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performers – John McRae Photography & Studio

Tag: performers

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The Hayes Theatre – launches 2025 season

Back in July, I hosted a photographic session at my Lilyfield studio for the different actors appearing in forthcoming productions for the Hayes Theatre in Sydney. We were shooting imagery for the promotion of the 2025 season.

Together we worked on images for a new production called “Pharlap”, an end-of-year special Xmas performance by Nancye Hayes in “Merry and Bright”, and finally the lead imagery for the  production of “Pirates of Penzance”, set for February 2025

These are the latest additions to the impressive list of musicals and stage-plays performed as part of the Hayes Theatre’s busy program. Once they have been fully rehearsed, I will write more about these productions in this blog.

For more information on each show, as well as performance dates and times, click here:

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Nancye Hayes shines in Sondheim’s, “A Little Night Music” at the Hayes Theatre

Nancye Hayes as Madame Armfeldt

Stephen Sondheim’s acclaimed and seductive musical farce, A Little Night Music, opens tonight at the Hayes Theatre in Sydney.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical, Sondheim’s A Little Night Music is a wonderfully witty and deeply moving romance, exploring desire, passion and regret. IN this new Sydney production directed by Dean Bryant, the audience is swept away by classic songs like “A Weekend in the Country”, “The Miller’s Son” and the iconic and pensive “Send in the Clowns”.

I ventured to the Hayes Theatre for the final dress rehearsal last week to photograph dramatic moments of the players on stage. Although most of my attention was on capturing the best images, I couldn’t help being carried away to Sweden in the 1900, caught up in the drama of the suspicious trysts and love triangles of these engaging characters.

Desiree Armfeld (Blazey Best) with Count Carl-Magnus Malcom (Josh Robson) with Frederick Egerman (Leon Ford) hiding in the corner.

I loved seeing Nancye Hayes on stage as the stylish doyenne, Madame Armfeldt. She certainly defines stage-presence with panache.

If you are in Sydney, I suggest you see this magnificent performance…..a great night out, witty, entertaining, clever use of language, with captivating music and lyrics. Playing until November 11, 2023 Book here:

More production and rehearsal images below…..

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Cherry, Katia & Nadia step into the studio

Nadia, Katia and Cherry photographed in one of their extravagant performance costumes

It was an afternoon of colour and movement in my Sydney studio photographing the three Thai beauties Nadia, Katia and Cherry. These hard-working showgirls make up a dedicated trio who entertain across the country in clubs and entertainment centres, performing with Las Vegas glitz and Hollywood glamour. 

Coming out of lockdown hibernation, the girls required some new, beguiling imagery for their upcoming performances. Filled with costumes, feathers and diamantes, my studio was like a backstage dressing room and performance space for Mardi Gras. Setting up the shoot was a lot of fun.

Cherry, Katia and Nadia
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Goons – Pumping new life into Indie Rock

Goons – Ross (guitar), Tom (guitar), Jack (lead vocals), James (vocals & bass) & Nathan (drums)

As the live music scene begins to re-emerge in Sydney, the boys from the band Goons asked me to stage a series of images for their new social media and PR campaigns. I already know the boys and have photographed them previously in 2013 when James and the brothers Tom and Jack were performing as part of a fresh faced band in a younger pop line-up.

Taken back in 2013, I photographed Tom, Jack and James as part of their previous band.

Based in the inner west of Sydney, Goons burst onto the scene in late 2019. They became a staple of the live music circuit in such venues as The Chippendale and Marlborough Hotels, and 2020 saw the release of their debut single, “Home Run”.

Goons are known for infectious, anthemic rock, sustained by raw vocals and high-flying guitar lines. Follow their progress and find out about live gigs from their instagram profile: CretinousGoons

They go by this moniker to distinguish the band from the English comedy troupe of Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. However Goons share some of the absurd antics with the British madcap bunch.

From left to right: Nathan, Ross, Jack, Tom and James (Goons)
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Magic happens when Witches come out to play……..

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I had the pleasure of working with 4 beautiful and talented woman for the promotional shoot for an up coming musical extravaganza, “Witches”, to be performed with the SSO at the Opera House.

 

They were Helen Dallimore, Lucy Durack, Amanda Harrison and Jemma Rix and boy, was it fun to work with these witty and enthusiastic ladies.  Make-up, hair up and up!….and scrumptiously designed dresses by the talented, Jaimie Sortino. Continue reading “Magic happens when Witches come out to play……..”