Adelaide Launches First Pro Musical Theatre Company
South Australia just ended a decades-long talent drain with Full Circle, the state's first professional musical theatre company. Over 100 performers auditioned for 25 roles in the debut show, signaling hope for artists who previously had to leave home to pursue their dreams.
For decades, talented performers like Joey Haenen had no choice but to leave Adelaide after graduation. "There is no work here and so you've got to move over east," the 21-year-old music theatre graduate explained.
Jazz Garcia experienced the same reality, spending a year in Melbourne working a day job in speech pathology just to fund her passion. "We don't really have anything in Adelaide," she said of the musical theatre opportunities back home.
That talent exodus just came to an end. Arts veteran Jo Casson joined forces with other industry leaders to launch Full Circle, South Australia's first-ever professional musical theatre company.
"I discovered in the middle of last year that every other major city has a professional local theatre company and Adelaide didn't," Casson said. She decided it was now or never.
The response proved the demand was real. When Full Circle held auditions for their debut production of Catch Me If You Can, more than 100 performers competed for 25 roles.
Haenen landed the lead role of Frank Abagnale Jr. after submitting an audition video from work. Garcia earned a spot in the ensemble after what she called "one of the longest dance audition processes" she'd ever experienced.
The Ripple Effect
The company is already bringing talent home. Choreographer Zoe Komazec-Kermond returned to Adelaide after performing in major productions like Cats, Matilda, and Mary Poppins on the east coast.
"There is so much talent in South Australia," she said. "We do sometimes feel like we have to go away in order to achieve what we want to achieve."
More than 30 creatives and technical crew have been hired, creating jobs that simply didn't exist before. The final cast mixes South Australians with performers returning to the state.
Unlike major touring productions that recently cancelled shows due to high costs, Full Circle plans to stay local. The company aims to stage two musicals annually for the next two years, then increase to three.
The team knows their debut show carries weight beyond opening night. "It's a huge responsibility and I think we're going to do a really good job," Garcia said confidently.
The buzz around Adelaide is already building, and Full Circle is ready to prove that performers can build careers without leaving home.
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Based on reporting by ABC Australia
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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