Pippen musical: Lucy Maunder to star alongside Kerri-Anne Kennerley
It has been a long seven months for the arts sector after being shut down by COVID but performers are set to return to the stage, kicking off an iconic musical in Sydney to reopen the industry.
Confidential
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- ‘Pippin’ set to make its circus-themed return in November
- Four young stars get ready for return to the stage
Seven months after the arts sector was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, performers are finally set to return to the stage at Sydney Lyric Theatre next month.
Actor Lucy Maunder will star alongside axed Studio 10 co-host Kerri-Anne Kennerley and more in the Tony Award-winning musical Pippin and she tells Confidential it’s a relief to be back at work after being unemployed for several months.
“I’m super excited and honoured to be in the first production back since the shut down of the industry which was so devastating for the arts,” Maunder said.
“Some people weren’t able to get JobKeeper because we’re contract workers, it feels like a slap in the face because people don’t actually understand how much they need and love the arts so you feel unappreciated a little bit.”
Earlier this year, the Federal Government announced that nearly 200,000 artists were ineligible for the $130 billion JobKeeper scheme, which Maunder said was tough.
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“There’s a palpable sense of relief and excitement within the company and we’re just all so grateful to be working and doing a show again because it’s just been seven months of absolutely nothing,” said Maunder.
“I’ve spent most of the year being a full time mum again which is really cool actually but challenging as well with Melbourne’s lockdown as kindergartens and playgrounds were closed … but it was very special to spend that time with my daughter.”
Maunder is originally from Sydney but based in Melbourne and she travelled here for the show, which meant two weeks of quarantine and doing some rehearsals via Zoom.
“It’s pretty crazy but it’s amazing that we’re able to do it and we’ve been chatting to the original creatives from New York,” she said.
“It’s a very unique show, it’s a play within a play and the script is wonderful too. Everything just married together. It’s going to be amazing and it’s the perfect show to open the industry again.”
Pippin kicks off at Sydney Lyric Theatre on November 24.