When I Get My Name In Lights

Phew! What a way to get things started - with an absolute show-stopper.

Risky? 

Nowhere else to go but down hill? 

Nah, the bar was set and there it remained. What followed was a showcase of some of the best and brightest young talent, not just from Tasmania and Victoria, but also Queensland and South Australia! 

Next up was a knockout precision tap routine to 42nd Street (ya gotta love those “I love dancing” faces). Sprinkled in amongst the rest of the excellent production number were a variety of stunning solos, encompassing a range of shows including Dear Evan Hansen, Circles, Hadestown, 9-5, Heathers, Chaplin The Musical, Jagged Little Pill and Be More Chill. This last show was new to me but after 17-year-old ‘Adelaidian’ by the name of Jack Keukenmeester’s heart-breakingly super-awkward (but deceptively intricate) rendition of ‘Michael in the Bathroom’ I found myself me vowing to do a deep dive to discover more about the show. 

Besides the fact that all of the solo performances were uniformly excellent, I have to give a big shout out to the wonderful accompanists, who were each mesmerising in their own right. 

The balance of the program consisted of polished production numbers including School of Rock (featuring a cast of effervescent juniors); Midnight-The Cinderella Musical, Lucky and Aida,  MJ. This bunch all did Launceston very proud indeed. But what I really didn’t see coming was the “Roaring/New Money” medley (from The Great Gatsby). 

Apparently, ever since the festival began, Lia Cox has assembled a group of young performers from Adelaide to soak up the festival and perform. Lia directed the piece; it was musically directed by cabaret and music theatre performer Michael Griffiths and choreographed by Joe Meldrum and Gemma Freeman. It was the very definition of slick!

But wait, there’s more! To close the show - the ageless, tireless dynamo that is the one and only Caroline O’Connor charmed the audience's socks off with her rendition of “The Man that Got Away” from A Star is Born (the one with Judy, of course). Then to close the show, that gorgeous tenor, Mark Vincent sang “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Carousel, supported by a choir composed of students from the Schools program plus local musical lovers who had the courage to apply. 

In all, eighteen separate performances washed over the audience in a flash (apologies if I missed anything). Holding true to the axiom “Leave ‘em Wanting More” this one-of-a-kind, all-inclusive variety show had all the bells, whistles and professionalism you’d want, all tied up in a bright beautiful bow of ‘community’. Just stunning.

Rose Cooper