CAST BIOGRAPHIES
ROB GUEST (Al Jolson)
Rob Guest is a leading actor in Musical Theatre, having played roles
in Barnum, Grease, Godspell and many more. In 1987, he took over
the role of Jean Valjean in the blockbuster musical Les Miserables,
for which he toured to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth
anc Auckland. Following this, in 1992, Rob Guest took over the coveted
role of the Phantom in the highly successful production of The Phantom
Of The Opera. He toured with the show to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane,
Adelaide, Auckland and Perth. He accumulated up over 2000 performances,
making him the longest running Phantom in the world. Following this he
took over the role of Jean Valjean once more to play in the revival of
Les Miserables - 10th Anniversary Production, touring to Melbourne,
Auckland, Perth and Brisbane.
UPDATES: In 2000 and 2001, he took the role of Captain von Trapp of the highly successful tour of The Sound of Music, after only four days of rehearsal. He played opposite Lisa McCune and Rachael Beck in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. This year has also seen the release of his autobiography.
LEONIE PAGE (Ruby Keeler)
One of Australia's leading musical comedy performers, Leonie was born
in Adelaide and began
extensive training in tap, jazz and classical dance at the age of five
with Gwen Mackey OAM. She has been performing professionally since the
age of twelve when she landed a role in JC
Williamson's production of Annie and the Adelaide Festival Centre production
of The Sound Of Music in which she played Louisa. Soon after, for the same
producers, Leonie toured Australia as the Tap Dancer in Andrew Lloyd Webber's
Song and Dance receiving a Green Room Award
nomination.
Theatre credits since her early start include the premiere Australian
production of Cats for Cameron Macintosh and the starring role of Peggy
Sawyer in the acclaimed Australian and New Zealand tour of 42nd Street
for Helen Montagu. For this role Leonie was nominated for both a MO Award
and
a Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Performance in a Musical
in 1989.
Leonie's reputation as one of Australia's premiere song and dance exponents was consolidated with performances in Follies In Concert as Young Sally for the 1993 Melbourne Festival, and Mack And Mabel In Concert in 1994. Other theatre credits include the leading role of Sally Smith in Jon Nicholls' production of Me and My Girl in Sydney and Auckland, The World Goes Round for Ken Sheperd Productions and Nathanial Storm for the NIDA Company.
More recently Leonie played the role of Anita in West Side Story for IMG's Auckland season, starred as Audrey in David Atkins' critically acclaimed production of Little Shop of Horrors and appeared as Young Phyllis in an all star cast of Follies at the Sydney Opera House.
As well as regular appearances on The Midday Show, The Today Show, Club Buggery and hosting her own childrens television show in Adelaide, Leonie has appeared in the feature films Playing Beattie Bow and the highly successful Strictly Ballroom in which she played the redhead Vanessa. She also starred opposite Paul Mercurio in his short film Spilt Milk.
On the jazz and cabaret circuits Leonie has had great success both in Australia and overseas with her bands The Fabulous Rhythm Boys, Leonie and the Page Boys and In The Mood and has most recently been seen performing alongside Ignatius Jones with Pardon Me Boys and with Margi De Ferranti in their cabaret show Do Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?
UPDATES: In 2001, she is starring in The Production Company's Mack and Mabel with Caroline O'Connor. She also performed at the 2001 Sydney Caberet Convention.