Two incredibly personal stories and two wonderful storytellers combine in one show, Stardust and The Mission.
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Stardust tells the story of bandleader and trumpet player Col Brain. Before he died, Brain placed his most prized life possessions into a cupboard and locked it up, never to be opened again.
Told by his grandson, award-winning ABC presenter and performer, Joel Carnegie, Stardust is a heart-warming musical quest to uncover what Brain wanted us to know about his life by the things he left behind.
The music in the show is a combination of jazz charts, as well as big bang music, military standards as well as some original Australian music that has been created specifically for the show.
"Stardust has been in my life now for about eight years. The show originally premiered as a live radio cabaret show, recorded for broadcast at the Geelong Arts Centre for ABC Radio National - supported by a live brass band, and playing to three full houses. It is the story of my grandfather who was a jazz musician," Carnegie said.
"He played in jazz bands, swing bands and big bands throughout his life and before he died he stored all his life possessions in the garage and locked it up. As a family we never opened it until much later Mum and I rediscovered it and we opened it and all this history poured out.
"This show is a story about his life, through all the things he left behind. It's pretty incredible. We have been touring this show as part of a double bill all around Australia this year and each place we visit we use a local band in that area. For Launceston, we have got the Launceston RSL on board, which is amazing."
The Mission follows "Fighting Gunditjmara" man Allan McDonald off to war. As one of the first Aboriginal soldiers from Victoria to enlist, Allan fought at Gallipoli and Beersheba, only to be denied a soldier's settlement upon return and forced from his traditional land.
Told by his great, great nephew, acclaimed Gunditjmara actor Tom Molyneux, The Mission tells the truth of Uncle Allan's struggle - fighting for Country, for love, and for justice.
"The Mission is a contrasting story in that it's the story of Allan MacDonald. It's the story of one of the first Indigenous soldiers that enlisted for WWI only to come back to a country that didn't want to recognise him or his service," Carnegie said.
"These two stories are galvanised by the fact they are family stories, linked by the idea of exploring the journeys of those who came before us in order to understand more about who we are today. It's a really thought-provoking piece and we hope that it gets more people interested in their family history and the idea of ancestry."
Stardust and The Mission will be performed in Launceston at the Princess Theatre on June 2. For tickets visit the Theatre North website.
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