The Production Company
The Production Company was an Australian not-for-profit theatre company that staged a series of usually three musicals at the Arts Centre Melbourne each year, until its closure in 2020. It was launched in 1999 by Jeanne Pratt AC with the goal of providing "professional opportunities for local artists and to entertain Melbourne audiences with the best shows from Broadway and beyond". The Production Company specialised in revivals of popular and lesser known musicals with short (two week) rehearsal periods and short runs. It also produced the Australian professional premieres of "Thoroughly Modern Millie", "Dirty Rotten  Scoundrels", "Grey Gardens", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "Curtains" and "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder". Its productions typically featured well-known Australian musical theatre performers such as Caroline O'Connor ("Gypsy," "Funny Girl"), Michael Falzon ("Chess"), Marina Prior ("Guys and Dolls", "Kiss Me, Kate"), Todd McKenney ("The Boy from Oz", "La Cage aux Folles"), Lucy Durack ("Kiss Me, Kate", "Thoroughly Modern Millie"), Christie Whelan Browne ("The Producers", Sugar), Elise McCann ("Brigadoon", "Oklahoma") and Amanda Harrison ("Anything Goes", "Oklahoma!"). Seasons. The list of early productions can be found on the AusStage database 1990s. 1999 2000s. 2000 2001  2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s. 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Awards. Helpmann Awards. The Production Company's production of "Grey Gardens" was nominated for the 2012 Helpmann Award for Best Musical. Performers and creatives who have won Helpmann Awards for their work with The Production Company include Pamela Rabe and Nancye Hayes for "Grey Gardens" (for Best Female Actor in a Musical and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, respectively), and David Campbell for "Sunset Boulevard" (for Best Male Actor in a Musical). Green Room Awards. The  Production Company's production of "Chess" received the 2012 Melbourne Green Room Award for Outstanding Musical Production (as well as seven other awards).