The small group of theatre enthusiasts are excited to bring the stage play to life at The Q. Photo: Vanessa Valois.
It is difficult enough getting any break into show business, but if you don’t live in a big city, the odds against success are even smaller.
A program delivered by The Q theatre in Queanbeyan is hoping to give our regional performers a leg up.
‘The Locals Program’, which has been underway at The Q since 2022, gives people looking to bring their stories, talents and performances to the main stage an opportunity to perform at the highly regarded showcasing facility.
Kelly Roberts is one of the actors who has taken part in the program this year and is currently gearing up to make her Q debut with a performance of the musical Ordinary Days.
Kelly says the program has been a great support for her, her co-stars and her crew.
“We started it off as a project during lockdown. My friends and I just love the music in the show and would sing them together as a way to kill time and we started to just love it as a concept,” Kelly says.
“We decided we wanted to take it to a big stage when everyone could be together again, and I knew about the program through friends, so when the chance to pitch our show to the Q came up, we jumped at it.”
Joel Horwood at the Ordinary Days rehearsal at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. Photo: Vanessa Valois.
The program offers a place where aspiring performers are able to pitch their ideas to the centre and learn about the more technical side of putting on a stage show.
“They have spent the past few months working with us to learn about lighting and audio, which has been really helpful. They have been very supportive, and we are so excited to take the stage at The Q in a few weeks,” Kelly says.
“We have been working hard, and it wouldn’t have come about without the support of the program.”
The Q artistic director and program manager, Jordan Best, the woman behind the idea, has a passion for making sure all people involved in the arts have the chance to show off what they can do.
“I have 20 years of experience in the industry, so I’ve seen a lot of the nitty gritty and recognise how hard it can be for people within the arts to get to the main stage,” Jordan says.
“People in the bigger cities have more of an opportunity to present their ideas to people, bring them to the main stage and entertain crowds, but I wanted to give people in the regional areas a chance to show off their talents.”
The Q youth program involves an annual call out to anyone looking to bring their performances to the stage at The Q.
The Queanbeyan Performing Arts have recently undergone some impressive renovations with plenty of parking – highlighting the beautiful grass areas. They are ready to unveil them to the public through another exciting year of theatre.
Ordinary Days will be taking centre stage from 5 September to 7 September. To learn about all the programs and shows at The Q, visit The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre.
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