Stars of the Dusty Springfield musical get behind #SnapMelbourne

A LIT up city laneway, a plate of dumplings, great wine and great friends in a tiny bar — that would be actor Virginia Gay’s snapshot of Melbourne life.

Dusty stars Virginia Gay, Amy Lehpamer, Todd McKenney and Anne Wood. Picture: Josie Hayden

A LIT up city laneway, a plate of dumplings, great wine and great friends in a tiny bar — that would be actor Virginia Gay’s snapshot of Melbourne life.

Gay, who is performing in The Production Company’s Dusty this month, said the vibrant laneways and night-life encapsulated what she loved about this city.

Born in Sydney, the Winners & Losers star moved to here to film the hit Channel 7 series.

“Melbourne is home. I tried to go back to Sydney but it didn’t take.”

The cast of Dusty encouraged people to get involved with #SnapMelbourne to snap and share what they loved about their city and suburbs.

“Something that is so abundant in Melbourne is its support of the arts, the live music scene and — having just returned from Sydney where we were shut-out — the bars,” Gay laughed.

She will take to the stage next weekend when Dusty opens at the Playhouse at the Arts Centre.

Gay plays Peg, one of Dusty’s confidants who helped the songstress through some turbulent times.

“It’s an extraordinary story,” Gay said.

“(Springfield) was an iconoclast, she changed the face of pop music and was one of the first people to recognise the value of African-American music.

“Instead of a lot of white artists that the time who appropriated the music but took the sex and the soul out of it, Dusty embraced it.

“She was all about the soul and was a huge champion of black rights and black artists.”

Gay said there was so much to Springfield behind the beehive and 1960s outfits.

“Another thing I hadn’t realised was that she was an outsider — she was secretly gay and had a really tortured life,” she said.

But above all, Gay said the show celebrated Springfield’s timeless songs including I Only Want To Be With You, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me and Son Of A Preacher Man.

The musical also stars Amy Lehpamer as Dusty, Todd McKenney as the singer’s hairdresser and loyal friend Rodney along with Elenoa Rokobaro as Reno and Anne Wood as Dusty’s mother Kay O’Brien.

Dusty is at the Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne, from November 12-December 4.