Bairnsdale Production Line Theatre Company is in its 24th year of staging high quality musicals every May, and this year’s Anything Goes, running at The Forge Theatre and Arts Hub from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 19, will be no exception.
No good musical happens without a talented musical team behind the scenes and this year sees music teacher Serena Jefferis returning to the role of musical director (MD), teaming up once again with Bek Axe as choral director / vocal coach. Assisting them in guiding the cast and orchestra to perform those musical numbers to the standard Bairnsdale audiences have become accustomed to, is Maddie Clark.
Last working with Production Line on The Sound of Music in 2019, Serena said she was drawn to return for Anything Goes because she just loves the music of the show, the tap numbers especially.
“As MD, I get to sing all the songs, all the parts,” Serena said.
“I know every note for every instrument – I just can’t pick favourites.”
Although Serena has appeared in a number of shows as an actor and dancer, she’s truly at home in the pit, conducting the band.
Indeed, many Production Line audiences might be more familiar with the top of Serena’s head, as she has frequently been in the orchestra pit as MD.
Asked if she would consider another role on stage, Serena replied, “I would definitely be a tap dancer – and a singer. But I really love my hole in the ground too much. I don’t think I’ll ever be enticed out of it”.
Vocal coach Bek Axe has barely missed a show since first joining Production Line for The Sound of Music and is excited to be working with Serena again.
“We were instant friends when we first met in 2019,” Bek said.
“I find that we work really well together, we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We really bonded over our love of the technical side of music too, the parts that come together to make the whole.”
Audiences will remember Maddie Clark from her standout performance as Rosalie in last year’s School of Rock or as the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music. What they may not know is that Maddie has also been stepping up to assist the musical teams for a number of years now.
Classically trained, Maddie’s experience and technical knowledge has been invaluable in helping blend a mixed bag of local talent, into a professional-sounding chorus.
The Anything Goes cast have been rehearsing twice a week since November, while still going to work or school and fulfilling other commitments, as well as being expected to practice at home.
The reward at the end of all those months of hard work, is in the audience reaction. Maddie says the licensing commitment prevents Production Line from posting video to social media of the cast rehearsing the actual show, but “they just sound so good, I wanted people to have a taste of what to expect if they come along in May – so I’ve posted a video to our Facebook page of the cast warming up to an old folk song. They really do sound so good”.
Serena added: “We really want the audience to not just see the musical, but hear the musical – hear the harmonies, hear the singing, and hear, not just see the tapping. The cast have worked so hard to do what we’ve asked of them, it’s really wonderful to hear it all coming together.”
Bek said her favourite thing is “seeing the dots on the page, develop into the chorus of voices”, but she’s happy to play favourites when it comes to the score, noting Blow, Gabriel, Blow and Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye are her favourite songs.
“Gabriel is so much fun and I just love the dissonance in the harmonies,” Bek said.
“Goodbye, Little Dream is sad and haunting in its lyrics, but is so sweet and melodic in sound. I could listen to AJ (Manuell, in the role of Hope Harcourt) sing that song all day. But I think I’m most excited for the audience to hear the six and eight-part harmonies in Public Enemy Number One.”
After all these long months of hard work, would they do it all again? All three reply in unison, with a firm “Yes”.
Seats are selling fast, so if you’re thinking of seeing the show, grab your tickets and prepare for boarding, Anything Goes is sailing into The Forge Theatre this May.
Bookings are available via The Forge Theatre, and further information can be found on Bairnsdale Production Line Theatre Company’s Facebook page.
