Swing on This

Swing on This

Swing On This starring Michael Falzon, Matt Lee, Luke Kennedy and Ben Mingay debuting at Adelaide Festival Centre 6 June 2014
Background information
Origin Australia
Genres swing
Years active 2014–present
Website swingonthis.com.au
Members


Swing on This is made up of musical theatre leading men, Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee, Rob Mills and Ben Mingay, singing a collection of classic swing songs reworked with a more contemporary style, as well as more recent popular music arranged for an 18 piece big band.[1] Although songs range from Irving Berlin and Cole Porter through to more recent influences like Oasis, Swing On This embraces a more contemporary style of swing, with Falzon comparing it more to Michael Buble and Robbie Williams. [2] Swing on This includes a medley of Australian classic rock and pop.[3]

History

Swing on This was originally conceived by Michael Falzon[4] and had been in development for several years.[1] Initially produced by Good Egg Creative and Asia Theatricals as a one-off, stand alone cabaret act specifically for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Swing on This debuted on 7 June 2014.[5] Falzon claimed his intent was not about creating a boy band, but a group of "mates coming together and having a sing."[6] He goes on to say that "The strength of this show is based on individual personalities and everyone brings something different."

Following Adelaide Cabaret Festival, they performed as the headline act at both the official black tie launch of the refurbished Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre on 25 July and at the community concert[7] the next evening, again playing to a full house. Falzon, Lee, Kennedy and Mingay were accompanied by the Perth Symphony Orchestra Big Band, part of the newly formed Perth Symphony Touring Ensemble. The freshly arranged Australian pop section was performed in Sydney for the first time at the Rob Guest Endowment concert on 13 October 2014. Their Gold Coast debut followed in March 2015 at Queenslands 1100 seat Arts Theatre. Swing on This made their television debut on Channel 9 Gold Telethon, 8 June 2015, a fund raiser for Sydney Children's Hospital. This performance included Mingay, Falzon and Lee. Kennedy and Falzon performed as Swing on This in Perth, Western Australia with Perth Symphony Orchestra Big Band for The Pinnacle Awards.

Swing On This was originally choreographed and directed by Christopher Horsey with Musical Direction by Craig Schneider.[8] Music for Swing On This was arranged by Richard Sidwell, whom Falzon had worked with on Music of Queen: Rock and Symphonic Specatular.[1]

Members

Whilst retaining its identity as a specific act, Swing on This also refers to the members of the cast, Falzon describing it "Rather than putting together a boy band it's about mates coming together and having a sing," [6] Founding members of Swing on This include Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee,and Ben Mingay, all seasoned performers in their own right.[9] Rob Mills joined in 2015, as a fifth member,[6] due in part to Lee temporarily returning to Mary Poppins in the UK.[10] The structure of Swing on This is specifically designed for a certain amount of fluidity, allowing the members to continue their individual careers and commitments.[6]

Guest Performers

ARIA Hall of Fame singer songwriter, Ceberano joined Swing on This on stage for their Adelaide Cabaret Festival debut performance. The successful soul, jazz and pop singer was in her final year as Director of the festival. She again joined Falzon, Kennedy, Mingay and Mills at a charity performance to raise funds for the Otis Foundation.

Four young male tap dancers were recruited for the Swing on This Gold Coast performance in Surfers Paradise. Riley Brooker, Harmi Davis, Kieren Bofinger and Brady Burchill were chosen by producer Michael Falzon and choreographer Christopher Horsey to perform on stage at The Arts Centre which seats 1174.[11]

Performances

Live

As well as performing in concert, Swing on This appear around Australia for various private functions.[6] They have been a accompanied by Perth Symphony Orchestra Big Band and musicains from Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Concert Producer Cast Location Date Special Guest
Adelaide Cabaret Festival Gala[12]Adelaide Festival Centre Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee, Ben Mingay Festival Theatre, Adelaide 6 June 2014
Swing On This debutAdelaide Festival Centre and Good Egg Creative Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee, Ben Mingay Festival Theatre, Adelaide 7 June 2014Kate Ceberano
Swing On This Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre opening Good Egg Creative Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee, Ben Mingay Bunbury, Western Australia 26 July 2014
Swing On This for the Myer Spring Fashion Lunch Good Egg Creative Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Ben Mingay Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria 10 September 2014
Swing On This at Rob Guest Endowment Good Egg Creative Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee, Ben Mingay Capitol Theatre, Sydney 13 October 2014
Swing On This Gold Coast[13] Good Egg Creative and Arts Asia Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Matt Lee, Ben Mingay The Arts Centre Gold Coast 25 March 2015Riley Brooker, Harmi Davis, Kieren Bofinger and Brady Burchill
Otis Foundation 10,000 Nights Gala Ball Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Rob Mills, Ben Mingay Melbourne 29 November 2015 Kate Ceberano
Carols in the Domain Michael Falzon, Luke Kennedy, Rob Mills, Ben Mingay The Domain, Sydney 19 December 2015

Television

Swing on This (Falzon, Kennedy, Mills and Mingay)Carols in the Domain performance was televised nationally on Channel 7 on 19 December, 2015 [14] and in 2016, their performance at Good Friday Appeal for the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne was televised locally. Falzon, Kennedy and Lee had previously performed at the Nine Network Gold Telethon for Sydney Children's Hospital in June 2015.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Catherine Blanch (29 May 2014). "Swing On This – Charm Personified In A Cocktail Of Swing". The Clothesline. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2014 Program Announced,". Broadway World. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  3. 1 2 Catherine Blanch (8 June 2014). "Swing On This – Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review". The Clothesline. The Clothesline. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Festival hosts swing classics". Noosa Today. Star News Group. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Swing On This". Adelaide Festival Centre. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Seanna Cronin. "Rob Mills swings into new role in live show". Sunshine Coast Daily. APN Regional News Network. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Leigh Ritchie (22 July 2014). "Entertainment Centre Opening Celebrations". Planet Bunbury. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  8. ↑ "Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review: Swing on This". Glam Adelaide. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Swing On This". The Barefoot Review. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Zizi Strallen and Matt Lee star in Mary Poppins tour". Musical Theatre Review. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Ambitious Young Tap Dancers to Join Cast of Swing On This at the Arts Centre Gold Coast". The Otaku's Study. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  12. ↑ Patrick Mc Donald (6 June 2014). "Kate Ceberano joined by daughter Gypsy on stage for final Cabaret Festival variety gala hurrah". Courier Mail. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Local Tappers Join Leading Stage Talents". Performing Arts Hub. Arts Hub Australia. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  14. ↑ Caroline Russo (29 November 2015). "Christmas Carols Domain has Sunrise Team Return". Hush Hush Biz. Retrieved 25 April 2016.

External links

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