Charity fundraiser with a special twist

Charity fundraiser with a special twist

A line-up of Australia’s biggest musical theatre names will join host Melissa Bergland for the Sydney and Melbourne Twisted Broadway concerts next month.

The shows are in support of Oz Showbiz Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, with all proceeds raised d

onated to help people affected by and living with HIV/AIDS.

“I went to the show last year and thought it was a great night for a great cause,” Winners and Losers star Bergland told the Star Observer.

“I told them I’d love to be part of it, and it’s turned out that I’m ambassador, hosting it and singing. I have to admit, I sort of bullied them into making me do it.”

Bergland will co-host the Sydney show with Rob Mills, while Rhonda Burchmore will take on co-hosting duties for the Melbourne concert. Performers announced for the Sydney show include Rachel Beck, Ian Stenlake, Michael Falzon and Queenie van de Zandt, while Melbourne cast details will be announced closer to the concert date.

Twisted Broadway gives the traditional musical revue an appropriately queer twist, with all performers singing songs originally written for the opposite sex.

“It’s turning songs on their head and seeing them from a different perspective — last year we had two male performers singing a medley of songs from Annie,” Bergland said.

“There are moments that are beautiful and bring new meaning to the songs, and then there are moments that are totally bizarre.”

For Bergland, who trained in musical theatre and came close to landing the lead role in the musical Hairspray before an audition for a Channel 7 pilot turned her into a Logie-winning television actress, the concerts are a chance to showcase her little-seen musical skills.

More importantly, she said, they were a chance to do her bit for a good cause.

“The Oz Showbiz Cares and Equity Fights AIDS initiative is about members of the community banding together to provide ongoing support for people living with HIV and AIDS, making their lives a little more comfortable and educating people about the issues.

“Maybe the musical theatre community feels it has more of a voice, so they like to use that power for good rather than evil.”

INFO: Sydney’s Parade Theatre, July 2, and Melbourne’s BMW Edge, July 23. www.twistedbroadway.com.au

Photo: Jeff Busby

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