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Musical Director and Choreographer mentoring

Sat, 7 July 2012, 04:53 pm
katemcintosh8 posts in thread
We often hear that there aren’t enough Musical Directors and Choreographers in amateur theatre in Perth, and Directors sometimes find it very hard to put together a production team. Also, new MDs and Choreographers are often thrown in the deep end when they start out, and the experience can be overwhelming. If anyone has ever thought about being involved in a production on the music or choreography side of things, we are offering the chance to learn and work alongside one of us for the duration of a show. Unlike a lot of other roles in theatre, these are not gender or age specific! The only thing you will need is some musical knowledge as an MD and be able to read music (being able to play piano is a huge advantage, unless you have an accompanist that you know), and dance training for a Choreographer. Please note that none of us are paid for what we do and this is completely voluntary. We don’t want this to just be about us talking to you a lot; ideally, you would be able to gain the confidence to teach a song, put together a dance routine, or lead the band during a rehearsal. We are hoping that this will result in you getting your own MD and Choreographer work in Perth community theatre, and we would be happy to continue to support you in your first role. At this time, the opportunities we have are a production in Wanneroo in November/December 2012, and three productions in Kwinana in 2013. We would like people who can commit to a whole show, but this doesn’t necessarily mean being at every rehearsal. However, the more time you put in, the more experience and confidence you will gain. If anyone is interested or has any questions, please just send an email to hyde123@yahoo.com **Likewise, if there are any other MDs or Choreographers out there who would be happy to do the same for interested people in your area, please let me know and we can try to match the right people up. Hillary & Kate

Thread (8 posts)

katemcintoshSat, 7 July 2012, 04:53 pm
We often hear that there aren’t enough Musical Directors and Choreographers in amateur theatre in Perth, and Directors sometimes find it very hard to put together a production team. Also, new MDs and Choreographers are often thrown in the deep end when they start out, and the experience can be overwhelming. If anyone has ever thought about being involved in a production on the music or choreography side of things, we are offering the chance to learn and work alongside one of us for the duration of a show. Unlike a lot of other roles in theatre, these are not gender or age specific! The only thing you will need is some musical knowledge as an MD and be able to read music (being able to play piano is a huge advantage, unless you have an accompanist that you know), and dance training for a Choreographer. Please note that none of us are paid for what we do and this is completely voluntary. We don’t want this to just be about us talking to you a lot; ideally, you would be able to gain the confidence to teach a song, put together a dance routine, or lead the band during a rehearsal. We are hoping that this will result in you getting your own MD and Choreographer work in Perth community theatre, and we would be happy to continue to support you in your first role. At this time, the opportunities we have are a production in Wanneroo in November/December 2012, and three productions in Kwinana in 2013. We would like people who can commit to a whole show, but this doesn’t necessarily mean being at every rehearsal. However, the more time you put in, the more experience and confidence you will gain. If anyone is interested or has any questions, please just send an email to hyde123@yahoo.com **Likewise, if there are any other MDs or Choreographers out there who would be happy to do the same for interested people in your area, please let me know and we can try to match the right people up. Hillary & Kate
Lisa SkrypMon, 9 July 2012, 11:25 am

Congrats Hilary & Kate!

And congrats to whomever else is part of this fantastic initiative. I'm very pleased & encouraged to see this kind of foresight. Best of luck with it, and I hope many budding MDs & choreographers take you up on your generous offer.
Bass GuyMon, 9 July 2012, 08:02 pm

Brilliant idea!

Well done, I agree with Miss Skryp. Here's hoping you get heaps of interest. El
Walter PlingeTue, 7 Aug 2012, 02:30 pm

Well Done Ladies

Great work Hillary and Kate for offering this. I truly hope that you get some takers to learn the ropes.
danni_skyeWed, 15 Aug 2012, 10:19 am

Awesome Work Guys!!!

This is a fantastic idea and you guys are amazing to offer this opportunity to potenial MDs and Choreographers.
katemcintoshWed, 15 Aug 2012, 01:21 pm

Thank you all for your

Thank you all for your support. Unfortunately, the response has been pretty non-existent, although we have had contact from one dancer who is interested in choreography work. Hopefully it just means that they are getting experience elsewhere, and we still have new people coming through to take over when us tired production team members need a rest!
LabrugWed, 15 Aug 2012, 02:03 pm

Did you post this Via Facebook and other services?

Did you post this Via Facebook and other services? You may get more reaction there? Facebook > Theatre WA being one group in question.

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

hillaryrWed, 15 Aug 2012, 09:45 pm

We put it on Facebook but I

We put it on Facebook but I think some people may find the idea of MD or choroegraphy a bit daunting which is why we are offering to be mentors. Don't be shy, you don't know what you can do until you give it a go. It's a great feeling to watch a show that you've had creative input into! Hillary
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