Avpm.pmac

How AVPM.PMAC was conceived.

Back in 2014, co-directors Harley Lindley and Billy Axford met at an audition for Players Theatre’s production of ‘Camp Rock’. After performing and working backstage in a number of shows together, including ‘Anything Goes’, ‘The Producers’, ‘Quartet’, ‘Grease’, and more recently ‘Curtains’; they decided it was time to organise their own event. In 2016, Billy and Harley discussed the idea of directing a show together, but as life goes, plans don’t always work out. Around mid-2018, Billy and AVPM.PMAC choreographer Paige Wilkie, were watching Starkid’s original 2009 production of ‘A Very Potter Musical’, and together imagined how much fun it would be to put on this show. The pair then brought this up with Harley and the trio then decided it was finally time that Billy and Harley direct a show together. They got in touch with Lindsay Kaul, an experienced and amazingly talented Musical Director, who was, albeit a bit nervous, just as excited to be a part of this show, and the trio quickly turned into a quartet. It was then up to the quartet to find a Stage Manager and turn themselves into a Production Team Quintet. Harley had the thought to ask Jack Wilson to become the Stage Manager, and the enthusiastic, hard-working Jack didn’t think twice. While very excited, the team were unsure of whether or not it would be possible for them to even organise all this with the little money they had, so they turned this show into a major community charity event. Being young people themselves, they wanted to keep that a theme throughout the cast and crew, and the community were very supportive of this action. Within a week of deciding to put on the show, they had found a venue, as Panthers Port Macquarie were kind enough to donate their auditorium for the event. Theatre Oz were the first sponsors of the event and afterwards came sponsorship's from Hastings Council, Hastings Rotaract, Rotary, and Fab Photos. The show was cast and was filled with youth from ages 16-25. Only two people out of a group of over 40 people were over the age of 25, one being Harley’s mother, who would be a helping stage-hand, and James, the drummer in the band. The company worked hard for months, and are so excited to share with the public what they have achieved. Please see the show and support AVPM.PMAC in raising money for Make A Wish and Accessible Adventures and help give the youth of the Hasting’s a voice!