The stage is set and the curtains are about to open for musical theatre to infiltrate Launceston's arts community.
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The Australian Musical Theatre Festival will run from May 19-23 and see some of theatre's finest gather in Launceston to celebrate all things musical.
Award-winning actor Callum Francis, best known for his portrayal as Lola in the Kinky Boots musical, will be heading to the Apple Isle to share his wisdom and experience as part of the festival.
Francis was chosen personally by singer Cyndi Lauper for the role in Kinky Boots.
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Other credits include his roles in RENT, Miss Saigon, The Lion King, Ghost, Naked Boys Singing, Hair The Musical and Ultimate Broadway.
It was Miss Saigon that first ignited Francis' passion for theatre and the realisation that a person of colour could also be an actor.
Francis became part of the festival after executive producer Tyran Parke reached out.
"[Parke] told me what he was trying to achieve with putting the festival on, and that aligns with myself," he said.
Francis said he was most excited about the Twisted Broadway event he was hosting as part of the festival, which will have a speakeasy feel.
Audience members will be able to take the stage and throw out the traditional gender roles to take on any role they like.
"I'm excited to see what people bring to that," he said.
"But I would urge people to just bring themselves."
Francis said the festival would be great for theatre-makers and people with stories to tell.
"After the year we have had, everybody is aching for theatre. The worlds needs art. The world needs creatives."
"You don't have to be a theatre nerd. I'm a massive theatre nerd, but you don't have to be to enjoy this."
Francis will also hold master classes and be involved with the Diversity Panel during the run of the festival.
"[The panel] is so important because kids and young adults are sponges and they take in so much more than we actually realise," he said.
"These difficult conversations that are incredibly important to have are now being told."
Francis hoped he would be able to take a lot away from the panel too.
The panel also connects with the actor's personal beliefs and aims, as he and his partner Ainsley Melham recently founded We The Industry Inc - a non-for-profit charity which aims to create greater representation and inclusion in the Australian arts sector.