A spin-off from the 1953 Warner Bros movie musical starring Day and Howard Keel, the stage version of Calamity Jane first saw the light in 1961.
A modest Broadway success, it had never been professionally produced in Australia until director Richard Carroll resurrected it to widespread critical and audience acclaim at the Hayes Theatre in 2017.
This revival tour features the original cast: Tony Taylor (as Henry Miller, owner of the Golden Garter Saloon); Anthony Gooley (Wild Bill Hickock), Laura Bunting (Katie Brown), Rob Johnson, Matthew Pierce, Sheridan Harbridge and Virginia Gay in the title role.
“I grew up with Doris Day movie,” says Gay. “From about the age of five until I was 12, I watched it at least twice a week. I was a real tomboy growing up but I was also bookish. So I was wearing pants but I was also frightened of the outdoors. So for me Calamity Jane was my hero. Totally fearless.”
Read Jason Blake’s review of Calamity Jane’s Belvoir season here.
