Drag yourself up to disco heaven

There was plenty of glitz and glam at the launch of Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical. Photo / Greg Bowker

Get ready for large wigs, stiletto heels and buckets of makeup - drag queens have taken over New Zealand.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical has hit the country.

The adaptation of the Oscar-winning Australian road movie The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert - which starred Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp - was launched at a function at the Civic Theatre last night.

The four lead cast members performed some numbers from the show.

The musical made its world premiere in Sydney in October 2006 and ran for 11 months before transferring to Melbourne and has now graced our shores with all the glitter and glam of the movie.

It tells the story of three drag queens - Bernadette, Mitzi and Felicia - who head from Sydney to the outback in a battered old bus named Priscilla to perform their act.

The show includes more than 500 costumes, 200 head-dresses, 23 tonnes of scenery and a 10 metre-long bus which weighs six tonnes as its sparkling centrepiece.

It includes more than 20 classic disco hits such as Don't Leave Me This Way, I Will Survive, I Love The Nightlife, Colour My World and Shake Your Groove Thing.

Jeremy Stanford plays the part of Tick/Mitzi and dons the infamous thong dress - a dress made from jandals.

Bill Hunter, who played the character of Bob in the movie, returns to the stage for the New Zealand season.

Tony Sheldon plays the role of Bernadette and Daniel Scott plays Adam (Felicia).

The role of Benjamin (Tick's son) will be cast locally with director Simon Phillips looking to cast four New Zealand boys between the ages of six and eight to play the role.

* Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical starts on May 27 at the Civic Theatre on Queen St, Auckland.
Tickets will be available from The Edge on 0800 BUY TICKETS (0800 289 842) or www.the-edge.co.nz