Full Circle launches professional musical theatre company in Adelaide

Full Circle Theatre Company artistic director Jo Casson has directed more than 20 musicals. (Supplied: Simon Casson)

It may seem odd, considering the number of musicals that play in Adelaide, but according to the newest troupe in town, the city's never had its own professional company dedicated to the genre. Until now.

Full Circle Theatre Company launched last night at Immersive Light and Art, on Light Square, announcing it would produce its first show Catch Me If You Can at Futures Theatre in November.

Led by artistic director Jo Casson, she says Full Circle is Adelaide's first professional musical theatre company.

"We have so much talent in South Australia that it's a bit outrageous," she told 891 ABC Adelaide.

"For professional artists to work they so often have to move to the eastern states, so it will be amazing to have some opportunities for those professional artists to work in their hometown."

Forget getting any rest, actually, forget about a full night's sleep at all, because once you pass the point of no return in the production of a new show, the rollercoaster begins.

Adelaide has a long list of amateur and semi-professional musical theatre groups creating both well-known and original shows, but they often operate on very tight budgets and casts and crews have day jobs.

Full Circle Theatre Company is supported by patron Pamela Wall AO, a well known philanthropist in Adelaide and former nurse and businesswoman.

Casson wants to give more Adelaide artists opportunity to work professionally at home without having to travel to Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane.

"We've got some incredible amateur theatre companies and some fabulous youth companies in Adelaide and then, at the other end of the spectrum, is the fabulous, national touring shows that come to Adelaide," she said.

"There has never been something in the middle so we kind of sit in a niche market where we're a local professional, not-for-profit company."

She said Full Circle would spend its first 18 months producing three existing works that people "recognised".

Dr Pamela Wall AO is a well known philanthropist in Adelaide and patron of the arts. (Facebook: Carrick Hill)

Catch Me If You Can is based on the 2002 Hollywood film of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

It debuted on Broadway in 2011 with a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Casson said achieving recognition for Full Circle through existing works would enable it to support a wider range of material.

"Getting a new work published, and seen, is a genuine challenge anywhere in the world," she sa