IT'S billed as "more than a musical; it is a state of mind' and Jarrod Draper was in the right state of mind to step into one of the lead roles of Moulin Rouge! The Musical last week.
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A member of the ensemble cast, Draper is an understudy for two of the main characters for the lavish production at Melbourne's Regent Theatre and on Thursday was given about two hours notice he would be portraying the pivotal role of Toulouse-Lautrec.
But he said the sudden elevation wasn't a problem.
"I was very much ready for it, I was surprised at how ready for it I was," he said adding the character is probably his favourite in the show.
"I loved it, it was absolutely thrilling. It was just nice to tell a story from an acting perspective. When you're part of an ensemble you don't get the opportunity to do that all the time but it was nice to finally do that in front of an audience after so long, especially with the hiatus of COVID."
He was also delighted to have the opportunity while his family was in Melbourne to see the show.
It's been a rollercoaster ride for Draper since auditioning successfully for Moulin Rouge! The Musical in April last year with Melbourne's COVID-19 restrictions impacting heavily on live theatre.
Moulin Rouge! was stopped abruptly mid-performance on December 31 when a staff member tested positive and shows have also been cancelled intermittently since then. Draper said he had his fingers crossed performances would go ahead.
"I think it's got to the point where everyone's getting [COVID-19] at the same time. We lasted a good two weeks when it started to really spike and then it just looks like we'll shut for a little bit but hopefully be back soon," he said.
Draper is also an alternative for the lead role of Christian, saying he had stepped rehearsals for the role.
"I guess that's my job in case someone goes down, I have to be on top of it," he said.
Draper was contracted for the Melbourne and Sydney season's of Moulin Rouge! and hopes to leave Melbourne in April for the Sydney staging in May.
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Kate Bowyer
Kate Bowyer is a senior reporter at the Central Western Daily.
Kate Bowyer is a senior reporter at the Central Western Daily.
