Show History

History

Development

Robinson conceived the title song to Metro Street while catching a tram in Melbourne in 2002. In 2004 Robinson wrote a first draft script for submission to the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and fleshed out this draft to enter for the Pratt Prize. The first two workshops for the piece occurred in August 2004. This first draft which won he Pratt Prize had a mother, her son, his girlfriend, a country girl and a street-side busker; the busker was cut in draft two, and replaced with the grandma character.

In 2005 Metro Street received its Pratt Prize workshop and showcase production at Chapel Off Chapel in Melbourne, with a cast of Carrie Barr, Lucy Durack, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Benjamin Lewis and Sally-Anne Upton, directed by Tom Healey and music directed by Michael Tyack.

A concert version of Metro Street was presented for one performance at the 2006 Adelaide Cabaret Festival with an Adelaide-based cast of Nicholas Cannon, Melissa McCaig, Jacqy Phillips, Sky Ingram and Libby O'Donovan, directed by Terence O'Connell, with Matthew Lee Robinson as the music director.

Metro Street was also presented as part of the Magnormos OzMade Musicals in 2004 and 2005, and many readings and workshops through 2007 and 2008 in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.

Productions

The world premiere season of Metro Street was presented by the State Theatre Company of South Australia (STCSA) with Arts Asia Pacific and Power Arts in April 2009. Previews began 3 April, opening night was 7 April, and it ran to 25 April. The cast was Debra Byrne, Cameron Goodall, Nancye Hayes, Jude Henshall and Verity Hunt-Ballard. Sets by Victoria Lamb, lighting by Geoff Cobham, directed by Geordie Brookman, with Matthew Carey as the musical director.

In June 2009, the STCSA production of Metro Street was the opening show at the Daegu International Musical Festival in South Korea, where it was named in the top 10 musicals playing in the country.

At the 2009 Helpmann Awards on 5 August, for which the STCSA production was nominated for five awards, Nancye Hayes, Debra Byrne, Cameron Goodall, Jude Henshall and Verity Hunt-Ballard performed the closing song, "My Hands" (referred to as "Invitation" in STCSA material).