About the session

This session took place Friday 11 December 2020, 12-1.30pm AEDT.

Hosted by Jayde Kirchert, this conversation will include panellists Candy Bowers, Peter Rutherford and Vidya Makan. After a tumultuous year with social justice issues coming to the fore, this discussion will consider what role new music theatre has to play in the current cultural landscape and what challenges and opportunities creators of new music theatre must grapple with if they are to make productive, inclusive and culturally resonant work. In other words, what should – and what could – the future of music theatre be? This question concerns us all.

About the speakers

Host

• Jayde Kirchert

  Jayde completed a Bachelor of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and worked in professional music theatre as an actor before pursuing directing and writing. In 2014 she completed a Post Graduate Diploma of Arts majoring in Anthropology (University of Melbourne) and is currently undertaking a Master of Fine Arts (Music Theatre) at VCA (University of Melbourne). 

  She has directed and written multiple critically acclaimed productions through her company Citizen Theatre, of which she is Artistic Director. Most recent Citizen Theatre works she has led as director/dramaturge include Forgotten Places – an immersive experience at Chapel Off Chapel and Kingston Arts Centre (supported by City of Stonnington and City of Kingston) and When The Light Leaves at La Mama Theatre (supported by the City of Melbourne) and Gasworks Arts Park. As a writer and director she has created Ascent for Theatre Works’ 2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival program (supported by ShowSupport), Nude for the 2014 Melbourne Cabaret Festival and remounted in 2015 at the Alex Theatre and in 2021 will unveil the world premiere of her new sci-fi feminist music theatre work Mara KORPER at Theatre Works in 2021 (supported by the City of Port Phillip and Faculty of Fine Arts & Music, University of Melbourne). 

  Jayde is thrilled to be the 2020 recipient of the Monash University Jeanne Pratt Artist In Residence commission, along with Peter Rutherford, to create a new feminist Vaudevillian spectacular, The 100 Year Revue. 

  In addition to being a lecturer and teaching artist at VCA, she has also been a director and dramaturge for many new Australian works for the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Poppy Seed Festival, Melbourne Comedy Festival and at VCA, as well directing VCA Music Theatre’s Morning Melodies concert at Hamer Hall in 2019. 

  Jayde’s extensive background in dance and physical theatre converges with her training and research in music theatre and feminist dramaturgies, giving her work a distinctly elegant, yet playful and at times subversive aesthetic, and a consciousness that allows her work to speak to pertinent social issues of our time.

Panel

• Candy Bowers

  Candy Bowers is a radical mischief-maker, comedian, writer and actor born on Wiraderi land to South African political refugees. A musical comedy star and theatre-maker, in 2019 she was the recipient of the MentorLA initiative and has added screen-writing to her toolbox, signing with Hollywood Agency WRITLarge. In 2020 her groundbreaking hip hop theatre show ONE THE BEAR earned her an AWGIE nomination, she picked up the role of Programming Manager at MAV and dropped her new podcast Multi-Hypho (getting comfy on the intersection) in partnership with Arts Centre Melbourne. She busy.

• Peter Rutherford

  Peter is a musical director, composer, freelance arranger and a teacher of singing. He co-wrote The Hatpin, LoveBites and A Little Touch Of Chaos with long-time friend and collaborator, James Millar. His shows have been produced across Australia, New York, London and many other cities in the world to critical and award-winning acclaim. Musical Director credits include: School Of Rock (Vocal Coach/AMD) Matilda The Musical, Beyond Desire, A Little Touch Of Chaos, On The 20th Century, A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, Little Women, The Hatpin, LoveBites, Sing On Through Tomorrow, Annie (AMD), Cats (AMD), Jekyll & Hyde (AMD), The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber (AMD), amongst others.

  He was posted at several major tertiary institutions in London and Australia as a resident vocal tutor and musical director. Peter was the Children’s Musical Director for the Australasian tour of Matilda The Musical. He was recently working on the world tour of School Of Rock and is currently the fortunate recipient of the Jeanne Pratt Artist in Residence at Monash University.

• Vidya Makan

  Vidya Makan is a critically acclaimed actor, singer and composer/lyricist, perhaps most well known for her performance as ‘Catherine Parr’ in the original Australian cast of SIX. Most recently, Vidya directed, produced and wrote ‘I Need You To See Me’; a call to action to the entertainment industry for visibility, featuring 101 BIPoC and CALD performers aged 18-25. Her original work has garnered world wide attention and she is currently working in collaboration with Hayes Theatre Co on her newest show, Straya: The Lucky Country. Vidya’s credits include: Dot/Marie in Sunday In The Park With George which earned her a Green Room nomination for Best Performance In A Leading Role, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet and American Idiot. Vidya holds minority storytelling at the heart of all of her work, and she is honoured to be a panelist in the inaugural year of the AOC Initiative.

Please note there is no recording available for this session.

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