About the show
A modern Australian musical adaption of the classic Sleeping Beauty story.
Name
Lauren Bacon-Fleming (Director)
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I have been involved with the Creative Arts from a young age after moving to Australian from the USA. I studied a Bachelor of Performance (Majoring in Acting) from UOW. Over the years, I have been involved with dozens of productions in both Stage and Film in every capacity from being onstage, backstage, Front of House to Production team in productions all across NSW, USA and Indonesia. I have been involved with Yellow Line Theatre since 2019 when I Assistant Directed and managed the marketing of the world premiere of Bakery Hill – An Australian Rebellion. When I am not in the Director’s chair, you will find me running around like a headless chicken as a Freelance Events Specialist (Event Coordinator) running red carpet premieres and conferences, Sydney Fringe Festival, Sydney Film Festival to the Royal Easter Show.
What can audiences look forward to when they come see the show?
A new original Australian musical written by an Australian for the Australian audience performed by an incredibly talented cast who have explored and made these characters their own. It is worth highlighting about this show is its energy. The energy that Koren Beale’s musical direction and Brooke Elizabeth’s choreography helps create. Not to mention Michael Orland’s unique and quintessential Australian take on the classic Sleeping Beauty story. Beaudy is a very fun show, the music is loud, expressive, and has a cast of very talented and passionate actors, all of which give it their all in the performance. While the show is small scale; many cast members playing multiple different characters, they are each so different and unique – a true testament to the performers skill.
How has been the rehearsal process?
Rehearsals have been a lot of fun. Watching the cast grow not only into their characters, but into being more familiar with their cohort and the space has been an absolute treasure. I’ve always found that directing is its most fun and rewarding once the actors have a good understanding of the lines, character and feeling of the scene, that’s where I can come in and do my job of pushing their focus towards certain avenues of the performance they might’ve missed, little tidbits of characterisation that help flesh out who their playing, and allow for a more realistic emotional through-line between themselves and their scene-partners. I’m incredibly proud of the work my cast have put in and can’t wait to sit back alongside the audience and enjoy the show without having to focus on giving note!
What do you like about the show? Why did you choose to be involved?
In simple words, it’s fun. But while on the surface we play true to the natural humour of the story, the foundations and characters of Michael Orland’s writing of Beaudy are really complex characters with real thoughts and emotions. When I read the script the first time I felt drawn to the duality of what I was reading. There were I felt, instantly two stories happening simultaneously. The external of what was being said but then everything that wasn’t being said or necessarily seen and I wanted to explore that. Exploring that juxtaposition of making sure we didn’t fall into the trap of pantomime has been challenging but rewarding.
Who in the cast should audiences look out for?
We are incredibly fortunate to have an incredible cast all of whom are amazingly talented and bring their unique skillset to the table. From upcoming talents of Sophie Brown as Laura (Sleeping Beauty) and Luke Brown as Tom (Prince Phillip) with their fairy tale romance to the pure comedic duo of Fiona Brennan as Patrice (Maleficent) and Jordan Anderson as Shane (Maleficent’s sidekick).
Who would you like to play?
If given the chance I would love to play the role of Patrice because who doesn’t love a good chaotic, slightly unhinged villain with a hidden agenda who is always so fabulously dressed!
What do you want the audience to think about? What is the message of the show?
That real life is no fairy-tale, but we should still find/have/remember our fairy-tale moments that do exist or happen. Our vision for this show was to explore the push and pull of human connection with complex emotions driving the narrative. The musical asks you to consider how the internal thoughts can shape external actions, the paradox of saying one thing but meaning another and the exploration of the intriguing duality of individuals – who they are in public versus who they are in private. What does it mean to be introverted and extroverted and how those around and your circumstances shape the subconscious.
Catch Yellow Line Theatres production of Beaudy at The Joan on the 15th and 17th of February. For more information use this link