'Dirty Apple' fruitful for Conservatorium graduates
Published on 03 September, 2009
Opera Queensland's recent production of Dirty Apple included the talents of 2 recent Music Theatre graduates from CQUniversity's Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
Paul Tabone and Casey McCollow had roles in the ensemble for the production, at Brisbane's Powerhouse Theatre from July 18-25.
Paul Tabone and Casey McCollow - enjoying their Opera Queensland roles
Dirty Apple - created for and by young people aged 13 to 25 - made its world première as part of the Queensland Music Festival and Q-150 celebrations. Details available at this LINK .
Paul, who is in the ensemble but also understudying the lead role of 'Ben', said "the show is fantastic and really demonstrates the issues facing today's youth through cyber bullying".
"My character 'Marcus Le Blanc' is a very subdued character who has substantial repressed feelings; the typical 'black sheep' as such, of the school yard.
"The director Michael Futcher is very contempory, allowing this opera to be more realistic than most, so it is easily relatable to youth and real life in general. Opera Queensland is a fantastic organisation with many very talented staff and performers."
Paul Tabone's vocal talents - he was named 'Most Promising Voice for Music Theatre' while at CQUniversity - have also secured him a role in the Ten Tenors, scheduled to start in the New Year.
Paul has also performed and recorded with Mackay's operatic 'boy band' Formidable
His performance experiences include the role of Baron Scarpia in Kim Kirkman's production of Tosca The Technopera (for BAKK Studios) and the title role in The Wiz, as well as appearing in productions of Cinderella, Little Shop of Horrors, High School Musical, The Pajama Game and Thoroughly Modern Millie (for CQUniversity). He also performed as a soloist at the 2008 Carols in the City (which was broadcast by Channel 9), and is currently appearing as Pavarotti in Pavarotti Viva! (for Vavachi Entertainment).
Meanwhile, Casey McCollow has trained in singing, dance and acting. Her performance experiences include the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Evilene in The Wiz and Gladys in The Pajama Game, as well as understudying the role of Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors and the title role in Cinderella, and performing in the ensemble of High School Musical (for CQUniversity).
In 2006 and 2008, she appeared in the schools touring production of Choices for the Queensland Department of Health and was a featured dancer in the Mackay Choral Society production of The Gondoliers in 2006.
Casey in 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' mode
While featured as a singer and actor in Dirty Apple, Casey has trained in dance for 18 years and her diverse training includes a stunt workshop with the Australian Film Fighting Academy and a physical theatre workshop with Zen Zen Zo Theatre Company.
