3rd - 6th July

Tonight we board a glam rocket to Mars, to find out the truth.

Bowie was perhaps the most enigmatically brilliant rockstar of his generation. Thundering through faithful recreations of era-defining bangers, your rock'n'roll hosts will also peer behind the many masks and characters of The Man Who Fell To Earth, to find the real Bowie.

Created by award-winning actor/singer/writer Karlis Zaid (The Beautiful Losers, Australian Gothic, War Horse, Les Misérables), co-starring chanteuse extraordinaire Aurora Kurth (Rouge, Cheeky Cabaret, Medea) with musical direction and pianoforté by Andrew Patterson (Wicked, & Juliet, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Eurobeat The Musical) and rock guitar wizardry by Marcus Kurban (Chocolate Starfish band, Lazarus, Hamilton, Jersey Boys).

Karlis Zaid

Creator/Performer

Karlis is a graduate of the VCA School of Drama, and has worked in theatre, film, TV and music theatre for over 30 years.

Recently, he appeared in the Australian premières of Blood In The Water at La Mama Courthouse, and Vidya Makan & Sonya Suares' new musical The Lucky Country, for Hayes Theatre, which was nominated for Best Ensemble at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards. The cast recording of The Lucky Country will be released in 2025. Karlis also played most of the male roles in Uncle Vanya, and will shortly be touring Twelfth Night, both for Complete Works Theatre. During the 2020-21 COVID pandemic, Karlis was fortunate to tour South Korea in the 40th Anniversary production of Cats, which was the only major production to open in the world at the time, and was the focus of the Apple TV documentary The Show Must Go On.

In 2019, Karlis premièred in his dark satirical kabarett Australian Gothic (alongside Aurora Kurth & Mark Jones) at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, featuring original songs by Karlis, and Mark. Karlis has also appeared at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in The Divine Cabaret(with Geraldine Quinn & Mark Jones), and across Australia with The Beautiful Losers from 2005 – 2014 (with Mark Jones & Adam Murphy) The Beautiful Losersalso featured Mike McLeish, and won 3 Green Room awards.

Other recent credits include narrating Phillip Maisel's remarkable autobiography Keeper Of Miracles(Audible/Spotify) and featuring alongside Hugo Weaving in the film Lone Wolf (Screen Australia/MIFF/Future Pictures)

Karlis has also appeared in My Fair Lady, directed by Dame Julie Andrews (Opera Australia/Gordon/Frost), War Horse (National Theatre of Great Britain), Les Misérables (Asia/South Africa/Aus, Cameron Mackintosh), The Drowsy Chaperone, Scrimshander (MTC), Queen In Symphony (musically directed by Andrew Patterson), Macbeth (Essential Theatre), Coriolanus (Theatreworks), Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing (Melbourne Shakespeare Company), Jesus Christ Superstar (Harry M Miller), Picnic At Hanging Rock (Foxtel), Preacher (Stan/AMC) and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (ABC TV)

Aurora Kurth

Performer

A highly sought-after entertainer, writer and director. With a career in the performing arts spanning nearly three decades, the critically-acclaimed singer, actress, comedian and Master of Ceremonies has captivated audiences across Australia. A graduate of the Actors Centre, Sydney and The John Bolton Theatre School, Melbourne and Solo Artist in Residence Program at Victoria University, Melbourne.

Some of her past performing, writing and directing credits include:

Sass & Secrets (Writer & Performer) - Regional Arts Victoria Tour, (Performer) Australian Gothic – Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Walkabout - Chamber Made Opera (Performer), Medea & The Women Of Troy - Complete Works Theatre Company (Performer & Director), The Charcoal Club - Melbourne International Arts Festival (Performer), Rouge Et Blanc - National Institute of Circus Arts (Host), Macdeth - Arts Centre Melbourne, (Performer & Writer) The Hunter, The Hunted - La Mama Theatre, (Performer & Writer) Take the L Out of Lover - Malthouse Theatre, (Performer & Writer) Paris Underground Cabaret - national tour, (Host) Gangsters Ball - Forum Theatre, (Host) Princes Of The Night - Crown Casino, (Soloist) Carols at Como Park - Stonnington Council (Soloist) & NEON (Host) - Circus Oz.

Andrew Patterson

Musical Director / Keyboards & Pianoforté

Andrew has been working as a Musical Director, Composer & Arranger for over 30 years. He recently worked on Wicked, as a conductor and keyboardist.

Other recent credits include & Juliet, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and composing Eurobeat The Musical (with Craig Christie) which originally starred Julia Zemiro, and was huge hit in Australia, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and subsequently toured Great Britain. Andrew musically directed Taxithi at the 2019 Adelaide Cabaret Festival, to huge acclaim. He has also worked as a keyboardist, conductor and composer on many productions, including : Chess, We Will Rock You, Queen In Symphony, Sunset Boulevard, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Promises Promises, Crazy For You, The White Rose and The Wild Blue.

Marcus Kurban

Guitarist

Marcus played guitar for the highly successful Aussie rock band Chocolate Starfish.

He has a stunningly diverse array of credits as a guitarist and musician, including (most recently) The Choir Of Man and Dear Evan Hansen.

Other credits include : Lazarus, Hamilton, The Jersey Boys, Come From Away, & Juliet, Hairspray, Bodyguard The Musical, Priscilla - Queen Of The Desert and The Chantoozies.