Theatre Calls

By Kelly-Maree Michael

We’re lucky to have an abundance of the arts in the Illawarra – and this includes a thriving theatre community. In November I was lucky to catch an outstanding performance of A Practical Guide to Self Defence at Merrigong, an enchanting own-story focusing on growing up Asian in Wollongong told through the lens of martial arts with incredible stuntwork.

The Illawarra is also home to seven amateur theatre groups between Shellharbour and Stanwell Park that have permanent performance spaces – and we’ve all been extremely busy.

In November, Arcadians and Wollongong Workshop Theatre performed Les Misérables and The Crucible respectively to sold-out audiences, and the Phoenix Theatre in Coniston wowed audiences with Scaramouche, a new interpretation of Moliere’s comedies. Rising Arts Productions, experts in all things improv, have hardly switched the lights off, and at the end of November produced eight new, locally written plays as part of their second Plays by the Rules festival.

If you’re looking for end-of year-entertainment, there just may be time to catch Rising Arts’ Fiasco, an improvised Christmas play.

Wollongong Workshop Theatre is hosting a 70th anniversary party on December 10, including a screening of a documentary by local actor/writer/ comedian Johnny Sumelj; and December and January will be the battle of the pantomimes –SPAT’s annual event is on weekends in December, and Roo Theatre in Shellharbour is putting on a fun production of Pinocchio in January. These companies are friendly rivals, though, and six of them come together annually for a light-hearted improv comedy night, Playmates (produced by Blackbox Productions), at the Phoenix Theatre on December 16. This year will include a group from Nowra for the first time.

If being in the audience isn’t enough – keep an eye out for audition notices and get involved.