For Sandgate resident Emma Dean, there’s only one thing better than being in the spotlight – and that’s shining the spotlight on others.
The singer, songwriter and performer is the mastermind behind the show Community Choir: The Musical, which featured in the recent Brisbane Festival.
It was the fastest-selling show in this year’s Festival, and according to Emma, it all came from finding an unexpected love in choirs.
“I had been living in New York, and when I came home, I was kind of inspired to start a little singing group, just on the verandah of a house in Everton Park,” she said.
“It began as a way to heal, for me, and the people who joined were from all walks of life, and all of them had a different reason for joining too. So, I kind of started collecting stories about why they had joined.”
The choir group became known as Cheep Trill, and its journey became Community Choir: The Musical.
“We had two casts with 10 leads in each cast, and 100 choir members in each cast, and we had two opening nights, one for the Northside cast and one for the Southside cast,” Emma said.
“It was a very moving and emotional experience. All the cast were either non-professionals and had never been on a stage ever or were people like (Sandgate business owner) Anita (East), who had been out of the professional game for 10 years or more.
“We had four sold-out shows, it was amazing.”
Music has been a part of Emma’s life since she was a small child, and she has performed in off-Broadway theatre in New York, as well as at the opening of the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
She is currently writing a Christmas single with the team at Australia’s favourite animated Blue Heeler family, Bluey.
“The team there are incredible, so kind, so humble, just beautiful humans,” Emma said.
The busy mum of twins added Community Choir: The Musical brought together “all her loves” and that it would be returning “in some form”.
“I realised after years of trying to be in the spotlight, I find the most joy in shining the spotlight on others,” she said.
“There’s a bubbling creativity here in Brisbane, and Sandgate itself has such a vibrant creative community.
“I see the community spirit here, people support each other. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
Find more information about Cheep Trill.
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- Sandgate Remembers the Fallen
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- Lord Mayor Promises Sandgate Revival
- Let’s Focus on Women’s Health
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- Day Out at Hidden World Playground
- Sandgate Theatre Explores the Meaning of Happiness
