Well with only two days before the New Year, it seemed as good a time as any to roll out what has been the most closely guarded list of the year. Though it’s nobodies secret that the Australia entertainment industry is populated by some absolute hotties, the music theatre truly misses a trick when, each year, it quite simply ignores the incredibly sexy, talented, brilliant men who number amongst its ranks. While a level of sexual exploitation and even eroticism has populated every musical we’ll allege since Thespis stepped out of the chorus – his abs no doubt gleaming in the footlights – truly, it is mind-blowing how timid the Australian music theatre often is about its gorgeous menfolk.
In 2013, Diva Knows Best set something of a precedent by publishing a list of 25 hot boys from the music theatre. It remains the second most popular post ever published by this website with well over 300 thousand hits to its name to date. It was also gratuitously mimicked by Buzzfeed later in 2014, who did a shortlist of five – adorable of them for trying really! But it truly does take a Diva to steam up the windows. So fasten your seatbelts as we unveil the 25 hottest guys to hit the music theatre stage in 2014. Note well – no one, as in absolutely no one, featured on the 2013 list by Diva Knows Best has been included this year. This is not because they are no longer hot. Far from it! But what can we say… variety is the spice of life!
All pics expand when clicked on. By all means, enjoy yourselves…
Jason Kos – those lips!
Jason Kos
This babe graduated from NIDA in 2013 having starred as the title character in their student production that year of Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. A seriously talented actor, he got this Diva’s attention in Miracle City at the Hayes Theatre this October gone. In the relatively minor role of Billy, the sound guy, he gave an energetic and seriously, emotionally powerful performance, raising tears for his lost love (Hilary Cole, naturally) in the final moments of the show and begging her quietly to stay with him even as the adults raged nearby. If you missed that moment of poignant brilliance within the show, you were probably distracted by the guys trousers, cut so tight they may as well have had “spankin'” written across the front! He may be young, but this gorgeous guy has a big career ahead!
John James O’Hara – wicked in every way?
John James O’Hara
He may be playing a total arsehat in Wicked right now, but backstage, John James O’Hara is, we hear, nothing but a total sweetie. Having gone bald for the role of Elphaba’s father (he gives Nessarose the “jewelled shoes” in Act One – remember?), we deliberately found pics of John back when he was rocking the ranga locks – he’s gorgeous eitherway, but it’s fun to play compare and contrast. O’Hara is a young veteran with a huge rock tenor voice at his disposal and endless amounts of charisma. Since graduating from NIDA in 2001, he’s been in some of the biggest Australian musicals staged. Yet to grab that star role, he’s eminently watchable and drop dead gorgeous. Very much worth a follow on Instagram, he doesn’t quite get his shirt off as fast as some of the other boys in the Wicked cast, his other “assets” more than make up for it! Stayed tuned, we’ll be seeing more of this sexy bloke in the years to come.
Stephen Mahy – rocking leather in Grease as we speak!
Stephen Mahy
Thrill us, chill us – Stephen Mahy you babe! Currently playing Kenicke in the GFO/ATG revival of Grease, Mahy makes one helluva sexy T-bird. Mahy started in the last revival of Miss Saigon as part of the ensemble before making a name for himself in the role of Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys. After that he starred in a burlesque/parody of 50 Shades of Grey called Spank! In which he played a no doubt decidedly sexier take on the elusive billionaire Christian Grey. In real life, we have no way of knowing if Mahy goes in for all that messy bondage gear, but the gay and the restless amongst you will be thrilled to know that Mahy allegedly is more than happy to jump the sexual fence. Well – can you blame him? When you got that much heat coming off you, you really ought to spread it around!
Matthew Morrison and Scott Morris – one of the sexiest creative partnerships in Oz!
Matthew Robinson and Scott Morris
These two gorgeous guys form what we are calling one of the hot couples of the Australian music theatre. This is composer, singer, actor, writer Matthew Robinson (left) and his boyfriend, triple threat performer Scott Morris. Robinson is the composer behind some of the most promising new Australian material to hit the music theatre this decade including Helpmann nominated Metro Street, Atlantis and Happy People – he currently counts Stephen Schwartz amongst his mentors. Morris, is a young trooper, with a career as a child actor going back to the early 2000’s, he won his spurs as Mark Anthony in the 2012 revival of A Chorus Line. Unquestionably one of the young “It” couples of the music theatre world, it doesn’t hurt that they are both utterly, utterly gorgeous. Stay at arms length mind you boys and girls, the Robinson-Morris’s have one of the stalwart relationships of the industry and remain dauntlessly, each others greatest supporter. Bursting with potential, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this creative partnership.
Ryan Gonzalez and Andrew Cook – yum and yummer!
Andrew Cook and Ryan Gonzalez
Check out these two babes! Andrew Cook and Ryan Gonzalez came together on the set of Strictly Ballroom earlier this year and have apparently, and, adorably, been inseparable ever since. From showing up relentlessly to support each others gigs to co-starring in their months off from Strictly in the workshop presentation of Our House, we gather they do everything together. Including what must be one truly hectic gym routine – they’re both utterly ripped under those suits. You may ask how we know that? Well you might. You see Strictly Ballroom co-star Miss Ash Bee is apparently something of a shutterbug, as well as something of a smooth talker. Her Instagram features some scandalously, scantily clad shots of the two hotties for what is tantalisingly referred to as the Strictly Ballroom calendar. Ahhhhhhh – if only! Looking good boys – 2015 will be a big year for them both. After all, Strictly Ballroom can’t run forever.
The physically perfect Brendan Irving!
Brendan Irving
When you’re playing Rocky in The Rocky Horrow Show (and the next person to call the stage production The Rocky Horror Picture Show in our presence will lose an eye!) there are always going to be certain expectations as to your appearance and your physique. Singer, dancer, actor and aerialist Brendan Irving surpasses all of them! The Rocky casting call must have been a lot of fun – “ok – abs out boys! Somebody fetch the baby oil and the callipers!” But seriously, this gorgeous, talented man may be insultingly easy on the eyes, he’s also a world class performer as anyone lucky enough to catch him at work will know. In the past he has been part of Slide’s Risque Revue and the unfortunate but frequently revealing An Officer and a Gentleman the musical. On a more personal note, Diva Knows Best had a Brendan Irving run-in at Light the Night this year, where he performed an absolutely stunning aerial act while Marika Aubrey sang. In short, there’s more to this NIDA grad than abs… but the abs will certainly do!
Alex Rathgeber – a disturbing beauty!
Alex Rathgeber
On those past occasions when we have needed to describe the luscious Alex Rathgeber, we have called him to attractive to look at directly without permanent retinal damage. Truly, the air shimmers like heat is radiating off the guy. The WAAPA grad has taken his gorgeous tenor to the West End and all over Australia, with star turns in The Drowsy Chaperone for MTC, Grey Gardens for The Production Company, and, next year, Anything Goes for Nanna Frosty, in which he will play the male lead Billy Crocker. Alan Jones will be thrilled! We scoured the gorgeous Mr Rathgeber’s social media outlets looking for some illicit skin, but to no avail. He’s a gentleman and a good boy – so best portray him as such, even in a list such as this. But then – there’s something to be said for that chivalrous air he carries about with him, and he has played Lancelot in Camelot once before. He couldn’t leave you in springtime – not Alex!
Chris Fung – one of the sexiest smiles in showbiz!
Chris Fung
Look at that smile! This was the guy that went on every night Teddy Tahu Rhodes/Jason Scott Lee/Lou Diamonds Phillips decided to take a break to play the King of Siam to Lisa McCune’s Mrs Anna. Though not even done with his tertiary training at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Fung was cast as part of the ensemble of The King and I earlier this year and took over the role of the King full time after Jason Scott Lee departed the production until Lou Diamond Phillips was ready to assume the star role. It’s a tough gig for any actor – especially one so young. But the hottie pulled it off with impressive aplomb and has no doubt found his way onto plenty of shortlists to do with his skills as a performer – he’s a natural for Here Lies Love. Now here’s a shortlist all to do with sex appeal and charisma, and this guy has it in spades! What’s your next show Chris? And will there be shirtless moments? Just asking…
Luigi Lucente – one of Melbourne’s indie music theatre bad boys!
Luigi Lucente
This babe truly has done it all. You name the hot musical and he’s been in it at some point, blowing minds and breaking hearts along the way all the while. Lucente has spent most of 2014 as part of the cast of The Rocky Horror Show, while in 2015 he will take to the stage of the Hayes Theatre in the lead role of the Australian premiere of Pasek and Paul’s Dogfight. Lucente is a music theatre hipsters hipster – with past interviews citing his love of vinyl and yoga, while his past projects include Kaleidoscope – a solo Jim Morrison show, and featured roles in Melbourne productions of Parade, Pippin and Assassins. He’s also the front man of a band: Left on Wellington, for which he provides keys and vocals and writes the music. Yup. He’s that guy – beauty and brains. Based largely out of Melbourne, Sydney better get ready for Dogfight, in which the young, smouldering actor will have some serious, youthful rebellion to expound. And all in uniform – what’s not to love!
Smoulder Kuki Tipoki smoulder!
Kuki Tipoki
He may not have had the leading roles just yet to make him a mainstage star, but Kuki Tipoki is without question an underground sensation. Sure, he’s a very talented singer, a very talented actor, a very talented musician and all that jazz – but in person, the effect is truly dazzling! The guy has serious charisma – the sort of eyes that make grown women (and men!) pause for contemplation, Kuki Tipoki is seriously sex on legs and there is very little he cannot do. Whether it’s touring with Timomatic, Stan Walker or Jessica Mauboy, or starring in Sweet Charity or alongside his diva-tastic sister Patrice Tipoki-Arkins in Songs For a New World, he just can’t help but draw the eye. We can expect big things for Kuki, but then what else is new? His career has been going off for nie on a decade now and there’s no sign he’ll be slowing down anytime soon. In the meantime, hands off, he’s in an LTR with Wicked actress Bree Langridge – and man can those two babes cut a rug!
Scott Irwin – quintessential Aussie leading man!
Scott Irwin
A former Cleo Bachelor of the year, Mr Irwin is no stranger to being called a hottie. But then can you blame us? Chiselled Aussie boy seeps out of every one of this gorgeous mans pores and the fact that he is a simply stunning performer ends up being just a bonus. Making quite the comeback in 2014, Irwin has performed in Beauty and the Beast for pro-am production company Packemin at Parramatta Riverside and in smash hit cabaret The Bold and the Musical at Slide. His coup de gras unquestionably came in his exquisite turn at the Hayes in juke box musical Truth, Beauty and a Picture of You. His portrayal of a depressed and desperate gambling addict was one of exceptional sensitivity and power. Truly mortifying he wasn’t nominated in the 2014 Sydney Theatre Awards, but then maybe they figured when you’re this beautiful, you have an unfair advantage! Onwards and upwards Scott – we look forward to seeing you more again next year.
Matt McFarlane – damn those eyes!
Matt McFarlane
So it’s no secret that Matt McFarlane is a babe. With an extensive background on stage and screen, he has a storied past on the music theatre stage that has many a time given a chance for his special something to shine through. Tall dark and handsome, damn near obscene he has such a spectacular voice to go with it, but he does, enough that he was the guy they sent on when Ben Lewis was taking a night off as the Phantom in Love Never Dies. In 2014 he hit the stage in Sydney only once, playing Superman for Neglected Musicals in It’s a bird… It’s a plane… It’s Superman! Replete with skintight Superman outfit and an extremely revealing pair of red speedos, lets just say he turned heads all over again, no easy feat when the musical you are in is as dated as that old chestnut. Leading roles, uber classy corporate gigs, musicals, TV, movies, Matt McFarlane has it all. Now if only we could get him to take that shirt off once in a while…
Michael Cormack – such a fox!
Michael Cormack
Michael Cormack is a veteran performer with a glittering resume to his name. First seen by this Diva alongside Tina Arena in Australia’s last mainstage tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Cormack has appeared in some serious blockbusters including Cats, Phantom, Les Mis, Beauty and the Beast – he’s also no stranger to the West End, having appeared in Royal Command Performances no less. But then it’s also no secret Michael likes a good Queen! This gymned up hottie will be back on Sydney stages in 2014 in Enda Markey’s production of Blood Brothers at the Hayes Theatre – so far, the only professional production the Hayes has scheduled for 2015. But then semi-pro just isn’t Michael’s style. Michael will be playing the narrator, expounding on the tale of the Johnson Twins, and no doubt displaying his piercing eyes and killer pecs all the while. Ah, if only we had your discipline Michael.
Chris Durling – charisma just running in his veins!
Chris Durling
When you’re playing Enjolras in Les Miserables, you have some seriously big boots to fill. In the past it’s been played in Oz by Anthony Warlow, who may have one of our great voices, but did he ever have Chris Durling’s smoulder? This Diva is the wrong one to ask. Durling has previously played in High School Musical, Fame, Jersey Boys and Grease, even as one of Bindi Irwin’s back-up dancers! Tall, dark and handsome, in the current staging of Les Mis, he’s actually blonde and curly – much in the manner of Aaron Tveit in the movie – but who are we to complain? The guy has some serious talents to trade off, and being at the heart of the new national tour of Cameron Macintosh’s Les Mis can only seriously help with their exposure. About to hit the stage of the Capitol in Sydney in the New Year, it will be interesting to see how both the musical and Chris have developed since it opened in Melbourne. And to see Chris out on the town. Sydney misses you man! And who could blame us? Look at that face. Yum!
Bert Labonte – now that is style!
Bert LaBonte
Why is it that whenever we see Bert LaBonte we hear Hedwig start singing “Sugar Daddy” in the back of our head? Tall, dark and handsome – with eyes that bore right through you, the gorgeous Mr LaBonte isn’t just a sought after actor we will hazard. LaBonte hit his stride most recently in An Officer and a Gentleman the musical, for which he won a Helpmann Award. He’s been busy ever since, popping up in the most unexpected places and simply dazzling on stage with his powerful personality. Sydney saw him most recently in the David Williamson play Rupert, where his chameleon-like efforts stole many a scene. Unlike some of the candidates on this list, Bert isn’t the gratuitous nudity type. Oh no. He’s far too classy for that and rocks his suit just as hard as his vocals. A surefire frontrunner for the role of the Genie when Disney brings their mega-hit stage musical of Aladdin to Australia – we’ll be seeing plenty more of Bert LaBonte in years to come. We truly are the lucky country!
Rob Johnson – the matinee idol of the Sydney Independent music theatre scene.
Rob Johnson
Here’s a new entrant to the music theatre who instantly took our breath away. Rob Johnson first hit the collective attention in Squabbalogic’s Carrie, where, as good boy character Tommy, he had the good fortune to be in love with Adele Parkinson and still dance with Hilary Cole… before she killed him of course. Tall, sleek and with disarmingly boyish, good looks, Johnson came back to our stages in 2014 in Squabbalogic’s Sondheim on Sondheim where he smashed out “Franklin Shephard Inc” and did lots of flirting with Debora Krizak. Well… can you blame either of them? Just look at those eyes! A natural born performer, he’s easily the matinee idol of the present Indie music theatre scene and it can only be a matter of time before we see him on our mainstages. Is it just us – or is there something devilish about an intense redhead? You’d have to ask Adele Parkinson – they’ve been an inseparable pair ever since Carrie. Once again – who could blame them!
Thomas Lacey – sleek, he moves like an animal!
Thomas Lacey
Did anyone in the Australian music theatre get screwed over harder this year than Strictly Ballroom lead Thomas Lacey? Plucked from obscurity by Baz Luhrmann himself, this young hottie got given the role of a lifetime in what should have been the biggest Australian musical ever produced. But then leaving Baz alone with too much money and too much time has never been a good idea, and so the musical of a lifetime became the flop of the decade, and Lacey was left stage centre trying to carry the hot mess ever since. Thank heavens he’s so easy on the eye! A green young actor, thoroughly under-directed on stage, Lacey is also an exquisite mover with a dazzling physique. Seen mostly on stage in the Scott Hastings get-up, in the Chesty Bonds and the black dancey pants, or that sparkling matador’s jacket, off stage – he’s just a lovable young hipster, far more likely to be seen rocking a pair of skinnies, a beanie and the Tina Fey librarian glasses. Off to Melbourne in 2015 for Strictly Ballroom’s last gasp, don’t expect to have heard the last of the sexy Mr Lacey just yet. He gets around we hear.
Alex Duncan – brilliant and deadly sexy.
Alex Duncan
Alex Duncan is very much the dark horse entry on this list – but then given his style as an actor, it suits him really. A smouldering and intense performer, Duncan becomes sex on legs the moment he hits the stage, so instant and enthralling is his magnetism. The recent recipient of a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for his performance in The Legend of King O’Malley, he was so dazzling in the demonic role of “Angel” that he quite literally stole the show out from under the title character. The fact that he won our hearts while doing so is probably mere grist for the mill for this guy. Just look at him, smouldering away, and despair – you’ll always be second fiddle to the art, when someone is that talented its just the inevitable truth. Expect to see him on our mainstages more in the coming years. Darkly sexual and utterly compelling, Alex Duncan has a whole canon of roles with his name on them just rearing to go! It’s only a matter of time.
Nick Jones – heaven on two, perfect dancers legs!
Nick Jones
Want to play where are they now? Given the number of revivals about town it seems appropriate. This absolute hunk is named Nick Jones, and go back a couple of decades and he was playing young Louis Leonowens opposite Hayley Mills in John Frost’s 1991 production of The King and I. Talk about ageing well! This gorgeous man has since gone from strength to strength, performing in some major national tours including The Boy From Oz, Shout, Chicago, Miss Saigon and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Thanks to Blue Print Studios from whom we obviously stole this portrait (we’ll throw in a plug – you can visit the headshot and photographical savant Kurt Sneddon’s website here!) but we quite simply had to include Mr Jones. Rumour has it he’s got some seriously big projects on the horizon. Duh! Look at him! A dancers dancer – he’s also a stone cold fox. Bookmark the name – the face, we have no doubt will linger in your memories without our encouragement.
Kristian Lavercombe – a rock star of the music theatre.
Kristian Lavercombe
Looking at this guy and you’d never know, never even imagine that he’s currently playing the hunchbacked rocker Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show. Throw on some make-up and a lump on the rump big enough to be a hump and hey presto! Even the cutest amongst us can become a gorgeous monstrosity! And it’s not just this guys rockstar looks that have tongues wagging – Lavercombe was handpicked to play the all important Riff Raff in the 40th anniversary tour of Rocky and received the seal of approval from the shows creator Richard O’Brien. Beyond that – he’s only one of New Zealand’s top leading men with starring credits to his name in Jesus Christ Superstar, Urinetown, Rent and The Fantasticks. They’re busy over there in NZ! And Lavercombe is one of the actors leading the charge. Naturally, much like say, Russell Crowe or Lorde, we shall adopt him in Oz now that he is successful. Still, adopted or otherwise, he’s a total babe! Here’s hoping we get to see him on stage out of that make-up soon.
Xander Ellis – beware of smouldering Brent Street boys!
Xander Ellis
You really gotta watch out for these Brent Street Boys! Sometimes they’re just really way too hot for their own good. Meet Xander Ellis, who you may remember from Wicked, Rock of Ages, Sweet Charity, Madame Butterfly, Grease or the national tour of Tap Dogs. He takes a good headshot, but in person, he’s devastating. Enough of a presence in the Hayes Theatre staging of Tap Dogs that we remember him months later for his smile and his smoulder, and with some serious credits on his CV, well, everything’s looking up Xander for the New Year. No doubt back in the New Year for the national tour of Sweet Charity – or the one where everyone actually gets paid! – Xander had a big 2014 and can only now go from strength to strength. A seriously talented young dancer with a big stage presence and a smile that could melt the frostiest of hearts, we’ll be seeing more of him and make no mistake. Here’s hoping that’s literally as well as figuratively!
Rob Collins – just a bit dreamy!
Rob Collins
Rob Collins may not be the most sexploitative member of the cast of Disney’s current Australian tour of The Lion King, but there’s no denying, the man is gorgeous. The Darwin born actor is a vocal advocate for indigenous Australians in the arts and has a rep for snagging and then nailing some seriously weighty roles in the world of theatre. His star turn in 2014 came with the role of Mufasa in Disney’s mega-musicals return season, and while Nick Afoa’s Simba may have been the guy on stage with his abs out, Rob Collins inevitably was the guy who ended up drawing the eye. A recent NIDA grad, at the age of 34, the world is all Rob Collins’ oyster right now. The married father of three was one of the few members of the cast of the King with serious gravitas on display – a natural for stage drama, he’s also a singers singer, and though the memory of it now apparently embarrasses the guy, we will point out that he was once a member of the Drawin based boy-band Emoshion. That boyish grin and that charisma – of course he was! Imagine this guy in Gypsy as Herbie opposite Christine Anu’s Momma Rose – it’s an image with potential.
Kurt Phelan you beast!
Kurt Phelan
The list would be incomplete without leading to the spectacular abdominal muscles of Dirty Dancing star Kurt Phelan. The uber hottie did some serious gymn work for the role of Johnny Castle and man did it pay off! His scenes on stage in the softcore stageploitation/movie adaptation were amongst the only ones with a pulse! It doesn’t hurt that he’s moving his booty about throughout and rarely appears in anything that is not completely skintight – but when you got it, flaunt it! When not in the throws of Dirty Dancing, Phelan is reputedly an utter sweetie pie, more up for a good chillax than for flashing his glistening six-pack. The NIDA grad may have more of a background in Drama than in musicals, but having made such a splash even in the reprehensible Dirty Dancing, he looks pretty set to stay. Here’s hoping he gets a role with a bit more teeth next time around – though if there happened to be gratuitous nudity and so forth… we certainly would not stand in the way!
Last but certainly not least – the singular talents of Mig Ayesa.
Miguel Ayesa
And finally – a rock god to round out the mix! Miguel “Mig” Ayesa – the institution of Philippine rock’n’roll and an Australian music theatre legend – the guy is 44 and just look at him! Is this the sexiest leading man in Oz right now? Depends I suppose on just how much skin we actually get to see in the Ambassador Theatre Group’s national tour of Thriller Live! Having hit superstardom in his homeland and played the lead on the West End in Rock of Ages and We Will Rock You, Mig made his start in Oz in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story before going on to star in productions of Grease, West Side Story, Rent and Fame. Back for Thriller, abs more chiselled than ever, voice electrifying and ready to rock, the gorgeous Mr Ayesa is already clearly the centrepiece of this new tour and rightly so. It will be interesting to see if his return is followed by involvement in Rodney Rigby’s upcoming production of Here Lies Love. It’s the hottest new musical for Australia’s 2015 season. How right it should star a rock god. Time will tell!
Happy New Year – and, you’re welcome!
Diva Knows Best
Xoxox
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