Get Technical! – Behind the Curtain of Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)

Global Creatures presents Get Technical! – Behind the Curtain of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, hosted by Simon Burke AO and featuring special guest host, academy award-winner Catherine Martin.

Following booked out events in Sydney and Perth, the 10 time Tony Award-winning musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical is opening its doors at the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), for an unprecedented and exclusive FREE event for upper high school students, university, TAFE and college students, as well as people with transferable skills interested in working in technical theatre production. Queensland guests are invited to meet the creative and technical team behind the curtain on Australia’s leading musical spectacular, including a unique opportunity to participate in a Q&A with Australian Costume, Set and Production Designer Catherine Martin, production staff and technical crew on stage.

The event has been created by Sydney based production company and Producers of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Global Creatures, in response to the critical job shortages in backstage positions currently affecting productions around the country. It is a very rare opportunity (an Australian first) to learn about the myriad of backstage roles in the theatre industry.

In Australia, significant numbers of backstage staff and crew left the theatre industry during the global pandemic and the usual practice of recruitment and up-skilling on the job also came to a complete halt. With productions coming back with a vengeance in 2023 there is a serious lack of trained and experienced staff and crew. There is an urgent need to not only find the next generation of production creatives, crew and technicians, but to also train and engage them into the theatre backstage workforce.

Backstage is where all the magic happens. We, and all producers, are constantly on the lookout for great crew and backstage company members,” explains producer Carmen Pavlovic. “We’re after stage managers; lighting technicians; hair, wig and makeup artists; wardrobe assistants; set automation and mechanists to name a few. We hope to encourage  high schoolers on the precipice of adulthood, and current tertiary students to consider the many potential career pathways in live theatre, as well as inspiring those already in the workforce with transferable skills looking for a change of pace. We are thrilled that Catherine Martin is co-hosting our Brisbane event with Simon Burke. She is the perfect example of an extraordinary costume and production designer who started her career in theatre and followed an inspiring path to become one of the world’s visionary stage and film designers and a four-time Academy award-winner.

Hosted by Simon Burke AO along with special guest host, four-time Academy Award-winner, Catherine Martin, who alongside husband and director Baz Luhrmann is responsible for the revoluntinary 2001 film MOULIN ROUGE!, the event will run for 2 hours followed by a Q&A (maximum 30 minutes) and will start with a performance of the opening of the show through to the end of the first Can Can. Through video footage, the audience will then be taken on a behind the scenes tour of each technical department including Wigs/Hair and Make-Up, Lighting, Props, Wardrobe and Set Mechanists followed by Simon Burke and Catherine Martin interviewing crew from each department live on stage. Simon, Catherine and the crew will highlight their function, responsibilities and daily tasks on the production and the numerous and fascinating pathways crew have entered the performing arts industry from, before answering questions from the audience. The event will also feature a very special “in conversation” with Catherine Martin delving into her illustrious and exciting career in design.

 

 

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Event Details:

DATE: Thursday 22 June 2023
TIME: Doors open from 12:30pm. Event 1:00pm – 3:30 pm  (including Q&A from 3pm)
LOCATION: Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC)

The best part? It’s free to attend – if you’re interested simply register here.