Happy New Year from all of us here at MTA.  2006 is a big year for MTA as our new feature shows Opera Circus, Acrodiva, DIVA! and the new Pot-Pourri shows go from strength to strength. MTA performers and shows have been out and about this Summer at events around Australia for Disney Pescanova, Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism, Murdoch Institute, Stocklands, 500 Club, Melbourne Football Club, Marylands, MCEI, Spectrum, Honeywell, Standard and Poors and many more!

MTA is proud to announce that our new national website www.musictheatreaustralia.com.au is fully functional and a great resource for all of your entertainment needs. Many clients have commented on how fab it is to be able to select an act, listen or view them and see additional pics and information such as songlists.

March edition features:

• Theme of the month - Going for Gold
• New Act - Diva
• Featured Act - David Gould - MC
• How to connect to your audience
• Recent MTA Events
• Did You Know?
• We can help in more ways than you think!
• Juggling for fun
  

What's more, this Newsletter is linked to the website. So click on the the heading of each section to go to the relevant web page and see the photos, videos and / or sound clips for that act!

Theme of the Month - Going for Gold

As the Commonwealth games are fast approaching, MTA has a range of fabulous speakers, gold themed performers and sporting characters including:

• Gold medal speakers/sports stars - motivate, inspire, build team spirit and boost the self esteem of your staff and delegates with an awarding and engaging speaker.
• Aussie Tall Stars - 8 ft tall Aussie Tall Stars - costumes available include tennis, rugby, athletics, cricket, golf , life guards , weight lifters.
• Stilt Walkers - available in all your favourite sporting costumes.
• Human Body Painted Flags available for any country with full flag body paint and costuming.
• Body Painted Performers as Modern Athletes or Ancient Greco Statues
• Lounge - this fun and interactive brass quartet plays all your favourite sporting anthems and come dressed in true sporting style!
• The Athletes - These super freaky athletes have been pumping iron for the last fourteen years, and now they’re ready to run amuck at your next event!
• Commonwealth Games Trivia Night - The night begins with the "parade of nations" and the entrance of the torch bearer that lights the sacred flame - alright its more of a candle but its message is clear.... then we put you through your paces swapping athletic pursuits for trivia, game show style rounds and simple quizzes of a variety of styles
• Gold Statues - Mesmerising human statues sculpting their bodies into figures of intrigue and beauty.
• Gold People - Dressed in tailored white suits with gold heads, the Gold People create a stunning image walking through a crowd in complete synchronicity as though they share one mind
• Gold Emperors - These characters dressed in full satin kimonos, carry a majestic elegance as they perform ancient rituals and dance.
• Harpist - Bring a beautiful dimension to any occasion with the unique sounds of the Harp - the instrument that touches your heart & soul.

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New Act - DIVA!

This beautiful show features two, three or more divine divas, who have performed with Australia’s major opera and musical companies. Presented by Music Theatre Australia, these sultry sirens will seduce your audiences with their golden voices, theatricality and flirtatious humour.

The program may include arias and duets from Opera to Broadway including songs from Shirley Bassey, Edith Piaf, Bocelli, Phantom of the Opera, Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Catalani, Bizet, Lloyd Webber, Bernstein, Gershwin, Edith Piaf and the beautiful Flower Duet from Lakme. They perform with backing CDs, pianist, chamber or symphony orchestras in a variety of venues from grand mansions and ballrooms to theatres and concert halls ...and for all sorts of special events, where a little seduction is in order! The divas can also prepare a special song and other material with lyrics related to the client and industry.

(A stunning variation on this act is Acrodiva featuring 2 amazing acrobats and the three divas.)

"Outstanding entertainment...the feedback from the performance has been nothing short of sensational. The interaction with the audience was a real highlight, and I was not originally convinced it was the right way to go. Thank you for sticking to your guns! It really proves that you have the highest level of understanding as to what entertainment works at each event." Melbourne Football Club

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Featured Act - David Gould - MC

David Gould is one of Australia’s leading men of both Opera and Musical Theatre. He has toured Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand in such musicals as ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘South Pacific’ ‘The Mikado’ ‘Pirates of Penzance’ and 'H.M.S. Pinafore' and has performed for Australia's leading Opera Companies . His voice has been described as ‘Rich dark chocolate’ and ‘Spine tingling’. Recently a Variety (U.S.A.) theatre review described him as ‘Ruggedly handsome… booming voiced’. New Zealand press likened his voice to Paul Robeson and said he is a ‘True singer-actor with style’.

David is a sought after Master of Ceremonies for awards nights, conferences and dinners not just because of his commanding basso voice but coupled with his chameleon ability to create a character and write a script has seen David appearing and emceeing as ‘Harold Zidler’ in Moulin Rouge themed events, ‘The Godfather’ in Italian themed events, ‘Kamahl’ in Bollywood styled events, Pirates of the Caribbean, Clint Eastwood, Darth Vader, Elvis and more. Having said that, David is very comfortable appearing as himself, opening the evening with a song and even performing a dinner set of suitable material.

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How to connect to your audience

Be Admired for creating events that really connect with your audience. The 10 points below refer to a fuller advice column. Please click here to see the full story.

1. Who you book says a lot.
2. Memories... make your event last forever!
3. Shhhh! Don't Mention the War!
4. Size them up! Read the references.
5. If they don't ask, they don't care!
6. Does the entertainment fit, and will they care enough to create a performance customised to make your audience feel special?
7. Money is not the object.
8. "I liked them, but what did they say?"
9. No connection = no fun
10. Don't have a traditional layout and predictable timing

MTA can take care of all the above and more for you… so all you have to do is breathe... relax, enjoy the show and the accolades from your happy and connected guests!

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Recent MTA Events

Pirates of the Volvo Ocean Race

MTA in association with Pescanova, Disney and Events Australia recently produced a customized show that played to 1000 school children and VIP guests at the Melbourne Docklands with the Pirates of the Caribbean world touring yacht as a backdrop. A scurrilous MC ‘Captain Black’ played by David Gould kept the proceedings flowing as characters and groups such as Steve and Irwin Crikey, Indigenous dancers and didgeridoo players, Emu Nomads and Koalas, Aussie Tallstars, Bush Remnants and the sporty Lounge Brass Band kept everyone in stitches. A highlight was the appearance of The Warbles, the singing troupe that have been entertaining and delighting children through their work with The Song Room. They concluded the show singing songs from many nations and We are Australian.

Circus Cabaret Under the Stars on Lake Mulwala in Yarrawonga

Two wonderful performances of opera, music theatre, cabaret and circus including amazing aerial acts, balancing, juggling, Chinese pole and mime was performed against the stunning backdrop of Lake Mulwala. With a cast of 12 very talented artists including guest artists Pot-Pourri, this special event was sponsored by Accredited Distributors and Cadbury Schweppes in association with Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism. This is a new MTA production following on from the 2005 success of OperaCircus.  Yarrawonga Chronicle described the show as "magnificent and spectacular...the music and circus complemented each other impeccably...an outstanding success!", and commented that audience members said they enjoyed the show more than Pavarotti and The Three Tenors for its sheer entertainment value, warmth and talent on display!

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Did You Know That?

Of their recent 24 performances Pot-Pourri has received 20 standing ovations. Visit www.Pot-Pourri.com.au for more information.

Music Theatre Australia has performers and groups in every state of Australia and frequently sends performers overseas for gala dinners, hotels, theatres, shopping centres and other special events.

Music Theatre Australia supports The Song Room charity and many other worthwhile causes through in-kind entertainment and event support.

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We can help in more ways than you think!

Have you considered all your event requirements?

MTA, your one stop shop, is delighted to assist with all your event & production requirements.  We can arrange everything you need with our wonderful suppliers for your next dinner, party, conference, wedding, product launch, opening, festival etc no matter how large or small, alleviating any fuss or stress.

Your event coordinators will love the single contact and your accounts department will appreciate the single invoice.

Consider the time, effort and expense you last put into sourcing and booking:

• Sound operation incl. PA Systems, microphones & operator, lighting, staging & dance floors
• audiovisual equipment, lecterns, projectors & screens
• event theming: venue and table decorations centrepieces, balloons, flowers, venue & catering recommendations
• event infrastructure including marquees, canopies, stalls, flooring, tables, chairs, umbrellas, porta loos
• children’s amusements including jumping castles, rides, animal farms, ponies, fairy floss, snow cone and pop corn machines
• backdrops & sets, prop hire, piano hire, costume hire & design, smoke & fog machines, special effects,
• photograph, DVD and video recording & editing, multimedia displays, script writers
• fireworks and lots, lots more!

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Juggling for fun.

One Ball Exercise: Start with one ball. Throw the ball in an arc from hand to hand in an even rhythm about eye level. The pattern will be an arc, not a circle.

Two Ball Exercise: Start with one ball in each hand. First toss the ball in your right hand (1) in an arc to about eye level to your left hand. When this ball (1) reaches the highest point in it's arc . ...throw ball (2) in an arc from your left hand to your right. Catch (1) in your left hand, Then catch (2) in your right hand. Stop. Repeat this keeping the rhythm even.

Juggling 3 Balls: Start with 2 balls in one hand (1&3) (in this case the right hand, but if you are a lefty, use your left hand) and one ball (2) in the other. Start by throwing the ball in the front of your right hand in an arc to your left hand.

When ball (1) reaches its highest point, throw the ball in your left hand (2) in an arc to your right hand. Catch (1) in your left hand. When the ball thrown to your right hand reaches its height . . . Throw the ball from your right hand (3) in an arc to your left hand. Catch (2) in your right hand.

When that ball (3) reaches its highest point, throw the ball in your left hand (1) in an arc to your right hand. Catch (3) in your left hand.

And so on until you reach Nirvana, or eat the apples, whichever comes first.