Background

Dianna Nixon has been working with young dancers, singers, musicians and actors from the ACT and Southern NSW region for the past 20 years. This area boasts exceptional dance schools and performing arts trainers, with many graduates advancing to tertiary education and professional careers both in Australia and internationally. According to Ausdance ACT, this region has more dance schools per capita than anywhere in Australia.

At her voice studio, Wild Voices Music Theatre (WVMT), Dianna helps develop young artists with the skills necessary for professional careers, alongside other teaching priorities. WVMT students have successfully worked through the AMEB Music Theatre syllabus since its launch, with many alumni, like their counterparts from local dance schools, progressing to advanced music, dance, and theatre training at institutions throughout Australia and overseas.

Some time ago, Dianna directed nine productions over three years for young people and teenagers as part of a local government-funded youth music theatre program. During this time, she envisioned creating an advanced program that these beginner workshops could feed into—one specifically tailored for students pursuing serious dance, music, and voice training with professional aspirations. However, this vision didn’t materialise at that time as the host organisation had different priorities.

Our local tertiary music conservatorium declined Dianna’s strong recommendation that they establish a music theatre stream. This prompted the need to create a clearer pathway from undergraduate vocational training in our region to the profession.

Dianna recognizes that music theatre is a major employer of performing artists and a highly influential and hugely popular artform, especially among young people. If our local institutions weren’t prepared to take up this challenge, Dianna felt MTP could fill this gap.

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when choreographer and dance educator Helen Linkenbagh and production designer Martin Thomas relocated to Canberra from the UK, bringing their impressive skills and experience as the new owners of Ballet Canberra. Their arrival has significantly enriched the performing arts training opportunities in our region, as well as bringing considerable international experience to the growing professional sector in this region.

So, in 2024 PATH was founded, under the umbrella of Music Theatre Projects, as a partnership between Wild Voices Music Theatre, and Ballet Canberra.

PATH – Performing After Training HARD!

(The pic is of Sam Holmes, taken at Wild Voices Music Theatre’s studio concert at The Street Theatre in 2021. He was presenting a solo song & dance version of Les Poissons from The Little Mermaid.)

Want MORE INFORMATION, then email: mtprojectsltd@gmail.com

Project Status

Each year we’ll produce one musical, with a strong movement focus, with a cast of participants from our region. The cast will need to pass eligibility criteria: they must be studying dance on a serious and ongoing basis at one of our region’s dance schools, and/or studying voice on an ongoing basis with Wild Voices Music Theatre, or with other local music theatre voice specialists.

We’ll have minimal rehearsal and a one week season, supported by a team of professional creatives and crew.

We have developed a rehearsal and production timeline that works around studio exams, Eisteddfods, dance comps and training commitments. The rehearsal timeline runs very lean, as our participants are very busy young people and we don’t want to eat into too much of the time allocated to their important training schedules (and school, homework and other tasks). So our expectation for the participants is that in rehearsal they are fully focussed, and they come to each session with necessary prep done.

Newsies Jnr is our first show. Our performance season is booked at The Street, Canberra for Thurday 16 till Sunday 19 Oct over 2025.

Collaborators

Dianna Nixon will produce and direct, and utilise her skills as repetiteur and vocal coach in the rehearsal process. ANU School of Music composition graduate, singer/pianist/guitarist/songwriter, Oakelani Edmonds, will be musical director, supervising the musical integrity of the show in final rehearsals and during the season. Helen Linkenbagh will choreograph and collaborate with Dianna on producing the show. Martin Thomas will design the world of each show we produce.

During each year’s audition process, we’ll have a guest panel member who is currently working in professional music theatre – a creative team member, voice coach or casting director. They’ll provide an outside eye, and give feedback about what our participants need to consider if choosing this career.

For 2025 that person was Lauren Wiley, freelance casting director, whose credits include MJ the Musical (Michael Cassel), Tina the Musical (TEG Dainty), Hamilton (Jeffrey Seller/Michael Cassel Group),Come From Away (Junkyard Dog Productions/ Newtheatricals), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Kinky Boots (Michael Cassel Group), and has worked with Sydney Theatre Company as in-house Casting Director, and been Casting Administrator for Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Misérables. 

The Estill Voice Model will be embedded in the program, underpinning the vocal preparation for each production, led by Dianna Nixon who is an EFP (holding the international-recognised certification of Estill Figure Proficiency).

Work-In-Progress 

First round of auditions were completed on Sunday March 16 2025, then another audition session was held 27 April. Participants have now enrolled and casting process nearly complete. Now on into pre-production, ready to start rehearsals in July 2025.

Important dates and activities

Newsies Jnr performance season is booked at The Street, Canberra for Thursday 16 Oct till Sunday 19 Oct.

https://www.thestreet.org.au/shows/newsies-jnr

Email us for more info: mtprojectsltd@gmail.com