Sweet Charity brings Broadway magic to town with local talent – Her Canberra
29 April 2025This article originally appeared in Her Canberra on 1 April 2025
Tony Award-winning musical Sweet Charity is coming to The Q with a stunning local cast.
There’s something undeniably charming about Charity Hope Valentine – the eternal optimist who, despite life’s constant disappointments, never stops believing in love. This April, Free-Rain Theatre Company brings this iconic character to life at The Q in Queanbeyan with their production of the Tony Award-winning musical Sweet Charity.
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Amy Orman steps into Sweet Charity’s titular role.
Set in the swinging sixties, this beloved Broadway classic follows dance hall hostess Charity as she navigates romantic misadventures while dreaming of a better life – a journey given heart by director Joel Horwood.
“It is important to me that we don’t shy away from the reality of Charity’s circumstances, and her desperation to make a better life for herself,” says Joel.
“She is an eternal optimist, even when the flags couldn’t be more glaringly red. There’s humour in that, but there’s also hope and humanity in abundance.”
With music by Cy Coleman, book by Neil Simon, and original choreography by the legendary Bob Fosse, the show features unforgettable numbers like “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” and “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This.”
For this production, Canberra audiences are in for a treat with Amy Orman stepping into the titular role. Orman brings international experience to the stage, having performed with the Radio City Rockettes in New York and aboard Princess Cruises. Since making Canberra home, she’s been teaching at Bom Funk Dance Studio while continuing to impress in local productions.
Amy Orman as Charity Hope Valentine and Vanessa Valois as Nickie.
What makes this staging particularly special is the family connections woven throughout. The creative team includes two power couples: Musical Director Callum Tolhurst-Close working alongside Choreographer James Tolhurst-Close, and Associate Director Kelly Roberts partnering with Set Designer Chris Zuber (who tag-team production meetings around parenting duties).
The family ties extend to the cast as well. Bianca Lawson performs as a Fandango dancer, following in the footsteps of her mother Janie, who won a CAT Award for playing Charity in Canberra Philharmonic’s 2000 production of the same show.
Vanessa Valois as Nickie, Kristy Griffin as Helene, and Amy Orman as Charity Hope Valentine.
This production also marks a significant milestone for Free-Rain Theatre Company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Founded by Artistic Director and Producer Anne Somes in 1995, the company has produced over 110 theatrical works and served as a launching pad for countless local performers. Somes was recently recognised with the inaugural Encore Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Ovation Awards – a fitting tribute to her decades of nurturing Canberra’s theatrical talent.
As Charity would say, there’s gotta be something better than staying home this autumn – and this production, blending Broadway magic with local talent and deep community connections, promises to be just that.
The Essentials
What: Sweet Charity
When: 29 April to 18 May 2025
Where: The Q, Queanbeyan Arts Centre
Tickets: On sale now at theq.net.au
Feature image of Kristy Griffin as Helene, Amy Orman as Charity Hope Valentine and Vanessa Valois as Nickie.