It’s season launch time again with other news in the wind. In fact, the wind threatened to blow away the crowd that gathered to launch Queensland Theatre Company’s Season 2009 at the State Library on Monday evening. Brisbane weather can be capricious at this time of year … storms boot up out of any direction, and blow in with a ferocity that reminds us that we really do live in the sub-tropics.
As it happened, things settled on the SL’s delightful ‘tea-cup terrace’ overlooking the Brisbane River. The arts crowd buzzed, and Minister for the Arts Rod Welford and Artistic Director Michael Gow delivered the news most … especially the artists and creatives not already booked for a gig … were waiting to hear. What would the main stage season hold?
2009 will be Gow’s tenth season with the state theatre company, and it bids fair to be his best yet. A mix of classics and brand-new works, Australian and international, home-grown, co-produced or hosted with other Australian theatre companies, and presented in the Company’s home venue the Bille Brown Studio in Brisbane’s own West End, as well as in QPAC’s Cremorne and Playhouse venues. Then there are the state-wide and national tours. A big year all round, especially for the artists; 2009 will probably be the largest contingent of actors for many years.
Other news in the wind …. La Boite Theatre and Toowoomba’s Empire Theatres are about to anoint their own new artistic directors. Facebook tends to be the media release tool of choice these days, though undoubtedly the heritage media will get the nod in a day or so. And so we learned that David Berthold (Griffin, ATYP and formerly of STC and Queensland Theatre Company) is going to La Boite, and Lewis Jones (Circa) up the hill. Exciting times ahead for Queensland Theatre. Good luck chaps!
I’m hearing the term ‘artist’ bandied around a lot lately. Maybe it’s a bit of strutting, maybe not. Maybe it’s just time actors claimed the title, and admitted egolessly to being exactly that.
The word ‘actor’ works for me, but so also does ‘artist’ when it’s used by someone who’s talented, experienced, and who’s paid her dues. I hate it when it’s splashed all over the place by wannabe no talents. Rant over.
But not any old night. Another class of actors enters the industry at their showcase performance and end of three years of intensive training. Their lovely talent shone through despite the grunginess of the venue. As always, I felt as though a bunch of fledglings was leaving the nest and needed protection. No, let them go and, hopefully, watch them fly. Along with many other actor-trainers, I hate showcases. They are artificial exercises designed to market a human product; they always make me feel incredibly sad and proud in equal measure. C’est la guerre.
I wanted it to go so well for them all, dressed up, clutching their business cards, learning how to pick their way through the minefield of industry schmoozing required to get agents, casting calls, auditions, jobs. It’s a tough business. Many will walk away finding it too hard, too compromising, too … .
Break a leg and never give up!
A busy month which has been very kind to me and my projects. The SiQP 2007 Festival has been a resounding success, so much so that the committee decided to put the 2008 Festival on sale immediately to build on the success of this one. Not sure that people will buy this far out; more inclined to think that sponsorship deals are ripe for the picking. A good experiment though … . I then created a project management folder and labelled it SiQP2008! Ye gods.
And an odd if pleasant (and most unusual) thing: I have been written about in a couple of magazines:in AUC:Wheels for the Mind, for my work with digital media in teaching and learning, and in Management Today as one of Australia’s most influential women! Gosh! Of course I knew about the articles; I was interviewed by both writers, but neverthless, it comes as something of a surprise to see it all in print, and I choose to believe that it justifies and validates the work. Nice!
So, in putting March to bed I’d have to say that the first couple of months of this year have personally and professionally very OK. Looking forward to a few days of play over the Easter break to work on Photoshop and some photographic assignments.
Oh and a little postscript … found an insanely simple and very attractive way to use a piece of paper as a little notebook. It’s Origami meets GTD!