The original production opened at Melbourne's Princess Theatre on 16 January 1988, produced by John Timlin with investors including the Hoyts Corporation and Qantas, as part of Australian Bicentenary celebrations. It was directed by John Bell with choreography by Mark Daly and musical direction by David King. The cast included Ivar Kants, Michele Fawdon, John McTernan, Jonathan Biggins, Greg Stone, Linda Nagle, Kate Turner, Helen Noonan, Tina Bursill, Jenny Vuletic, Bob Hornery, Carmen Tanti, Ross Williams, Terry Brady, Darryl Emmerson, Geoffrey Jenkins and Ingrid Silveus.