Pyjamas in Paradise
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Before there was Schoolies, there was Pyjamas in Paradise!
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, long before Schoolies appeared on the scene, pyjama parties attracted thousands of young people from all around Australia to the small resort town of Surfers Paradise. Their popularity put Surfers on
the map.
the map.
Follow the story of Bruce Large – retired (kind of), fast talking (always), larger than life (definitely) and his controversial dream to turn ‘Surfers’ into paradise! Set in a time where bikinis were Itsy Bitsy, love had people All Shook Up and everyone was desperate for a Summer Holiday, Pyjamas in Paradise is a hilarious look at what life may have been like…if life was a musical and Meter Maids were back up singers for the Supremes!
From the co-writer of Dusty – The Original Pop Diva and Shout!, John-Michael Howson and Peter Pinne, The Arts Centre Gold Coast in association with BBC Digital, Friends of The Arts Centre Gold Coast and Stewart Silver King and Burns is proud to present the world premiere of Pyjamas in Paradise!
It features great laughs, original music and classic hits from the era.
Fri September 2 until 10. Book Here.
Photos
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Cast
Characters:
DONNA
Around 20. An Olivia Newton-John type. Sweet. Romantic. A kindergarten teacher.
BARRY
Around 22. The all-Australian boy. Nice looking. Sincere. A recent graduate in engineering.
SID
Around 22. A well-built, sure of himself, rough diamond. Talks big. Gives the impression he is a lot more experienced than he is. A carpenter.
SUZIE
Around 20. Blonde, cute, pert – can come up with great one-liners and put-downs. A nurse.
LOFTY
Around 22. A short guy who is shy but sincere and nice. No experience with girls. An accountant.
MOLLY
Around 20. Tall (or big). She towers or dwarfs the others. She is pretty and nice. A hairdresser.
MYRA
Donna’s mother. A concerned mother. Around 40. A wido who has worked to give Donna a good life. She lost her husband in the war, but wants Donna to marry Jack, her best friend’s son, and has ‘pushed’ the romance.
CLARRIE
Barry’s father. An ordinary working man. Good bloke who has made wrong decisions. He has raised Barry since his wife ran away. Proud of Barry who has graduated from University.
DIANA
A glamorous but much older-than-she-looks party girl who has drifted around the country from town to town, man to man. Someone who is forty but looks much younger.
WAYNE
An aging beach bum. 30s. Well built. A charmer. Loves the girls but, like Diana, is a drifter with no firm ambition or roots.
BRUCE LARGE
A millionaire retiree who came to Surfers Paradise to retire but was inspired to become a developer. Surfers is his passion. He is a fast talking enthusiast in his mid-50s.
BEA LARGE
Bruce’s overdressed and socially aware wife who plays second fiddle to his ambitions. Having no children, she has focused her life on Bruce. Loves the success. Mid-50s.
JACK
Donna’s “fiancé.” Jack is 20. Doing his National Service training. A nice Aussie boy with good looks and warmth.
DUNCAN
Jack’s National Service mate. Good looking. 20. Quiet.
MISS ITSY BITSY
A non-speaking role. A very shapely and glamorous bombshell-type girl.
JOHNNY (Surfer Boy)
A non-speaking role. A well-built, tanned Sufer type.
Note the following doubles:
Vi/Tourist
Miss Itsy Bitsy/Beach Girl/Latin Dancer
Johnny/Barman/Latin Dancer/Judge
Chorus of: Meter Maids/Tourists/Surfers/Beachgoers/Partygoers
Production Costs
World Premiere is in 2011. Rights not yet available for general release.