Equity President Chloe Dallimore reveals legal loophole allowing overseas artists to dominate Australian musicals.

The President of Equity Australia has issued a statement in response to complaints received by the Union regarding the number of international artists being imported to perform some of the most high-profile roles in major musical theatre productions over the coming year. 

Many international producers, including Disney Theatrical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group and Cameron Mackintosh, have leapt on the public demand for musical theatre in Australia, with a number of blockbuster productions from New York’s Broadway and London’s West End having staged successful tours Down Under in recent years. However, a trend has started to emerge of artists from overseas being cast in principal roles for Australian tours, and many Aussie artists have begun voicing their concern over the lack of work being secured by home-grown talent. 

British actor Alex Jennings will play Henry Higgins in Opera Australia and John Frost’s hotly anticipated production of My Fair Lady, directed by Dame Julie Andrews, Callum Francis, also from the UK, is set to play Lola in the upcoming tour of Kinky Boots, and James Scott and Arielle Jacobs, both from the U.S., will be appearing...