Adelaide Gets Its First Pro Musical Theatre Company

Adelaide has something it's never had before: a professional musical theatre company of its very own.

Full Circle Theatre Company announced its launch this week, revealing it will stage its debut production of Catch Me If You Can this November at Futures Theatre. The move fills an unexpected gap in a city that regularly hosts touring musicals but has never had its own dedicated professional troupe.

Artistic director Jo Casson says the company will give South Australia's talented performers a reason to stay home. "For professional artists to work they so often have to move to the eastern states, so it will be amazing to have some opportunities for those professional artists to work in their hometown," she told ABC Adelaide.

Adelaide has plenty of amateur and semi-professional groups producing musicals, but they typically run on tight budgets with casts and crews juggling day jobs. Full Circle sits in what Casson calls "a niche market" between community theatre and big national tours, offering professional work with local roots.

The company has backing from patron Pamela Wall AO, a well-known Adelaide philanthropist. It also recruited three ambassadors to spread the word: radio presenter Peter Goers, vocalist Libby O'Donovan, and performer Rachael Beck.

Full Circle plans to stage three recognizable shows over its first 18 months. After building a reputation, Casson hopes to support lesser-known works by local writers. She recently directed a musical by South Australian composer Amity Dry and knows firsthand how tough it is to get new work seen without major funding or fame.

The Ripple Effect

The company aims to grow musical theatre audiences across South Australia. Right now, musicals draw just 9 percent of the state's live entertainment crowds compared to 17 percent in other states.

Casson believes that's not about lack of interest but lack of opportunity. Adelaide sometimes gets skipped by big touring productions entirely. Full Circle wants to change that by creating professional theatre that's also affordable and building partnerships with community groups and schools.

Peter Goers called Casson "the most brilliant director/producer of musical theatre in Adelaide in my long experience." Wall praised the team's commitment to presenting musical theatre to people who've never experienced it before.

South Australia's theatre scene just got a permanent new stage for its homegrown talent.