Bianca Baykara on VOYAGERS: A NEW MUSICAL
It all started with a song.
In 2015, Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre commissioned a 2 person show with Andrew Strano and Loclan Mackenzie-Spencer at the helm. The pair took a song they had previously written, “Something’s Wrong,” and began to construct a full musical around it. The song in question revolves around topics of mental health and suicide, issues that Andrew and Loclan believe need to be urgently discussed, and was originally written in response to a friend’s brother taking his life. Thus, they began their journey of Voyagers, exploring themes of grief, isolation, and loss through the brilliant storytelling form of music theatre.
Voyagers was initially intended to be presented in August 2021, but as a result of the COVID-induced shutdowns, was pushed to later in the year. Now, it will be presented as a staged reading at La Mama theatre in just a few weeks’ time. Actor Bianca Baykara was initially part of the show’s first workshop, and will now be rejoining the cast for the reading.
Bianca is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where she was the recipient of the Robertson Family Trust scholarship. Past credits include Chess (StoreyBoard Entertainment) Mrs Hathaway and u/s Patty Di Marco in School Of Rock (GWB Entertainment), Phantom and u/s Janet and Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show (GFO/GWB Entertainment/Howard Panter), Cynthia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert (NCL), Vanessa in In The Heights (StageArt), Marta in Company (Watch This), Rosalia/Somewhere Soloist in West Side Story (The Prod Co), u/s Seegar in An Officer & A Gentleman (GFO), La Niña in crossXroads, The King & I (Opera Australia/GFO), Singin’ In The Rain (The Prod Co), Nine (Manilla St) and Pacific Overtures (Watch This/Manilla St).
Can you tell me a bit about your background with performing?
How is Voyagers different to other shows you have been a part of?
Bianca: I was in the first ever reading of Voyagers and came in with no preconceived notions of what the expect. I’ve never worked on anything that early in the process and it’s an exciting challenge to dig in to the script and mine for information to bring the character to life.
