THEATRE NEWS:
Railway Children extended one week;
Zhivago wins seven Helpmann noms in Oz

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency
20 JUL/11

TORONTO - When they announced a Toronto production of The Railway Children, patterned after the British production, back in January, producers indicated a hope it would run beyond its preliminary closing date of Aug. 7. Well, they got their wish.

In a release Wednesday, it was announced the production, which has been running in Toronto's Roundhouse Theatre since May 3, will close Aug. 14, its one-week extension making it — for those interested in arcane theatrical trivia — the longest-running play in a theatre seating more than 300 in Toronto history.
For tickets to the remaining shows, visit mirvish.com.

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TORONTO - Hot on the heels of the Stratford Festival's announcement that Des McAnuff's production of Jesus Christ Superstar is to be resurrected on the stage of the La Jolla Playhouse comes word that McAnuff's Australian production of Doctor Zhivago has been nominated for seven Helpmann Awards, the Australian equivalent of New York's Tony Awards and London's Olivier Awards.


In addition to a best direction nod for McAnuff, who also serves as the artistic director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the work, which premièred in Sydney last winter, was also nominated for best musical, choreography, actor and supporting actor and actress. The winners will be named at ceremonies in the Sydney Opera House on Aug. 1.