Sugary Rum Productions
Sugary Rum was established in 2018 by Gus Murray to co-produce the Australian premiere of the Off-Broadway musical The View UpStairs at Hayes Theatre Co which was nominated for four Sydney Theatre Awards, including ‘Best Production of a Musical’.
In 2019 the company produced: the Australian premiere of Jess and Joe Forever by Zoe Cooper as part of the 25A season at Belvoir St Theatre (nominated for one Sydney Theatre Award); the Australian premiere of Anatomy of a Suicide by Alice Birch at the Old Fitz Theatre (nominated for four Sydney Theatre Awards and three GLUGS Awards); and Steve Martin’s The Underpants at the Seymour Centre (nominated for a GLUGS Award for Best Independent Production).
2020 saw the company create a brand new musical, The Rise & Disguise of Elizabeth R, starring the iconic Gerry Connolly as Queen Elizabeth II. The show was a hit at Hayes Theatre Co, receiving excellent reviews and enthusiastic audiences.
In January 2021, Sugary Rum co-produced a new production of the Broadway musical theatre icon RENT at the equally iconic Sydney Opera House. The show was one of the first few professional musical theatre productions worldwide to open after the global pandemic. It played to sold-out houses before playing a further sold-out run at The Art House in Wyong.
2022 saw a successful re-mount of Anatomy of a Suicide at the Seymour Centre to rave reviews.
Sugary Rum Productions has continued to push boundaries and flourish despite the industry-wide challenges presented by the pandemic. Taking the experiences and connections gained over the last six years, the company is expanding into the screen sector. Alongside ArenaMedia and Cockatoo Colab, Sugary Rum is a co-producer on the web-series Five Minute Call, written by and starring Simon Burke and Helen Dallimore.
Gus Murray
Gus Murray is an actor and producer based in Sydney. Before founding Sugary Rum Productions, he graduated with Bachelors Degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Sydney. He was a member of Actors Equity’s National Performers Committee from 2010 to 2015 and served on the Create NSW Artform Advisory Board for Theatre & Musical Theatre from 2021 to 2023.
As an actor, Gus has worked extensively across film, television and theatre including screen roles in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby; the Helen Reddy biopic, I Am Woman; NCIS: Sydney; The Last Anniversary; Last King of the Cross; McLeod’s Daughters; Doctor Doctor; Packed to the Rafters; Significant Others; The PM’s Daughter; North Shore and on stage in Angels in America (Old Fitz Theatre); Miracle City (Sydney Opera House); The Mousetrap (Australian National Tour); and Avenue Q (National Tour).
Click here for Gus’ acting CV and agent details