DANCER Billy Halton will follow the Yellow Brick Road these school holidays when the second-year WAAPA student performs as Tin Man in Prompt Corner production, The Wizard of Oz, presented by Act-Belong-Commit.
Fellow WAAPA dancer Marcell Steidle and John Curtin College of the Arts student Brent Carson will round out the trio of Lion and Scarecrow.
All three were offered their parts by Prompt Corner artistic director Diana Waldron through their work with Perth City Ballet, which Waldron also directs.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOW“We were all quite interested and it’s always nice to expand your horizons,” Halton said.
“It’s great working with the other guys; we have fun and work well together.
“There’s a lot of movement in it and each section of the show has a little dance to go with it; I have a tap solo and I’ve never done tap dancing before, so it’s been interesting.
“The acting and speaking is quite challenging for me and I’m learning a lot.”
Halton got his start as a dancer in a rather unconventional way, through his ambition to attend John College Curtin of the Arts.
“I was desperately trying to get into John Curtin however I could and auditioned for every program,” the 19-year-old said.
“Dance was the one I got into and thought I’d give it a go.
“At the time I was a bit of a rugby boy and sports guy and then I slowly got into dance and my teacher made me start learning ballet.
“I was hesitant at first, but then I fell in love with it.”
Halton is part of a 32-member cast featuring performers from across the Perth metropolitan area in the one-hour show.
He said he had been fortunate enough to squeeze The Wizard of Oz rehearsals in during his WAAPA commitments and his schedule was made easier now thanks to mid-year break.
“It’s a wonderful show and we bring a lot of humour to it,” Halton said.
“And there’s some fun interaction with the audience too.”
THE ESSENTIALS
What: The Wizard of Oz
Where: Leederville Town Hall
When: July 5 to 7
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au