The Boy from Oz is an Australian jukebox musical based on the life of singer and songwriter Peter Allen, featuring songs written by him. The book commissioned for the musical is by Nick Enright, based on Stephen MacLean's 1996 biography of Allen. Premiering in Australia in 1998 starring Todd McKenney, a revised version of the musical, written by Martin Sherman, opened on Broadway in 2003, with Hugh Jackman in the title role.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998 the cast recording won the ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album.
Plot This synopsis applies to the North American production. Act I The musical begins with Australian performer Peter Allen recalling his life story, coming to terms with who he was ("The Lives of Me"). Afterwards, we go back to Allen's childhood in Tenterfield, Australia, where a young boy named Peter Woolnough is performing in local bars for money ("When I Get My Name in Lights"). Peter grows up and joins with Chris Bell to become the Allen Brothers, and they perform in Australian Bandstand ("Love Crazy"). After great success in Australia, the Allen Brothers perform in a Hong Kong Hilton hotel to Chinese businessmen. One evening, another person is watching them from the bar: the legendary The Wizard of Oz star Judy Garland. Peter convinces Judy to perform with them ("All I Wanted Was the Dream"), and Judy takes Peter to be the opening act in her concert in New York ("Only an Older Woman").
While in New York, Peter is introduced to Judy's daughter, Liza Minnelli, and they fall in love ("Best That You Can Do"). There are rumors of Peter's homosexuality, and Judy warns Liza ("Don't Wish Too Hard"). Liza gives no attention to her warning and marries Peter ("Come Save Me").
Peter makes some mistakes, and at one of his all night parties, Liza walks in on him ("Continental American"), further fueling her suspicions that he is gay. Liza is working hard to get her career going ("She Loves to Hear the Music"), in contrast to Peter's excessive lifestyle. Judy dies, and Peter honors her ("Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage"). Liza's world comes crashing down as a result of her mother's death.
Liza confronts Peter on his alleged homosexuality, and their marriage ends ("I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love"). Peter returns to Australia but realizes that he is not who people thought he was ("Not the Boy Next Door").
Act II Back in the US, Peter has gone solo and comes to terms with his bisexuality ("Bi-Coastal"). He meets the hardworking fashion model Gregory Connell. Greg does not want to be a part of Peter's life in show business, but he falls in love with Peter ("If You Were Wondering"). They soon get discovered by music producer Dee Anthony, and he gets them a gig at the Copacabana in New York ("Sure Thing Baby"). Peter's career takes off, and he wins an Oscar for "Best That You Can Do", in addition to writing songs that were covered by artists Olivia Newton-John and Frank Sinatra. Peter gives his best performance in the Radio City Music Hall with The Rockettes ("Everything Old is New Again"), and is surprised to know his mother is also in love.
Greg becomes stricken with advanced HIV, (then known as AIDS defining illness), and even though Peter tries to help him carry on, he succumbs to his illness ("Love Don't Need a Reason"). Peter also becomes sick with advanced HIV, but Greg's spirit urges him to carry on ("I Honestly Love You"). Liza offers her support to Peter, and they both realize they had successful lives and careers without each other ("You and Me").
Peter returns to Australia and tries to tell his mother about his illness, but ultimately can't find a way to tell her. He then performs one last magnificent concert for Australia ("I Still Call Australia Home"), and witnesses a last flashback of his mother's love for him ("Don't Cry Out Loud"). Peter reflects on his life, realizing he has no regrets, before he ultimately succumbs to his disease ("Once Before I Go"), but not before going out in style with a farewell performance ("I Go to Rio"), joined by the entire cast.
Production history Script Stephen MacLean idolised Allen, followed his career all over the world, interviewed him many times, and filmed his Australian solo cabaret debut. After Allen's death in 1992, MacLean started work on his biography of Allen, which was published in 1996, entitled Peter Allen: The Boy from Oz, (alternative title The Boy from Oz: The Peter Allen Story).
While working on the biography, MacLean suggested making a biographical film about Allen to producer Ben Gannon, having previously alerted Gannon to Allen's work back in the early 1970s. Gannon, however, thought that a documentary should come first, and produced The Boy from Oz, written and directed by MacLean. This screened on ABC Television in 1995.
After the biography was published in 1996, Gannon and Robert Fox decided to use the work as the basis for a stage musical. The book to be used for the show was commissioned from Nick Enright, and MacLean acted as consultant on workshopping the musical.
Original Australian production The Boy from Oz had its world premiere, directed by Gale Edwards, at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Sydney on 5 March 1998 and toured Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, playing to over 1.2 million theatre patrons. It ran for a total 766 performances over two years.Boy From Oz Opens Mar. 5 in Sydney Playbill, March 5, 1998"Peter Allen Musical Bio, The Boy From Oz, Bows March 5 in Sydney" Playbill, January 27, 1998 The production starred Todd McKenney as Allen and Divinyls frontwoman Chrissy Amphlett as Judy Garland, Angela Toohey as Liza Minnelli, and introduced Mathew Waters as Young Peter.
Broadway The Boy from Oz began previews on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on 16 September 2003 and opened on 16 October 2003. It closed on 12 September 2004, at the end of Hugh Jackman's contract. It was adapted for the American audience by playwright Martin Sherman, who removed some of the Australian terms (such as "jackaroo") and expanded the role of U.S. characters Garland and Minnelli. The musical played 32 previews and 365 performances. Directed by Philip William McKinley, with choreography by Joey McKneely, it starred Jackman as Allen, Isabel Keating as Garland, Stephanie J. Block as Minnelli, Beth Fowler as Marion, Jarrod Emick as Greg, and John Hill as Mark Herron (Judy's husband). Jackman won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, and Keating won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. The show also received nominations for four other Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical recouped its investment of $8.25 million.
Australian arena tour The Boy from Oz returned to Australia from 3 August to 10 September 2006 in a new production especially designed for the arena stage (audiences of over 10,000 people), called Boy from Oz Arena Spectacular. Directed by American choreographer Kenny Ortega, Hugh Jackman reprised his New York role as Allen. He was joined by Australian actresses Chrissy Amphlett and Angela Toohey, reprising their roles as Garland and Minnelli. Shardyn Fahey-Leigh played the role of Young Allen with Dylan Speedy. Rarmian Newton and Joshua Waiss Gates, both of whom later starred in Billy Elliot the Musical, were understudies in the Australian production. Peter's mother, Marion, was played by Colleen Hewett. The show had a support cast of 40 singer-dancers and a 25-piece orchestra.
The show also featured the vocals of Australian girls' high school choirs from Penrhos College when in Perth, and, while in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane, it featured the vocals of 100 girls from the Australian Girls Choir.
Melbourne revivals In 2010, McKenney returned to the title role with The Production Company in a version of the show that climaxed with an Allen recording projected on the stage. In 2018, to celebrate the show's twentieth anniversary, The Production Company staged a new production with anachronistic elements such as Aboriginal and rainbow flags. Rohan Browne starred as Allen, with Caroline O’Connor as Garland, Loren Hunter as Minnelli, and Maxwell Simon as Greg.
Perth production In 2021, Platinum Entertainment presented "The Boy From Oz" at Crown Theatre - one of the only venues in the world producing large scale theatre at the time. Directed and choreographed by Drew Anthony, and musically directed by Joe Louis Robinson, the show debuted Ethan Jones in the title role of Allen alongside Lucy Williamson as Garland, Elethea Sartorelli as Minnelli, Casey Edwards as Marion, and Peter Cumins as Greg. An acknowledgement of country was presented by Jones as Allen in the introduction to "I Still Call Australia Home". The production included a full stage LED screen with integrated audio-visuals throughout, and concluded with a transition from Jones to the late Allen singing "Once Before I Go".
International productions In Peru, the show premiered in May 2013, starring Marco Zunino as Allen, Érika Villalobos appeared as Liza and Elena Romero as Judy . It was the first Spanish language adaptation.
A Japanese production played in 2005, 2006 and 2008. The production restaged in 2022, with almost the same cast as before.
Musical numbers Original run All songs written by Allen except as noted Act I Song Performer(s) Composers Source Not the Boy Next Door Peter and Trio Not the Boy Next Door If You Were Wondering Peter I Could Have Been a Sailor Name in Lights Young Peter and Ensemble Legs Diamond Pretty Keen Teen Peter, Chris Bell and Ensemble The Allen Brothers All I Wanted Was the Dream Judy Garland Legs Diamond Only an Older Woman Judy, Peter, Chris and Mark Don't Wish Too Hard Ensemble Allen (music), Sager (lyrics) I Could Have Been a Sailor Somebody's Angel Trio Bi-Coastal Sure Thing Baby Liza Minnelli Legs Diamond Quiet Please Peter, Liza, Judy and Ensemble Allen (music), Sager (lyrics) Taught by Experts I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love Liza I Could Have Been a Sailor Bi-Coastal Trio Allen, David Foster, Tom Keane Bi-Coastal Taught by Experts Judy and Peter Taught by Experts Name in Lights (Reprise) Young Peter and Ensemble Legs Diamond Not the Boy Next Door (Reprise) Peter and Trio Not the Boy Next Door
Act II Song Performer(s) Composers Source When Everything Old is New Again Peter and The Rockettes Allen (music), Sager (lyrics) Continental American Best That You Can Do Liza and Peter Allen, Burt Bacharach,Carole Bayer Sager,Christopher Cross Arthur Love Don't Need a Reason Peter and Trio Allen, Michael Callen,Marsha Malamet Making Every Moment Count She Loves to Hear the Music Trio Allen (music), Sager (lyrics) Taught by Experts Fly Away Peter Bi-Coastal I Honestly Love You Greg Allen, Jeff Barry Continental American I Still Call Australia Home Peter and Ensemble Bi-Coastal Legs Diamond Opener/Name in Lights (Reprise) Peter/Young Peter and Ensemble Legs Diamond Don't Cry Out Loud Marion Allen (music), Sager (lyrics) I Could Have Been a Sailor Tenterfield Saddler Peter Tenterfield Saddler I Go to Rio Peter and Company Allen, Anderson Taught by Experts Once Before I Go Peter Not the Boy Next Door
Broadway All songs written by Allen except as noted Act I