There’s nothing like the stage for Bundaberg actor

Bundaberg-born Kate Hillocks says there’s nothing in the world like performing, and she couldn’t imagine doing anything else with her life.

Kate, a former Shalom College student, will take to the stage in Hervey Bay on Friday and Saturday nights (October 21-22) during this year’s USQ Shakespeare on the Bay Festival featuring A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Kate’s family and friends will travel down from Bundaberg to see her performance.

The festival has just wound up a successful two-week season in Toowoomba.

Kate plays the parts of Snout and Moth in the hilarious story.

Her love of acting is further enhanced in this production by the fact that the character of Snout is a clown and she loves doing clown work.

'I’m one of the clowns in the play, and it’s definitely my area – I love doing it,' Kate said.

'The degree (USQ Bachelor of Creative Arts) has given us experience in all sorts of work such as street theatre, clown work and verbatim theatre.

'I’d love to get work as a roaming street theatre clown when I finish my degree at the end of the year.'

Her other role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream gives her a chance to use her more serious skills. Moth is the fairy of death and is based on the persona of Amy Winehouse.

'During the degree we also did persona work which involved mimicking people to build our observation skills and recreating these characters,' she said.

'The Queen of Fairies, Titania, is based on Lady Gaga. There are other characters based on Katie Perry and Pink.'

Music includes: I Want you to Want Me by Cheap Trick, Born This Way by Lady Gaga, Mambo #5, and Am I Ever Going to See Your Face Again by The Angles.

Kate said it was a very active play.

She does six dances within 33 scenes and there are some quick costume changes in between scenes where she changes from Moth to Snout.

She describes acting as an ‘awakening’ experience.

'There’s nothing like performing. Nothing like it at all.

'Director Scott Alderdice says the level of adrenalin produced when you are on stage is the same as that experienced by a victim of a car crash.

'I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life.'

Kate’s high school drama teachers, Mrs Smith and Mrs Vandalen, were great inspirations to her.

They encouraged her to go on to university, and since they were both graduates of USQ, suggested she go there.

Kate had family in Toowoomba because her father had grown up there and had studied at USQ. She was among the first intake of students into the new Bachelor of Creative Arts degree which combines theatre, visual arts, creative media and music.

Further information about Shakespeare on the Bay is available at http://www.usq.edu.au/shakespeare or phone the Brolga Box Office for tickets on 4122 6060. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate from 5.30pm each night.

Contact Details:
Katrina Corcoran, USQ Media, +61 7 4194 3167