At just 19, Eli J. Ball might be the youngest Queenslander ever to write, choreograph and direct his own musical, with CQUniversity’s Bachelor of Music helping him on his way to stardom.
Eli’s musical, When the Wind Blew, which celebrates Australian flora and fauna in a heartwarming story about a sugar glider that becomes disconnected from her family after a cyclone, will premiere at the Stagehouse Theatre in Brisbane this week.
The teenager has gathered a 20-piece orchestra, created all the orchestrations and written the music. In addition, he also crafted all the choreography for the 46-strong diverse cast, with ages ranging from 11 to 58 years.
He said CQU’s Bachelor of Music has been his guiding light while putting the musical together.
“The Bachelor of Music course gave me the necessary guidance to perfect the music in the show. The music theory classes gave me a deeper understanding of music and jazz harmony, and how I can use that to craft memorable and intricate music,” Eli said.
“I have always loved musical theatre, I remember going to watch a local theatre production of Oliver (which my oldest brother was in). I was truly captivated by everything, the lights, the sound, the dancing, the singing, the set, and mostly the orchestra.
“My mum is a playwright, and she conceived the original characters and from there we started developing the storyline and music together. I knew I had to have an orchestra. Hearing a large orchestra play my music and my orchestrations is truly something magical.”
Eli explained the story of the musical in more detail and its themes of facing change with courage.
“The show is about a young sugar glider who is afraid to take her first glide. When there is a big storm in the bush, she becomes disconnected from her family. She meets other Australian animals on the way who help her on her journey. The villain of the story is an orphaned dingo, trying to survive in the wild without his pack,” he said.
“The show has a strong message that sometimes life can change quickly, and we need to treasure the ordinary moments that feel so normal they’re often overlooked, because that’s where the sacredness lies.”
He said the flexibility of CQU’s course delivery meant he could balance study and his passion project.
“The staff at CQU have been very supportive and encouraging of my journey, offering their professional expertise and guidance. It was so refreshing to be able to talk to lecturers and tutors about real-world projects and they could tailor my learning to where I was at in my musical journey,” he said.
“People should come see When the Wind Blew because it’s a new Australian musical. Australia doesn’t get to many new musicals about Australia written by Australians. So, we are truly making something special.”
When the Wind Blew will run at the Stagehouse Theatre in Stafford from 6-8 November with several shows already sold out. Visit When the Wind Blew on Trybooking.com
