The Hatpin is a musical theatre production inspired by the true story of Amber Murray who in 1892 gave up her son to the Makin family

John and Sarah Makin

John Makin and Sarah Jane Makin were Australian baby farmers who were convicted in New South Wales of the murder of infant Horace Murray. Both were tried and found guilty in March 1893 and sentenced to death. John was hanged on 15 August 1893, but Sarah's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment...

 in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. Written and developed in 2006–2007, by James Millar

James Millar (Australian actor)

James Millar is an award-winning Australian actor, singer and writer. He is the author of the musical drama The Hatpin which premiered in Sydney on 27 February 2008 and the critically acclaimed Song Cycle "LOVEBiTES".-WAAPA:James Millar studied writing at the University of Technology, Sydney and...

 (book and lyrics) and Peter Rutherford (composer), The Hatpin opened at the Seymour Centre in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 on 27 February 2008. The original Australian production starred Peter Cousens

Peter Cousens

Peter Cousens is an Australian actor, born in Tamworth NSW.He attended The Armidale School in Armidale and then Gordonstoun School, Scotland. He then spent a year reading Arts at St Paul's College, Sydney University before studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Art , graduating in...

, Caroline O'Connor, Barry Crocker

Barry Crocker

Barry Hugh Crocker OAM is a popular Australian singer, with a crooning vocal style.-Biography:...

, and Melle Stewart.

The Hatpin made its US premiere on 15 September 2008 at the American Theatre of Actors in the Chernuchin Theatre as a participant of the New York Musical Theatre Festival

New York Musical Theatre Festival

The New York Musical Theatre Festival is an annual three-week fall Festival which presents more than thirty new musicals at venues in New York City's midtown theater district...

. Caroline O'Connor followed The Hatpin overseas to reprise her role of Harriet Piper, as did Gemma-Ashley Kaplan, who returned to play Clara Makin.

In 2011 The Hatpin will make its Melbourne premiere with Magnormos

Magnormos

Magnormos is an independent musical theatre production company based in Melbourne, Australia, that specialises in producing musicals written by Australian writers, and landmark international works....

 at Theatre Works, St. Kilda directed by Shaun Kingma with musical direction by Sophie Thomas.

Synopsis

The Hatpin is the true story of a single mother, Amber Murray, who advertised her baby in a newspaper trading column in the hope of saving his life...and ended up embroiled in one of the most captivating, moving and exciting criminal trials in Australian history. Using the moral support she gains from her friendship with the free spirited Harriet Piper, Amber fights the injustices of circumstance and tragedy to find hope and strength.

Original cast

• Melle Stewart as Amber Murray
• Caroline O'Connor as Harriet Piper
• Michelle Doake as Agatha Makin
• Gemma-Ashley Kaplan as Clara Makin
• Peter Cousens as Charlie Makin
• Tyran Parke as Edward Cleary
• Barry Crocker AM as James Hanoney/Justice Stephen
• Jennifer Peers as Minnie Davis
• Octavia Barron-Martin as Marianne Leonard
• Jodie Harris as Rebecca Rigby
• Nick Christo as Thomas Williamson/James Joyce

Musical numbers

• Overture - Orchestra
• Hymn - Cast
• Twisted Little Town - Cast
• Puddles - Amber
• Work - Cast and Harriet
• Bad Fruit - Amber and Harriet
• Knock Knock Knock - Cast
• Enough - Amber
• Gathering Sirens - Cast and Amber
• Steal Away - Charlie
• The Hand of Courage - Amber and Harriet
• These Things - Cast
• Digging Up - Cast and James
• So Much More Than Me - Amber
• Why Did I Give Him Away? - Cast and Amber
• Sail - Harriet and Clara
• Something Like Being a Mother - Harriet
• Natural Causes - Cast
• The Hatpin - Clara
• The Verdict - Cast and Justice Stephen
• Holding You - Amber and Harriet
• A Tiny Glow/Sail Reprise - Cast

Awards and nominations

• 2009 Sydney Theatre Awards
  • Best New Australian Work (nominee)
  • Best Actress in a Musical - Michelle Doake (winner)
  • Best Actress in a Musical - Gemma-Ashley Kaplan (nominee)