"Genesis" the result of five months of dedication
By Nan Gorey Wood
By Nan Gorey Wood
A VAST rainbow cloak spread on St. John's Cathedral stage during the finale of "Genesis" on Saturday is symbolic of five months of "fantastic" creation.
In prosaic terms, the rainbow of dyed baling twine knitted by the 42 school-age company, expresses joy in the first production of the Darling Downs Youth Theatre (DDYT).
Saturday's productions at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Cathedral will represent the 14th and 15th stagings of "Genesis."
It would not be too fanciful to dub "Genesis" the Darling Downs' Chorus Line. Like the hit American musical, "Genesis" has been inspired by its cast.
As in Chorus Line, taped observations - "Genesis was an involvement with people who made me really happy and I love them all" - are played during the finale.
The production I saw was staged in a defunct Warwick cinema with the acoustic sensitivity of an empty barn.
What mattered was not the lost words but the occasional drowning of speech and lyrics by over - enthusiastic sound effects.
What comes across is the disciplined exuberance of a 14 - 18 year old company whose acting and singing for most part is surprising good.
Threads for the pre-chosen theme were garnered kilometres apart during months of accepting, rejecting, re-writing, composing, and long discussion.
Thirteen Downs' productions have led to Saturday's grand finale.
Initiated in January, DDYT's "Genesis" was no undertaking for the faint - hearted.
Backed by $7000 from the Queensland Theatre Company, stalwarts from the education division of Q.T.C. provided the springboard.
Originator Robert Kingham, Rick Thompson and Lloyd Nickson are artistic director, administrator and design co-ordinator respectively.
Composer Jim Cotter of Canberra, was given a grant by the music board of the Australia Council to help with the lyrics and music.
Supported by headmasters of several Downs' schools the first such decentralised programme in Australia had its headquarters in Toowoomba.
Secondary school students who applied and were accepted are from Toowoomba, Warwick, Pittsworth, Oakey, and Clifton.
Actors (20), writers (4), designers (11), directors (3), and Technicians (4) worked on the production after school, every weeke-end and during May holidays.
The company designed and made the costumes and stage effects, they work the lights and sound.
Symbolism is the name of the game. The 105 - minute musical has four scenes in which the Old Testament in "Begatomania" plays an amusing role.
Borrowing from the Old Testament, "Genesis" is about "men who loved and lost their friends to death and learned they lacked the power to bring them back to life ... the story of man".
Violent Gilgamesh, symbolised by a bikie's helmet, the anonymous modern mask, represents both ancient and modern.
His power symbol on stage is a theatrical tour de force.
As an exercise in theatre "Genesis" speaks for itself. Even more important to the cast has been the wildly successful exercise in co-operation and friendship.
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