tolya/male Ensemble/Dance Captain) strikes a very debonair figure as he prepares for the ballroom scene in Act 1.
Gavin D. Andrew
From L-R: Tony Farrell, Tony Cogin, Phil (their dresser) and Shaun Murphy relax between scenes. This time they are dressed as part of the Partisan army as denoted by the red bands on their arms.
Gavin D. Andrew
Natalie Gamsu transforms into the hauntingly desperate prisoner, Kubarika.
Gavin D. Andrew
Annie Stanford (left) and Johanna Allen (right) share a smile for the camera.
Gavin D. Andrew
Todd Keys cuts a pretty scary figure as one of Strelnikov's nasty pasty partisans.
Gavin D. Andrew
Evidence that Ned Kelly (Australia's most famous bushranger) didn't die at the old Melbourne Gaol. Or old bushrangers never die... they just go to Russia to fight in civil wars.
Gavin D. Andrew
Stephanie Silcock (Young Lara/Katarina) and "Sweeney" Todd Keys (Kornakov/Male Ensemble).
Gavin D. Andrew
Frank Hansen (Tusia/male ensemble) gets ready for battle.
Gavin D. Andrew
Just chilling before the end of the show.
Gavin D. Andrew
Anthony Warlow tests his fast beard removal technique.
Gavin D. Andrew
Tada no beard! And just enough time for some finishing touches before the finale.
Gavin D. Andrew
Luke Joslin as the cold-hearted partisan, Captain Liberius.
Gavin D. Andrew
Bart John (Komarovsky) and Peter Carroll (Alex Gromeko) spare a second for a quick photo. The strange growths on their foreheads are microphones that will soon be attached to their hats.
Gavin D. Andrew
Shane from wigs puts some final touches to Belinda Wollaston's hair.
Gavin D. Andrew
A monitor in the "Crossover" lets the cast and crew see what's happening on stage.
Gavin D. Andrew
Chris Scalzo (Swing) continues to advance the mystery puzzle in Dressing Room 16.
Gavin D. Andrew
Emma Hawthorne (female swing) rehearses the role of Sasha upstairs in the rehearsal room as the show continues.
Gavin D. Andrew
Peter Carroll (Alex Gromeko) getting some hair love from Sharon Case.
Gavin D. Andrew
Taneel Van Zyl (Tonia Zhivago).
Gavin D. Andrew
Stephanie Silcock and Johanna Allen remove dirt after their visit to the Yural mountains.
Gavin D. Andrew
Anton Berezin (Gints/male ensemble) transforms into an old man.
Gavin D. Andrew
There are monitors on both sides of stage to help us keep in time no matter where we are. Pictured here is our wonderful conductor and musical director, Ms. Kellie Dickerson.
Gavin D. Andrew
Caitlin Berry, preparing to become Russian aristocracy.
Gavin D. Andrew
A not very well known musical theatre fact: after Tevye left the village of Anatevka, he went to Yuriatin to join a rough and tumble partisan army!
Gavin D. Andrew
Todd Goddard wipes blood from his mouth and hands. It's just pretend blood - no one panic!
Gavin D. Andrew
Lucy Maunder shares a laugh with a cast member before she returns to the stage for the finale.
Gavin D. Andrew
The end of the day in Dressing Room 16. Frank Hansen in the foreground, Luke Joslin in the centre and Todd Keys at the back consuming imaginary drops of vodka. 10:55 PM and time to make my way home.
Gavin D. Andrew
It is a balmy evening outside... around 21 degrees and only a two minute walk from the theatre to Cockle Bay and the start of my walk through Darling Harbour.
Gavin D. Andrew
Even without a shot of the "Harbour Bridge" or the Opera House, Sydney is still spectacular!
Gavin D. Andrew
If you haven't already guessed, this is the "Harbourside Mall" at Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour.
Gavin D. Andrew
About halfway home now. So close now I can almost hear the Tim Tams (chocolate biscuits) calling out from my hotel room.
Gavin D. Andrew
And we are finally back to where we started. Normally it takes me around 20 minutes to get home, but tonight it has taken me over an hour! Hope you have enjoyed this little insight into a day in the Australian production of Doctor Zhivago !
Gavin D. Andrew
The cast features Warlow in the title role; Lucy Maunder as Lara; Taneel Van Zyl as Zhivago's wife Tonia; Martin Crewes as political radical Pasha Antipov; Bartholomew John as corrupt attorney Viktor Komarovsky; and Peter Carroll and Trisha Noble in the roles of Alexander and Anna, Tonia's parents.
The creative team includes director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, Tommy ), choreographer Kelly Devine (Rock of Ages ), composer Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden ), lyricist Michael Korie (Grey Gardens ) and Amy Powers (Lizzie Borden ) and librettist Michael Weller (Moonchildren, Loose Ends ). The work was seen in 2006 at La Jolla Playhouse in California.
Performances began Feb. 11 at the Lyric Theatre, Star City, in Sydney. The production will then begin a Melbourne run April 9 at Her Majesty's Theatre and move on to Brisbane in July.
A production spokesperson has stated that producers are eyeing a future life for the production, including the possibility of eventual London and Broadway bows. Current advertising materials bill Dr. Zhivago as "Broadway-bound."
For more information, visit drzhivago.com.au.