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President’s Report

Deputy Mayor David Hinchliffe, our distinguished Patron ~ my fellow Committee members, ladies and gentlemen of Queensland Musical Theatre, I have much pleasure in presenting the twenty-second Presidential report; and my seventeenth, as we enter our twenty-third year of operations.  

At the time of my presenting the 2006 report, we were well into rehearsals for The Pirates of Penzance with Preston Oh as Director and Dr Chris Andrews as Music Director. In charge of Choreography was Denise Cahill, assisted by Ali Clinch and Caitlin Boag. Unfortunately, Chris was forced to relinquish the position of MD because of ill-health and Bill Liehr took over as MD but continued as répetiteur.

On Friday March 31 and Saturday and Sunday June 1^st and 2^nd, we went into rehearsal camp at Tuchekoi, the Nudgee College Reserve in the Mary Valley. As usual it was successful and most enjoyable. People who have never attended a rehearsal camp or a sports training camp can have no idea of the amount of work done, how the project, whatever it is, locks into place; and of the team-work and camaraderie that are established. 

On Monday April 3, at Twelfth Night Theatre, we had a Supporters’ and Sponsors’ launch of Pirates and our planned second production for the year, Cole Porter’s Anything Goes.  It was a very successful evening; and as is usual, several reservations for bookings had been made by the conclusion of the function. Although Pirates was booked for the POWERHOUSE Theatre, with Anything Goes for Twelfth Night in November, your Committee felt that to have the double launch was an excellent method of informing people of the name of our most expensive production for the year; and where it would be staged. That section of the Launch proved to be a very disappointing and very expensive exercise with all the thousands of brochures which had to be scrapped, then a reprint done – but more of that later.

Our production rehearsals continued at Queen Alexandra Home, Coorparoo, which has proven to be a most successful move from every point of view.

On Friday April 28, we purchased ten radio microphones for $5.600.00 with the appropriate cables and batteries. Your Committee felt that as the purchases needed to be made, we would buy only good quality and amortise the cost over some years.

On Wednesday May 3, Radio 4MBS – 103.7 FM allowed us at no charge to record our Commercial radio track for Pirates.  QMT is very grateful to General Manager, Gary Thorpe and his Staff. To be able to do this twice a year is a very considerable cost saving.

For the first time in many years we took a Show “On the Road”. At the suggestion of Christopher Bradley, a senior staff member at Southern Cross College, Scarborough; and a member of QMT, we played Pirates on Friday and Saturday nights, 12 and 13 May.  It was worth the effort, because as well as giving us a genuine tryout in front of “live” audiences, it put $1,500.00 in the bank.  We put the Show in to POWERHOUSE Theatre the next day and had our first performance on Tuesday night, 16 May. The season went extremely well, audiences were most enthusiastic; and attendance was strong.

On Friday June 2, we received information from Gail Wiltshire that it was virtually certain that we would not be playing Anything Goes at Twelfth Night Theatre. “Menopause the Musical”, which had been up since February had surprised everyone ~  including me because I thought it garbage ~ was still playing and clearly was going to run for several more months.  The Producer was asked to move aside for our November reservation (as has been the norm with Twelfth Night Theatre since 1985, we had no written Contract) but refused; and we couldn’t take the risk that he would be down by November 4. So began the search for a Theatre.  By early July we didn’t have one and so were faced with the giant problem of where to stage the Show; and utter embarrassment of having to audition Anything Goes while being unable to tell our auditionees where we were staging it.  In any event, rehearsals began with Denise Cahill as Director, Julie Whiting as MD and Maranne McQuade as choreographer. 

So began our search for a suitable venue; and by comparison, the Search for the Holy Grail must have been a walk in the park!  When I tell you that Theatres are booked anywhere up to two years ahead, you will realize that five months is not a long time!

Ultimately we settled on the Cannon Hill Anglican College which has a magnificent auditorium with excellent technical facilities; and from it we conjured up a Theatre. On your behalf, I have to express our gratitude to the Principal of  C*H*A*C; and our very deep gratitude to David Quinn, Manager of the venue. His co-operation went far beyond the limits of duty.  However, having advertised our production for one Theatre (where we are well-known) then transferred it at short notice in theatrical terms to one in the suburbs to which we had never been, it was inevitable that we would struggle for the size Houses we would have gained at Twelfth Night. It meant, ultimately, that despite the surprisingly good attendances, we would lose money overall; and we did. However, the Show was a smash, it received great reviews; and the audiences loved it.

On Friday, July 28, we said farewell to a long time friend and member of QMT, when we attended the Requiem Service for Colin J Thomas OAM.  Colin, one of Australia’s foremost conductors, especially in the Brass Band world, was the inaugural Music Director for Queensland Musical Theatre with My Fair Lady in 1984.  He had the baton for several productions after that but had to retire when his eyesight began to fail. Col had attended every production of QMT as conductor, artist or guest for twenty-one years. The only one he missed was Pirates of 2006. He just wasn’t up to it. Colin’s sister, Justine Willsher, has been with QMT since 1985 as répetiteur, actress and Music Director.  She will be at the keyboard for Yeomen.  Those of us from QMT who were able to attend the Service provided the choral support; and I was honoured in being asked to deliver the Eulogy.

 Early in August we had one attempted and two successful break-ins to windows and kitchen doors at 46 Beeston Street. A few months later there was another attempt to gain entry through the louvres above the Annexe. Since then we have had installed security lights surrounding the Hut completely; and are investigating whether or not we should install security screens as well.  Concomitant with the installation of the lights and our plans for air conditioning, we had to have the entire premises rewired. The wiring was done originally in such an amateurish way and had been in place for so long (the Hut was erected in 1948) that it was positively dangerous. The building is now very up to date with many multiple power points, new light switches for the hallway, kitchen,  alcove and library, new power leads to the computer system and photo copier; and hard-wired smoke alarms which are synchronized downstairs to upstairs. The cost is in the vicinity of $6,000.00. There is lattice work in place in the porch at the top of the stairs on the southern side which helps with privacy and sound absorption; and on the northern side, the stairs have been strengthened  and are safe to use.

On Tuesday August 8, I had a conference with the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and his Executive Assistant, Mark Hrycek. Councillor Newman was most sympathetic to our problems which include principally the difficulty of booking the POWERHOUSE in advance and being refused on occasions because of the possibility that some avant garde group might be coming up from Melbourne; and also that we receive no financial help from any level of Government. My timing was a little out when it came to finance because the Budget had been brought down; but I intend to pursue the matter now that a new Budget is being framed.

During the year, we were given the opportunity of some fundraising when we were offered the running of the canteen at Yeronga SHS over two weekends for Sections of the Brisbane Eisteddfod. It came our way through the good graces of Ina Bade, now installed unofficially as our Master of props. Providor Bill Carr arranged the food and drinks and was supported by Nick Neild and the writer. The enterprise didn’t make a fortune but it did well; and every dollar we can earn elsewhere is one we don’t have to chase through the Box Office. We had a further boost to our Income when we hired lights and stands to a Masonic Lodge through QMT member and Lodge member, Robert Carr.

 On August 20 we began our Sunday rehearsals with a “Meet ‘n Greet” at Queen Alexandra Home; and production Director Denise Cahill with chief Mechanist Errol Westendorf began to plan the way by which we could create a Stage and Theatre at C*H*A*C.

We went into rehearsal camp at Tuchekoi, on October 6/7/8; and again the idea proved its value.

We put Anything Goes in on Sunday October 22 and went up the following Wednesday to close on Sunday November 5, the day we should have been putting the Show into Twelfth Night. Our final two artistic endeavours were a concert at Burnie Brae which earned us $700.oo; and our annual small function for Balmoral Probus Club which brought us as usual $200.oo. These amounts might seem like “small beer” now; but there are people in this room or who will read this report, who will remember when we would have driven eighty kilometres for the latter figure; and perhaps 161 kms for the former!.

 Life Membership – In accordance with our Constitutional requirements, your Committee, having noted the continuous meritorious service to QMT of Bill Carr, for many years over and above the call of duty, placed his name before the Meeting with the Motion that he be considered for Life Membership. The Motion was agreed to UNANIMOUSLY

Brian Cahill MBE