THE crew from Got Ya Back Productions is weaving their way through Banjo Paterson country this week, as they begin a NSW run of their theatrical production, “BANJO”.
The musical intertwines the life of Banjo Paterson through arrangements of Coldplay’s greatest hits, contemporary dance and the iconic poet’s own verse.
“This unique musical delivers an incredibly moving experience,” said former NSW Arts Minister, Ben Franklin.
From his hardships in rural Australia, his time as a writer and lawyer in Sydney, and his return to the country, BANJO follows Paterson’s story while regaling audiences with tales of Australia in the 1880s.
Early moments of this production were seen in 2018 by Port Macquarie Art Walk patrons under the fig tree on Town Green.
The production then premiered on stage at The Glasshouse in Port Macquarie in 2018, followed by regional NSW tours in 2019 and again in 2023.
Based in Port Macquarie, Got Ya Back Productions was established by Steph and Tim Maddren, who have been
creating theatre and film projects on the Mid North Coast for the past decade.
“Right now, we’re down in the Riverina and there is so much love and respect for the show,” Tim said.
“It’s amazing to feel so far from our home-base, yet they are grasping on to the show as if it was their own.
“Wagga Civic Centre is an almost 500-seat theatre and we will be close to selling out down here this weekend.”
BANJO hits the stage this week in Albury, Leeton and Cowra before returning to the Mid North Coast.
“We have been making adjustments slowly over the years, and we’re taking the show to better places,” Tim said.
“We’re so proud of it.”
Mid North Coast audiences will have the opportunity to see the production at the Bandbox Theatre in Kempsey on 5 March, at the Manning Entertainment Centre in Taree on 6 March, at the Jetty Theatre in Coffs Harbour on 7 March, at the Saraton Theatre in Grafton on 8 March and later in the tour at the Bowraville Theatre on 29 March.
The show retains significant links to the region, with Production Manager Hayley Purkis and music arranger Mat Brooker both from Port Macquarie.
Director Nicholas Christo and dancer Bejae Ingate complete the creative team.
By Pauline CAIN
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