NEW BUSINESS WELL

By Rebecca Rojahn

The newest addition to Townsville’s performing arts scene, Broadway Academy, is changing the landscape for youth performing arts in the region.

Co-Directors Sandra Neal and Carla Lejarraga have a wide and diverse background in the performing arts. A well-known performer and award winner, Sandra trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and has over 25 years’ experience teaching speech, drama, acting and musical theatre. She is also the Coordinator of the Townsville Catholic Education Mulkadee Youth Arts Festival.

After first getting into theatre at the age of 13, Carla has never strayed from the discipline, keeping it as a favoured hobby and getting her own kids involved. It was by introducing her children to the musical theatre scene that Carla realised that there was a gap in the market.

“There are plenty of opportunities for adults in musical theatre, but we were finding that there wasn’t much for kids outside of school,” says Carla.

The final push came when the ladies worked together putting on Madagascar Junior for the Townsville Choral Society. After seeing how much fun the children had performing, they saw an opportunity to create something big.

They started Broadway Academy to give students a broad musical theatre education with a range of individual and group classes covering singing, dancing, and acting. Having opened in February, their first term recently wrapped to rave reviews and was followed by a selection of school holiday workshops, including an audition preparation workshop with internationally acclaimed performer and North Queensland native, Kurt Phelan.

Carla says it is invaluable to have opportunities like this for regionally based children and teenagers, adding that a lot of successful performing arts professionals come from small towns, just like Kurt who moved to New York City to further his career in the arts.

“Just because you’re a kid from a small town doesn’t mean you don’t have big dreams. It’s important for kids to have exposure even though they’re from a little place like Townsville, Ayr, or Ingham,” says Carla.

Nurturing these children’s talents and ambitions can help set them on a path of success, even if they do not pursue a career in the performing arts. Carla says that while not every student will go on to work in the disciplines they teach, the skills they learn at Broadway Academy are valuable to everyday life.

“It adds richness to your life to have a hobby like theatre. You make friends, you have enriching experiences and it teaches you to work with others. I think it’s super important for kids to have that exposure, it’s a huge confidence booster and communication enhancer,” says Carla. Carla points out that being able to work with others is essential in many industries, as is having the confidence to speak publicly. As the Founder of Thumb Sucking Professionals and the Australian Academy of Orofacial Myology, speaking and lecturing are essential components of Carla’s profession. She credits her own experiences in the arts to providing her with public speaking skills and the confidence to present to large groups.

“I run two education companies where we teach professional development education to professionals like orthodontists, dentists and speech pathologists,” says Carla.

“Having the ability to confidently communicate with all kinds of people whether it be online, one-on-one or in a lecture theatre environment, there’s not a day that I don’t fall back on those skills as a performer.

“ I wholeheartedly believe that my experience in theatre as a child gave me the confidence and ability to be a good communicator as an adult.”

And Broadway Academy is not just for kids – they also offer adult classes and one-on-one coaching for children and adults in singing and acting. Carla and Sandra have over 85 students enrolled in their school and they’re just getting started.

“There’s so much talent here in North Queensland. We have plans to create as many performing opportunities for Townsville kids and adults as possible.”