The two lead roles for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast have just been announced and Box Hill resident Brendan Xavier will star alongside Shubshri Kandiah in the iconic production which will have its Australian premiere at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre next year.
Brendan, a former student at Marian College Kenthurst, is currently performing in Frozen the Musical. Brisbane-based Shubshri is best known for her role as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and is currently playing the title role in Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
It’s the first leading role for Brendan who said: “I found out that I won the role on my way to work and I had to just stop walking. My agent just said you have booked the Beast …. It was probably one of the best moments of my life.”
Brendan graduated from Marian College in 2014 and was on the Board of Studies NSW Distinguished Achievers List because of his music results.
After school he studied a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Musical Theatre at the Australian Institute of Music. During his time there Brendan appeared in numerous musicals, most notably playing Jack in Into the Woods directed by Tyran Parke.
His previous theatre credits include The Original Grease (Squabbalogic) as Danny Zuko and in the 60th Anniversary concert of the Australian musical Lola Montez.
He has been performing in Disney’s Frozen for the past two years and is currently in Perth.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is being staged by the producers of Frozen, Aladdin, The Lion King and Mary Poppins and makes its Australian premiere at the Capitol Theatre in June 2023.
Directed and choreographed by Olivier Award nominee Matt West, the reimagined stage show will feature an all-star team that includes original composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, book writer Linda Woolverton, scenic designer Stan Meyer, costume designer Ann Hould-Ward and lighting designer Natasha Katz. The team collectively received five Tony® nominations and a win for Hould-Ward’s costume design, when Disney first debuted Beauty and the Beast on Broadway 28 years ago.
Director and choreographer Matt West said: “The excitement we felt in the audition room when Brendan and Shubshri performed for us was electric. These two extraordinary young performers bring fresh life to these iconic roles, and we are thrilled that a whole new generation of Australian audiences will have the pleasure of witnessing their interpretation in this new production.”
Some of Australia’s most outstanding musical theatre performers and exciting fresh faces have also been assembled and will be announced at a later date including the roles of Lumiere, Gaston, Cogsworth, Mrs Potts, Le Fou, Maurice, Babette and Madame.
The Australian premiere of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
General public tickets went on sale this week (Thursday 3rd November 2022). Learn more.
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