PRETTY WOMAN MUSICAL STARRING SAMANTHA JADE TO OPEN TONIGHT
Red carpet to feature actual limo from iconic Hollywood film
Big news. Big. Huge! The much-loved Broadway and West End smash hit musical PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical will have its red carpet Melbourne premiere tonight at the Regent Theatre.
The actual limousine that featured in the iconic film will also be outside the theatre and available for photography. The iconic car, complete with early 90’s technology, was purchased at auction by an Adelaide car collector, who originally didn’t realise he had purchased the limo from the much-loved film. The mystery remains as to how the car made its way to Australia from Hollywood.
One of Australia’s favourite performers, Samantha Jade, stars as Vivian Ward, the role made famous worldwide by the much-loved Julia Roberts. She features alongside Ben Hall as Richard Gere’s character Edward Lewis.
Critics are raving about this five-star production with the Courier Mail calling it “a burst of Hollywood magic” and a “cheeky comedy, big-hearted romance” with “vocals that hit harder than a Rodeo Drive price tag”. Other critics called it “a joyous, heart-warming, and unabashedly feel-good evening” and “everything a modern musical should be—fun, heartfelt, glamorous, and unapologetically romantic”.
The musical broke box office records at the Nederlander Theatre when making its Broadway debut in 2018 and has also wowed audiences in an extended West End season in London and a US national tour as well as productions in Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany. It features a blazing rock score from Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance with direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and a book by the original movie’s director Garry Marshall & screenwriter J.F. Lawton.
Samantha Jade has been a household name in Australia for many years since winning Channel 7’s X Factor in 2012. She has amassed a collective 91 million streams and 2.3 million sales worldwide, released a single with Pitbull (Shake That) and released her album NINE in 2015 which hit #2 on the ARIA charts.
The multi-talented Samantha has been a regular fixture on Australian television, starring as Kylie Minogue in the TV Miniseries INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, as well as an ongoing guest starring role in Home & Away. She has also toured with One Direction, Westlife, Backstreet Boys and joined the cast of the second season of Celebrity Apprentice.
Ben Hall is best known for his series regular role as Ned Willis on Neighbours and his leading role in the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey. His other musical theatre credits include Boublil & Schönberg’s Les Misérables and the Australian production Only Heaven Knows.
The cast also features crowd-favourite Michelle Brasier as Vivian’s wise-cracking friend Kit de Luca as well as the multi-talented Tim Omaji in the dual role of Happy Man / Mr Thompson.
Book your tickets for a trip to Rodeo Drive and get ready for a big night out. Big. Huge!
PRETTY WOMAN The Musical
14 July – 13 September 2026
Regent Theatre, Melbourne
Produced by Suzanne Jones for JONES Theatrical Group, ATG Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions
Book by Garry Marshall & J. F.Lawton**
Music and Lyrics by Bryan Adams & Jim Vallance
Based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture, written by J. F. Lawton
Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell
Arrangements and Orchestrations by Will Van Dyke
Originally produced on Broadway by Paula Wagner Nice Productions LPO New Regency Productions Caiola Productions & Co. James L. Nederlander Roy Furman Hunter Arnold Graham Burke Edward Walson deRoy Kierstead Michael Cassel Group
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
For tickets and further information, visit www.prettywomanthemusical.com.au
#PrettyWomanAU #PrettyWomanTheMusical @PrettyWomanMusicalAU
