New musical: Courtney Fraser has a starring role in an upcoming Monash University production. Picture: Lucy Di Paolo
THE first year of university couldn't have gone any better for Wantirna resident Courtney Fraser.
After stumbling across a performing arts stall during Monash University's O-Week at the start of the year, she auditioned for the musical Return To The Forbidden Planet and scored the lead role of Captain Tempest — usually played by a male.
"In this production we play on gender roles. It's quite an ambiguous role and is a mix of male and female. We're taking a different view to the typically misogynistic view of '60s sci-fi movies."
The original Forbidden Planet came to cinemas in 1956 but the Bob Carlton musical version features many great rock'n'roll numbers from the 1950s and '60s including Born to be Wild, Great Balls of Fire and Good Vibrations.
Fraser comes from a musical family and plays piano and violin, and is also a talented singer. "Music is an inherent part of my life. I took up singing in high school and it's been a love affair ever since," she said.
Return To The Forbidden Planet is showing at the Monash University Alexander Theatre from Wednesday, September 26 until Saturday, September 29. Bookings: monash.edu/mapa.