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AussieTheatre.com: TALKING TO THE STARS |
| A special interview with Tyran
Parke One of our greatest young theatre talents, Tyran Parke, talks to AussieTheatre.com editor Troy Dodds about his wonderful career in Australian theatre....  TD: You’re currently appearing in
Putting It Together – tell me about the showTP: The show is a musical revue of the work of Stephen Sondheim. After the success of Side By Side By Sondheim, the composer created and updated version of the show however, unlike Side By Side, there is a narrative linking these songs. In ‘Side by Side’ it was constructed like a concert but Putting it Together is set very specifically at a party with specific characters. It is through these characters and in this context, that familiar songs take on new meanings. It is a great way to hear all those amazing songs in a new way. In this show it is almost a musicalised “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” with the action taking place at a party between two couples. And being Sondheim it is not only funny and moving but dark! TD: You’ve certainly been around for a while – shows like Oliver and Sound of Music spring to mind. What has been the highlight of your career so far? TP: It is actually quite hard to say - obviously The Sound of Music was a highlight but mainly because of the inexplicable set of circumstances that lead me to play Rolf, having not even got a callback for the show, then literally being discovered singing in a room one day and offered it by the producer. But I think a major highlight had to be Mack and Mabel with Caroline O’Connor and John Deidrich. They were such a joy to play opposite and it was a great role where I got to age and have real development. My only regret was that it was with The Production Company in Melbourne so it never toured and only played five performances. It nearly happened again just this year but alas it fell through. TD: Tell us about your involvement with Statement Cabaret? TP: I am one of the producers of Statement Cabaret. Last year I co-produced the Raise the Roof concert at the State Theatre with Alistair Thomson and Amanda Buckworth. At the time I was Cabaret Director at The Side on Café and Amanda had a similar position at Villa Caprese. The combination of the success of the Benefit concert, the cancelling of the Cabaret Convention and the demise of both of our cabaret venues led us to join forces in Statement Cabaret. I basically look after the programming of the acts and work as a venue liaison as well as hosting the shows when I am there. It is a great venue that has built steadily over the past year and now we are being recognised with funding from The City of Sydney Counci. TD: What are your thoughts on the current state of Australian theatre? TP: There is no doubt we are in a bit of a lull in terms of the popularity of theatre and this is heightened (particularly in musical theatre) by the obvious demise of the glorious 80’s where theatre experienced a huge boom. What excites me about where we are now is that we are all aware of this and we have so many amazing young artists that the art forms will start to re-evaluate and create new forms. I think that is why we are seeing Peter Cousen’s Kookaburra so successfully launched and supported. People want to find a new way to create and re-vitalise theatre. There are also a lot more composers, writers and producers forging the way ahead. It is an exciting time to be in the industry. TD: What shows would you like to see produced here in the years to come? TP: Well there are MANY. John Frost asked me something similar once but I had to be CERTAIN it would make money. Well that is nearly impossible. At this point it looks like the international productions of Dirty Dancing may top the sales of Phantom in years to come – and I would NEVER have picked that. I think theatre needs to get back to something that is ABOUT the people that see it - I think Sondheim’s The Frogs is magnificent in its new working and really comments on the war on terror. On the other end of the spectrum I would like to see Jon English’s musical, Paris finally take to the stage as it is a superb rock score. I think Guys and Dolls and Gypsy are way overdue for revivals in this country and I think Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party is genius. TD: You’ve worked with some wonderful people during your career – who has been your favourite and why? As I said, Caroline and John are pretty wonderful. And Lisa McCune and Chloe Dallimore have to be the most completely beautiful women in the world. I’ve worked with Richard Chamberlain in the American version of Sound of Music for a moment who was amazing, as was West End diva Josie Walker in Evita , nothing thrilled me as much as watching Tamsin Carroll sing As Long as He Needs Me from the wings each night and I adore Belinda Wollaston who I’m working with now as she is such an exciting addition to the leading ladies of this country. But I’m afraid, you just can’t go past the King, Mr. Bert Newton. Such a generous man of such integrity. TD: What’s next for Tyran Parke? Once Putting it Together is done I have a play called Cherish that I am looking at producing in Perth and Sydney. I was going to go to Perth to do Kiss me Kate with Marina Prior and Scott Irwin but that was recently cancelled so I will actually have a moment off. I have my cabaret to prepare and the possibility of a musical at the end of the year. I’m also writing a collection of stories called “Confessions of a Chorus Boy” that the cabaret is based on which started as a group email when in New Zealand doing Evita and has now grown into its own project. We have a VERY exciting season at Statement in the second half of the year which will keep me busy. I will stay on hand to assist with the production of Kookaburra’s projects and look out for further acting work. In amongst all that I am undertaking a spiritual pilgrimage with Angela Toohey across Spain! |