The history of the all-Australian musical started in Adelaide with Australia’s first musical comedy titled FFF which premiered at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1920.
The history of the all-Australian musical started in Adelaide with Australia’s first musical comedy titled FFF which premiered at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1920.
Collection highlights include Festival Centre’s own music theatre productions, which dominated the Australian musical stage in the 1980s. Holdings also include an extensive music theatre ephemeral archive with costumes, props, designs, photographs, and promotional material from a wide range of musicals.
Jack Fewster performed extensively with his own band, the Jack Fewster Orchestra, around Adelaide and on radio. Over his lifetime he composed more than two hundred and fifty songs, many of which were published. Fewster is best known for his song writing and music theatre collaborations with Tom King, and especially for producing Yantabinjie in 1921, which was Australia’s second musical.
Yantabinjie score, Jack Fewster and Frederick J Mills, 1921
Fredrick J Mills, Jack Fewster (1921)
Jack Fewster and Tom King archive, 1918 –1932
Jack Fewster, Tom King (1918 - 1932)
The King and I set model designed by Brian Thomson, 1991
Brian Thomson (1991)
The King and I costume design by Roger Kirk, 1991
Roger Kirk (1991)
Evita production photograph by Jan Dalman, 1980
Jan Dalman (1980)