Sondheim leaves you smiling

Cr Joe Jurisevic, pictured with Adam Flower, will perform in the Noosa Art Theatre's production of Side by Side by Sondheim. Picture: YANNI VAN ZIJL

WITH precision direction, dazzling costumes, stunning music, choreography and design, Noosa Arts Theatre’s upcoming production of “Side by Side by Sondheim” will take audiences’ breath away.
Contributing to this sophisticated retrospective of loved Broadway numbers is Councillor Joe Jurisevic, better known as Joe the Handyman who organises the Clean Up Australia collections.
Joe is no stranger to theatre having performed in numerous productions including: Fiddler on the Roof, Into the Woods, Cabaret, The Full Monty and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Adding to his lengthy credits are film and TV work in the Bloody Sunday episode of Animal Planet’s Your Worst Animal Nightmares and as a movie extra in Beauty and the Beast and A Heartbreak Away.
“Juggling council responsibilities and community commitments is quite a challenge,” Joe said. “I can never resist the opportunity to sing, especially when the right production is involved … Life is too short to be taken too seriously, and I think Sondheim always leaves you smiling.”
Noosa Arts Theatre’s production involves a talented local cast, under the musical directorship of Simon Russel-Baker, and will journey through Stephen Sondheim favourites from Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as well as some classics written with Leonard Bernstein, Julie Styne and Richard Rodgers.
“I am hoping we leave the audience humming the tunes, laughing and smiling as they remember Sondheim’s songs while driving home … and that they keep doing so for a long time afterward,” Joe said.
Side by Side by Sondheim is a must-see production celebrating the music and lyrics of one of the world’s greatest composer-lyricists.
A cut-price preview will be held tonight (19 November) from 7.30pm with all tickets $27. Performances will then be held at 7.30pm on 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28 November and at 2pm on 22 and 29 November.
Tickets are on sale now at $37 for adults, $32 for concession, $30 for members and groups and $27 for children under 17.
To book visit www.noosaartstheatre.org.au or drop into the box office, 163 Weyba Road, Noosaville, from Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 2pm.