Episode 18 - Tyran Park
What does that term ‘artist’ mean? How and where do we learn how to be one? And how do artists actually support themselves and others in a community and business that can be isolating, competitive and ultimately terribly rewarding and meaningful.
Todays guest is Tyran Park Australia’s award-winning singer, actor, director and recording artist. He is currently the Head of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), the Executive Producer of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival and the Artistic Director of Clovelly Fox Theatre Company.
This chat recorded in his office at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, 2019 is one of the more personal episodes we have released so far. This chat that does focus more on theatre and musical theatre - we dig deep into how we feel about writing, being artists, making art in Australia.
We take turns name dropping some of our favourite colleagues and idols including Hal Prince, and explore how the greats develop their skills and relationships, while making art they are proud of.
If you are enjoying the program maybe take a moment to go follow wherever you get your podcasts! Don’t forget to share this with a friend or enemy - nothing better than helping someone you dislike with a great program they might fall in in love wit.
And a quick side note, I do reference my first musical here BECOMING BILL - if you want to hear more about that or listen you’ll find al that in the show notes.
Quick story, this episode started with Tyran and I chatting on the phone for hours about a project I was trying to create. I was in a airport bar, waiting for a flight and it was such a fun and informative chat I asked if he would come on the show. I’m so thrilled he agreed. Although, I didn’t expect to start with me asking about a list on the wall of his office… “5 performers that can chat and cry at the same time.”
Produced by Old Fashioned Studios
Hosted by Bradley McCaw
Sound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point Solutions
Story Producer & additional engineering by Gilang Candraditya
Theme composed by James Ryan
TYRAN PARK:
Australia’s award-winning singer, actor, director and recording artist. He is currently the Head of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), the Executive Producer of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival and the Artistic Director of Clovelly Fox Theatre Company.
‘To examine his career since he graduated from WAAPA in 1999 is to see a ceaseless string of shows. He has performed, written, workshopped, directed, taught and creatively consulted from coast to coast in Oz and from north to south in NZ. He’s played some of the truly great roles written for the music theatre and all to utterly stellar reviews.’ Aussietheatre.com
Parke speaks musical theatre’s language and we see this mostly when he performs, but its also there when he directs and next time he directs something in Sydney, make it a must-see” Aussietheatre.com
Aside from his schedule as a performer, Tyran has built himself a reputation as an exciting new director.
“Tyran Parke is an increasingly formidable presence in the world of music theatre with deadly instincts and a reputation for making straw turn into gold.” Diva knows best.
Tyran’s professional directing credits include the musicals; ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, ‘Lovebites’, Metro St’, ‘Cheek to Cheek’, ‘Rent’, ‘The Goodbye Girl’, ‘A Chorus Line’, ‘Hello Again’, the plays;‘Thom Pain’, ‘Pool (no water)’, ‘The Laramie Project’, ‘Great Expectations’, ‘Proof’ and the operas; ‘The Coronation of Poppea’ and ‘The Fairy Queen’.
Tyran is a huge devotee of the work of Stephen Sondheim. Having played the title role in ‘Sunday in the Park with George’ professionally, he was thrilled to recently direct a much-acclaimed production in Perth in 2018. His all-star presentation of ‘Follies’ at the Melbourne Recital Hall was a highlight, as was ‘Assassins’, which toured throughout Victoria after its sell-out Melbourne season.‘Into the Woods’ and ‘Everything’s Coming Up Sondheim’ repeated this artistic success.
Concert work includes the acclaimed ‘Rob Mills is Surprisingly Good’ , Debra Byrne and Vika Bull in ‘Tapestry’, and Caroline O’Connor’s, ‘From Broadway with Love’. ‘From Broadway to La Scala’ has toured nationally, three times, receiving five-star reviews and standing ovations. The first concert was filmed at the Sydney Opera House and broadcast on Foxtel for New Years Eve 2015.
Other productions include the acclaimed, ‘Ordinary Days’ (Green Room Award – Best Director), ‘Big Fish’ (Broadway World and Glugg nominations- best director) at the Hayes Theatre, ‘Falsetto’s’, (Green Room Nomination- Best Director) and the opera ‘The Coronation of Poppea’ (Opera Chaser Award – Best director of an Opera).
Tyran’s most recent projects include directing the musical, ‘Barnum’ starring Todd McKenny and performing in ‘The Boys of Sondheim’ at the Sydney Recital Hall as well as the national tour of ‘Chess’ starring Natalie Basingthwaighte, Paulini and Rob Mills.
As a teacher, Tyran has worked for all the major training institutions and is currently the Head of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts. He is also Artistic Director of Clovelly Fox Productions.
His most recent work includes “Big Fish” at the Hayes Theatre, “Ordinary Days” at Chapel off Chapel and the Opera, “The Coronation of Poppea” for Lyric Opera of Melbourne. Prior to that 2016 was spent on “Great Expectations” at NIDA, the world-premiere of the new Australian musical, “Crossroads” in Melbourne and the all-star season of Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies” at the Melbourne Recital Hall. All were met with great acclaim…
“Superb direction and electric performances makes this presentation of Follies in Concert far more than a rose-tinted trip down memory lane…. Apart from a fabulous collection of stars, this season of Follies (the fourth that I have seen in Melbourne) is set apart by the crystal clear, and highly affecting, storytelling. With limited stage space, no sets or props and just modern evening wear as costumes, Tyran Parke’s direction brings the pain and regret of the central two middle-aged couples vividly to life… For a show that can often be just a featherlight collection of great tunes, the layers of meaning exposed by Parke’s direction add significantly to the attraction of this starry staging.” Simon Parris 5 stars
in 2015 Tyran directed ‘The Goodbye Girl’ for Neglected Musicals starring Deonne Zanotto, Aaron Tsindos and Glenn Butcher.
he also directed the national concert tour of ‘From Broadway to La Scala’ starring Lisa McCune, Teddy Tahu-Rhodes, David Hobson and Greta Bradman. The show recieved 5star reviews and standing ovations everywhere prompting it to be filmed for Foxtel and released on DVD for Foxtel.
‘Rob Millls is Surprisingly Good’ was Music Theatre star, Rob Mills first solo show which Tyran directed to great acclaim nationally. (see Reviews)
In 2013 Tyran had huge success in directing both the musical ‘RENT’ and the opera, ‘The Fairy Queen’ for the Australian Institute of Music.
“Parke has the charm to talk John Howard into joining a union…His talent is undeniable” Sydney Morning Herald
Aside from his busy performance schedule Tyran has earned a reputation as being one of Australia’s most accomplished teachers of singing and acting.
Tyran began teaching in Newcastle at the Young People’s Theatre where he worked in speech and drama for five years. Following this Tyran worked at various schools in Sydney including Brent Street, The Performance Space, McDonald College School of Performing Arts, Showtime and Groovetown. He has been a regular teacher at NIDAthrough the Open Program for both Youth and Adult courses for the past five years as well as the Australian Institute of Music (AIM).
Tyran has presented his HSC master classes for senior students throughout high schools, focusing on Stagecraft, theatre techniques, acting, HSC presentation, writing and editing, characterisation, audition technique and text analysis. He has created courses for NIDAand the Department of Education including Cabaret Intensives, Musical Theatre, Audition Techniques, Ensemble Performance and Song and Dance. He taught singing through the music Department of McDonald College while assisting in the creation of their new musical theatre program.
Tyran has developed workshops for NIDA’s touring program which he has taken all over the country, from Taree to Cairns to Darwin. He recently taught at WAAPA, the Western Australian Conservatorium of Music, New Zealand’s National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA) and The City Centre Music Theatre Group in Auckland.
Recently Tyran has served as vocal coach with the Bell Shakespeare Company and at Belvoir St Theatre as well as on the TV series, “Celebrity Apprentice”.