UA31316 Lumen Spring 2024 Final Digital - Flipbook - Page 22
Alum profile
Alum profile
Max Walburn
Mackenzie Garcia
I had the most wonderful three years at University, graduating with
a Bachelor of Music Theatre in 2023. Being a part of something
new was always part of the appeal in my initial application to
audition for this program.
My life at the University of Adelaide began in 2020 with the
uncertainty of what the next three years would look like, but
with so much excitement for the road ahead.
Within the first three weeks of classes, Covid-19 had struck,
putting everyone indoors and placing all our learning online.
To experience how much the course developed over my time
into what it is today was incredibly special and an honour that
will endure as this young program’s reputation continues to grow
amongst the national (and international) performing arts industry.
As the Bachelor of Music Theatre is a performance-based
degree, all dance classes, acting, and vocal lessons were taken
online via Zoom making it all the more challenging. Fortunately,
by second semester we had resumed in person and were able to
meet the incredible faculty and our peers face to face.
During my studies, my previous training and experiences were
nurtured and built upon to develop, improve, and understand my
own artistry more than I ever had before. The three-year structure
allowed me to break down and rework old habits, get out of my
comfort zone (on many occasions), and grow – into the performer
(and person) that I graduated as and am today.
Throughout the course, the Bachelor of Music Theatre degree
provided me with amazing opportunities to put the tools I was
learning in the classroom on to the stage, in both University
productions and involvement in professional projects such as the
Adelaide Cabaret Festival and commercial musical theatre shows.
My individuality, and the individuality of my own journey over
the three years, was always embraced, as it was for all my peers,
by the entire faculty throughout the program.
My cohort was fortunate enough to have the privilege of
working with Nikki Snelson (Broadway actress) in our graduating
production of Legally Blonde where I gained an internship and
was placed as dance captain.
As an interstate student, my enrolment in this program also
taught me how to live away from of home as a young adult for the
first time. Managing finances and a Uni-work-life balance in a new
city were also fundamental skills.
With the guidance and tutelage of the Music Theatre team,
I was able to harness and improve my skills to be prepared for
the industry whilst also gaining resilience and furthering my own
personal growth. It is such a positive learning environment with
an exceptional array of lecturers providing students with all the
tools necessary.
Since graduating, I have been very fortunate to apply my
learning and growth from the program as a performer in
professional work environments such as the recent Sydney/
Melbourne production of La Cage aux Folles, State Opera South
Australia’s La Traviata, Opera Australia’s La Traviata, and soon
onboard the Brilliance of the Seas ship for Royal Caribbean
International dancing and travelling around the world!
Since graduating in 2022, I have moved interstate to Melbourne
to follow work opportunities and I’ve landed a wonderful agent.
A few months into 2023, I was successful in landing a role in
CDP Theatre Producer’s Dog Man the Musical, written by Tony
Award-nominated Kevin Del Aguila, giving me the opportunity to
travel the country and perform in bucket list theatres such as the
Sydney Opera House and The Athenaeum Theatre.
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