Man from Snowy River’s Tom Burlinson, 63: ‘I am glad I have maintained a level of fitness over the years’

Tom Burlinson says it is his job to keep himself match fit — vocally and physically. That means the 63-year-old stage and screen actor is raring to go after being cast as Billy Flynn in the upcoming stage production of Chicago The Musical.

• Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Casey Donovan to star in Chicago

Tom Burlinson says it is his job to keep himself match fit — vocally and physically.

That means the 63-year-old stage and screen actor is raring to go after being cast as Billy Flynn in the upcoming stage production of Chicago The Musical.

“I am glad I have maintained a level of fitness over the years,” Burlinson said.

Tom Burlinson as Billy Flynn in Chicago.

“The rehearsal period will be challenging but I’ve got a good start because I am pretty familiar with the music.

“I am match fit for the singing part of it and you have to be fit physically.

“What I haven’t done is eight shows a week for a long time.

“I am pretty confident I will work up the stamina during rehearsals to be able to deliver the eight shows a week.”

Tom Burlinson as Billy Flynn in Chicago.

Burlinson has been a regular on stage and screen from the 1970s, having graduated from NIDA and appeared on the big screen in productions including The Man from Snowy River, Phar Lap and The Cup.

Actors Sigrid Thornton as Jessica and Tom Burlinson as Jim in a scene from 1982 film The Man From Snowy River.

Red Symonds, Dannii Minogue and Tom Burlinson when they were judges on Australia’s Got Talent.

Remarkably for someone who has been in the business more than four decades, Burlinson has never worked on a Chicago production before.

“I’ve seen pretty much all the productions of it but it just never came up for me for one reason or another,” he said.

Burlinson will be joined on stage by the already announced Casey Donovan as Matron Mama Morton, Natalie Bassingthwaighte as Roxie Hart and Alinta Chidzey as Velma Kelly.

The production will play at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from August 20 before moving to Brisbane in November.

In character: Alinta Chidzey, Casey Donovan and Natalie Bassingthwaite for Chicago.

Casey Donovan, Alinta Chidzey and Natalie Bassingthwaite.

Originally published as Man from Snowy River’s Tom Burlinson, 63: ‘I am glad I have maintained a level of fitness over the years’