Priscilla Queen Of The Desert Announce Home And Away Hero Ray Meagher In Auckland

Stone the flamin' crows!

Today the producers of the hit musical Priscilla Queen Of The Desert announce that Home And Away hero Ray Meagher – aka the godfather of Summer Bay, Alf Stewart – will star in the stage extravaganza, which celebrates its 10th anniversary on the world stage by returning to Auckland this October.

The Gold Logie-winning television actor who is recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-serving actor in an Australian serial for his role of Alf will reprise his 2010 and 2011 West End role of Bob the mechanic in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert.

He says: “My last couple of trips to New Zealand have been to watch the Wallabies. They came second both times. This time I’m coming with a dead-set winner!!” says Ray, a former Queensland Reds rugby player who trialled for the Wallabies before changing his focus to acting.

Ray is one of Australia’s most celebrated actors, with a career spanning some four decades. He made his debut in the drama Matlock Police in 1971. Subsequent television acting roles included three different villainous roles in Prisoner, guest roles in A Country Practice and roles in the 80s miniseries A Fortunate Life, The Great Bookie Robbery, Cop Shop and Skyways. He worked on the movies Breaker Morant and The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith and has won a Penguin Best Actor Award for his lead role in the telemovie Mail Order Bride.

Ray auditioned for the Home and Away pilot thinking it might be a few months’ work and nearly 30 years later he is still with the show. As of 2009, he is the longest-serving cast member, with sayings such as "Stone the flamin' crows!", "The flamin’ mongrel", "Yer flamin' great galah!", “Strike me pink” and “Oh come off it love, I didn’t fall off the back of a turnip truck”, becoming part of the modern Australian lexicon.

Now, when Priscilla Queen Of The Desert rolls into The Civic in Auckland in October, he’ll be at the wheel of the famous pink bus, having been given leave from the popular TV2 series to perform live in New Zealand.

With 10 years and several thousand kilometres racked up, the bus is looking more fabulous than ever for its triumphant return on 14 October and will run for a strictly limited season. Get your ticket to ride on this fabulous journey from Ticketmaster today.

This wildly fresh and funny musical based on the Oscar-winning film features a hit parade of dance-floor favourites, over 500 outrageous costumes, 200 extraordinary headdresses and a 10 metre long customised bus weighing 6 tonnes as its sparkling centrepiece - Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is a must-see spectacular!

The record-breaking stage spectacular that sold 100,000 tickets in the six amazing weeks it was here in 2008 will feature an international touring cast and returns to our shores by popular demand, brought by the producers of the smash hit musicals Cats as well as Singin' In The Rain, The Sound of Music and Annie.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert has already been seen by close to 5 million people and grossed in excess of $300 million worldwide to become the most successful Australian musical of all time.

Originating & international Producer Garry McQuinn says that one of the great highlights of Priscilla’s first Australasian tour was the wonderful reception it received from the New Zealand audience at The Civic.

“A decade later in 2016, our pink bus will return. She’s done a few kilometres since then - having been around the world a number of times with 17 international productions ... including those on the West End and Broadway. She’s more fabulous than ever and I’m delighted to be bringing her back to New Zealand.”

Get ready for the musical bus journey of your life!

Songs Include:
· It's Raining Men
· Downtown
· I've Never Been to Me
· What's Love Got to Do With It
· Don't Leave Me This Way
· Venus
· Go West
· I Say a Little Prayer
· I Love the Nightlife
· Colour My World
· I Will Survive
· Thank God I'm a Country Boy
· A Fine Romance
· Shake Your Groove Thing
· Pop Musik
· Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
· Hot Stuff
· MacArthur Park
· Boogie Wonderland
· We Belong
· Finally