We asked nine people to share their MTC story with us. Kerry Saxby is MTC’s Technical Manager Lighting & Sound and Martina Murray is MTC’s Producer. Both have a long history with the Company and a wonderful passion for the work they do.
Kerry is one of MTC’s longest serving employees, celebrating 29 years with the Company in 2017. After finishing school in North Queensland, Kerry took up an apprenticeship in industrial technology and went to work in the mines. ‘When you’re on the edge of the Tanami Desert in the backblocks of the Northern Territory, you think about what else you could do. I saw an advertisement for NIDA in the West Australian, and applied.’
Since his initial days seconding for the Company, Kerry has worked on technical elements of approximately 350 shows. One show that stands out above the rest is Miss Julie. ‘It was the right time and we had a fantastic company. MTC gives me the opportunity to work with creative people who have amazing ideas … and it’s given me the opportunity to fulfil my own ideas.’
Martina’s story at MTC started when she was eight years old in a 1990 production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. After successfully auditioning for Rodger Hodgeman at St Martins Youth Theatre with a poem by A.A Milne, Halfway Down, Martina went on to play one of the no-neck monsters, sharing the stage with actors such as Bud Tingwell and Robert Menzies.
Growing up, Martina spent a lot of time at Playbox Theatre, now Malthouse Theatre, where her father worked as a Stage Manager. ‘As a teenager I was determined to not work in theatre, and to not be like my parents, except it must have been in my blood and there were a few key shows at MTC that kept my interest going.’
Two productions directed by Simon Phillips, The Comedy of Errors and A Flea in her Ear, stood out to a young Martina and opened her mind to the possibility of studying production. ‘I came and saw those plays while I was at school, and they felt like magic because they were of such larger scales technically than the productions I was seeing elsewhere.’
Following a successful freelance career in Stage Management, Martina is now MTC’s Producer. ‘The heart of the Company inspires me,’ she says. ‘People have always been incredibly generous here with their knowledge sharing and encouragement. There is incredible skill within MTC’s core staff and a lot of pride and attention to detail in the work. With that level of care comes the desire to share it and pass it on, and that’s been incredibly valuable. I think of MTC as a place that’s bursting with opportunity.’
Our stories begin with you. With your generous support of MTC we can ensure that the Company remains a vibrant and integral part of this great city for generations to come. Learn more and share your story at mtc.com.au/yourmtc
Published on 20 April 2017