Meet Ben Nelson – Whoosh! New Production Manager

We are very pleased to introduce you to the lovely Ben Nelson, our new production manager for Whoosh! who will also be working with us on a number of projects over the year.

The role of the production manager is a crucial one, especially when touring productions. For Whoosh! Ben has been instrumental in making all the technology of the show sync with the light, sound and performance – a massive feat inside a spaceship installation!

While Sensorium Theatre are catching their breath after a successful five-week regional tour, Cecile had a chat with Ben before seasons at the Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House.

Maxine Doyle’s Sunset

Cat Hope’s Speechless

Oh hi! You’re Ben Nelson, Whoosh! new Production Manager. What prompted you to pursue a career in the performing arts?

I had been working in the mining industry for years and was looking for a change. I got a taste of the arts when I joined my cousin and his band for a short regional tour and decided to pursue it further.

A few years later I was working at the Entertainment Centre in Albany and had shifted my focus from live music to theatre. I guess it just took some exposure to the industry to get me hooked.

What are the most challenging and rewarding elements of this industry?

It’s all about the people. This industry attracts people from all walks of life so communication and cooperation are always going to be the most challenging elements, but people are also the most rewarding element when it all comes together.

What would you consider the highlight of your career so far?

Working on Whoosh! has been amazing. I’ve really enjoyed the freedom to bring what I can to the production, and the way that the show involves the audience so that every performance is just a little bit different.

What is it about Whoosh! that made you want to be involved?

I was excited to work on a show that is all about creating access for an audience that isn’t usually catered for in the traditional format. And then there’s the really cool spaceship that I get to build every week.

Whoosh! by Sensorium Theatre

Whoosh! purring orbs

Whoosh! crew

What’s your favourite part of the show?

There is a great point in the Planet scene when the glowing, purring beings have been passed around to the audience and they sing for the first time. It regularly catches the audience off guard and there’s often a second or two of silence as they realise something’s happening…

What do you enjoy most about being on tour with Sensorium Theatre?

Definitely the people. They’re a bunch on genuinely great people to be around and they’re all really driven.

If you could swap places with anyone for one day, who would it be?

Anyone on the International Space Station.