James and Maggie (NSW)

Music by David Reeves
Book and Lyrics by Peter Yeldham
Debuted OzMade Musicals 2006

James Cassius Williamson, thirty year old American actor meets Maggie Moore, Irish-Australian actor and singer in San Francisco and they fall in love.

SYNOPSIS The American actor J.C. Williamson became a household name in Australian theatre. This is the story of Williamson's tempestuous meeting, love affair and marriage to Irish-Australian Maggie Moore, whom he first meets in San Francisco. After a series of setbacks they bought the rights to a play called "Striking Oil" and brought it to Melbourne where it was a huge success. As James Williamson's theatrical empire expanded, bringing stars like Sarah Bernhardt and Melba to Australia, so his marriage began to fail, and he and Maggie became embroiled in a bitter conflict that took them all the way to the Supreme Court.

STATUS

JAMES AND MAGGIE was first drafted two years after the writers first highly successful collaboration, "Seven Little Australians" was playing in Melbourne. While David Reeves was occupied with three other musical works in London, and Peter Yeldham was writing a series of novels in Australia, JAMES AND MAGGIE was often revisited. This performance is the first opportunity the writers' have had to see a portion of the work performed.

CONTACT  pyeldham@bigpond.net.au

Image credit:

From OzMade Musicals 2006 featuring Megan Hoult (left) Jeremiah Tickell (right)