Priscilla proposal
Cast and audience surprised
Not even the cast knew, and the audience was completely in the dark, until the houselights went up.During the curtain call of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical at the Clink Theatre on Saturday night, love was in the air.
As the lead actors were taking their final bows, Ben Hardie, who plays Tick and Mitzi in the show, brought everything to a halt to tell a personal story of love and respect, which could have been taken from the pages of the script for Priscilla. He told a story of meeting a young man called Michael three and a half years ago and being immediately smitten.
So, in front of fifteen of his family members in a packed audience and a stage full of fellow cast members, he called Michael up from his seat and popped the question. “Will you be my life partner?”. Thankfully for everyone concerned the answer was yes and the celebrations began straightaway and as the curtain went down it continued backstage and eventually spilled into the courtyard of the Port Douglas theatre.
Don’t ask onstage
The newly engaged Michael is Michael Clarke and no he’s never captained the Australia cricket team, but he is clearly in love and has found the perfect someone to share his life with. The 29-year-old disability support worker told Newsport “Ben is the man of my dreams and although I told him many times never to ask me that question on stage, I am really happy tonight” he said. Ben on the other hand was very pleased with himself and the way he’d caught nearly everyone by surprise including his fiancé. “I met Michael on a Valentine’s Day so it’s just about as perfect as you can get” he said.
The consummate actor
Ben Hardie is a gifted thespian and has starred in productions such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Aladdin, Cinderella, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and many others. Ben also has a big heart and has travelled to remote indigenous communities to give kids the opportunity to take part in the arts and perform. Paying it forward is his motto.
Get in quick
Before the newly engaged couple can even plan a wedding, Ben must finish his role in Priscilla which runs until September 4th. Director Michael Kerr told Newsport there’s only a handful of seats left for the high energy show and then that’s it. This local production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical has been universally acclaimed and is the biggest hit the Clink has had in its 30-year history.