Every six months or so I get this overwhelming feeling of sadness from missing in advance people of whom I’ve become very fond – you’ll understand why after I explain.
I’m referring to the time when I know my little ‘birds’ have to leave the nest to spread their wings elsewhere and that I’ll soon be greeting a new team onboard Pacific Dawn. But I also know that before too long I’ll become just as attached to the incoming group of talented artists.
I am talking about my ‘kids’ – that’s the way I feel about the Pacific Entertainers cast. This particular cast joined Pacific Dawn on October 21 last year after six weeks of rehearsal in Sydney. But their exciting journey on Pacific Dawn started way back in February last year when Grayboy Entertainment held a series of auditions.
At the time, my ‘kids’ were all strangers seeking various roles as lead singers, singer/dancers or dancers. Once chosen, they started intense rehearsals before joining Pacific Dawn for a hand over cruise where the current cast passes the baton to a new cast of entertainers.
After coming onboard, the new team experiences safety inductions and rehearsals, lots and lots of rehearsals! In fact, whenever the show lounge is free you’ll find rehearsals underway. In addition to knowing back to front the shows they’ll perform, they have to know by heart the stage, back stage areas and the lighting. These are all things that can’t be taught back in the studios onshore – it can only happen via onboard experience.
I like the photograph where the team had its first taste of lights and smoke. Each performer needed to understand a variety of prompts including lighting and sounds, which gave them the cue to move on and off the stage quickly and safely without bumping into each other.
At this point, they are taken through microphone techniques, how to look after it and how to wear the headset. And when the team is not rehearsing themselves, they’re watching the cast from whom they’ll be taking over.
The incoming team watches all the shows from an audience perspective and then from back stage to see how it all comes together including quick costume changes and communicating with the production team.
Once the team is established – that’s normally by cruise number two when they’ve found their sea legs and know their way around Pacific Dawn — they get involved in other activities. These can include daytime programs and themed night events such as Country Night, Island Night and Dancing through the Decades. Dancing through the Decades is fantastic and covers the best dance styles through the 50’s and 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Not all of the theme nights are performed during the hand over cruise so the incoming team has to learn what’s involved as their time onboard unfolds.
It’s a lot of information for such a short time but it’s amazing how quickly they get to know the ‘nest’.
Watch out for part two of ‘Flying the Coop’ in my next post.
Bye for now
Zoltina-J Medwik-Daley
