GUY Boyce’s years as an actor should give him a better understanding of Mandurah Performing Arts Centre than simply being its administrator.
The 50-year-old Kiwi is the new general manager of the centre and has been in Mandurah for just a few weeks.
Boyce grew up in Cambridge, New Zealand, and was initially not interested in drama.
He was studying physics at university and not really sold on that either, until half-way through his Masters in fusion physics he joined the university drama club – and that was that.
He applied to the National Drama School – as did many of his thespian mates – but Boyce was the only one accepted.
He said there was no history of the arts in his family and he had no idea where his love of theatre came from.
His stage debut was in a parody of the then Prime Minister and he said he was the only one not to suffer from stage fright.
“I knew then that I really loved the stage,’’ he said.
Boyce spent 10 years as an actor and two years as player-director of the Fortune Theatre.
In Auckland he worked on building sites when he was “resting”.
Later he travelled overseas and on his return took up the first paid managerial role of the Wellington Fringe Festival, where he set up the Fringe Arts Trust.
He became administrator of the New Zealand Development Agency Playmarket and ran the Christchurch International Arts Festival for 10 years.
But his position at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre is his ideal role – combining a whole range of theatre arts in a world-class theatre in an idyllic environment.
Boyce plans to review the centre’s program and take a close look at all strands of the arts, including dance and music.
He also wants to work with theatrical organisations in Perth to reflect different audiences and include children and indigenous people much more in the centre’s programs.
He has a huge interest in artworks that tell and explore local stories.