WAAPA of a time: Australia’s leading arts institution presents interesting and relevant season
I arrived home today to find the 2012 WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) program sitting in my letterbox.
Ripping it open and flipping through it, I was excited and pleased to see the program continues to provide Perth with first class theatre that without these productions, we would not get the chance to see. Chocked full of performances from the departments of music, dance, drama and music theatre, this year’s program has something for everyone.
The 2012 mid-year musical, which has become an institution and highlight on the Perth Musical scene, is the current Broadway hit How to succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Playing at the Regal Theatre, it follows on from the previous successful productions 42nd Street, Anything Goes and Crazy for You, featuring students from the 3rd and 2nd year of the music theatre stream. The first production of the year is the musical Xanadu, based on the 80s cult classic movie staring Olivia Newton John.
Finally, the music theatre year ends continuing with Broadway hits, Into the Woods and Spring Awakening.
This years acting program includes Shakespeare’s hysterical The Comedy of Errors and tale of political betrayal Julius Caesar. Summer of the 17th Doll and The Crucible are part of this years classics, while Enron, based on the financial scandal of the 1990’s, highlights the global crisis the world continues to find itself in.
Jazz, blues, classic and chamber are some of the vast music genres on offer throughout the program this year. Link Dance Company celebrates it’s tenth year presenting a program that including neoclassical ballet (Pivot), contemporary (Variant) and original choreography (Breaking Out.)
If you are in Perth this year, be sure to see some theatre presented by the Western Australian Academy Of Performing Arts. This drama school continues to produce performers who are leading the way in our Arts industry with many of our major stars having emerged from the ranks of this institution.
Verity Hunt-Ballard (Mary Poppins), Ben Lewis (Love Never Dies), Simon Gleeson (Love Never Dies), Virginia Gay (Winners and Losers), Viva Bianca (Spartacus), Lucy Maunder (Dr Zhivago), Lucy Durack (Wicked), Stephen Mahy (Jersey Boys), Glaston Toft (Jersey Boys), Tyran Parke, Hugh Jackman, William McInnes, Lisa McCune are just some of the alumni names found in programs and on screens worldwide.
Go on! You’ll have a whopper of a time!
Musical Theatre
Xanadu: 17 – 24 March
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: 15 – 23 June
Into the Woods: 25 August – 1 September
Spring Awakening: 13 October – 30 October
Acting
Clinchfield: 16 – 22 March
The Comedy of Errors: 17 – 22 March
The Old Man Comes Rolling Home: 16 – 22 March
Vernon God Little: 4 – 10 May
Julius Caesar: 4 – 10 May
Summer of the 17th Doll: 15 – 23 June
Enron: 16 – 21 June
The Crucible: 24 – 30 August
The Swell Party: 25 – 30 August
Realism: 12 – 18 October
Link Dance Company
Pivot: 5 – 11 May
Variant: 23 – 26 May
Breaking Out: 21 – 25 August
Diversify: 17 – 20 October
Shine: 17 – 24 November
For a complete listing of the 2012 program visit waapa.ecu.edu.au
Bookings: Box Office 9370 6895 or waapa.ecu.edu.au/box office (Visit website for information on dates ticket go on sale)
Fantastic season! Can’t wait to see those third year actors take on the Crucible!
Pivot, Breaking Out and Shine are not presented by Link Dance Company. They are presented by WAAPA Dance students.