Cardinia Cultural Centre is welcoming Heart and Music with Simon Gleeson and Natalie O’Donnell to the theatre on Friday 19 August.
Renowned Australian stage and screen legends Natalie and Simon have been gracing venues and homes on television for years.
Recently receiving a Helpmann Award nomination for her role as Donna in Mamma Mia!, Natalie has solidified her status as Australian theatre royalty with an expansive career in both London and Australia. She will begin her role as Diane in Come From Away at the beginning of September.
Best known for his role as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Simon Gleeson is a Helpmann Award winner with a strong presence on stage in Australia and at West End, London’s home of theatre.
Now, they are bringing to Pakenham a night of radiance, reminiscing and rhythm with their Heart and Music concert tour.
The show will explore and celebrate the music that has shaped both their lives and careers, featuring classics from Rodgers and Hammerstein, through to the Greatest Showman and Billy Joel.
This section of the Heart and Music tour will run for one weekend only, with Simon and Natalie visiting Pakenham, Bairnsdale and Sale.
As well as starring in a variety of performances, Natalie and Simon are married and currently playing the role of a lifetime as parents to their young kids Molly and Rafferty.
“Simon and I have been together for about 20 years and, strangely enough, have never had an opportunity to perform together,” Natalie laughs.
“It’s been a really nice opportunity to get to a few places in Victoria. We were in Berwick and Colac – we had some dates scheduled then COVID had other plans.”
Natalie credits her and Simon’s family, in particular the kids’ grandparents, with making their tour possible by making sure the kids are taken care of and supported.
“It’s just been really good to be able to get back on the road and get to some of the places we were hoping to [visit] over the past 12-18 months.
“We wanted to make it quite an intimate piece, but it’s something that people can come along to and enjoy music from shows that are really important to us, they’re songs that reflect the soundtrack for parts of our lives.”
“We really wanted it to be an exploration of family and love and age and experience.”
Produced by Promac Productions, the show will commence at 8pm with tickets priced at $45 per adult and $40 per concession.
Cardinia Cultural Centre is at 40 Lakeside Boulevard, Pakenham. For more information on this show and others upcoming, visit cardinia.vic.gov.au/ccc
