Theatre Producer John Frost has been announced as the winner of the 2014 JC Williamson Award.
The award, which honors people in the the live performance industry has previously been received by Dame Joan Sutherland, Barry Humphries, Michael Gudinski, John Farnham and choreographer Graeme Murphy.
Frost has produced some of Australia’s most successful musical theatre productions in the last thirty years. From the early days of the Gordon Frost Organisation with ‘Hello Dolly!’, ‘The Secret Garden’, ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Crazy for You’ to blockbuster musicals of more recent times such as ‘Wicked’,’The Sound Of Music’, ‘Annie’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Grease – The Arena Spectacular’, ‘Chicago’, ‘South Pacific’ and ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’.
This year alone sees him producing multiple shows around Australia including ‘Grease’, ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’, ‘Wicked – 10th Anniversary production’,’The King and I’with Opera Australia,and ‘Once’ with the Melbourne Theatre Company.
John’s career began when he was 16, his first job was as a dresser on the J.C. Williamson Ltd production of ‘Mame.’ The dedicated teenager worked his way up within the theatre world to Wardrobe Master, Stage Manager, Company Manager and eventually Producer.
Having produced countless successful Australian productions over the years John has also gained international respect having won two Tony Awards for the Broadway productions of ‘Hairspray’ and ‘The King and I’. Alongside his Australian productions he also currently has two shows playing on London’s West End, the musical ‘The Bodyguard ‘and the play ‘Blithe Spirit.’, the later staring Dame Angela Lansbury.
Frost welcomed the award describing it as an incredible honour.
“The JC Williamson Award is the highest tribute that can be bestowed on someone working in the performing arts industry, and to be acknowledged by my peers for a job I love is gratifying and inspiring. I’m humbled to be in the company of Googie Withers and John McCallum, KennBrodziak, Clifford Hocking, Tony Gould and other past recipients of this prestigious award.” Frost said.
John Frost will be honoured at an industry celebration hosted by Live Performance Australia in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane on Monday 19th May. The night will include special performances as well as a host of special guests paying tribute to the theatre impresario and his outstanding contribution to the live performance industry in Australia.
