By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A NARRE Warren South child has spent the last week flourishing like a butterfly on the acting stage.
Six-year-old Joshua Mase was earlier this year cast as the character, Sorrow, in Opera Australia’s farewell season of Madama Butterfly, which officially opened last week.
The Year-1 student, from St Catherine’s Primary in Berwick, was selected for the role out of a group of eight other boys, and will be perform in six of the eight performances.
His mother, Darlene, said she encouraged Joshua to audition for the role after his talent agent, Tanya Djukic, suggested he would be perfectly suited for it.
“It’s good for his self-esteem, it’s been amazing,” she said.
“He’s taking direction from people that he doesn’t know for a start and they’re telling him what to do and how to do it.
“It’s great for him to have an experience like that.”
Darlene, who has been helping out backstage during most of the performances, was able to see a dress rehearsal of the opera earlier this month, and will be attending the final matinee with Joshua’s loving family members.
“We’ve got tickets to see him this coming Saturday with the whole family,” she said.
“We were kind of surprised, we thought we’d easily just get the tickets, but when we went online most of them were all sold out!”
Darlene said Joshua extremely enjoyed being involved in Madama Butterfly and predicted he would take to the stage again soon.
“I reckon he’d love it,” she said.
For more information, visit www.opera.org.au.
