Australian musical theatre stars Michael Cormick and Marina Prior often joke they had a “long distance kiss” while performing as sweethearts Christine and Raoul in The Phantom Of The Opera on opposite sides of the world — Prior in the Australian production and Cormick on London’s West End.
Similarities like this, as their careers crossed and diverged with other industry greats David Hobson and Silvie Paladino, has seen the quartet unite for the first time in concert Ovation, touring across Australia.
“We’re all great mates and have known each other for longer than I care to mention,” 62-year-old, Sydney-based Cormick laughs.
“We’ve all played many different roles, sometimes in the same show, but not at the same time. Everyone has their own style and that’s the beauty about it. David is more operatic, and he’s very funny in the show, while I’m a little more dramatic. Sylvie just has that voice, not that everyone else doesn’t, and then Marina is the princess of musical theatre.
“We sing all the biggest songs from all the biggest shows we’ve done around the world, and there’s a lot in there.”
After starting the tour in Canberra in February, Cormick says the show has been living up to its name by receiving standing ovations at every performance, which features them singing in quartet, duet and solo, accompanied by piano and string quartet.
While the logistics in other intimate shows of this nature would often feature only a piano, Cormick says the strings — cello and violin — add a new level of magic to the song arrangements from productions including The Phantom Of The Opera, Les Miserables, Cats, Mamma Mia! and Disney’s Beauty And The Beast.
“It’s such a delight to be with your great mates, touring the country, and it’s a giggle a minute,” Cormick shares.
“We have many car trips and flights, so there’s a lot of time for chatting. Marina loves to chat. She is an absolute delight. There was one day when she said ‘I’m on vocal rest’, and we all went, ‘Oh, thank God’. It lasted about nine seconds. We laugh so much, and honestly, that’s probably the most exhausting part of the tour, the laughter and the fun.
“It’s such a joy for us and I think the audience feels that.”
Cormick’s joy is the result of a long, serendipitous journey from growing up in Dandenong, Victoria, where he sang in church and was literally pushed on to the stage at age 14, due to his shyness, to perform in a school talent quest.
The producer of television talent show New Faces happened to be judging the school talent quest and, unbeknown to Cormick, spoke to his parents about wanting their son on the program.
“I’m one of eight children and one particular Sunday my parents said, ‘we’re going for a drive, wear something nice’ to just me, which I thought was a bit suss,” Cormick recounts.
“Anyway, I got there, and it was Channel Nine studios and I was on. I sang a song called My Sweet Lady written by John Denver from the movie Sunshine. I won the whole year, and it just all started from there.
“I really wanted to be a pop star like Jason Donovan. Out of nowhere I was asked me to be in Cats, and I was like, ‘Cats, what’s that?’ I did about six months and then went over to London to seek fame and fortune. When I got there, I auditioned for The Phantom Of The Opera and got into the show straightaway.”
Cormick’s return home would see him land one of the biggest and most cherished roles of his career as Beast in the 1995 original Australian production of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast, alongside Rachael Beck as Belle and Hugh Jackman as Gaston.
He is still mates with Jackman and is godfather to both of Beck’s daughters, reuniting on stage with Beck in Black Swan State Theatre Company musical Next To Normal in 2015.
“Beast was just one of those really special roles that people remember,” Cormick adds.
“Can you believe it was over 30 years ago now? I spoke to the performer playing Beast on opening night of the latest Australian production, and I said ‘you probably wouldn’t remember our production’ and he said, ‘Michael, I wasn’t even born then’. It holds a very special place in my heart, because it’s one of those shows that launched my career in Australia.”
Ovation is at Albany Entertainment Centre, May 21, Bunbury Entertainment Centre, May 22, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, May 23 and Regal Theatre, Subiaco, May 24. Limited tickets at ovation.net.au.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails