Australia's first and only Sondheim repertory company, Watch This is a bold, grass-roots organisation presenting outstanding, sophisticated musical theatre to audiences in Melbourne and regional Victoria. Our ambition and commitment to the highest production/ performance standards attract teams of wonderfully talented artists and creatives.
Heading into our tenth year, we've garnered an enviable reputation in a highly competitive field, boasting twenty-nine Green Room Award nominations with five wins, alongside multi-million dollar commercial and state sponsored productions. We have also broken ground by successfully touring full-scale musicals to regional centres.
We are passionate about creating exciting, immediate theatrical experiences for theatre-goers. We are also committed to ensuring that these experiences are available to as many people as possible - a philosophy that informs the relatively simple matter of ticket pricing to more complex touring proposals.
Past productions include Assassins, Pacific Overtures, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, A Little Night Music. Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods and most recently, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. All projects to date have been made possible by the generosity of the Lyngala Foundation and other visionary individuals/ organisations, including the Opera & Arts Support Group and Robert Salzer Foundation. Since 2016, Watch This has recently been included on the Register of Cultural Organisations - an incredible endorsement of our contribution to the sector.
To Support our dynamic and visionary organisation, we invite you to make a tax deductible donation today!
Watch This are thrilled to announce the all-star cast of Colour and Light: The Art of Sondheim, Vidya Makan (Green Room Award and Sydney Theatre Award nominee, Hamilton, Six), Johanna Allen (Green Room Award winner, Sweeney Todd, The Phantom of the Opera), Nick Simpson-Deeks (Green Room Award winner Deadloch, Sunday In The Park With George), and Jacob Rozario (Dear Evan Hansen, & Juliet). The cast of four will be joined by music director and acclaimed performer Dr Trevor Jones.
Co-Director, Melanie Hillman says, "I'm really looking forward to the chance to explore Sondheim's work in a way that feels personal, fresh, and immediate. There's something incredibly powerful about hearing these songs up close, without all the bells and whistles—just the music, the words, and the stories. It's such a joy to revisit this material with a cast who really understands the emotional depth and complexity of Sondheim's work."
Co-Director, Dean Drieberg adds, "Sondheim's music and lyrics are a gift to any actor, director or storyteller. I am thrilled to be immersing myself in his work and excited to showcase his songs (especially the rarely performed) in a new light, proving how universal his writing is. We've assembled a stellar cast of some of the country's most versatile and celebrated singer/actors who will bring depth and sparkle to this catalogue of Sondheim material."
Nick Simpson-Deeks and Vidya Makan starred as George and Dot in Watch This' 2019 production of Sunday In The Park With George, with Vidya earning a Green Room nomination for her performance. For Watch This, Vidya previously performed in Merrily We Roll Along and Nick previously performed in Into The Woods, Company, Pacific Overtures and Assassins, earning Green Room Award nominations for the latter three. Johanna Allen appeared in Watch This' production of A Little Night Music, winning a Green Room Award for her performance and Colour and Light will mark Jacob Rozario's Watch This debut.
Performed in an intimate setting, Colour & Light invites audiences to connect deeply with the music and lyrics that have captivated generations.
Tickets are on sale for the strictly limited season.