Rehearsal puts FIFO actor on stage
Local actor Grant Pegg and co-star Amanda Locker get into their characters for the Pilbeam Theatre production of The Last Five Years. Contributed
6th Sep 2012 11:01 AM
FLY-IN-FLY-OUT miners are nothing new, but have you ever heard of a FIFO actor?
Local actor Grant Pegg has put a new twist to the term, commuting from Canberra to Rockhampton on weekends in the lead-up to the production of The Last Five Years, to be staged at the Pilbeam Theatre in September.
Producer, Rockhampton Regional Council's arts and heritage manager Peter Owens said Grant was a well-known local performer but because of work commitments had been living in Canberra since mid 2011.
"We couldn't really ask Grant to take the full six-week rehearsal period off work and be in Rockhampton all that time, so he comes up to Rockhampton on selected weekends," Mr Owens said.
When in Rockhampton, Grant rehearses with co-star Amanda Locker and director Travis Hock, and then continues practising on his own back in Canberra.
"It's a bit strange not having a continuous rehearsal period like I did when rehearsing The Boy From Oz in Rockhampton in 2011," he said.
"But we have a great team and with the aid of practice recordings and other technology everything's coming along really well," Mr Pegg said.
The Last Five Years follows rising novelist Jamie (Grant Pegg) and aspiring actress Cathy (Amanda Locker) in the ups and downs of their five-year relationship.
Jamie tells the story from meeting to break-up and Cathy tells it from break-up to meeting.
The timelines of the two stories converge at one place in the story - the couple's wedding.
Performances will be held on September 21 and 22 at 7.30pm.
Tickets are on sale now from the Pilbeam Theatre box office, dial'n'charge by phoning 4927 4111 or online at seeitlive.com.au.
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