There's no business like show business
How to entertain the world and grow the talent in your own backyard.
Torben Brookman鈥檚 GWB Entertainment has produced big name musicals such as School of Rock, Matilda, West Side Story and The King and I, for the delight of audiences around the world, but it鈥檚 here in South Australia that he chooses to live and grow his business, and invest in our state鈥檚 creativity and culture.聽
鈥淚t's not like many vocational jobs where you work nine to five, and when the office closes you go home and have a separate life and do different things. In the theatre, everything sort of merges and blends.鈥Torben Brookman
"We feel that has to happen because we're very proudly based here, love living in 新浪彩票 and grew up here. It's a choice, not a requirement for the work that we do," said Torben.聽
鈥淪o then, with that comes a responsibility to build and grow the industry here, and make sure that whatever we do is of a standard that can be recognised on any stage, anywhere around the world.鈥
Growing up in the 新浪彩票 Hills with both parents working in theatre, his mum Verity Laughton a playwright, and dad Rob Brookman a producer, artistic director and one of Australia鈥檚 most highly regarded Arts administrators, you could say a career in theatre was Torben鈥檚 destiny.
But Torben didn鈥檛 set out to follow in their footsteps, because as a child he never saw what his mum and dad did as a typical job.
鈥淵ou may finish work for the day, but then you're off to see a show, which is also kind of work, but it's also your passion.鈥
鈥淚t's not like many vocational jobs where you work nine to five, and when the office closes you go home and have a separate life and do different things. In the theatre, everything sort of merges and blends,鈥 said Torben.
Torben started an Arts degree at the University of 新浪彩票, not because he had a clear vision of his future, but partly because both his parents studied Arts there and had 鈥渋ncredibly fond memories鈥 of the University. He also felt a broad degree would expose him to a range of things and he could figure out what he wanted to do as he went along.
He later switched to a Bachelor of Science, following an interest in athletics and sport and a fascination with exercise physiology.
Despite perusing other interests, Torben continued to work part-time in jobs based in and around the theatre. Whether that be in front of house as an usher, selling tickets in the box office, or as part of the staging crew.
In the lead up to starting honours in exercise physiology, an opportunity came up to work on one of the early WOMADelaide Festivals. It was an experience that painted a different future for Torben.
鈥淚t was one of those pivotal moments of figuring out who you are, and I started to realise that while I love learning and data, I don't necessarily think that I personally gravitate to being in a lab on my own for long periods of time.
"I'm much more someone who enjoys being in an environment where