Behind the scenes of ‘Killer Queen’: LAMTA’s journey to musical excellence

Graduates of the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA) are increasingly appearing in major musicals and one wonders what the secret of this school’s success could be.

Turns out it is very simple — sweat. And lots of it.

LAMTA’s students work almost every day of the week. They are in class from 8am up until 8pm at times and also have to put in extra hours on weekends when they perform in school shows. 

On tough days, they at least have Camps Bay sunset views from the top floor of Theatre On the Bay where the school opened its doors in early 2019. 

A walk through the school shows various rehearsal studios where students learn how to act, sing and dance. LAMTA founders Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander are currently preparing students for their upcoming show, ‘Killer Queen’, a tribute to the band Queen and its lead singer Freddie Mercury.

This production “celebrates the iconic music of Queen, weaving together powerful choreography, striking visuals and the undeniable energy of the music of one of the world’s most beloved bands”, reads the synopsis.

“We want to get people into the profession… There’s no magical formula. You have to do the work,” said Luitingh during a rehearsal break.

“We also have our finger on the pulse of what is required of triple threat training (acting, singing and dancing). We have been there. We understand the love and passion it takes to be in this craft.

“We get to know the students so well they become like our children. I feel amazingly proud when I look at productions and a good 50% of the cast is our graduates. It’s amazing.”

Alexander adds: “Everyone here works hard; the students work hard because that’s the ethic here. And then you see the fruit of that. Our graduates are working because they went though this process.”

The duo have worked on musicals for 15 years as performers, choreographers and directors before launching LAMTA. They toured globally with shows including ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Cats’, ‘Chicago’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Rent’.

‘Killer Queen’ will feature their current first, second and third-year students. One of these students is Isabella Abrahams who this month won various prizes at the Dance Star World Masters held in Croatia.

Among her prizes was a scholarship to attend an Alvin Ailey dance studio programme in New York in June and July. Abrahams credits her training at LAMTA.

“I am kept fit and working on my technique with dancing throughout the week. Acting modules helped me a lot more with finding my story within dancing. That way I am not just a dancer but a storyteller,” she said.

Luitingh has long been a Queen fan and recalled how “David Kramer helped myself and friends put a show together called ‘Mercury’. It was just the music of Queen.”

“Queen was my introduction into theatre. The band has been a massive part of my life and it’s special to do a show like this with students,” he said.

“The music is so theatrical and Freddie Mercury is such a showman. It’s songs that everyone knows. Our formula is to invite a number of choreographers who choose a song and they choreograph that for the show.”

Luitingh said with each show students are expected to “invest in the artists and story behind their music” and then “bring their fresh interpretation into the music”. 

‘Killer Queen’ runs at Theatre on the Bay from 4 to 20 June.