’And it is, it is a Glorious Thing’ - Performer, Pianist and Producer, Simon Gallaher - Part 2

Simon Gallaher is not only one of Australia’s leading musical theatre performers, he is loved by Australian audiences as a television star, concert performer, singer, musician, pianist, songwriter and successful theatrical producer.

In 1984 Simon took to the musical theatre stage in the Australian production of the Broadway smash hit The Pirates of Penzance, playing over 1,000 performances. He has also performed starring roles in Hello Dolly, The Student Prince, My Fair Lady, The Mikado, HMS Pinafore and The Merry Widow.

By 1992 Simon’s company, Essgee Entertainment, was a major concert presenter and in 1994 he created a new stage production of The Pirates of Penzance. New productions of The Mikado and HMS Pinafore followed, winning more critical acclaim and a loyal audience. The musicals toured internationally and Essgee’s television productions screened internationally.

Essgee produced a new and lavish production of The Merry Widow which toured nationally in 1998-9 starring Simon and Marina Prior. The acclaimed Tony Award-winning play Master Class starring Amanda Muggleton followed and was an outstanding triumph, and a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum toured throughout Australia and New Zealand.

2012 marked a return to both the concert stage with a series of tours across each state, and also a return to the musical theatre stage when he starred as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray for Harvest Rain. 2014 saw another national concert tour, and a role in the musical comedy Spamalot.

Since 2007 Simon has been a trustee of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust (QPAC) and sits on its board of directors. In 2012 he was also appointed to board of the Queensland Theatre Company and the Chair of Brisbane’s Harvest Rain Theatre Company. He is patron to many arts organisations and sits on the Musicals Nominating Panel for the Helpmann Awards.

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