Ballarat Centre of Music and Arts to present six productions in two months

The Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts normally presents a variety of productions staggered throughout the school year, but the June lockdown forced them to postpone two of their major junior musicals as restrictions saw them unable to get into the theatre.

Despite the interruptions caused by the lockdown, BCMA director Paula Heenan praised the school's students, teachers and parents for adjusting to changes in the lead up to their big production season.

"The kids have been brilliant in adapting and our teachers have been amazing in adapting to different ways of teaching," Ms Heenan said.

From July 31 to September 30, the productions from BCMA will include musicals 'Aladdin Junior', 'Shrek Junior' and '13', as well as a drama puppet show, a ballet and a contemporary choreography event.

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However, some BCMA students will not participate in the productions after reverting back to online classes last month proved too challenging.

"There's quite a few students who can't do lessons online for one reason or another, so some of those have pulled out of the show and classes for fear that there will be more lockdowns," Ms Heenan said.

"For most of them, being involved is still a really important outlet for their health and wellbeing, we try to keep everything as consistent as we can to provide stability," she said.

Ms Heenan said putting on the six productions with COVID-19 restrictions still in place had proved to be a "logistical nightmare" as the lockdown impacted bookings for technical crews, truck drivers, set crews and three separate theatres.

"We really have to be very on our game to make it work, it has to run like clockwork," she said.

With the current density limits and the state government pause on the easing of restrictions, Ms Heenan expressed concern that the school may not be able to sell enough tickets to justify costs of the upcoming productions and that the back-to-back shows may not garner as much support as usual.

She encouraged the Ballarat community to show support and buy tickets to local stage productions, after 2020 saw many shows completely cancelled.

"We really need the Ballarat community to be cheering for everything that is happening," Ms Heenan said.

"People have described it as their light at the end of the tunnel, that they've still got this to look forward to and hold on to, so it's very important," Ms Heenan said.

Tickets to the BCMA productions can be purchased from trybooking.com.au

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