UA31316 Lumen Spring 2024 Final Digital - Flipbook - Page 21
Arriving on campus for day one of the work, I was genuinely
taken aback by how resourced, beautiful and welcoming the
rehearsal spaces were. Gone were my imagined cramped black
boxes, hard floors and out of tune pianos. The rehearsal room
was enormous, filled with light, a great acoustic, a grand piano,
the floor marked up (by the students) based on designs concocted
in a set-design box in the months leading up.
The cohort would source the costumes, warm each other up,
foster the importance of the rehearsal room being a sacred and
safe space, mend, alter, repair, source prop pieces, workshop and
develop special effects (like very realistic looking acts of theatrical
violence on stage), sit out in the auditorium, even if they weren’t
directly involved in a moment… simply to observe, learn and feel
part of an all-inclusive troupe.
The students had been presented with the design (a very
tall, multi-storied and multi-purpose set on a slant) a daunting
looking penny-dreadful style hybrid that crossed time and
creative possibility by also utilising fluorescent lighting and
moveable staircases. It essentially allowed time to be fluid, whilst
still honouring the inextricable Victorian heart of the piece.
It was a truly exhilarating thing to behold. It no longer felt, as
rehearsals often do, like an “us and them” situation. Because of
their ethos and incredible training in both the craft and the way
to view the work on a holistic level, we became a team.
It took no explaining to the students, so developed in their
theatrical thinking after only three years, before they began to
very elegantly describe exactly what the set was doing and the
wonderment of all of the possibilities it possessed. I was thrilled.
Here was a cast of music theatre students so well versed not only in
their major (performance) but who had been infused with interest
and knowledge in all areas of production.
This, I realised, not only spoke to the cast’s organic love for the
theatre, but also the incredible amount of knowledge and etiquette
instilled into them through their three years of very concentrated
education. Having come out of Covid lockdowns, and theatre
shutdowns, working in a dynamic room filled with such
enthusiasm, resourcefulness and genuine adoration of their
training was truly inspiring.
When I was in my twenties, which is further away than I’d like
it to be now, I had the great good fortune of meeting Stephen
Sondheim in a private writers’ forum in a studio at the Sydney
Opera House. When asked about what made him satisfied with
the work, he answered with something I’ve never forgotten: “If, on
opening night, I can stand at the back of the theatre and say ‘this is
what we wanted to make’, then I’m happy.”
“IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST
SATISFYING COMPANY
EXPERIENCES OF MY CAREER,
ON A FANTASTIC CAMPUS IN A
SPARKLING CITY.”
As a team, we could all proudly stand at the back of our theatre
and collectively say ‘this is what we wanted to make’. And all thanks
to the glorious guts and gusto of beautifully trained students,
hungry to grow into their chosen profession.
It was one of the most satisfying company experiences of my
career, on a fantastic campus in a sparkling city. The bar is set
high at the Elder Conservatorium Music Theatre course, and
it’s extremely heartwarming to see, from further away now,
how that level of excellence continues to blossom under
world-class tutelage.
The University’s Bachelor of Music Theatre program accepted its first
students in 2019. It is an audition-entry three-year degree based within
the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Students present two shows a
year in the Scott Theatre on our North Terrace campus. This year’s
productions were of Jesus Christ Superstar and Alice By Heart.
Previous productions have included Shrek the Musical, Little Women
and A Chorus Line.
James Millar is a multi-award-winning actor, writer and director who
has appeared on stage, on television and on film. His broad musical
theatre experiences include being awarded the Helpmann Award for
Best Male Actor in a Musical for his performance as Miss Trunchbull
in Matilda the Musical.
Images: All courtesy of Greg Balcombe.
LUMEN
