Bidgee Theatre Productions returns to the Civic Theatre with a classic Australian musical

Iain Wright will take on the lead role of Trick in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. The musical will be Iain’s sixth production with Bidgee Theatre Productions. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.

Following its super popular Mamma Mia show in 2022, Bidgee Theatre Productions returns to the Civic Theatre in 2024 with a beloved Aussie musical, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.

The theatre group’s new musical, based on the 1994 film, tells the story of two drag queens, Tick and Adam and a transgender woman, Bernadette, making their way from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform in a show hosted by Tick’s estranged wife.

The trio make the trip through the Australian outback in a tour bus that they name Priscilla; what follows is a wild ride filled with crazy shenanigans and music that will fill you with nostalgia.

Cast members Jade O’Halloran and Jess Brodie make up two-thirds of the iconic Divas and are counting down the minutes until the first show.

“Priscilla is a show that a lot of people in Wagga would have never seen before,” Jade explained.

“The glitz and glamour of this musical are above and beyond anything that a lot of people would have experienced. The costumes, the hair, the makeup, it is all a brilliant spectacle.”

Jess said the production brought to life the nature of drag with every element of the production turned up to the extreme.

“We’ve been working a lot of long nights; there’s been some long weekends,” Jess said.

Priscilla: Queen of the Desert will roll into the Wagga Civic Theatre on Friday 9 February and stay for two weeks' worth of shows. Photos: Jarryd Rowley.

Local actor Bill Robertson will be taking on the iconic roll of Bernadette, a trans woman who decides to trek the desert with Tick following the death of her husband.

Former The Voice contestant and Wagga country music singer Nathan Lamont (left) will also be making the commute from Sydney to Alice Springs as the drag queen Felicia aka Adam.

Gavin Hulm will be transforming into the larger-than-life Miss Understanding.

The musical will be adapting several iconic scenes from the original film including the funeral of Bernadette's husband.

Jess Brodie has the task of performing two roles in the same show including Tick's wife Marion (above) and one of the iconic Divas.

Jade O'Halloran has performed in multiple productions but admits the build-up to Priscilla has been one of the most enjoyable experiences she's had performing.

“Every member of the crew has been working so hard to make sure we can put on the best show possible.

“There have been some difficult times. There have been a few little hiccups along the way, a few little bumps but everyone has come together.

“The production team are really good at managing the stress levels of everyone and making sure everyone is relaxed.”

Priscilla: Queen of the Desert is a story that has been adapted in multiple forms of media since the original film premiered 30 years ago. The popularity of Priscilla hasn’t been lost on the Bidgee Theatre crew with many believing the story to be as important today as it was in 1994.

“The original film was unlike anything else at the time, especially in Australia,” Jade said.

“There wasn’t much of a public drag or gay community at that time. It’s important to tell this kind of story; it is timeless and it is almost as important today as it was the day it came out.”

Jade and Jess are encouraging those who have never seen the show to buy a ticket and support the show, describing the production as an over-the-top celebration of Australian and drag culture.

“Come see the glitz and the glamour and sing along to your favourite tunes from the 60s, 70s and 80s,” Jess said.

“It is a fantastic show, filled with a lot of heart, comedy and countless innuendos. It’s going to be a blast and we can’t wait for everyone to come down and see.”

Priscilla: Queen of the Desert will be showing at the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre from Friday 9 February until Saturday 24 February. Tickets can be purchased here.