[4] The plot centred on American pop singer Kate Lawrence (Branigan) wanting to embark on a career as an actress.
The only job she can find is playing the lead role in an Australian theatre production of The Green Year Passes.
The hiring of an American causes conflict with her Australian cast and crew, and the chagrin of theatre critic Robert Landau with whom she has an affair.
[5] Lamond had meant to direct it in 1982 starring Max Phipps, Jill Perryman and Steve Tandy but the film did not eventuate.
He said "I suddenly got the idea that if the lead character of “Backstage” was changed to be a pop star wanting to be taken seriously as an actress and her only offer was from a producer in Australia, we had a film that would be modern, relevant, funny and say something meaningful about how we categorise and box artists in and restrict their growth.
[7] Frank Howson originally thought that the involvement of the Burrowes Film Group would be limited but found they wanted to have more creative control.
[10] According to Filmink magazine it "could have been a fantastically fun film: it had a terrific support cast... an engaging lead... and an interesting, culturally relevant central theme (whether imported American stars are good or bad in Australian projects).