Glory Days Soon for EXCLAIM!

Sally Alrich-Smythe reports on the second production for new Sydney music theatre company Exclaim, Glory Days.

There’s nothing our city of Sydney needs more than new shows and fresh talent in its theatre circuit. That’s where EXCLAIM Theatre Company steps in. Earlier this year, this newly established company - made up of The Australian Institute of Music alumni - celebrated great success and solid reviews for their debut production The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. 

For anyone who is passionate about all of the young, left-of-field, fresh theatre approaches EXCLAIM hopes to achieve, it’d be a real shame to miss their upcoming Glory Days simply because of its unfortunately short season.

Glory Days is the story of four high school friends, all boys, who reunite a year after their graduation. Nick Blaemire (music and lyrics) and James Gardiner (book), who were both 23 years olds at the time, wrote from their own experiences, which is what makes the musical one of a kind. Cast member Damon Grebert-Wade, playing ‘Andy’, comments, “it really captures the honesty of adolescence and the transition to adulthood when things aren’t as they were before and what consequences that can have. The music harnesses the teenage angst both energy wise and emotionally.”

It’s probably the perfect premise for such a company, which the four cast members can easily relate to having made their way through the AIM musical theatre degree together, and each having graduated last year. The boys are Aaraon Robuck, Julian Kuo, Tim Dal Cortivo and Damon Grebert-Wade. The relationship between the four is genuine, and filled with energy, according to Damon: “How often do you see a show with soaring vocals, thundering rock music, and just 4 boys on stage? Boys in theatre we know are substantially less in numbers so I can't wait to be a part of a show that just uses boys!”

The EXCLAIM initiative is worth supporting. We’re talking about young, new faces only just scratching the surface of this challenging industry, and new playing material we as musical theatre enthusiasts should be welcoming with open arms. See you there! 

Glory Days

A musical by Nick Blaemire and James Gardiner,

Tom Mann Theatre, 136 Chalmers St, Surry Hills

Octiber 24, 25 & 26, 2014.

All Tickets $25 ($20 for groups of 10 or more)

For bookings visit https://glorydays2014.eventbrite.com/!