Former student in reality TV show
ON the morning of the 2008 Mackay flood, musical theatre student Sean Perez had just moved here from Sydney.
It was during that incredibly wet morning he was "welcomed" to Mackay.
"I was trying to get into my car to move it away from the rising water.
"I had the key in the door when I heard this "Morning".
"I turned around and there was this guy canoeing down the street- as if it was the most natural thing in the world," he laughed.
Thanks to seeing the funny side of life and his talent for singing and dancing, he landed a spot on Network Ten's latest reality television show I Will Survive, which premieres tonight.
Mr Perez, who moved from Sydney to Mackay to study a Bachelor of Musical Theatre at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music, spent three years in Mackay.
"It was an amazing time of my life and I am still in contact with the lecturers and people in Mackay," he said.
Mr Perez is one of 12 Aussie men who will travel to seven outback towns as they vie for just one ticket to Broadway.
As in the hit movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the contestants will not only sing, dance and act - they will also have to dress in drag.
"I have always been curious of drag, but never really did it before, until I performed at Sydney Mardi Gras on the float dedicated to Kylie Minogue
"Never in my life have I gone high-heel shopping; it would be like, "Hi I am looking for a size 12 heel," he joked.
Mr Perez said he started out as a Latin dancer in Sydney and was very much a self-taught performer.
"The biggest thing I learnt from this show was the art of learning to take the art of direction," he said.
"I get quite offended if someone is critical of me for no reason.
"I feel I Will Survive is a fantastic show, which is immersed in theatre and entertainment.
"It is full of really big personalities."
