AFD Theatre Presents "The Boy from Oz" April 1-17

Arlington Friends of the Drama presents the New England premiere of The Boy from Oz in a spectacular musical celebration of the life of singer, songwriter, and entertainer Peter Allen, an Australian native who rose to fame after being discovered by Judy Garland and marrying her daughter, Liza Minnelli.

Allen achieved his greatest songwriting success co-writing “I Honestly Love You,” which became a hit for Olivia Newton-John, and riveted audiences in his live performances, including headlining with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall where he danced with the Rockettes and rode a camel onstage for an electrifying rendition of his hit song “I Go to Rio.”

Performances of The Boy from Oz are Friday, April 1, 8, and 15 at 8 PM; Saturday, April 2, 9, and 16 at 8 PM; and Sunday, April 3, 10, and 17 at 4 PM.

Tickets are $25 and may be purchased by visiting Arlington Friends of the Drama’s website at www.afdtheatre.org or by calling the box office at 781-646-5922. Seats are expected to fill up in advance and reservations are recommended.

Arlington Friends of the Drama is located at 22 Academy Street in Arlington Center. The theatre is wheelchair accessible.

With music and lyrics by Peter Allen, book by Nick Enright, and American adaptation by Martin Sherman, The Boy from Oz opened on Broadway in 2003 and starred Hugh Jackman in the title role. The first Australian musical to be performed on a Broadway stage won Jackman a Tony Award for Best Actor in 2004 for his portrayal of Allen.

AFD Theatre’s production of The Boy from Oz is a New England premiere. The musical is being directed by James Grana with music direction by Mario Cruz and choreography by Rachel Leigh Roccoberton.

Director James Grana said, “The Boy from Oz covers Peter as a young boy, his loving mother and abusive father, his first performance as a child in a pub in Australia, his entrance into the entertainment world, his meeting with Judy Garland, his marriage to Liza Minnelli, his sold-out concert at Radio City Music Hall, where he was the only performer ever to appear with the Rockettes, Judy’s death, divorce from Liza, the men in his life, and his diagnosis of AIDS. We will see it all. My goal here is to rock the house with characters, heart, songs, and a few tears presented by a company of people and things to care about.”

The Boy from Oz features an outstanding cast led by Thom Hardy as Peter Allen, Janet Ferreri as Judy Garland, and Caroline Keeler as Liza Minnelli. Thom Hardy was most recently seen at AFD Theatre’s critically-acclaimed production of A Chorus Line. Hardy has also appeared as the Emcee in Cabaret at Theatre at the Mount and in La Cage Aux Folles at the Umbrella, The Shadow Box at Theatre III, and The Producers at Theatre at the Mount.

Award-winning actor Janet Ferreri has extensive theater credits in the Boston area and was recently seen in leading roles in Chicago at the Company Theatre in Norwell, The Drowsy Chaperone at the Concord Players, and Nine: The Musical at the Longwood Players. Ferreri won the EMACT DASH Best Supporting Actress Award in 2009, 2008, and 2006. She has appeared on the AFD stage in Night of the Iguana and Inspecting Carol.

Caroline Keeler most recently appeared on the AFD stage in A Chorus Line. Other credits include Doubt at Firehouse Center for the Arts and Three Sisters at the Footlight Club.

The Boy from Oz cast also includes Jocelyn Hesse as Peter Allen’s mother, Justin McCoubry as Allen’s partner, Greg Connell, and Diego Clark as young Peter.

Jocelyn Hesse was last seen at AFD Theatre in Nine: The Musical and Side by Side by Sondheim. She has recently appeared in Follies at Concord Players, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Riverside Theatreworks, and The Wild Party at The Footlight Club.

Justin McCoubry is returning to the AFD stage after his EMACT DASH-nominated performance as Princeton/Rod in AFD Theatre’s Avenue Q. His recent acting credits include roles in Spamalot and Rent at Theatre at the Mount. He has directed Xanadu at Moonstruck Theater Company and Next to Normal at Back Bay Rep and will be directing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for AFD Theatre in September 2016.

Diego Clark is making his AFD debut in the role of young Peter. The son of an actor and a stage manager, Diego is making the transition from backstage to onstage in his portrayal of the tap-dancing and singing young Peter Allen.

AFD Theatre’s final production of the season will be the smash-hit comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, the 2013 Tony Award winner for Best Play and a delightfully off-kilter summer romp that critics have hailed as “a sublime state of hilarity” and “a zany joy.”

Visit AFD Theatre at www.afdtheatre.org and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AFDTheatre/.