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 42^nd 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 17^th 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 17^th 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)