Local Artists, Global Stage: Second Echo Ensemble Steps Into the Sydney Opera House
Dave Montgomery in rehearsal for Adventures surrounded by his visual design. Photo: Alex Moss
For Hobart artists Nicole Simms-Farrow, Annalise Haigh and Dave Montgomery, this August marks a milestone that once felt out of reach: performing an original new musical on the world-famous stage of the Sydney Opera House. Together with Second Echo Ensemble (SEE) and Sydney’s Midnight Feast, they’re bringing The Adventures of Peacock, Chicken and the Pony They Rode Upon to life - a show years in the making, driven by Tasmanian talent and bold ambition.
Led by creative director Kelly Drummond Cawthon, SEE employs artists with and without disability, expanding ideas of who belongs in contemporary performance. This production, co-created with Midnight Feast’s Founder and Creative Producer Kylie Heart and award-winning composer Mia Palencia, mixes puppetry, live music and big-hearted storytelling into a wild new adventure.
Nicole Simms-Farrow calls it transformative. “So often, new musicals come with rules. Here, we’ve had three years to really collaborate, to trust each other’s ideas. I get to bring my whole history in music theatre, and stay true to who I am.”
For Annalise Haigh, who works both on stage and behind the scenes, it’s about seeing what’s possible. “Second Echo Ensemble and Midnight Feast show that you can just be who you are. Don’t judge a book by its cover, anyone can step up when they’re given the chance.”
Core SEE artist Dave Montgomery, who created much of the show’s vibrant visual world also performs as the Pony. “I feel happy and very proud,” he says about the opportunity to present his work at the Sydney Opera House.
In May, SEE and Midnight Feast shared a sneak peek of Adventures at the Sydney Opera House - an early taste of the energy these artists will bring to an international stage when the curtain rises on 29–30 August.
Then, the cast returns home - Adventures will return to Tasmania, performing at The Hedberg’s Theatre Royal from 26–30 September as part of their Staycation program, with fun creative workshops for local audiences.
For this ensemble, the message is clear: local artists can dream big - and take their stories anywhere.
Tickets on sale now, visit The Adventures of Peacock, Chicken and the Pony They Rode Upon.
