2016
2020
2017
2021
2018
2020 [TAKE 2]
2019
2020 [take 2]
GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES
The sixth 24 Hour Musical Project, originally scheduled for 2020, was finally held 2 - 3 October 2021.
2 Oct 6pm
After postponing the 2020 Project due to Covid, we FINALLY kick off the show that had been in various stages of planning for almost 2 years! The second Project in 2021, in another new venue, with our biggest cast yet. It was time to see if Diamonds really are a girl’s best friend…
all aboard...
While the crew rehearsed scene changes and the orchestra played through the score, the cast started learning French. This classic show threw a few surprises at us all and everyone had so much to get through.
The team pulled together at the run-through and with a light-hearted cest la vie, the boat was (somewhat) ready to leave the dock.
3 Oct 6pm
The curtain rose and the ship sailed with a hearty Bon Voyage!
Plenty of mishaps brought the comedy to this Musical Comedy. Led by our fabulous Lorelei and Dot, we all got through the waves and docked in France. The lengthy Park Scene tested the linguistic and balletic skills of our cast, and the luscious score floated above the Seine.
In the second half plenty more comedy and mishap, and an unforgettable tap number eventually took us back to New York and a happy ending.
2021
STARLIGHT EXPRESS
The fifth 24 Hour Musical Project was held 10 - 11 April 2021
10 April 6pm
With face-masks adorned, the Project is back, and the shortlist has come down to the ultimate Andrew Lloyd Webber showdown… Starlight Express vs Cats!
What time is it? IT’S RACE TIME!! We reveal that trains are a go, reveal our graffiti covered set to the Company, and start on 12 hours of music calls for our first SUNG-THROUGH project.
there’s a light...
The biggest challenge this show threw at us was the enormous amount of music and choreography, and fitting it all in to the rehearsal schedule was a tight squeeze (to say the least). A small mishap with costuming caused another tight squeeze the team spent fixing all through the night, but eventually the sun rose on a show starting to take shape.
Sure, we were still teaching music, still sewing costumes, still learning blocking and dances, and hardly anyone had slept at all, but spirits were high and by the time we got to the stumble-through… we were still teaching music, sewing costumes and learning dances!
And then somehow, the final rehearsal was done and everyone was ready to go, and FOR A CHANGE, we were all waiting for the audience to get in to start!
11 April 6pm
The cast is on stage, there’s a harmonica warbling from our Poppa, and an audience of more than 800 fills the theatre. After a year of what seemed like silence, the roar of the crowd welcomed us back and the train left the station!
The journey was rough at times, there was so much to cover with a sung-through show and the momentum just kept speeding onward; we rocked and rolled with Greaseball, lurched through Freight is Great, bounced with the Pop-Diva Coaches, buzzed with Electra, and hip-hopped with the the Hip Hoppers. The engines raced - there was drama and triumph and in the end Rusty the Steamtrain proved that all our dreams could come true with the just a little Starlight.
There is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel…
2020 sucked, so we did this instead…
We asked our Alumni to LEARN, CREATE or DO something as a personal challenge.
Over the 24 hours that would have been our 2020 Project, from 6pm 17 April to 6pm 18 April, 30 of our 24 Hour Musical Project Alumni set themselves a personal challenge to complete. They were wide ranging from recording characters and songs to crochet, woodwork and paper cranes, or even writing a musical!
$6,283.63 in donations were collected for our Project Charity Partner: The Actors and Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Qld.
2019
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
The fourth 24 Hour Musical Project was held on 13-14 April 2019.
13 April 5pm
"The Sound of Music" is announced.
here we go again...
Rehearsals continue with more music, choreography and blocking. The orchestra finish their first read and head home for a good night's sleep (lucky ducks!). The crew finish putting the set together, setting up backstage areas and start rehearsing scene changes.
The next morning the sunrise is coupled with the renewing smell of bacon, the orchestra returns and the morning is filled with final rehearsals. The tech run after lunch is the one chance to run the show before the audience arrives!
14 April 5pm
The hills burst into life with “The Sound of Music”
2018
THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK
The third 24 Hour Musical Project was held on 7-8 April 2018.
7 April 5pm
Through the amazing medium of video "The Witches of Eastwick" is announced, packs are opened and casting revealed. Cast went straight into music rehearsals, musicians started their first read of the complex score, crew set the stage and costume fittings begin!
by the light of the moon...
Rehearsals continue with more music, choreography and blocking. The orchestra finish their first read and head home for a good night's sleep (lucky ducks!). The crew finish putting the set together, setting up backstage areas and start rehearsing scene changes.
The next morning Sunrise Yoga stretched out the rigours of the long night accompanied by the sizzle of bacon on the BBQ, the orchestra returns and the morning is filled with final rehearsals. The tech run after lunch is the one chance to run the show before the audience arrives!
8 April 5pm
The curtain rises on the wholesome town of Eastwick and our witches begin their journey.
An energetic company battled on through the two acts with much hip-thrusting and laundry waving. A sign burst into flame (on purpose!) and we all made it to the end in once piece; except possibly Darryl Van Horne who had a dramatic fall through a stained-glass window in the finale (also on purpose!)
2017
KISS ME KATE
The second 24 Hour Musical Project was held on 8-9 April 2017.
8 April 6pm
"Kiss Me Kate" is announced, the cast throw aside their Guys and Dolls tracks and everyone rushes off to brush up their Shakespeare. Our musicians start on the complex jazz score, the dancers start stretching and the crew are introduced to the revolving proscenium set. Will it be comedy or tradegy?
here we go again...
Rehearsals continue with more music, choreography and blocking. The orchestra finish their first read and head home for a good night's sleep (lucky ducks!). The crew finish putting the set together, setting up backstage areas and start rehearsing scene changes.
The next morning the sunrise is coupled with the renewing smell of bacon, the orchestra returns and the morning is filled with final rehearsals. The tech run after lunch is the one chance to run the show before the audience arrives!
9 April 6pm
Almost on time we begin with Another Opening of Another Show, "Kiss Me Kate"
The dancing was AMAZING, the characters intriguing and even the Shakespearean dialogue was on the mark. The orchestra soared, even as the spinning set moved past their chairs so close the strings had to duck out of its way. The only complaint we received was that it was too good! And so we will endeavour to include numerous hilarious errors next year.
2016
Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA
The inaugural 24 Hour Musical Project was held on 2-3 April 2016.
2 April 6pm
"Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA" is announced, packs are opened and casting revealed. Cast went straight into music rehearsals, musicians started their first read of the score, crew set the stage and costume fittings begin!
all through the night...
Rehearsals continue with more music, choreography and blocking. The orchestra finish their first read and head home for a good night's sleep (lucky ducks!). The crew finish putting the set together, setting up backstage areas and start rehearsing scene changes.
The next morning the sunrise is coupled with the renewing smell of bacon, the orchestra returns and the morning is filled with final rehearsals. The tech run after lunch is the one chance to run the show before the audience arrives!
3 April 6pm
After a short 10min technical delay the curtain finally opens on the first 24 Hour Musical Project performance, Cinderella.
The songs weren't note-perfect, the dancing was an enthusiastic rather than precise affair (so much waltzing!) and the dialogue was occasionally improvised; but the energy that connected the company and the audience on that night was electric, and full of such love and support, that we consider our Cinderella nothing short of a triumph!
