After a decade of research and development and 39 years since its controversial demise, an original Australian musical about “The Greatest Ballroom in the Southern Hemisphere” will perform a one-week season in Brisbane for the first time in November this year.
The cast of over 30 singers, dancers, musicians and actors of Cloudland the Musical will feature some of Queensland’s newest and brightest artistic talent alongside home-grown, world-class seasoned performers. The Arts is doing it tough at the moment and it’s incredibly satisfying to have a unique, original Australian project that’s assisting a cast of entirely local artists to stay working. Not to mention the 15 or so behind-the-scenes crew who are also struggling for work at present.
Cloudland Ballroom was no ordinary music venue and this is no ordinary Musical. Cloudland the Musical features the music of: The Bee Gees, Buddy Holly, Dragon, The Angels, Jerry Lee Lewis, INXS, Cold Chisel, Johnny O’Keefe, Midnight Oil, Australian Crawl, Normie Rowe, Mental as Anything, Split Enz, Madness, Bill Haley, The Stray Cats and more. All these artists performed at Cloudland during the iconic venue’s 43-year existence.
This music score has been woven into a storyline based on real events. The story follows the lives of three generations of a typical Brisbane family and the way in which Cloudland Ballroom influences and impacts each of their lives.
“To write a musical about an inanimate object such as a building required some thinking outside the box,” Paul Hayman, writer, director and producer of Cloudland the Musical explains.
“Just as when it stood, Cloudland continues to live in the hearts and minds of those who went there. It’s these memories I have drawn upon to help bring our ‘Hero’, Cloudland Ballroom, to life. This was more than just another venue. Cloudland Ballroom was the cultural and social hub of Brisbane for over 40 years.”
Community is the central topic to this Musical and is evidenced by the unique way in which Mr Hayman has involved the general public: Memoirs of Cloudland, an initiative designed by Mr Hayman, is an opportunity for the public to tell their stories about Cloudland Ballroom on camera. A montage of the stories collected from the public are then screened pre-show.
“There’s a lot to be learned from the story about Cloudland Ballroom. It’s an important part of Queensland’s history and its memory needs to be preserved for both current and future generations.” Mr Hayman explained. Furthermore, the Queensland State Library Archives have expressed interest in obtaining a copy of these memoirs from the public as a recorded part of Brisbane’s history.
Cloudland the Musical will perform a one week season at QUT Gardens Theatre from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 November 2021. Matinee and evening shows are available.
For further information or to book tickets visit www.cloudlandthemusical.com or phone QTIX on 136246.
