Opera & Music Theatre Lab 2025
f the woods
Out o
Creatives
Artistic Direction - Dr Narelle Yeo, Simon
Kenway, Tanith Bryce, Ruby Baird
Producer - Marcus Hodgson
Production Assistant - Bernice Zandona
Script and score producer - Tanith Bryce
Directors - Narelle Yeo, Ruby Baird,
Jaz Argyopoulos
Conductor - Simon Kenway
Pianist - Alan Hicks
Choreographer - Lorena Otes
Repetiteurs - Estella Roche, Nicholas Till,
Zander Gaal
Video Design - Tony Lorenz
Director’s Note
Lighting Designer - Ben Johnston
Stage Manager - Emillio Mancia
Stage Manager - Ruby Baird
Theatre Manager - Geordie Marsh
The weeds, the woods, the sun, the light - Out of the Woods
Theatre Tech - Tony Lorenz
Lighting Operator - Zander Gaal
“Nature never deceives us; it is we who deceive ourselves.”
Stage Crew - Sienna MacCallum
— Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Environmentalist and explorer John Muir believed that the Universe reveals itself through the forest
wilderness; "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as
sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." We have set most of these scenes in the woods, then
emerging into the light of the sun. The woods are places for introspection, transformation and growth
and when we emerge into the sunlight, we are transformed.
This intensive week of music has given all of us the time and energy to work on lifting our voices, acting,
dance, movement and ensemble skills in a team environment. Forests or woods often appear in opera
and music theatre, as they symbolize uncertainty, danger and the unknown. The woods are also a
metaphor for the things we hide, the masks we wear. To be "out of the woods" is to emerge with
understanding, resolution and new purpose, reflecting the human journey of grappling with complexity
to find simplicity or clarity. In the context of Opera and Musical Theatre Lab 2025, you are hearing our
s
future finding its voice, and the confidence to find their voice in a safe space.
of the wood
Out
Scene One: Shadows in the woods
“Masquerade” from Phantom of the Opera by Lloyd Webber - tutti with featured soloists: Cary,
Naomi, Thomas, Nicholas
“Volta la Terrea” from Ballo in Maschera by Verdi – Talya and Laura
“Ah Guarda Sorella” from Così fan tutte by Mozart - Emilia and Amanda
“Masks Trio” from Don Giovanni by Mozart – Talya, Paloma and Antonio
“Agony” from Into the Woods by Sondheim – Antonio and Nicholas
“Deh Vieni Non Tardar” from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart - Charlotte
“Placido è il mar” from Idomeneo by Mozart - tutti with featured soloists: Talya and Zarina
Scene Two: Journey into the spotlight - heat and light
“Alabama Song” from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny by Weill - Eve, Naomi, Zoe, Saskia.
Ensemble: Matilda, Rebecca, Lily, Holly
“Ain’t it Awful the Heat” from Street Scene by Weill -
Joanna, Zoe, Cary, Thomas, Matilda, Jody, and Niki
“Ice Cream Sextet” from Street Scene by Weill Megan, Alicja, Eve, Lucinda, Nicholas and Joanna
“Moonshine” from Annie Get Your Gun by Berlin - Matilda and Cary
“A little suffering” from Sunset Boulevarde by Lloyd Webber - Zoe, Caitlin, Holly, Matilda,
Rebecca, Alicja and Lily
“Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat” from Guys and Dolls by Loesser - tutti with featured soloists:
Isaac and Riley
“I’ve Got a Little List” from Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan - Caitlin, Lily, Lucinda and tutti
Scene Three: Masks of friendship and the reveal of the
real you
“Who Will Love me As I Am” from Sideshow by Russell – Holly and Caitlin
“Friendship” from Du Barry was a Lady by Porter - Ella and Jody
“Marian the Librarian” from Music Man by Willson – Riley and Isaac
“We are Women” from Candide by Bernstein – Zarina and Saskia
“Voi Che Sapete” from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart – Charlotte, Joanna, Amanda and Laura
“Amigos Para Siempre” by Lloyd Webber – Lucinda, Megan, Zarina and Saskia
Scene Four: Out of the woods, into the light
“A Trip to the Library” from She Loves Me by Bock - Lydia, Naomi and Ella
“No One Can Hurt Me” from Man in the Iron Mask by Campos - Jody and Lucy
“There’s Always a Tomorrow” from Dracula by Wildhorn – Lydia, Ella, Holly and Rebecca
“Dancing with Alice” from Drat the Cat by Schafer – tutti with featured soloists: Lucy, Isaac,
Nicholas, Jody, Cary, Thomas, Alicja and Lily
“Pur ti Miro” from “L’incoronazione di Poppea” by Monteverdi -
Amanda and Emilia
“You Will Never Know” from Theory of Relativity by Bartram - Nicholas, Eve, Thomas, Lucy,
Megan, Paloma + tutti
“Shine Like the Sun” from 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton – Lily, Lydia, Eve and tutti
Performers
Joanna Au Lydia Donato
Talya Aulia Isaac Donlevy
Niki Markouli
Charlotte Blenkhorn Nicholas Edwards
Paloma Nicholas
Saskia Boe Lily Finn
Rebecca Nohra
Ella Bortz Caitlin Haynes
Zarina Nurlanov
Thomas Bowen Matilda Huntrods
Megan Scott
Eve Boyce-Carnus Amanda Kelly
Holly Simon
Riley Castle Emilia Leopardi
Jody Villanueva
Laura Chen Lucy Madams
Alicja Wysocka
Naomi Clarke Lucinda Man
Cary Yeung
Antonio de la Torre Zoe Manwaring
With Thanks to:
Marcus Hodgson, Open Academy
Bernice Zandona, Open Academy
Anna Reid, Dean, Sydney Conservatorium
Geordie Marsh, Footbridge
Anthony Lorenz, Footbridge
Ruby Baird, Teresa Green
Anke Höppner, Margi De Ferranti
Amy Neville, Karen Cummings, Rob McDougall
f the woods
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