Stage Whispers March/April 2024 edition

Editorial

Dear theatre-goers and theatre-doers,

Organising theatrical experiences for students was a huge part of my career as a teacher taking busloads of young people to theatres around Sydney, organising theatre company visits to schools, or, staging school musicals, organising performance troupes and working with students on Shakespearean or Greek Tragedy performances and more for drama festivals.

Each year this edition of Stage Whispers takes me back to those days, as I discover some of the performances available for school students, along with the resources and support available for staging school productions.

One thing that stays with me is a comment from a colleague at a staff meeting at least 40 years ago, after a school musical performance, mentioning two teenage girls in the chorus of the show. They weren’t engaged students. Only a few weeks earlier they’d almost been banned from extra-curricular activities, including the musical, because they’d been caught smoking.

That colleague told the staff meeting that when he saw the two of them on stage, it was the first time he’d ever seen them smile in their three years at the school.

Amongst so many highlights working creatively with students, that recognition of the smiles of a couple of students for whom school wasn’t otherwise a great place, was special.

After that I always found joy in those little gems the students’ smiles as they enjoyed themselves performing.

Flashback

Often there’s a touch of déjà vu when putting an edition of Stage Whispers together, but for my colleague David Spicer, it really was a case of the more things change, the more they stay the same this time around.

“Whilst researching my stories on Anthony Warlow and David Williamson, I flicked through the issue we published back in January 2011 [pictured],” David told me.

“On the cover was Anthony Warlow preparing for the musical Dr Zhivago, next to a feature on David Williamson’s new play Don Parties On, then a spread on the Gold Coast Theatre Awards.”

Yours in Theatre, NeilLitchfield

Editor

Cover image:

Anthony Warlow as Billy Flynn in Chicago

Read David Spicer’s story about the theatre legend’s decades-long career on page 6.

Photo: Jeff Busby.

Chicago was the last big musical on Anthony Warlow’s bucket-list. Now on a national tour playing Billy Flynn, the 62-year-old has revealed that he thought his opportunity to play the star lawyer had passed. David Spicer reports, in association with the podcast ‘Stages with Peter Eyers’.

Anthony Warlow is Australia’s most successful music theatre star, with decades of leading roles on local stages, plus Broadway appearances, yet in 2019 he thought his career was at a crossroads.

“I was about to commence rehearsals for The Secret Garden when COVID-19 happened. Since then, it has been almost four years without major work, and I thought maybe it was the world telling me it's time to slow down.

“And to be honest with you, if that was the case, I'd be more than happy to just stop, because I'm very proud of what I've done.”

The offer from John Frost and Crossroads Live to star in the latest national tour of Chicago was just what the doctor ordered.

“Billy Flynn is a role that has eluded me for years. The saccharine charm of the character along with his cunning and wile, not to mention his ego, are hard to resist.

“I was eager to join the long list of stars who have enjoyed taking on this silver-tongued prince of the courtroom.”

It’s a razor-tight musical with great tunes and great lines. His favourite?

If Jesus Christ had lived in Chicago today and if he had five thousand dollars, things would have turned out differently!

“I love Billy’s confidence, but personally I’m not wild about his scruples.

“I have no doubt that there are some lawyers who have adopted strategies that to many may seem somewhat unethical. At the end of the day, they are there to win the case, and serve their clients to the best of their ability. Wink, wink!”

In an extensive interview with the podcast ‘Stages with Peter Eyers’,

Anthony reflected on some of the biggest moments in his career and life.

Breaking into professional theatre from Wollongong

At school Anthony honed his aptitude for mimicry by impersonating the voice and physical features of a brother at Edmund Rice College, who walked around the playground with his arms behind his back.

“I was in my element and that’s kind of where it started.

“When I was 11, my father came home after work, sat me down in the lounge room and said, ‘Would you be interested in learning to sing correctly with a teacher?’ And I said, ‘yes.’

“I had auditioned at the time for Oliver! with the Arcadians Musical Theatre Company. I didn't get the role, but I was in the chorus as an urchin.”

Lead roles soon followed. Once he had to learn a lead part in Guys and Dolls in a day (good preparation for his eventual appearance in the musical in the National Theatre production).

At 18, he was determined to get the role of Don Quixote in a production of Man of La Mancha, even though he was too young for the part. He hired a costume and a wig once worn by the legendary dancer Robert Helpmann, applied prosthetic make-up and had a portrait photograph taken of him in character. The photo was presented to the audition panel.

“I said, ‘I know I'm young, but I feel this character is in me. I would like to go behind a screen to perform.’ And when I came out [the director] was tearing up.”

Whilst still a teenager he joined Opera Australia for Benjamin Britten's

(Continued on page 8)

Anthony Warlow as Billy Flynn in Chicago

Photo: Juliet Taylor.

(Continued

A Midsummer Night's Dream. He had one line of dialogue and took the opportunity to sing it, catching the ear of the then musical director Richard Bonynge the husband of Joan Sutherland.

“And one night Richard turned up at my dressing room door. We did some scales, and he said, ‘my dear, it’s quite a voice’.”

Becoming the youngest Phantom

When the Australian premiere of The Phantom of the Opera was being cast, Anthony was in Les Misérables

“I was 27 and I auditioned for the parts of Raoul and The Phantom. I slicked my hair back so I would look like The Phantom.

“I was asked to come back the next day with my hair floppy dry, to sing for Raoul, so I only learnt ‘All I Ask Of You’.”

But on the day, he was surprised to be asked to sing the Phantom’s solo ‘Music of the Night’, which he had not learned.

“Cameron Mackintosh said to me, ‘I just want to say one thing The Phantom is dangerous.’

“It was dangerous to audition with a song you have not practised. I said, ‘I don’t know the aria. Would you mind if I hold the sheet music.’

“This added to the energy of my performance but (it was stressful for) the poor pianist. I walked off after the last note. The director Hal Prince was overheard saying, ‘We’ve found our Phantom.’

“It was a big deal to me as I was the youngest person in the world to do it.”

Warlow said playing the role was hard work, with one of the major challenges being wearing the stifling mask. Initially he performed in a skullcap that forced sweat to dribble down his face onto the stage.

Later he experimented with a shaved head and prosthetics that were melted onto his head. It was based on a picture he saw of a weird face and small ear.

“I didn’t see other people perform the role. I wanted to create my own [interpretation].”

Cancer fight

Anthony Warlow was preparing to tour Australia in an arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar when he noticed something was wrong.

“I felt physically heavy. When I bent over, I could feel blood rush to my head. Then I felt a cyst under my jaw.

“I was nervous as hell at a press launch and I saw on the TV coverage that my face was blown out and I looked stressed.”

He had a biopsy, and the diagnosis came back Lymphoma. Surgery saved his life.

“Something in me told me that I [was] not going to die. Still, it was touch and go.”

Warlow needed 12 months to let his body recover.

Recordings

Anthony Warlow is famous for his recordings and the most iconic is his soaring rendition of ‘This is The Moment’ from the concept album of the musical Jekyll and Hyde

“I had been on chemotherapy for six months, which made me very tired.

“I did say to the composer Frank Wildhorn to not worry about explaining the concept of a transformation, because I was on chemotherapy [tablets]. I knew about a red therapy and a dye going into my body.”

In the podcast Warlow revealed that he was wooed to play the role in a full season but knocked it back because he was concerned about the demands of performing the role eight times a week. He appeared in a concert version of Jekyll and Hyde staged in Australia in 2019, and for the Sydney performance pulled off a miracle by getting through the performance with a heavy cold.

Performing on Broadway

Anthony made his Broadway debut in 2013 portraying the iconic role of Oliver 'Daddy' Warbucks in the 35th Anniversary production of Annie.

“In a way it was big and scary. I knew I had done the role, but the biggest thing for me was convincing the audience that I was an American.”

He was relieved when a member of the audience approached him afterwards and asked, ‘What part of New York do you come from?’

The producers of Annie paid him a special accolade.

“They said, ‘We have never had a ‘Daddy’ Warbucks who could sing.’ So [the composer] Charles Strouse wrote the song ‘Why Should I Change a Thing’ [for me].”

As it happened Warlow later dropped the song from his performances because he did not think it was necessary to the plot.

His next Broadway gig was as the replacement lead as Captain Hook in the musical Finding Neverland. He

was stepping into the shoes of the Frasier star Kelsey Grammer.

“It was absolutely frightening. I had ten days to learn the role and I was replacing Frasier, someone who was loved and known.”

Warlow did not see Grammer play the lead, instead developing his own interpretation.

In preparing for all roles, he prides himself on finding out as much of the back-story as possible.

“I love the research of any character I play. [For Chicago] I did a lot of reading and researching the genesis of the character. Billy Flynn has become the amalgamation of the two lawyers who were able to have both women acquitted.

“His opening song, ‘All I Care About is Love’ seems to [sum up] his very existence in the show, however, I see it as a kind of ‘jingle’ for his expertise, a smoke-and-mirrors advertisement for his practice.

Anthony Warlow and Lucy Maunder with the cast of Chicago

Photo: Jeff Busby.

Anthony Warlow as Professor Marvel in The Wizard Of Oz (2017)

Photo: Jeff Busby.

Cover Story

Chicago

Opens in Melbourne on March 9, followed by Sydney from June 9 and Adelaide on August 4. chicagomusical.com.au

(Continued from page 9)

“I lean on his showman-like qualities and take pleasure in moments when the audible response from the audience clarifies character choices I’ve made, which reinforce the storytelling.

“There are also musical clues that can be used. At the top of my first entrance, for instance, as the girls sing ‘We want Billy’, the violin plays a tremolo ascending and descending scale. This sounds ‘snake-like’ to me

and I use it to ‘slither’ my way [metaphorically] to the top of the stairs before the opening line, ‘Is everybody here?’”

Chicago opened in Perth and Brisbane ahead of its Sydney and Melbourne seasons.

“I have been able to hone my performance, to fine-tune moments which now are solid. The surprising thing for me, from the commencement of rehearsals, was just how precise this show is.

“Every moment, every gesture, must be carefully crafted and drilled until it appears effortless. The cadence and speed with which Billy’s dialogue is delivered took time to create before I felt comfortable and at ease with his celebrated ‘silver tongue’.”

And what is still on Anthony Warlow’s bucket list?

“I’ve been privileged to have performed many iconic music theatre roles in my career. I would like the challenge of being presented in a play at some time. Period drama speaks to my sensibilities.”

Listen to more of Anthony Warlow on the Stages with Peter Eyers podcast. stagespodcast.com.au

Anthony Warlow in Doctor Zhivago (2011)

Photo: Kurt Sneddon.

Anthony Warlow and Lucille Le Meledo in Annie (2011)

Photo: Jeff Busby.

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Australia’s most successful playwright, David Williamson, has burst out of retirement to premiere three new plays this year in Sydney, Adelaide and Noosa. In a wide-ranging interview with David Spicer, the 82-year-old discusses the prevailing themes of Australian theatre, the issues raised in his latest offerings, and names the best and worst plays of his career.

The first Williamson World Premiere for 2024, The Great Divide, about a town being torn apart by a developer, is playing at the Ensemble Theatre; the next, a sex farce called The Puzzle, set on a cruise ship, premieres at State Theatre Company South Australia, while Noosa Arts Theatre will host an “out of town tryout” of Aria, about a narcissistic matriarch.

David Spicer: When we last spoke a few years ago, you were adamant about retiring. What changed?

David Williamson: Look, my health stabilised, which was a great help. I

can't stop being a compulsive writer when I'm well enough; I can't stop new ideas hitting me. Creativity comes from below your conscious level. So perhaps the dam level was building up down there and suddenly flooded over. I don't know why, but at this particular time I was struck with a feeling there were some plays I had to write. They forced themselves upon me.

DS: Do you agree that the voices of mature white male playwrights are not as valued as they might have been in the past?

DW: I think so. Our theatre for the last 30 or 40 years has been obsessed with identity politics, which are the grievances of a particular group. They let us know about that grievance and it has resulted in some pretty good and powerful theatre. I am not denying that.

But it struck me that whilst identity politics is powerful and strong and gives rise to creativity, there are bigger elephants in the room that Australian drama has just not noticed in the last 30 or 40 years, in its energy to put identity issues on stage.

Two news items struck me the other day. One was that Gina Rinehart and Twiggy Forrest have doubled their net worth in two years by mining our minerals. Now they are into ridiculous levels of 30 plus billion. On the very next day, it was reported that three million Australian families suffered food anxiety.

Now it's all very well to rage against the injustice of the glass ceiling or something like that, but what has happened to Australia is perhaps an even bigger question. We are now (amongst) the wealthiest nations per capita on the face of this earth. And we're (amongst) the worst in terms of inequality, yet Australian drama has conveniently ignored that fact for the last 40 years.

Also, by and large, it's ignored the huge existential crisis of climate change. I think, perhaps, there is a place for aging white males who maybe have a larger overview of our societal problems. There are society wide issues that go beyond identity politics that just haven't been addressed.

DS: And are those issues touched on in your three new plays?

DW: Well, certainly in the one coming first at the Ensemble Theatre. It’s called The Great Divide and it's a dark comedy that shows how neoliberalism and the dominant rightwing press have caused Australia to be reshaped. If you're lucky enough, if you're one of the 20% that's on the right side of the great divide, you are having a great life. But if you're one of the 80% that aren't on the right side, you're not having such a great life.

The Great Divide looks at that question. It's not a diatribe, it's entertaining with good characters, but it does attempt to show us what kind of Australia we're living in.

DS: In the play, you've got an immensely wealthy developer, Alex Whittle (Georgie Parker), who wants to put a town firmly on the tourist map, and she's described as a human bulldozer. Can you give us a flavour of the drama?

DW: George Bernard Shaw said always give the devil the best

lines. And Alex's line is that those who can't afford don't deserve. And (she’s pitted against) a single mother, very much on the other side of the great divide, who is struggling to keep abreast with a young seven-year-old daughter. She’s stacking supermarket shelves, not because she's not bright, but she got pregnant at the wrong time and had to leave school. And she's very much on the other side of it.

John Wood plays the town mayor of the pro-development council, desperate to see their beautiful little town transformed into the Gold Coast. The council loves development, because more tourists means more money. The price of housing shoots up, so their net worth goes up, but it’s a pity about the poor renters. It’s just like Noosa, and Byron Bay, where

(Continued on page 14)

David Williamson. Photo: Robert Catto.

the workforce that serves the wealthy must live way out of town because they can't afford the rent in town.

Alex swings into the town, with her much-abused personal assistant, looking to create the next town for wealthy tourists and IT professionals, using every nasty tactic in the book.

It's a state-of-the-nation play. We don't have enough state-of-the-nation plays. That's perhaps why aging white males might have an overview that the others don't. I've watched our society change very much, from 1962 when Australia was truly an egalitarian country to where we are not now.

DS: I'm intrigued to find out who wins.

DW: It’s a David versus Goliath story. Perhaps, in drama, we’re occasionally allowed to think that David has a chance, even if it never happens in real life.

DS: Later in the year you have a second World Premiere The Puzzle a saucy comedy at the State Theatre Company South Australia.

DW: This is a different kettle of fish. It’s an examination of how people who have everything still manage to stuff up their lives. It's the story of a suburban accountant who was divorced early, and feels he had lost touch with his 27-year-old daughter.

Eric Thompson is playing that hapless accountant. He thinks to get closer to his daughter they'll go on a cruise together. Unfortunately, he doesn't know anything about cruises and he books the wrong one. He books a lifestyle cruise, which is codeword for swingers. And there are two other bored affluent married couples on board who think they'll charge up their life with this new adventure.

Everything, of course, goes wrong as it does in good comedy, but this is a comedy that tries to say it's amazing that the people who have everything let a little bit of sexual boredom stuff up their whole lives. It’s a comment on human nature and I had great fun writing it.

DS: How common is it for people with everything going for them to stuff up their lives?

DW: Our psychiatric and psychology professions wouldn't exist without it, because the fees they charge to treat people's mental distress are humongous. So yes, the middle class and the wealthy are flocking to psychological health now. It indicates that they are successfully stuffing up their lives when everything indicates they shouldn't be doing so.

DS: Your third World Premiere, Aria, is being staged at a community theatre in Noosa. How did that come about?

DW: Aria is the Ensemble Theatre play for 2025. I said to [Artistic Director] Mark Kilmurry that English and American playwrights rarely open their plays in the big cities. They have an out-of-town tryout to refine them. I said, “What about me? We've got an excellent little community theatre with top talent up here at the Noosa Arts Theatre, why not do our 2025 play up here with a very good cast and director.” Mark said what a great idea.

DS: Do you think that there should be more out-of-town tryouts across the board?

DW: That’s what Neil Simon did with The Odd Couple. For six months he toured the American provinces. He was there every night with his director, refining, shaping and changing. And someone said, “Gee, that's a well written play.” Well, yeah, I wish I had six months following a play around and refining it to. So yes, we could do more of that. Australian writers just get plonked in the cold light of day, in the major cities.

DS: What observations are you making about social issues or human nature in Aria?

The Great Divide plays from March 8 to April 27 at the Ensemble Theatre. ensemble.com.au

Aria follows from April 18 to May 12 at the Noosa Arts Theatre. noosaartstheatre.org.au

The Puzzle premieres from September 20 to October 10 at the State Theatre Company South Australia. statetheatrecompany.com.au

(Continued from page 13)

The Beijing People’s Art Theater’s The Club (2023) Photo: Li Chunguang.

DW: Aria delves back into the psychological research I have always been fascinated with. At university I studied social psychology, which is the effect other people have on our behaviour. I mean we're very social creatures; we spend half of our life worrying about what other people think of us.

Aria is about a narcissistic personality someone who thinks the only reason the world is there is to shower praise on them. For all their magnificent achievements, or their magnetic personalities, a full-on narcissist can be a dreadful person.

In the play, the family matriarch believes she has three perfect sons who have all married unsuitable wives. Every year she gathers her sons together for lunch, to prey on them. The sons all happen to have their birthday on the same day, because two of them are identical twins. And it's an occasion to shower praise on her perfect sons, and not too subtly humiliate her daughters-in-law. This

time, it's the revenge of the daughtersin-law.

DS: You’ve written over 50 plays during your career. Do you wish you’d had more time to craft them?

DW: Yes, there's a couple of them. Luckily, most of my career, I've had the luxury of a sort of out-of-town try out. The cast give me a read about eight weeks out from rehearsals. We sit around the table and discuss the play where it's working, where it's not. Then I go away and do a thorough rewrite before it gets into rehearsal. Then there’s a chance to do a bit more rewriting in rehearsal. You can’t change too much then, otherwise it will unsettle the actors and the director.

DS: Could you name a play of yours which needed more work?

DW: Celluloid Heroes was meant to be a searing satire on the film industry back in the 1980s. But sadly, I had to be on hand in Egypt for the shoot of Gallipoli, so I wasn’t around

to rewrite the second act, which was a disaster.

DS: And what are your favourite plays?

DW: Look, there's an A-List, where I think, “I got that one right.” There's a B-list where I think “I wish I’d had a bit more time to work on that one.”

But I wrote my memoirs recently. I reread all of them, some for the first time in forty years, and, by and large, I was happy with them; they stood up and the structure was good. I can understand why, for 25 years, I was the backbone of the Sydney Theatre Company.

One that I took great joy in recently was The Club, which has just had a record-breaking run at Beijing’s most prestigious theatre, with a lavish set. They are re-running it next year.

DS: Why did The Club strike a chord in China?

DW: They spend half their lives in committee meetings in China, and this is a play about a two-hour committee meeting. And the Chinese loved it.

DS: What are your other favourites?

DW: Emerald City, Money and Friends and I particularly love Dead White Males, because it did send up the excesses of post modernism which told us that Shakespeare was just a dead white male preaching male superiority and racism.

Whilst The Taming of the Shrew is anti-women and The Merchant of Venice is anti-semitic, Shakespeare also gave us the most profound insights into universal human nature that any writer has ever given us.

Yes, there's a place for old white male writers, although the gatekeepers are loath to admit it. But the only thing that's kept me alive in the face of the fashion for diversity (and diversity is the God word in Australian Theatre) is that is that for some strange reason people keep coming to my plays.

Georgie Parker and Kate Raison explore the commentary of The Great Divide youtu.be/Dr5Sw4rvj8Q

Georgie Parker will star in Ensemble Theatre’s The Great Divide Photo: Brett Boardman.

Luzia, Cirque du Soleil’s 38th extravaganza under the Big Top, is touring Australia this year. Jonathan Cox spoke to Helena Merten and Nelson Smyles, two Aussies living their dreams performing with the troupe.

From the Spanish ‘luz’ (light) and ‘lluvia’ (rain), Luzia takes audiences on a surreal escape to an imaginary Mexico, a world suspended between dreams and reality. The show epitomises Mexico’s music, culture, ever-changing landscape, and even integrates the element of water, a first for the Canadian company.

With its stunning visuals, a cast of 47 on-stage performers (representing 18 different nationalities), deathdefying acts, over 1,000 costumes, and Mexican inspired music (including a live band and singer), this show caters to a broad audience.

Helena Merten is originally from the Gold Coast, where she started gymnastics at the age of 5. As a teenager she became national champion in tumbling, leading to a job with the House of Dancing Water in Macau.

In Luzia, Helena’s opening performance in the act called ‘Running Woman’ is inspired by the indigenous Tarahumara people, renowned for their exceptional long-distance running skills.

Wearing four-metre-long butterfly wings (in a tribute to the annual migratory journey of the monarch butterfly), her performance is a representation of strength, grace, and determination, embodying the spirit of Mexico and its culture.

Helena also performs in the Masts and Poles sequence, where she climbs acrobatically up and down vertical poles and crisscrosses in the air while leaping from one pole to the other.

The strength and agility of these performers is hard to fathom. Finally, Helena performs in the breathtaking Swing To Swing act, where for the first time at Cirque, the two swings are mounted on a rotating turntable so that the audience can enjoy the performance from all angles.

The pushers demonstrate impeccable timing by flinging their partners, who then perform complex aerial manœuvres, up to 10 metres in the air.

I asked Helena what it takes for performers to keep up their stamina, and to avoid injuries performing 10 shows a week.

“What you see on the stage is the result of between one and three hours of training in harnesses and practice each day. We’ve got it down to a precise art.”

Nelson Smyles performs Hoop Diving with Helena, and also plays a clown once a week.

How did a young man growing up in Port Macquarie end up traveling the world with Luzia?

Nelson says, “I spent most of my life training in gymnastics, working out in the gym, and obsessed with parkour (athletic running, jumping and flipping). Then I studied at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne for three years, specialising in hoop diving and clowning for 40 hours a week.”

Just as he was about to graduate, Nelson had the opportunity to audition for and ultimately join Luzia, his “bulls-eye moment!” Nelson says he loves hoop diving and clowning equally. “The camaraderie between the hoop diving team is fun. However, as a clown I get to engage with the

(Continued on page 18)

audience. I can play with the show, and really feel the themes that it is trying to give off as well.”

Nelson explains that “hoop diving is a team of acrobats dressed as hummingbirds (complete with beaks), jumping through a stack of hoops (each measuring a mere 75 cm in diameter) on two giant treadmills. We stack them either two, three or four high and we do solo and combo tricks.”

I asked Nelson whether using the high-speed treadmills is more taxing on his body, but he assured me that “once you get used to the timing and the way that it moves, it’s much easier on the body, because you don’t have to put quite as much force into each bit of acrobatics, as the treadmill will help you continue moving or to stop.”

What appeals to Helena as a Cirque performer?

“I feel like I’m welcoming and embracing the audience,” she says. “It’s special that people are taken away and are totally immersed in what’s going on. You don’t do it for the competition, but to show your skills in a more artistic way.”

They both tell me that Cirque performers are well looked after.

“We have two physios, a masseur and an amazing team of chefs,” says Nelson.

“We’re athletes too and need certain dietary requirements. Some

people don’t want to gain weight, others want to maintain it. Some people want to eat vegan food. We’re all looked after very well!” says Helena. Whilst in Australia, the cast and crew live in company-provided corporate apartments and hotels.

I asked Helena and Nelson if they were excited to be performing Luzia in Australia, on home ground?

Helena says, “I’m looking forward to seeing my family, teachers, and coaches [from the Gold Coast] that have supported me to get where I am today. I’ve finally reached my dream

that I had while watching Cirque as a seven-year-old.”

Helena says she hopes there might be a little girl in the audience who is inspired by her act, to also fulfil her dreams. “For me that is mindblowing,” she says.

Why should audiences come and see Luzia?

Nelson says, “it captures Mexico so perfectly. We toured Mexico for five months, and everything that is in the show is there. When it comes to the music, the costumes, and the artists, it’s just beautiful. It’s got something in it for everybody.”

Helena enjoys that the show is “so full of little details about Mexico. Also, it’s very immersive. It’s so encapsulating! You won’t have to think about anything else for two hours.”

She also makes a very significant point. “We see lots of YouTube videos of people doing crazy and phenomenal things, but to actually see them in person is totally different!”

As well as the acts featuring Helena and Nelson, audiences can expect to see acrobats, Cyr wheel and trapeze (beneath a huge rain curtain), hand balancing, freestyle football, juggling, clowns, hair suspension, contortion and more.

Opens at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne on March 24, Adelaide from June 9, Perth from July 25, Brisbane from September 25 and Sydney from November 24. cirquedusoleil.com/luzia

(Continued from page 17)

The Running Woman act in Cirque Du Soleil’s Luzia Photo: Matt Beard.

The Hoop Diving troupe in Cirque Du Soleil’s Luzia Photo: Matt Beard.

Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia

Stage Briefs

Australian Irish dancing duo Ceili Moore and Brent Pace have made a name for themselves on the world stage of Irish dancing over the last few decades, winning world championships and dancing alongside greats such as Michael Flatley.

Both coming from Irish dancing families in Australia, their union has seen the creation of live entertainment company, Pace Live Entertainment Group, a unique dance touring company which celebrates Irish dance and culture.

A national tour, commencing in March, will reach more than sixty venues over three months in all Australian states, both in metropolitan and regional centres.

A Taste Of Ireland Australia Felix

With revamped musical classics such as ‘Danny Boy’ and ‘Tell Me Ma’, the show blends live acapella tap battles, melodic folk music mashups and craic (gossip) through the story of Ireland’s tumultuous history.

The cast of 14 dancers and musicians includes alumni from the Lord of the Dance, Riverdance & Gaelforce Dance.

Brent Pace says, “A Taste of Ireland has grown into one of the top four most followed Celtic productions in the world. The show provides a wonderful insight into Irish history and culture, involving storytelling, visual design and dramatic effects with each and every number in the show.

A Taste Of Ireland

For dates visit atasteofirelandshow.com

A runaway convict who lived with nine Aboriginal tribes, and inspired the exploration of western Victoria, is the subject of a musical revue being staged in Sydney this March/April.

Director and writer Geoffrey Sykes says the remarkable life of George Clark also known as the flying

barber is presented by ‘travelling players’ in the tradition of ballads and storytelling.

“It’s set on the eve of his execution, with the sandstone and brick wall of the (Richard Wherrett) studio a perfect ambient setting for a

“I think the most magical part of this year’s performance will be that my 1-year-old daughter will get to see her dad dance. It’s a family affair, and something I thought that would never happen.”

nineteenth century gaol where executions were public events.

“It deliberately uses an entertaining convention to re-open questions of history. It’s a great story of the accomplishment of one man a kind of Lawrence of Arabia figure in this country.”

Like other successful runaways, Clark proved a great explorer, and his claims to have found a great inland river came to the attention of Thomas Mitchell, the then NSW Surveyor-General.

Clarke was given a reprieve from punishment as a bushranger while Mitchell went off on a full expedition based on his advice and maps. The phrase Australia Felix Latin for Australia fortunate describes the region’s lush pastoral land.

Australia Felix March 22 to April 6. Richard Wherrett Studio, Roslyn Packer Theatre

Photo: James Etheridge.

Australia Felix.

Audra McDonald In Oz

Self-confessed fangirl Coral Drouyn speaks to six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, on her way for an Australian concert tour in May.

ICON “A person or thing that is revered someone or something regarded as embodying the essential characteristics of an era, group, etc.”

Audra McDonald is an Icon, the quintessential Broadway star of musical theatre, concerts, drama, opera, recordings, television and film. Perhaps the only other living Broadway Icon is her male counterpart, Mandy Patinkin (if you haven’t heard them together singing “Tonight” from West Side Story, put it

on your bucket list). They are special people, imbued with something beyond talent, great though that is.

Both have the power to evoke deep emotion, and to change the way we react, feel, and even think. Both are touched by gifts most of us can barely imagine. They are transcendent. And both are aware of the responsibility those gifts bring; they are activists in the most positive ways, constantly putting themselves on the line for what they believe in, in

the hope of effecting change in the world around us. They are also, though it’s of little consequence, my two favourite stage performers in the entire world.

And that’s enough about Mandy until his next tour. Audra McDonald is a tour de force on her own and we have the chance to see her live in all our capital cities this May, only a matter of weeks away. I, for one, can’t wait.

So, what is it about Ms McDonald that sets her apart?

Well, obviously there’s the voice, a soaring lyric soprano that is as pure as the finest rain, and as soft as silk.

Online extras!

Audra McDonald sings “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from The Sound Of Music. youtu.be/xbrqm3umaKg

Audra McDonald.

Photo: Autumn de Wilde.

Amazingly it can embrace opera, musicals and even jazz standards.

That would be enough for most artistes, but it’s complemented by astonishingly good looks and grace, and a large dose of “sass” which gives her a charismatic presence whenever she sets foot on stage. Somehow, she manages to transcend the limitations of racial ethnicity or type casting in a role and because she is so committed to what she does, she convinces us that every character she plays is real.

Audra comes from a musical family and was performing standards by the age of ten. She fondly remembers singing “The White Cliffs of Dover” in cabaret as a child. It’s hard to get your head around any similarity between Vera Lynn and Audra. The mind boggles.

Her early training came from being a member of the Good Company Players, a dinner theatre version of our community theatres and she has said in the past, “Everything I know about theatre, I first learned there. I honed it, maybe, as the years went on, but it was all learned at the Good Company Players.”

Although she studied classical singing at Juilliard, it was always Broadway that held the most attraction for her. That was her aim, and she made it, winning her first Tony Award when she was only 23, just a year after graduating from Juilliard.

And yet there was a time when she might have taken a different path altogether, especially had it not been for those young performances in her hometown of Fresno. I asked her if there was ever a time when she might have chosen another career.

“I had a dream of being an architect. I was so into Legos and building houses with my Legos and blocks and stuff as a kid, all the way

up into my teens. That was a sort of secret idea of a career that I thought about as a kid, and it's no wonder because I so enjoy renovating houses and things like that now that it makes sense,” Audra told me.

I’m happy she decided on theatre instead. Good architects are hard to find, but great artistes are priceless. Fortunately, Audra keeps the dream alive whenever there’s a new home to decorate. “That bug is still in there, but not a career.”

At 53 she is the most awarded performer to ever set foot on a stage anywhere, with a staggering 80 nominations resulting in 26 wins. On her mantelpiece are six Tony awards (nominated 10 times) three of them before she turned 28, plus two Emmys and a Grammy, along with a slew of other awards, yet she somehow manages to stay grounded.

Only last year she told the NY Times, after being nominated for yet another award, “The real joy is in the work.” I’m pretty sure that being inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2017 wouldn’t have turned her head either. And why would it? When you’ve played everything from Gershwin to Shakespeare, there are no limitations.

There’s even an Australian connection in Audra’s life. Her second Tony award was for Best Supporting Actress in Master Class which starred the great Australian actress Zoe Caldwell, who took home the Best Actress Tony for the same play. The two bonded closely and Audra’s daughter is named Zoe.

And yet, in the strange world we live in, Broadway isn’t enough to make you a household name. Most of the world’s population will never see a Broadway show, but just about everybody on earth watches television. It’s doubtful that many of

Perth: May 4 at the Crown Theatre Perth.

Adelaide: May 8 at Her Majesty's Theatre.

Sydney: May 11 at the Sydney Opera House.

Brisbane: May 15 at QPAC Concert Hall.

Melbourne: May 17 at Hamer Hall. audramcdonald.com

the audience of Private Practise on “the box” realised that Dr Naomi Bennett was in fact a national theatrical treasure. It’s one of those strange paradoxes in the world of entertainment. Television can make you a household name, a superstar, while theatre is still considered elitist by so many people.

For many of us, the combination of Audra and Christine Baranski in the quirky and satirical The Good Fight became compulsive viewing, giving us hope that popular TV could be as cerebral and satisfying as live theatre.

Then there’s a Screen Actors Guild nomination for The Gilded Age a fabulous series that manages to make Downton Abbey look pallid…and two new movies on release, Rustin (which features in this year’s Oscars) and Origin, which she has been actively promoting. It seems she never stops working.

But for Audra, no matter what the medium, she makes a huge impact, so I asked her what her favourite platform was.

Not surprisingly she told me, “I love them all, but my first language is live theatre.”

There really is nothing like the immediacy of walking on a stage and feeling that wave of love from an audience. Every performer cherishes that above all else.

And that’s why we will get to see her take to the concert stage in May after a whirlwind concert tour of the USA. It’s seven years since she has performed here, and only Melbourne and Sydney got to see her on that trip but Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane have been added on this occasion.

Then it’s back home for a break, and a chance to hang out with her rescue dogs. Not even Audra can be an Icon 365 days a year. I asked her if there is a role, regardless of age or gender, that she would dearly love to play. Her answer? “I would love to be Sweeney in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.”

Why am I not surprised! Erasing gender boundaries would be a breeze for the lady who once said we should “pay attention to the talent, not the colour”.

Audra McDonald Australia Tour 2024

Small But Perfectly Formed Theatres

Intimate theatre venues in Australia’s capital cities face increasing pressure to stay open. Yet, while some have closed, others are thriving. Beth Keehn spoke to new theatre operators in Canberra and Sydney, and established venue managers in Brisbane and Melbourne, to see how smaller spaces are surviving in 2024.

Last October, the Meraki Arts Bar on Sydney’s Oxford Street a multilevel cabaret venue announced that it was immediately closing, leaving theatre companies scrambling to find a new venue. In May 2022, companies using the Bakehouse Theatre in Adelaide announced with ‘great sadness’ that, after 25 years, the venue had been sold and the owners wanted to use the property for their own purposes. But, despite these economic difficulties, it is inspiring to see independent theatre groups across the country take up the challenge to thrive in smaller innercity venues. These people and places are crucial to our creative landscape providing training, performance and backstage experience, a support network for creatives, and a talent pipeline for our larger and more commercial theatre companies.

Brisbane: Ad Astra

In Brisbane, arts philanthropists Fiona and Dan Kennedy have been saving little venues in the inner city since 2018. Their Ad Astra company refurbished a 1970s office space in a Fortitude Valley industrial estate to create an intimate 40-seat black box space, providing local creatives with a professional stage and carefully curated theatre works to showcase their talent. The company’s productions of Proof (by David Auburn) and Top Girls (by Caryl Churchill) have been nominated for five Matilda Awards 2023.

Executive Producer, Gregory J Wilken told me: “This year we’ll continue to build our repertoire and create more cooperative productions.

In 2022, we put 74 creatives on and off stage, and more than half had not been part of Ad Astra before. The stats for 2023 are about the same. That includes new, young talent, but also local talented professional creatives who are reconnecting with their stage roots. We hold open auditions and are dedicated to finding the right talent for a wide range of roles to really show what the talent pool in Brisbane has to offer.”

Saving The Brisbane Arts Theatre

In 2023, Fiona and Dan Kennedy also saved Brisbane’s historic Arts Theatre from real estate developers. They bought the space at 210 Petrie Terrace which has long been the heart of community theatre in Brisbane. The aim is to refurbish the 150-seat space as the new home for Ad Astra and as a creative hub for Queensland’s theatre makers. The Fortitude Valley 40-seater will remain home for emerging artists, classic stories and new works. Upcoming plays include Joe Orton’s Loot and a special revival of Michael Gow’s Toy Symphony which will tour to Qtopia’s new Loading Dock Theatre in Sydney. adastracreativity.com/productions

Sydney: Qtopia

There is some positive news from Sydney the Old Fitz Theatre is under new management, as is Flightpath in Marrickville and Kings Cross Theatre (KXT) is in its new space

L-R: Dan Kennedy (Ad Astra co-owner), Fiona Kennedy (Ad Astra co-owner and Creative Director), Una Hollingsworth OAM, Blake Young (Brisbane Arts Theatre Creative Director) and Gregory Wilken (Ad Astra Executive Producer).

Ad Astra’s Toy Symphony (2024)

Photo: Christopher Sharman.

Ad Astra’s Bakersfield Mist (2023)

Photo: Christopher Sharman.

on Broadway. A new venue is Qtopia a not-for-profit group dedicated to showcasing our Queer history, stories and experiences across all genres.

Backed by a mix of local government, academic and private funding (including from founding partners, the Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch Foundation), in early 2024, Qtopia is opening a new creative hub with three new theatre spaces in Darlinghurst: the Bandstand (refurbished space in Green Park with space for 40 people), Taylor Square’s Substation (capacity for 50) and the Loading Dock, a new 60-seat theatre within Sydney’s Centre for Queer History and Culture, on Forbes Street.

The irony is not lost on the venue’s curators that this flagship theatre is in the old Darlinghurst Police Station, with past associations with the persecution of Sydney’s gay community. The Loading Dock’s premiere will be Ad Astra’s successful 2022 season production of Michael Gow’s Toy Symphony

Ad Astra’s Executive Producer, Gregory J Wilken said: “This is our first ever Sydney production, and Michael Gow’s semi-autobiographical story of playwright Roland Henning, suffering from the dreaded writers’ block, seems the perfect piece to break the

ice at the new performance space. Our 2024 production will feature the same director, Michelle Carey. We have expanded the cast and created multiple parts to allow for roles to be played by a mix of Brisbane and Sydney actors.”

Qtopia Sydney Curator of Culture, Carly Fisher, said: “Qtopia Sydney is proudly launching three new intimate performance spaces in 2024, to celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community and reflect on the history of our great city. Our main stage is the Loading Dock Theatre. In programming our 2024 season, we are excited to share stories from talented artists from across Australia from early career to seasoned artists. We are proud to be amplifying the voices of local storytellers, as well as welcoming wonderful touring productions from all over Australia. To kickstart our venues with a play by one of our greatest local Sydney playwrights is an honour. And we hope that this is the start of a beautiful long relationship with Ad Astra and with Brisbane-based artists and companies.”

qtopiasydney.com.au

Canberra: Mill Theatre at Dairy Road

Mill Theatre at Dairy Road in Canberra is a new 67-seat greybox studio theatre that opened its first season in November 2022. The venue is part of a mixed commercial, government and community hub built on former industrial government storage space at Dairy Road and Jerrabomberra Wetlands, by owners the Molonglo Group.

Creative Producer Lexi Sekuless told us: “Mill Theatre is one of the first, if not the first, private enterprise venue in Canberra, supported entirely by industry. It’s unusual for property developers to include a theatre as part of their plans, but Molonglo Group, a local company established in Canberra in 1964, is interested in Canberra’s cultural offerings.”

Lexi is committed to growing the professional theatre industry in the ACT. She currently oversees programming, theatre shows and screen projects, and runs regular drop -in and mentoring programmes for Canberra’s on and off-stage creatives.

Promoting shows is a key issue, as Lexi explains: “In the ACT, we have an added challenge with some old laws that mean we cannot have billboards or promotional cards. So, we have to rely on other ways to let people know what’s happening.”

Lexi told me about her overall aims for the new space: “I want to help Canberra to grow up culturally. At the moment, people feel they have to leave Canberra to train and work. I will feel a massive sense of success when people say, ‘I hear you are doing some really interesting work in Canberra’.

“We have a lot of actors in Canberra, but I’m also interested in people who want further experience. I want to help create opportunities for Canberra practitioners to upskill and take on more leadership roles more directors, more production managers. We don’t operate as a co-op: all our actors and creative team are paid under contract. We also offer up affordable space for co-productions.

(Continued on page 24)

The old Darlinghurst police station, now Qtopia’s new Loading Dock theatre.

“Our 2024 season offers eight shows from adaptations to revivals, re-imaginings and immersive theatre experiences. We have definitely seen our audience build over the past year and we hope to see that continue in 2024.”

Upcoming shows at Mill Theatre include Helios, an interactive retelling of the Greek tale, and Rockspeare Henry Sixth Part Two (2H6), which enhances Shakespeare’s Wars of the Roses series with music, poetry and an original soundscape.

tinyurl.com/2yverze7

Melbourne: fortyfivedownstairs

One of our more established, independent theatres fortyfivedownstairs at 45 Flinders Lane in Melbourne started its life in 2002 in a ground floor warehouse as a privately funded visual art space. It expanded in 2009 to a refurbished basement performance area which allowed visual art exhibitions to coexist with the theatre output, rather than alternating in the same space.

fortyfivedownstairs now operates as a not-for-profit theatre that aims to support independent and experimental works. The theatre is an open space with adaptable seating to suit a range of genres and an audience of up to 120 people.

In September 2023, Cameron Lukey was appointed as the venue’s

new Artistic Director of theatre. Cameron had been a producer for the venue since his first show in 2014 a production of Terrence McNally’s play Master Class, featuring Maria Mercedes as Maria Callas.

Cameron told me: “The best thing about our space is its flexibility. We can produce anything from a oneperson show with no set to an ensemble piece like our current production of The Inheritance by Matthew López which has a cast of 13 actors.”

Cameron is passionate about giving performers the chance to get on stage, and bringing audiences the best productions possible. “We are very fortunate to be an inner-city space. There aren’t that many independent theatre venues in

Melbourne. So, our overall aim is to use our fantastic space to give Melbourne audiences an eclectic mix of productions to enjoy the best mix of new Australian work, the latest international plays, a bit of comedy as well as drama, new and classic works, and music.”

The theatre’s 2024 season reflects all that and more. There have been Australian premieres of The Inheritance (Matthew López) and Milked (Simon Longman), with upcoming shows including Coady Green’s programme of 14 events in the Chamber Music Festival, The Exact Dimensions of Hell, and WAY, written and performed by Sally McKenzie and directed by Sean Mee.

fortyfivedownstairs.com

(Continued from page 23)

Rockspeare at Canberra’s new Mill Theatre.

Photo: Daniel Abroguena.

The Inheritance (2024) at fortydivedownstairs. Photo: Cameron Grant.

Australia’s Best Theatre

Professional, community and independent theatre companies recently toasted their best productions of 2023 at a series of annual awards nights. David Spicer reviews the results across the country.

New South Wales

Sydney Theatre Awards

The Sydney Theatre Company and the Hayes Theatre Company were the big winners at the annual awards adjudicated by critics and the industry in the harbour city.

Five different plays staged by the STC picked up a total of eleven awards, including Best Mainstage Production for The Visitors, a play about six elders deciding whether to welcome or send away the First Fleet in 1788.

The Hayes Theatre picked up seven awards, with the biggest winner being its production of A Little Night Music, which was awarded Best Production of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (Dean Bryant) and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Nancye Hayes).

The Red Line company, in its final year at the Old Fitz Theatre, picked up four awards including Best Independent Production for an outstanding season of A Streetcar Named Desire.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on Jane Seldon, who spent 40 years repairing and maintaining costumes at the Sydney Theatre Company.

(Continued on page 26)

Performance at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards. Photo: David Hooley.

Nancye Hayes winner at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards for A Little Night Music

Photo: David Hooley.

(Continued from page 25)

Composer and director Terence Clarke was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. The 88-year-old brought the house down by playing the piano for a 40year reunion performance of his musical Summer Rain Clarke told the audience that he expected that his late collaborator Nick Enright was watching on from heaven. tinyurl.com/223ej7pa

CONDA Awards

The 45th annual CONDA Awards (City of Newcastle Drama Association) was a glamorous extravaganza held at the Newcastle City Hall in December.

Winners in 27 categories were selected by six judges who witnessed 61 productions across the Hunter.

CONDA head judge Karen Birrell said, “The winners hailed from 12 different local companies, reflecting a broad distribution of achievements in design, technical achievement, performance, direction and writing across the region.”

The aptly named Chookas Entertainment picked up three CONDAs including Best Musical for its production of Heathers the Musical, pipping The Very Popular Theatre Company’s spectacular production of Billy Elliot the Musical, which won two.

The Australian Premiere of Ideation, a comedic thriller by Aaron Loeb, won best Dramatic Production for the independent Knock and Run Theatre Company.

The Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to Theatre Award went to Mercia Buck for decades of service, and for founding Opera Hunter.

Victoria

The Green Room Awards, honouring professional theatre, will be held mid-year. Community theatres frocked up for their annual awards ceremonies in late 2023.

Victorian Drama League

Gold Logie winner John Wood was on hand to present the trophies at the Victorian Drama League’s annual awards for community theatre drama companies.

The companies frock up for a special dinner in Melbourne.

The Drama of the year was awarded to the Brighton Theatre Company for its production of The Revlon Girls. The play is set in a pub, in the aftermath of the tragic death of 144 people in a coal disaster in Wales.

Best Comedy was jointly awarded to the Torquay Theatre Troupe’s production of Tartuffe by Molière and the Ballarat National Theatre’s season of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters.

Chookas Entertainment winner at the 2023 CONDA Awards for Heathers The Musical

Awards

The Best Director of a Comedy Liana Skewes gave what the VDL described as “one of the most beautifully heartfelt and vulnerably brave speeches ever witnessed. Liana reminded us why we love what we do, the impact we have on others, and the healing power of immersing yourself with like-minded people to create the gorgeous ephemeral magic we call theatre.”

Music Theatre Guild Of Victoria Awards

The presentation of the 36th annual Bruce Awards for excellence in community and school musical theatre was held at the Costa Hall in Geelong in December.

The Music Theatre Guild of Victoria’s night of nights has the most spectacular variety of entertainment of any awards night in the country.

Last year’s entertainment saw a large orchestra and fully costumed cast perform whole songs from more than ten musicals, including The Boy From Oz, Les Misérables, The Sound of Music, Sweeney Todd and Priscilla Queen of the Desert

CLOC Music Theatre, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, picked up eleven awards including musical of the year for its production of CHESS.

Normally staged as a concert, the season of CHESS impressed judges for its technical excellence in staging the work fully, and individual performances of cast members and creatives.

(Continued on page 28)

Brighton Theatre Company winner at the 2023 Victorian Drama League awards for The Revlon Girl, with presenter John Wood.

Photo: Dave Swan.

Music Theatre Guild Of Victoria’s 2023 Bruce Awards.

(Continued from page 27)

The Guild has a keen participation of high schools, who also get to perform on the night.

Emmaus College picked up five awards including Junior Production of the Year for its season of Little Women.

Western Australia

Finley Awards

The Independent Theatre Association of Western Australia held the 48th annual Robert Finley Awards presentation ceremony in January.

Dedicated judges travel to community theatres and schools from Perth to Albany to adjudicate musicals and plays across the state.

The Best Play went to the suburban theatre company KADS, which staged an ambitious adaptation of JeanPaul Sartres’ No Exit. Set in a hell of being in close proximity to unlikeable characters, Stage Whispers reviewer Kimberley Shaw described it as the company’s best play of the decade.

Best Musical was won by a venue producer, Koorliny Arts, for a slick production of Catch Me If You Can.

A unique award at the Finleys is the Unsung Hero award. It went to a volunteer with a great surname for theatre. Yvonne Starr was acknowledged for dedicated work as front of house manager for the Garrick Theatre

South Australia

Adelaide ACColades

Members of the Adelaide Critics Circle honoured the best community and professional theatre productions of 2023 at the 26th annual ACColade Awards in December.

Martha Lott winner at Adelaide ACColades for Holden Street Theatre’s Looped

Bel Canto Performing Arts winner at the 2023 Finley Awards for Anything Goes: Youth Edition

The Holden Street Theatre took out the best professional group and individual for its production of Looped, and the performance of Martha Lott in that production.

The play is based on a real-life event where the central character Bankhead needed eight hours to redub one line of dialogue: “And so Patricia, as I was telling you, that deluded rector has in literal effect closed the church to me.”

Stage Whispers reviewer Jude Hines said a stream of superlatives was needed to describe the performance of Lott, who as well as being a brilliant actress is an entrepreneur who owns the venue.

The year’s best Community Theatre production went to the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of South Australia for its production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical tinyurl.com/26g6gtsb

Canberra And Surrounds

The ACT and surrounds have so much good theatre they have three award nights.

The Canberra Critics Circle honoured ten different productions and individuals, ranging from actors playing Sir Joseph Porter in HMS Pinafore (David Cannell) to Salieri, in Amadeus (Jim Adamik).

In February, the Ovation Awards gave the Canberra Philharmonic Society (Cats) and Dramatic Productions (Dogfight) their joint Musical of the Year award.

Likewise, The Children from Chaika Theatre, and Speaking in Tongues from Free-Rain Theatre Company were joint winners of Best Play.

The indefatigable Coralie Wood is retiring after sending judges out across regional New South Wales for the CAT (formerly Canberra and now renamed as the Combined Area) Awards for 30 years.

This year Best Play went to Neighbourhood Watch, staged by the Wagga Wagga School of Arts.

Best Production of a school or youth musical was picked up by Albatross Musical Theatre for its season of Frozen Jr.

Awards

Queensland Matilda Awards

The 36th annual Matilda Awards were to be held at Brisbane Powerhouse in late February, after this issue went to press.

Three shows received five nominations each. These include Breathe In from Mackay’s Crossroad Arts, Is That You, Ruthie? from QPAC in association with Oombarra Productions and Vietgone from Queensland Theatre, followed closely by Drizzle Boy from Queensland Theatre and Bananaland from Brisbane Festival and QPAC, both of which received four nominations.

Lead Judge of the Matilda Awards, Sue Rider, said, “In 2023 the judging panel saw a wealth of theatre embracing stories and artists from diverse points of view. The Poison of Polygamy from La Boite Theatre, Unconditional from Playlab Theatre/Brisbane Festival/ Brisbane Powerhouse and Tae Tae in the Land of Yaaas! from Brisbane Festival/shake & stir theatre co/QPAC all explored perspectives which break new ground.”

Gold Palm Theatre Awards

Wicked leading lady Courtney Monsma was the special guest presenter at the Gold Palm Theatre Awards held at Dracula’s Restaurant on the Gold Coast.

Convenor Kate Peters said, “live theatre is indeed strong on the Gold Coast, even without many international performers who have returned overseas or to cruise ships.

“In 2023 we saw a lot of new work, much of which was excellent. Musicals are perennially popular, with Spotlight Theatre Company’s Gypsy a huge success.”

Spotlight was awarded the Gold Palm Award for earning the most nominations, from the field of candidates stretching from Brisbane to northern NSW.

“Schools and colleges are producing high quality entertainment, with many of the performers going on to courses at Brisbane's Conservatorium,” Peters said.

The outstanding community theatre production of the year went to the Bangalow Theatre Company for their season of The Beast by Eddie Perfect.

Canberra Philharmonic Society winner at the 2023 Canberra Critics Circle Awards for Cats

Queensland Theatre’s Vietgone Photo: Brett Boardman.

The Beast

The Bangalow Theatre Company in northern NSW recently won five Gold Coast Palm Awards, including best community theatre production, for their season of The Beast by Eddie Perfect. Director Anouska Gammon explains how cast and venue challenges were conquered to produce the play in six weeks.

Our little company usually produces musicals, but I had my sights on this brilliant piece which I knew would resonate with local crowds. The black comedy plonks itself in the middle of upper-middle class Australia. Three married couples living in Melbourne, all seeking a more holistic life, move to a tree change existence that centres itself in organic orgasmic delight.

Writer Eddie Perfect has a knack for poking his audience in just the right way, feeding them humour to shade the truthful and exposing themes, while building to a crescendo of unravelling chaos.

The Bangalow Theatre Company is run by a group of volunteers

passionate about creating innovative, thought-provoking and engaging theatre. With sell-out shows for each season, and multiple awards, the company has survived the pandemic, and is thriving.

We had only six weeks and twelve rehearsals to prepare for opening night due to cast reshuffling. Luckily the final cast took to the script like fish to water. We also had enough females audition to allow for a double cast. This meant we needed more rehearsal time but the double roles kept each male on their toes, as they needed to respond to each female differently.

The females themselves were also constantly finding their version of the

character, and this little bit of competitiveness was just the right energy for the work. No one felt safe, or too comfortable, which added to the discomfort within the writing.

Another hurdle the company came up against was our venue. The initial space for The Beast was a shed on a local farm, which seemed like a great idea at the time. Placing the work in the environment which the play is set felt like a bold, and cost-effective choice.

However, as rehearsals began we realised that the shed would only allow for 50 patrons, we would need to bring in porta loos, there was a lack of a back stage area, no food/bar options and if it rained, we would need a marquee. The shed itself was up a very long driveway, with little parking.

We investigated having live cattle around the shed, and one live calf in the show, to submerge our audience in the play through natural sounds and realism, however this was not legally allowed.

So, we quickly needed to find another performance space four weeks out from the show.

Luckily, we had found another venue option the Newrybar Hall great in-between shed and theatre option for us, with a toilet as well! Rehearsals continued (in a different hall space) and tickets went on sale.

Things were coming together except for one last thing the cow.

The finale of the first act is a monumental moment of the play, where the three couples decide to celebrate their new lives in the countryside with a fabulous degustation lunch. They plan to meet a local farmer to kill one of his cows, which the group will then prepare to eat. Head to tail eating it is called. So very sustainable. However, the farmer does not turn up, and so the couples take it on themselves to kill the cow.

This, of course, goes horribly wrong, and ends up being a fullblown cow massacre leaving the characters traumatised. We considered a puppet cow, the use of silhouettes, projection, another

performer, a fake toy cow and the list went on.

Finally, a more simplistic idea formed that did not involve the sight of a cow, but rather the blood of a cow. We went into full engineering mode to create our cow blood device. This took many trips to hardware stores, pool shops, conversations with many tradies and battery experts.

We invested in a dog activated sprinkler, and tested other devices. Then, after many hours testing pressure and consistency for the blood, we made a device that was motorised and activated by the actors pressing a button.

The blood (a concoction of red food colouring, chocolate sauce and water) was kept in a large tub on stage masked as a hay bale. Blood travelled through a hose with a spray nozzle, and hidden under fake grass.

As the actors either tried to save or kill the cow, the button could be pushed, the blood would spray, and with the combination of horrific cow sounds and lighting, we had our

Director’s Diary

scene. It was a triumph, and left each audience shocked, yet laughing.

There was also a massive job of cleaning up during each interval for our crew, and for our costume lady, who needed to continually wash blood ridden clothes for each show.

The Beast, as meaty (pardon the pun) as it was, will be a difficult act to follow for BTC. There were times when it did feel all too difficult. Six weeks from first script read to opening night with a group of volunteers, a very low budget, and no home to rehearse/perform in.

But perhaps there is something in this. Something in the restriction which aids creativity. Sometimes having too much time, and too much space creates more questions and allows for more opportunities to conflict. One thing is for sure, it is the work of a formidable team of passionate people, and the support of our local theatre loving community which does keep BTC moving forward.

Bangalow Theatre Company’s The Beast

Photo: Kate Holmes.

In The Spotlight

Nurturing New Musicals

Making a hit musical requires patience, workshops and ruthless editing throughout its development period. Les Solomon rues that too many productions in the US and Australia get to the stage before they are ready.

Getting a new musical to the world is quite a business. In a recent interview Stephen Schwartz said five years is the optimum time for going from the page to the stage.

And Schwartz certainly knows the industry’s highs and lows. While Wicked has just passed 20 years on the Great White Way, after 6 months trying to fix his 1976 musical The Baker’s Wife on the road, the production folded after its Washington preview season.

Those old “opening in Boston” out of town tryouts used to be the rule. In recent years, however, I notice the process has become a lot shorter. Similarly, the out-of-town dates have become a focus for reviewing shows while still in semi-development. The new musical of The Great Gatsby got

its first steps at the prestigious and not very out-of-town Paper Mill Playhouse. Luckily it was a sell-out hit there and now has Broadway dates.

In decades past, many shows would tour substantially before hitting their main season on Broadway (some, like Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife, didn’t make it). That journey saw major changes made, songs and dances dropped, new songs added, and sometimes cast changes.

When Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Away We Go! was trying out in the month before the Broadway opening, a late show song for leading man Curly was falling flat. At an ensemble member’s suggestion, Richard Rodgers had orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett arrange eightpart ensemble harmonies, completed

on his train trip from New York to Boston. In one Sunday afternoon, the harmonies were taught from the arranger’s single copy, then Agnes De Mille choreographed the number, ‘Oklahoma!’, in time for a rapturous reception at the next performance. The show also had its new name ahead of the Broadway opening.

Miracles can be created on the road.

I do wish the Americans practised this a little more these days and we wouldn’t see such casualties as last years’ flop of New York, New York

Based on the 1977 movie of the same name, it had Kander and Ebb songs, plus new material from Kander and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Despite this dream creative team, it lasted just

Back To The Future

Photo: Matthew Murphy.

With Les Solomon

three months, following a very short pre-Broadway run.

Trying a new work out to find out what works is vital, the most important piece of the puzzle being how the audience reacts. They will tell you how much love is in the theatre for a show.

Critics can bash a show to bits, but if the general public approves, it can still be a hit. On Broadway, critics panned Back to the Future: The Musical, but it is selling very well.

In Australia I’m afraid we’re too keen to get a new product in front of an audience before it is ready. The Dismissal: an Extremely Serious Musical had its world premiere at the Seymour Centre last year.

There was tremendous industry excitement. In 2019 at a semi-staged try-out one reviewer, Jason Blake, described it as the best Australian musical of the century so far. It was picked up by the Sydney Theatre Company as a co-production for their 2021 season, but COVID-19 had other plans.

The COVID-19 interruption should have provided time to re-write the musical, but the creators didn’t edit it effectively. When it opened, it was too long and had three different endings, affecting the audience reaction and critical response.

Online extras!

See what happens when you hit 88 miles per hour in Back To The Future. youtu.be/Ov7RRGrNv_s

town. Genius Director/Choreographer Jerome Robbins suggested replacing opening number ‘Love is in the Air’. Its replacement, ‘Comedy Tonight’, instantly set the tone, and suddenly the show was a hit.

Sadly, a key creative across multiple facets of the production departed the week before opening. It was always unwise for one person to do multiple key jobs, when it’s best for these roles to be undertaken by different people.

During the season of The Dismissal edits were made, and by several accounts it became a tighter production.

Stephen Sondheim was a genius, but he never directed or produced his own shows. His first Broadway-bound show as both composer and lyricist, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, was floundering out of

The collaboration of brilliant individuals makes musicals the best they can be.

How different might things have been for The Dismissal if the pandemic hadn’t intervened, and the planned Sydney Theatre Company coproduction had gone ahead, complete with an out-of-town season in Canberra.

Similarly, the musical Bananaland, from the terrific creative team and many of the actors from Muriel’s Wedding the musical, came into Sydney in January after a brief season

(Continued on page 34)

in Brisbane. Yet on opening night it ran three hours and ten minutes. Even the less experienced eye could tell there was too much material and too many side characters.

This show is a real example of an excellent idea (a rock band becomes a popular children’s pop group) and an excellent production (sensational cast) that was not ready for that exposure. It could still be a mighty hit. I went back and saw it a second time and enjoyed it more.

The sad fact is that new musicals, if they have a mixed response, usually disappear because that initial reaction is not enough to guarantee a future.

The Hayes Theatre has been a great place for showing off new musicals. Their productions are brilliantly staged, but to date none of the brand-new musicals the company has premiered have had a substantial second production.

Perhaps we’re expecting a lot of the intimate Hayes, with the capacity of one of New York’s smaller offBroadway theatres. New York has so

many of these houses, often an alternative form of preparation to regional tours, which have incubated huge Broadway hits like RENT and A Chorus Line

It was pleasing to see the not perfect, but very good new musical Metropolis win several Sydney Theatre Awards. May it have many future productions and a very long life.

What many shows need is a good dramaturg, a fancy word for a literary editor or script doctor.

Independent of the writers and creatives, often dramaturgs are involved from the creation of the script, which can be good, but seeing the show live on stage will always be the best way to see what needs to be cut, changed or rearranged.

It becomes almost impossible for a writer and or director to see at times what is wrong, because they are too close. Dramaturgs can often sort this process. Long live dramaturgs.

Once in a blue moon, Australian musicals are workshopped properly and become long term successes. The Boy From Oz, Priscilla Queen of the

Desert, Moulin Rouge! and Fangirls, to name a few, show it can be done.

Movie Musicals

Multiple musicals in one film season is unusual these days. Despite being a box office hit, it’s a shame Mean Girls wasn’t publicised as the movie of the stage musical.

Similarly, The Color Purple is a film of the stage musical. Film companies try to hide these facts and it’s a very big mistake.

The movies seem to do well just the same (well, except The Color Purple, which came and went in a blink), and it was good to see Wonka with six new songs, and a fabulous star who can well handle musicals in Timothée Hal Chalamet.

Movie musicals have had a chequered history in the last 20 or so years. Chicago winning Best Picture Oscar seemed to set high standards. But since then, the failure rate has been very high. Mostly the films haven’t been very good.

Translating a musical to film has always been risky and I can name only a handful that have been really

successful. The Sound of Music, Cabaret and The Music Man come immediately to mind.

We wait with considerable trepidation for the film of Wicked (in two parts); at least we know the two leads can sing. Now all we need is to encourage movie marketing to not be afraid to tell the world this is a musical.

Can someone make a movie musical version of Legally Blonde? That seems the perfect show for film transition.

God’s Cowboy

I sit here writing about the perils of new work, feeling a little like I’m in a glass house, as I have written a play that I am going to gently release to the world in April.

Called God’s Cowboy, it has some music and is essentially a backstage gay-love story wrapped around a burlesque cabaret show. The central character, a roving performer who does a cowboy act, has an odd relationship with his version of “God”.

Opening anything new has major perils. I’ve been re-writing it for the last nine months. It will open with a one-night staged reading, followed six weeks later by a three-week season at El Rocco Theatre in Kings Cross. A new Australian play! Am I crazy?

Out and About

Over summer the main new musical to open in Sydney was The Hello Girls at the Hayes. I admit I didn’t love this show, but there is much to admire in it, especially Jason Langley’s inspired and smart direction. An offBroadway show, it will do well for regional and amateur companies in coming years. Its full of bright, if not particularly catchy tunes.

Finally...

I’m sure it has been said everywhere, but oh, Chita Rivera passing in January. She seemed immortal, ageless and vital.

Her work on stage has been much documented. I hope dancers from every show, everywhere, took time to honour her. A true triple threat, she will be much missed.

In The Spotlight With Les Solomon

Timothée Chalamet in Wonka

Photo: Warner Bros.

Hayes Theatre’s Metropolis

Photo: Grant Leslie.

The Museum Of Broadway

”Come on along and listen to...” On a recent New York pilgrimage, Peter Eyers enjoyed the Big Apple’s newest immersive museum.

Like any intrepid historian deep diving into an archaeological dig, New York’s Museum of Broadway rewards the avid theatre fan substantially.

Magnificently curated, and designed with the most impressive detail and care, this essential addition to the Times Square theatre district charts the conception, development and triumph of Broadway, celebrating the stars and creatives, along with iconic and seminal theatre works.

Consume the content at your leisure, walking a timeline from the first documented performance in New York, The Recruiting Officer (1732), through to the triumph of the musical Six. Along the way, iconic cast recordings are pumped into each new room, as displays showcase a broad repertoire of seminal musicals including Oklahoma!, Cabaret, Hair

and The Phantom of the Opera, along with plays from Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and Neil Simon.

Perhaps most fascinating is the array of original costumes, props and set models, instantly recognisable from their ‘brand’ productions. The gold sequined costumes from A Chorus Line have been made with such artistry and ‘magic’ no wonder they made such an impact in that legendary finale.

The collection’s ‘jewels’ include Patti LuPone’s Evita wig, a West Side Story Jets jacket, Avenue Q puppets, an arm cast from Dear Evan Hansen, Ben Vereen’s boater hat from Pippin and, most movingly, the first Broadway AIDS quilt featuring shows from the late 80s. And what could surpass that little red dress from Annie? Mere baubles to the un-

initiated, but sparkling gems to the theatre fan.

There really is ‘no business like show business’! A forensic investigation of what it takes to put on a show from conception to opening night features profiles of every production department and artisan.

When next in New York, the Museum of Broadway demands essential visitation from all devotees of the stages, stars and shows that have contributed the “hip hooray and ballyhoo” of the Great White Way.

Founded in collaboration with Playbill, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights

AIDS, the Billy Rose Theatre Division at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, Goodspeed Musicals, Creative Goods and Concord

Theatricals, the Museum of Broadway is located at 145 West 45th Street, right next to the Lyceum Theatre.

themuseumofbroadway.com

Above: Costume from Annie Right: Peter Eyers.

Above: Costume from Hello, Dolly!

Above right: Jets jacket from West Side Story.

Below: Costumes from A Chorus Line

Below right: Costume from The Phantom of the Opera

A flurry of musicals and plays are descending on Broadway, as the endof-April deadline for Tony Award nominations approaches.

Two new musicals with hit songs from major artists arrive on successive days in late March.

The Heart of Rock and Roll, with its score of Huey Lewis and the News hits, at the James Earl Jones Theatre, is described as a raucous rom-com wrapped in pure musical joy, centring on a couple of thirty-somethings who know exactly what they want from life until they find each other.

Hell's Kitchen, with music and lyrics by Alicia Keys, and a book by Kristoffer Diaz, will play at the Shubert Theatre following an extended offBroadway run at the Public Theater. Co-conceived and directed by Michael Grief, the musical is inspired by, and loosely based on, Keys’ life and career, with a score combining her greatest hits with songs written specifically for the show.

Also Broadway-bound from the Public Theater is Shaina Taub’s Suffs, at the Music Box Theatre from March 26. It’s 1913 and the women’s movement is heating up in America, anchored by the suffragists and their relentless pursuit of the right to vote. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai have joined the producing team.

Online extras!

Meet Hell’s Kitchen’s choreographer Camille A. Brown. Scan or visit youtu.be/gSL_jco9474

previewing at the Longacre Theatre from March 19. Eden Espinosa, who originated the title role at Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2018, will star.

Revivals of Tommy, The Wiz and Cabaret are all set to arrive on Broadway.

Based on Nicholas Sparks’1996 best-selling novel, The Notebook (music / lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, book by Bekah Brunstetter), opens at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on March 14. Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart.

The adaptation of the S.E. Hinton’s novel / Francis Ford Coppola film The Outsiders previews at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre from March 16 (book by Adam Rapp with Justin Levine, music and lyrics by Justin Levine and Jamestown Revival’s Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance). This new musical reinvigorates the timeless tale of ‘haves and have nots’, of protecting what’s yours and fighting for what could be.

The 2023 world premiere engagement of the musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby became the Paper Mill Playhouse’s highest grossing show ever. It arrives at the Broadway Theatre on March 29. Transporting audiences to the lavish Roaring Twenties, the story follows eccentric millionaire Jay Gatsby (Jeremy Jordan), who will stop at nothing in the pursuit of the lost love of his youth, Daisy Buchanan (Eva Noblezada).

Lempicka, told through a popinfused score, celebrates the true story of artist Tamara de Lempicka,

Thirty years after its Broadway debut, a new production of The Who's Tommy previews at the Nederlander Theatre from March 8, with original Tony Award-winning creators Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff reuniting to tell the story for new audiences.

A re-imagined revival of The Wiz is at the Marquis Theatre from March 29. The Wiz transforms L. Frank Baum's children's book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” into an allBlack musical book by William F. Brown and a Tony winning score by Charlie Smalls (and others).

The intimate 2021 West End revival, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club (a record-breaking seven Olivier Award winner the most for a musical revival), is at August Wilson Theatre from April 1.

Several new plays are also arriving on Broadway. The Almeida Theatre production of Peter Morgan’s Patriots (2023 Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Play), about post-Soviet Union oligarchs and the ruthless rise of Vladimir Putin, will star Michael Stuhlbarg. Pulitzer winner Paula Vogel’s Mother Play explores the hold our family has over us and the surprises we find when we unpack the past. Rachel McAdams stars in Amy Herzog’s Mary Jane, the story of a single mother’s impossible family situation. David Adjmi's Stereophonic features original songs by Grammy winner Will Butler (Arcade Fire). In a music studio in 1976, an up-andcoming rock band recording a new album finds itself both on the cusp of superstardom and on the brink of blowing up.

Broadway Buzz

Hell’s Kitchen at The Public Theater Photo: Joan Marcus.

Sheridan Smith returns to the West End in new musical Opening Night, with book and direction by Ivo van Hove and songs by Rufus Wainwright. Based on John Cassavetes’ 1977 film about an alcoholic actress, who is concerned about aging and haunted by the ghost of one of her deceased fans, the musical plays at the Gielgud Theatre from March 6.

Charles Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend has been adapted for the stage as a ‘play with songs’ by Ben Power (songs by Power and PJ Harvey), under the title London Tide, playing at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre from 10 April.

Jack Godfrey’s musical 42 Balloons gets a full production at The Lowry from April 18. Featuring an ’80sinspired score, it draws on the true story of a truck driver who, with the assistance of his girlfriend, flew 16,000 feet above Los Angeles using just a lawn chair and 42 helium-filled weather balloons in the summer of 1982.

Pravesh Kumar’s musical, Frankie Goes to Bollywood, featuring a score by Niraj Chag and Tasha Taylor Johnson, will play at Watford Palace Theatre from 25 April, and will then tour from May 15. It follows a British South Asian woman catapulted into the largest film industry in the world. Alongside celebrating the vibrancy and larger-than-life characters of Bollywood, the piece will also shine a light on the darker side of the business such as nepotism and the objectification of women.

Targeting a demographic of young theatregoers aged between 8 and 13, Nina Segal’s new adaptation of Homer’s classic tale The Odyssey, featuring a 60s soul and pop-infused score by Naomi Hammerton, will play at the Unicorn Theatre from March 17. It promises a heroic journey alongside Telemachus, stormy seas, mystical creatures, dangerous monsters, enchanting sirens and even two talking sheep!

Myles Frost reprises his Tony Award-winning performance as Michael Jackson in UK premiere of MJ The Musical. Set during rehearsals for

the 1992 Dangerous world tour, the show, with a script by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, plays at the Prince Edward Theatre from March 6. MJ The Musical has been announced for Australia in 2025.

Online extras!

Australia’s Sarah Snook stars in The Picture Of Dorian Gray in the West End. tinyurl.com/23df4gxt

the bride's sister, who collects him from the airport. As they attempt to transport the wedding cake across New York, the two form an unlikely bond.

Coming-of-age story Starter for Ten, based on the David Nicholls novel and the 2006 film adaptation, makes its stage debut at Bristol Old Vic from February 29. Set in 1985 and featuring an 80s-inspired score, the musical will follow Bristol University student Brian and his lifelong dream to compete on the BBC quiz show University Challenge.

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) transfers to the West End’s Criterion Theatre from April 4. Jim Barne and Kit Buchan's musical follows Dougal, an optimistic Brit travelling to New York for his father’s second wedding, and Robin,

Ian McKellan will play Falstaff in Player Kings, a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts 1 and 2 by Robert Icke at the Noël Coward Theatre from April 1.

Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prizewinning play Long Day’s Journey into Night will play at Wyndham’s Theatre from March 19, starring Emmy, Golden Globe and Olivier awardwinning actor Brian Cox, and directed by Jeremy Herrin.

Red Pitch by Tyrell Williams, about three friends whose dream of stardom is threatened by the impending demolition of their football pitch, transfers to the newest West End theatre, @sohoplace, from March 15.

London Calling The Picture Of Dorian Gray Photo: Marc Brenner.

Carol Raye - Funny Business

By John Senczuk (Australian Scholarly Publishing $39.95)

In 1964, The Mavis Bramston Show swept across Australian television, and TV would never be the same again. Created by and starring Carol Raye, with Gordon Chater and Barry Creyton, this one-hour of sparkling satire took the pomp and pomposity out of our sacred cows with delicious accuracy. It was based on the BBC’s That Was The Week That Was, which was hosted by David Frost and Millicent Martin.

Australia watched, and Qantas pilots even changed their schedules so they could catch the show. It was a phenomenon. Chater was the mainstay of the Phillip Street Theatre, Creyton was the villain of George Miller’s Music Hall in Neutral Bay, but who was Carol Raye? Little did Australians know at the time, but she was already a fully-fledged star.

This biography by John Senczuk is a marvelous nuts and bolts account of Raye’s accomplishments on the West End stage, her career in English films, and her time in South Africa before coming to Australia.

Raye was born Kathleen Mary Corkrey, the daughter of a Royal Naval Supply Officer, and his wife, who played piano for silent movies.

Her first stage performance was at the end-of-the-pier Southsea Theatre in No, No, Nanette, which saw her playing the leading role. She was only 16.

Bobby Get Your Gun, which starred Bobby Howes, Wylie Watson and Bertha Belmore, had been a moderate hit in London, but a provincial tour was planned. Carol had been taking classes with Freddie Carpenter in Dean Street, London, and this in turn led to her being cast in the show and her name change from Corkrey to Raye. Her next show Laugh, Clown, Laugh! also had a name change, to Funny Side Up, when it opened at Blackpool’s 3000 seater Opera House. A revue which starred Florence Desmond, Stanley Lupino, and Sally Gray, it was notable

as the first time that Raye was likened in the reviews to Jessie Matthews. Later Raye appeared in Evergreen (one of Matthews’ hits) in a radio production for the BBC.

Fun and Games gave Raye her West End debut at Prince’s Theatre, and her most impressive performance to date. Loosely based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale, the ‘Old Shoemaker’ sketch gave Raye a chance to use her balletic skills as a

fresh-faced young dancer trying on ballet shoes, and Richard Herne as the old shop shoemaker reliving his past.

Cyril Ritchard and Madge Elliott headed a revival of The Merry Widow with Raye as ‘Frou Frou’, and Arthur Askey’s first foray into a book musical, The Love Racket, provided her with her first ‘featured’ billing in publicity.

1943 was the year she moved to films, with Strawberry Roan, a movie set in Wiltshire and about a farmer

Stage On Page Carole Raye.

who falls in love with a chorus girl. It was the ideal role for Raye and allowed her to combine her dancing expertise with her equestrian ability.

Waltz Time was probably her most successful film. A romance set in Austria, it starred Raye as Grand Duchess Maria, opposite Peter Graves as Count Franz von Hofer. Set in Old Vienna, when the waltz was considered immoral, its complicated story involved masks and a ring of betrothal.

After a round of publicity in the U.S. for the film, Raye returned to England and her next movie, Spring Song. It again featured Graves as a handsome test-pilot, Captain Tony Winter, and Raye as an actress, Janet Ware, the owner of an heirloom brooch. Pre-publicity made much of the pairing of Raye with Broadway dancer Jack Billings and their dance number ‘Give Me a Chance to Dance’, which went through every type of dance from tap, to soft-shoe, jazz, waltz and ballet.

On a publicity trip for While I Live in the U.S., Raye joined the Broadway bound, Bonanza Bound, a Comden

and Green musical about the ’98 Alaska gold rush. It was exciting for Raye to be going to Broadway, but the excitement soon soured when the show folded in Philadelphia.

On her return Raye immediately went to work on two TV musicals, Yes, Madam? and Happy Weekend, followed by Vivian Ellis’ new musical Tough At The Top, about a Ruritanian Princess (Raye), and a musicallyminded Boxer (George Tozzi), set in Edwardian London. Against the American imports (Kiss Me, Kate/ Annie Get Your Gun / Oklahoma!) it didn’t stand a chance, but Dear Miss Phoebe, in which she got top billing, did. It was a musical version of Sir James Barrie’s Quality Street, with music by Harry Parr Davies and lyrics by Chrstopher Hassell, Ivor Novello’s lyricist.

During her career Raye had had several marriage proposals, but she eventually said ‘yes’ to Yorkshireman and veterinarian Robert Ayre-Smith, whose job that took them to South Africa when he was posted to Kenya. It was the time of the Mau Mau, a secret organization determined to drive the white man out of Africa. Safety was the important issue and they carried guns at all times. Raye even had one in her apron. TV came to Africa in 1962 and Raye was as its forefront, behind the camera and in front of it. She developed the first local programs Here and There, TV Fare, and With Reservations.

When Ayre-Smith was posted to Australia, Raye followed, along with their three children. They set up base in Epping and then came Mavis. She spent two years on and off with the show, and then freelanced on local drama and variety programs, I’ve Got A Secret,

Beauty and the Beast and Riptide.

David Sale created the Phillip Revue Lie Back and Enjoy It for her, in which she played opposite Hazel Phillips, and an ensemble that included Beryl Cheers, Al Thomas and Max Phipps, and successfully toured in David Williamson’s Travelling North, with Frank Wilson.

One of her most popular appearances was as a guest on Graham Kennedy’s Blankety Blanks, where her witty asides enhanced the format. It was during the stage season of The Pleasure of His Company that Raye was surprised to be asked to appear on This Is Your Life.

Raye stood twice for a seat in Federal Parliament, and failed, but she did accept a three year appointment to the Theatre Board of the Australia Council. Ray officially retired in 2000, following a guest appearance on SeaChange, a program produced by her daughter, Sally Jane Ayre-Smith. Raye’s husband died in 2016 and Raye in 2022, a few months shy of her 100th birthday. She was posthumously awarded the AM in the Queen’s Birthday 2022 honors ‘for significant service to the performing arts as an actor and producer’. She is survived by her children Sally, Mark and Harriet, and three grandchildren. It is only half the story, as author Senczuk says, ‘her family, her marriage, and her children all belong to a private life,’ and that’s another book. He’s done a particularly good job of seeding the life and times of Britain throughout the Second World War, helped by Raye’s scrapbooks (meticulously maintained by her mother Ethel), and there’s a long history of the Corkrey family in Ireland and Britain. There’s also a detailed show index, as well as a general index, and a marvelous selection of B&W photos, never seen before, from regional and London papers.

Peter Pinne

“When I read about the true story of the Royal Australian Artillery being sent out to WA to wage war on an animal that is on our coat of arms, I couldn’t believe what I was reading,” says Xavier Coy. Not only did it seem like an insane waste of resources, but it spoke to a deeper issue that we are facing in the world right now, climate change.

“For me this story was about Man vs Nature. There is no way for the people who populate the planet to overcome the might of Mother Nature. I wanted to give a voice to the animals. We, of course, have intruded on their natural habitat and had the

The Great Emu War

In 1932, in Warralakin Western Australia, land given to World War One veterans was being over-run by Emus. The army was sent in to fight the birds. Playwright Xavier Coy has penned a satire, The Great Emu War, based on what he says is the most ridiculous story in Australian history. ORiGiN Theatrical has published this new play (5M and 2W), which is also available for sale at Book Nook.

arrogance to believe that we can destroy anything to get what we want.

“The Great Emu War is a satire of many elements of Australian society. I wanted to explore, among many things, the fragility of the male ego and masculinity and our relationship with alcohol. On a global level I wanted to satirise the frivolous attitude we have when it comes time to go to war.”

In the first scene, Major Meredith gives a speech to Parliament.

I address you in parliament today to warn you of one of nature’s new enemies to Man. The emu. In the noble pursuit of rewarding our soldiers who risked their lives for our nation we have been met with a rather pernicious beast whose interests seem to be solely in destroying the crops planted by our heroes. Make no mistake. This is war.

Standing erect at six feet and two inches and weighing up to fifty

kilograms, these flightless emblems of chaos are a scourge on society at large. We simply cannot sit idly by and let these long-necked f…s run riot over this great nation of ours! I apologise for my language thus far ladies and gentlemen, I um...I lose myself sometimes. Where was I...?

Ah yes! Today, I put to you here in Parliament, a motion to take back our Australia. To put nature back in its box, to send the emu, our nation’s worthless thief of honest labour’s work, into oblivion and give our brave veterans a chance to live in prosperity and good health without the fear of feathery freaks decimating their crops and their livelihood.

I ask Parliament for the assistance of the Royal Australian Artillery to take charge, to take back enemy lines and once again, make nature take a back seat. To make Australia great again. To make nature cower to the might of Man.

Tools that were once the preserve of professional theatres with substantial budgets are now available to educators and students alike Drama and Theatre Studies Teacher Nick Waxman shares his recommendations on the most useful software available.

The integration of technology in theatre can be traced back to the Deus Ex Machina (meaning ‘god from a machine’) of Ancient Greece, and the intricate puppetry of Sanskrit theatre. These early innovations set the stage for a continuous evolution, where each era brought its own advancements.

Recent updates to our technological arsenal have enhanced our creative processes significantly, making sophisticated theatrical tools more accessible and user-friendly. This has not only enriched the quality of productions but has also opened new avenues for teaching and learning in drama.

What follows, are some examples of user-friendly technologies that can be effectively utilised in the classroom or on stage.

QR Codes: Interactive engagement

One of the simplest yet most effective technologies I've adopted is the use of QR codes. These codes can transform traditional theatre programs into portals to a wealth of additional content. Imagine audience members scanning a code to access

backstage videos, detailed character backgrounds, or even augmented reality experiences. This technology has enabled us to extend the theatrical experience beyond the stage, adding layers of engagement and interactivity.

They have also helped us with poster design, audition information and sign up, end of class take-aways, class surveys and so much more. If you want information in someone’s hand, and on their phone forever, pop up a QR code and get them scanning.

Multiplay: Sound design

A standout tool for me is Multiplay, a free alternative to QLab. This software is a boon in educational settings, particularly due to its ease of use and accessibility. In classrooms, I've seen students quickly master Multiplay, using it to manage complex sound cues for their productions. Its user-friendly interface encourages experimentation, allowing young tech enthusiasts to create professional-level soundscapes without the burden of cost.

Chat GPT and DALL-E: Crafting visuals with AI

The possibilities of AI in theatre are endless. Tools like Chat GPT can generate creative content, while DALL -E can be leveraged to design stunning posters. With a few prompts, these AI tools can produce captivating visuals, significantly reducing the time and effort required in traditional design processes. In my experience, these tools have not only streamlined our promotional efforts but also inspired our students to explore their creativity.

Chat GPT can do so much more than write limericks about Brecht in the style of Dr Seuss. It can be used to help write professional email replies

Haileybury College’s The SpongeBob Musical, directed by Nick Waxman. Photo: Pia Johnson.

Multiplay.

when your temper is high, it can suggest and help you develop well formatted rubrics on a huge range of topics, edit and suggest ideas for class or program notes, and so much more it’s ridiculous. Try it and I challenge you to find it something it can’t do with text, numbers and information.

(I have found a few things it can’t do. It gets very confused with a number of things so do check the work as it sometimes makes things up. But these are rare.)

Tinkercad: 3D set design

Incorporating Tinkercad into our set design process has been a revelation. This intuitive CAD tool is suitable for users of all ages, making it an excellent resource for high school and upper primary students. They can design intricate sets digitally and then bring these designs to life through 3D printing. This hands-on approach to set design is not just educational; it's a fun and engaging way to involve students in the creative process.

Canva: Unlocking creativity

Canva has been a cornerstone tool for us, offering hundreds of free templates, fonts, and images. What makes Canva so valuable is its ease of use, coupled with the ability to inspire creativity. Whether it's designing posters, programs, flyers, or digital content, Canva's vast resource pool has enabled our teams to produce high-quality visual materials without needing extensive graphic design skills.

Adobe Premiere Rush: Video editing

For video editing, Adobe Premiere Rush has been useful tool when creating video content in class or on the go especially with its availability on phones. This free tool allows us to

(Continued on page

SPARK 2024

Haileybury College’s The SpongeBob Musical, directed by Nick Waxman. Photo: Pia Johnson.

Above: Spotify’s Podcaster app.

Left: Adobe Premiere Rush.

create high-quality videos complete with transitions and title screens effortlessly. Its user-friendly interface makes it accessible to beginners, and its powerful features are sufficient for more advanced projects. Using Rush, we've been able to produce videos for our 60-minute Found Footage Film Festival, and educational videos made by students on core class topics.

Spotify's Podcaster App: Podcast creation

The 'Podcasters' app from Spotify has allowed for a new approach to audio storytelling. Creating podcasts has become a simple, streamlined

process, allowing us to focus on content rather than technicalities. In the classroom, this tool has been invaluable, enabling students to produce their podcasts with just a few clips. This hands-on experience with audio storytelling has not only been educational but also incredibly fun for the students.

Moreover, this app is particularly beneficial for students who may feel less confident speaking in front of their peers. Podcasting offers a more comfortable platform for these students to express themselves, helping them develop vital voice and expression skills in a supportive, lowpressure environment.

This approach is wonderfully effective in drama education, as it encourages students to explore different aspects of vocal performance, including tone, emotion, and clarity, without the immediate stress of a live audience. As they grow more comfortable with their voices and storytelling abilities, students often find their confidence in public speaking and performance naturally improving.

The Digital Stage Awaits

My journey with technology in theatre has been nothing short of transformative. The future of theatre looks bright, promising a blend of tradition and innovation.

The digital stage is set, and I eagerly anticipate the innovative ways we will continue to use technology to enhance the magical world of theatre.

I'm a fervent advocate of technology, seamlessly integrating it into my personal, creative, and professional life. As the host of 'The Aside Podcast', I utilise both software and hardware to connect with people globally and record interviews with extraordinary guests. Additionally, I've developed over 100 interactive digital drama lessons with the Department of Education Victoria.

This series, titled ‘Drama Victoria Presents…’, covers an extensive range of drama curriculum topics, from Status to Scripts to Empathy.

How To Write An Opera

Students across Australia can access an on-line program that teaches them how to write, compose, orchestrate and design their very own opera. The Victorian Opera’s Tim Ryan describes how the Beyond the Stage program brings the creativity of opera to classrooms.

I came across Beyond the Stage as a VCE Music and Drama teacher, trawling the internet for engaging resources during the dreaded COVID19 lockdowns of 2021.

Immediately I could see the rich learning experience where my students could hear professionals talk about the techniques used in their work. This provided a confident platform to dive into composing their own works, plus, being able to watch a performance on-demand increased the quality of the teaching and learning experience.

Fast forward three years and I’m now the Education Manager for Victorian Opera. Drawing on my experience as a teacher, the company has been able to expand the program. There are now workshops exploring the science of theatre technology, and schools can attend a pre-show Q & A to grill those in non-performing roles. However, the core focus is the Commissioning of New Works workshops.

In 2023-2024 the focus for this suite of workshops is Victorian Opera’s commission, and First Nations work, The Visitors Workshops contain interviews and scaffolded learning activities that can be taken in any number of combinations to suit the subject area and learning needs of students. The workshops and performance are available as streamed on-demand videos or as incursions.

Workshop 1: Choosing the Story to Tell.

Join author and playwright Jane Harrison as she explores the cultural significance of The Visitors and how she came to the decision to tell this story. Students then use Jane’s advice to choose and begin writing their own story as a libretto.

Workshop 2: Music and the Art of Storytelling.

Composer of The Visitors, Christopher Sainsbury, explores techniques he has used to write melodies and ways of manipulating music elements to draw out the

meaning in a story. Using these techniques as a guide, students then compose melodies for the story they have written.

Workshop 3: From Page to Stage. Christopher Sainsbury takes us through the orchestration process with the aim of encouraging students to choose instruments that enhance the time and space of the story they have written.

Workshop 4: From Page to Stage.

In this workshop we meet Lighting Designer Rachel Burke and Director Isaac Drandic, who take students through the decisions they make to bring a story to life on stage. At the end of this workshop students are asked to create a mood board and create a simple blocking map for the story they have written.

Performance: Available ondemand.

Watch the livestreamed performance of The Visitors at a time and pace that suits your students and your learning plan.

Workshop 5: Discussion and Evaluation.

This is a live and interactive webinar where students can share their work.

In semester 2, 2024 the focus of these workshops will be the adaptation of Murray Bail’s awardwinning novel, Eucalyptus, composed by Jonathan Mills.

In 2025, we move to our commission of The Celestials, written by Ian David Roberts, exploring life for Chinese miners and their interaction with the Kelly Gang on the Victorian goldfields.

Beyond the Stage is our offering in the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, free to Victorian government schools. Nongovernment and interstate schools pay a low fee of $5 per student for workshops and $25 for shows.

For more information please visit victorianopera.com.au

The Visitors Photo: Charlie Kinross.

Brainstorming For A Better Future

The internet is a complex and rapidly changing space. Technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality and the metaverse have the potential for great benefit but also carry the risk of great harm, for children and young people.

Live theatre provides a platform to explore these opportunities and challenges and empower students to take positive action in the digital world.

The eSafety Commissioner recently reported a 40% jump in cyberbullying reports. There has also been an explosion in reports of online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Rather than be overwhelmed when confronted with a problem of this scale, it is vital students are empowered with the skills to deal with the risks from an early age.

They need to take responsibility for their choices, build resilience and

contribute to meaningful change in their online communities.

Brainstorm Productions has been creating live online safety performances for schools since 2007, with shows updated annually to align with the curriculum and current risks. The company is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.

In 2023 Brainstorm Productions launched a new cyber safety show for primary schools called Zanna & the Lost Code. The action begins at a coding camp, when Zanna and Eddie are zapped into the Camp Captain's new game for kids.

They discover that they can change the game from the inside, to create a safer and more inclusive experience for players around the globe. The audience is transported into the world of the game with immersive soundscapes, movement, an exciting narrative, and talented actors.

The company’s creative team includes movement director Matthew Wells (Rhum & Clay, UK) and multi award winning composer Sean Peter. The performance is followed by a Q&A with the actors, and curriculumlinked lesson plans to continue the conversations in the classroom.

“Once again, an outstanding production. All our kids loved it. This is the best company delivers year after year with a clear and entertaining performance. Five stars!” wrote Wendy Jolley from Woodville Primary School.

The performance addresses bullying and exclusion in friendship groups, and unwanted contact with strangers. The protagonists are flawed and relatable, helping students to apply the strategies to their own lives. The interactions between Zanna and Eddie provide a model for healthy friendships, as they lift each other up and cooperate to complete the challenges.

Zanna & the Lost Code reflects a move towards more positive online safety education. Research has found that the most effective programs are those that frame technology in a positive light, while also building awareness of factors that increase and decrease the risk of harm.

Live theatre has the power to energise students, challenge their perspectives, and engage them in discussions. Brainstorm Productions deliver live performances in primary and secondary schools across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

Clinical psychologist Dr Ameika Johnson explains how live theatre can help young people tackle online exploitation and bullying.

Brainstorm Productions’ Zanna & The Lost Code

HSC Theatre At Actors Centre Australia

The ACA Company has unveiled a specially crafted program for high school audiences featuring talented graduates of Actors Centre Australia. This builds upon the success of the ACA Company’s inaugural 2023 season.

Adam Moulds, Drama Teacher at the International Grammar School, described it as a moving and thoughtprovoking night in the theatre. “Your actors, with both your direction and dramaturgy, did a beautiful job telling the story of The Laramie Project. The Drama students here at IGS absolutely loved the show, as did their teacher."

2024 Highlights

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House: May 22 - 25.

Directed by Anthony Skuse, A Doll’s House will be a centrepiece of ACA’s 2024 season. This timeless classic is a part of the Advanced Module B: Critical Study of Literature. Audiences can expect captivating performances, insightful storytelling, and an engaging live Q&A session that makes literature come alive on stage.

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot: May 29 - Jun 1.

Directed by Adam Cook, enigmatic and thoughtprovoking play Waiting for Godot is linked to Extension 1 Elective 2: Worlds of Upheaval, offering a unique opportunity for students to delve into the complexities of the human condition.

Additionally, the ACA Company is excited to offer workshops for schools looking to delve deeper into the HSC texts. Specialised workshop series led by seasoned industry professionals seamlessly integrate theory and practical training in performance skills. Workshops run for four hours at Actors Centre Australia or at the chosen

ACA’s The Laramie Project (2023).

Photo: Clare Hawley.

Flexible School Stages

Safety is our top priority. Transtage stages are constructed with industrialgrade materials and sophisticated designs, all exceeding Australia's loading standard of 750kg.

Supplied to over 1000 schools Australia-wide in the past decade, Transtage specialises in providing portable staging and seating risers for events and performances of various sizes.

Portable stages have become a highly flexible solution for schools as permanent stages often can't always accommodate the needs of school events and gatherings. Thanks to the intelligent modular design, Transtage stage decks can be used either as standalone stages or easily attached to existing stages for expansion when you have a bigger event.

Our stages are also heightadjustable, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, even on uneven surfaces. As a result, location is no longer a restriction for holding your school events and performances; the stage can be set up anywhere in the school.

They are also lightweight and very easy to set up; most schools we supply to are set up by the school's maintenance staff, teachers, and even senior school students.

With offices and warehouses in Australia, our dedicated team will assist you promptly when you need help, and all orders are delivered in a timely manner to ensure your stages are ready for your event. Please contact Transtage today for a quote and a tailored solution for your needs.

transtage.com.au

Stage Consultant Peter Giblin describes how Transtage is helping schools with growing student numbers expand and re-locate their performing arts programs.

Little Women

Emmaus College took out five awards at the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Bruce Awards for its production of the musical Little Women. The director, Elise Cavallo, describes the unique staging and choreography which made the production a success.

A story that transcends generations and finds new resonance today, Little Women came to me as a show suggestion from an old friend. He knew that I was searching for a unique kind of canvas; something that was classic and beloved but that also had the potential to be moulded into something new.

In Emmaus College’s version of Little Women, the writing of the novel was built into the story and the author wasn’t Louisa May Alcott, but the novel’s protagonist herself, Jo March.

In this way, Little Women became a tale of the birth of an artist a female artist, at a time that was hostile to women and the telling of women’s stories from a woman’s point of view.

The musical was adapted for the stage in 2005, featuring the prodigious Sutton Foster as Jo March. With Sutton at the helm, the production team chose to employ a small cast of 10 to support her. The production was criticised for being more of a play than a musical, with little to no choreography, lengthy scenes and the majority of ballads taking the “stand and sing” approach.

The script had heart and the characters had charm, but the interpretation seemed to be lacking the one thing that made the title so very popular in the first place: evidence of the fierce March sisters’ love and loyalty. And so, this became our focus. To take the material, with that brilliant score, and insert the sisters (and an ensemble) into the story as much as possible.

Kirra Plavin, our choreographer, worked tirelessly to add original choreography to the show, including a full company ballroom number into “Take A Chance On Me”.

We were heavily inspired by the physical storytelling of Hamilton and used this influence to weave dance throughout the show, an example being Jo’s Trio (Clarrissa, Rodrigo and Braxton), who followed Jo’s writing process and guided her to make creative choices. “Fire Within Me” was a particularly satisfying project as we took a number traditionally sung by a solo actress and created a moving montage where Jo saw herself and her sisters as children and then watched them grow up and leave her.

In her despair, Beth appeared and helped her to write her final line “but

we’ve got each other”. Jo’s sisters watched her give her manuscript the title “Little Women” as the song concluded.

In my eight years directing at Emmaus, I have never seen such a strong emotional response from an audience and consider myself lucky to have been present for that particular moment each night.

If there is anything that I have learnt from this production it is that as a director at a school, choosing a title that you feel a personal connection with is key if you wish to have success with your students.

If I can listen to a soundtrack and see a version that has not been done before, if I can feel new possibilities, then I know we should do it. Youth will follow you anywhere you go, as long as you are genuine in your belief that what you are creating is special, unique and worthwhile.

The fire that burned within us to make this story ours, to make it something that had not been staged before, is what I believe led to its success and ultimate recognition. It was no mean feat to make a 150-year -old novel feel current, alive and relatable to a modern audience, but I believe that in every young woman's heart beats the heart of Jo March and it is her fiery spirit that guided this production to become what it was something truly astonishing.

Emmaus College’s Little Women

Samwise Holmes from Action Education explains how one-hour shows help high school and primary school students navigate bullying and mental health.

When we launched Backflips Against Bullying at the beginning of 2019, in New South Wales, it exploded with popularity, and we were completely floored.

It became very clear that educators around the country understood the value of engaging the students and knew that parkour and stunts is a fantastic way to achieve this.

The program was such a hit, that despite being shut down for half of 2020 we were able to bounce back to launch teams in Queensland and Victoria, running six teams of acrobats concurrently from 2021 across the three states.

We’re excited to continue spreading this muchneeded message across Australian schools.

Building on this, Action Education has introduced a new offering: Mentally Sound, a dynamic mental health program tailored for ages 11-17. The hour-long performances are not mere spectacles; they are interactive concerts that explore critical mental health topics.

The program features three talented vocalists who, alongside singing, engage students in discussions about each topic, transcending the limitations of a traditional lecture.

Mentally Sound opens with a captivating number, setting the stage for performers to share personal struggles in interactive discussions.

Addressing topics such as Self-Esteem, Anxiety, Body Image, Depression, and Suicide, the program invites students to actively participate in their own learning journey. This approach, coupled with an evidence-based foundation, ensures that information is not only engaging but also accurate and grounded in the latest research.

Far from a typical musical performance, Mentally Sound is a thought-provoking exploration infused with comedy, an original pop/rock score, and poignant messages.

The performers, recognised as some of the country's most talented vocalists, understand their influence as role models for students.

Students, viewing the performers with admiration, establish a unique connection that allows for a deeper understanding of mental health topics.

Supported by Australian psychologist Evelyn M Field OEM FAPS, Mentally Sound takes on an evidence-based approach to ensure that the information imparted is accurate, reliable, and aligned with the latest research findings. In the symphony of education, the balanced harmony of student engagement and evidence-based research forms a melody that resonates long after the curtain falls.

Learn more about the programs provided and how to organise an incursion for your students at actionreaction.com.au

Sport For Jove

Damien Ryan, the Artistic Director of Sport for Jove, outlines his company’s 2024 educational program.

Hail all NSW teachers! We herald and congratulate you for another outstanding year of leadership and inspiration – in your classrooms, at your marking centres, with your preparations, your results and through your guidance.

We are proud to partner with you in your students’ relationships with the creative arts and offer an array of goodies for 2024. Sport for Jove’s work is built on passion, rigour, attention to detail and is specifically designed to marry with the work you are doing in the classroom, supporting discussion, and provoking thought in equal measure.

This year there are three mainstage productions on offer:

Henry IV, Part 1: Played in an extraordinary medieval globe like setting.

Richard III: This production gives students an incredible insight into the play and when it was written, seen through the eyes of Elizabeth I.

Romeo & Juliet: SFJ's new and furiously energetic production takes on the spirit of a filthy Italian opera, driven by love and heat, fights and fevers of the mind, and, of course, by Shakespeare’s soaring poetry.

Sport for Jove also offer other extra-curricular events, such as their highly popular HSC Performance Symposiums, this year offering King Henry IV, Part 1, Richard III, The Tempest, Merchant of Venice, The Crucible and Othello

A whole library of Digital Symposiums is also available for regional or inaccessible schools.

Youth Workshops, led by Sport for Jove staff members and industry professionals, give access to world-class theatre training.

The Shakespeare Residency is a week-long, in-school Shakespeare program, while The Shakespeare Carnival, a state -wide performance competition for students, is now entering its 8th season! Teachers are also offered detailed Student Resource Kits for all works in the season.

For more than a decade, SFJ’s Education Program has been where teachers turn to so their students can experience rich and engaging productions, deepening their understanding and relationship to the text.

Grab a seat in 2024 and have a brilliant year!

Romeo & Juliet: Riverside Theatres, May 8 to 11 and Seymour Centre, May 22 to 31

Henry IV, Part 1: Seymour Centre, March 12 to 18

Richard III: Seymour Centre, March 14 to 19. sportforjove.com.au/educationseason2024

Sport For Jove’s Romeo & Juliet. Photo: Seiya Taguchi.

Dot And The Kangaroo Triumph

Australian and New Zealand school students have won a special award at the Junior Theatre Festival in the United States.

Each year, the “Aussie All-Stars” and the “Kiwi All-Stars” take part in a program that includes Broadway musicals, workshops and a performance of their Broadway junior production after an intensive four-day rehearsal.

The All-Stars crafted their performance of Dot and the Kangaroo under the guidance of their creative team consisting of Director, Daniel Stoddart (Book writer, Dot and the Kangaroo), Musical Director, Rob Rokicki (Composer, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical), and Choreographer, Fernell Hogan (The Prom, Kimberly Akimbo)

The cast of 36 young performers travelled to Sacramento to take centre stage at the Junior Theater Festival, where they were joined by thousands of like-minded young performers from all over the world.

Their performance of Dot and the Kangaroo was awarded the prestigious accolade of Outstanding Production. Only five other groups at the festival were awarded this honour.

Auditions for this extraordinary experience are held annually at the Junior Theatre Festival Australia and the Junior Theatre Festival New Zealand in October.

For more information about the Junior Theatre Festival visit: Australia: oztheatrics.com NZ: juniortheatrefestival.nz

Stage Safety

A few years I was doing an inspection at a major suburban theatre when the brake failed on an old-fashioned winch and the chain went into freefall.

When the handle spins quickly it can take skin off people’s hands. I saw a technician have his finger opened quite badly because he could not get it out of the way fast enough.

Another time I saw a bar go into freefall at a school and it was lucky no one was under it. Naturally, whatever is on top of the bar a speaker or lights gets damaged.

The winches are no longer compliant and are being replaced by an electric pile hoist or an electric drum hoist. The pile hoist is the cheaper option favoured by smaller venues, whereas the drum hoist gives stage operators more control.

Sometimes schools get a handyman to hang things using chains they pick up from a hardware store. This is not acceptable. Theatres need to install a rated chain from a rigging store.

To be fully compliant, any venue in which equipment is lifted above

people’s heads, an annual inspection is needed.

My company inspects venues ranging from small schools, to rural theatres and major city venues such as Sydney’s State Theatre.

The key things we are looking for are the rigging, to make sure all the chains and shackles are rated and compliant to lift a load above people. We examine whether the nuts and bolts are tight enough and if they have the correct washers.

To arrange for an inspection contact Mark Wilson at Theatre Compliance And Service on 0419 144 868 or at mark@theatrecs.com.au theatrecs.com.au

SPARK 2024

Mark Wilson from Theatre Compliance And Service explains why all venues that hang loads above people’s heads need an annual safety inspection.

Safety inspection at Sydney’s Knox College.

An outdated hand winch.

On Stage

A.C.T. & New South Wales

A.C.T.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon. Canberra Rep. Until Mar 9. canberrarep.org.au

Bring It On The Musical. Book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Music by Tom Kitt. Lyrics by Amanda Green. Canberra Philharmonic Society. Until Mar 16. Erindale Theatre, Wanniassa. philo.org.au

Happy Meals, Happy Kids by Jade Breen. Q The Locals and Sunny Productions. Mar 7 - 9. The Q - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. theq.net.au

Sh!t-Faced ShakespeareMacbeth. Mar 21 & 22. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. canberratheatrecentre.com.au

You are a Doughnut by That Science Gang. Nicholas Clark Management. Mar 22 & 23. T The Q - Queanbeyan

Performing Arts Centre. theq.net.au

Potted Potter - The Unauthorised Harry Experience - A Parody by Dan & Jeff. Created by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner. James Seabright. Apr 3 - 7 The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. canberratheatrecentre.com.au

The Shoe-Horn Sonata by John Misto. Mill Theatre at Dairy Road. Apr 3 - 27 http:// tinyurl.com/4xe3hsyv

Billy Elliot The Musical. Book & Lyrics by Lee Hall, Lyrics by Elton John. Free Rain Theatre Company. Apr 9 - May 5 The Q - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. theq.net.au

RBG: Of Many, One by Suzie Miller. Canberra Theatre Centre presents a Sydney Theatre Company production. Apr 1121. The Playhouse, Canberra

your show on the front page of stagewhispers.com.au

Online extras!

Audiences agree that & Juliet has the most addictive and joyous soundtrack. youtu.be/j6n8JCgjc1U

Rob Mills, Casey Donovan and Amy Lehpamer lead an extraordinary cast alongside rising star Lorinda May Merrypor in the title role of Juliet in the Australian production of & Juliet Alongside a funny and heart-warming story that proves there is life after Romeo, comes a playlist of songs from the king of pop of the last two decades, Max Martin. With music from Katy Perry, Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Ariana Grande, Pink and Justin Timberlake, & Juliet creates a concert-like atmosphere that has left Melbourne and Perth audiences singing and dancing in the aisles. Now playing at Sydney Lyric Theatre for a strictly limited season. andjuliet.com.au

Theatre Centre. canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Dog Man: The Musical. Adapted from the DOG MAN series of books by Dav Pilkey. Book and Lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila. Music by Brad Alexander. CDP Kids. Apr 19 & 20. Canberra Theatre. canberratheatrecentre.com.au

New South Wales

La Traviata by Verdi. Opera Australia. Until Mar 14. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. opera.org.au

The Magic Flute by Mozart. Opera Australia. Until Mar 16. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. opera.org.au

A Fool in Love by Van Badham, after La dama boba by Lope de Vega. Sydney Theatre Company. Until Mar 17. Wharf 1 Theatre. sydneytheatre.com.au

& Juliet Music: Max Martin. Book: David West Read. Michael Cassel Group in association with MTM/LEYLINE. Until April 28. Sydney Lyric Theatre. andjuliet.com.au

RBG: Of Many, One by Suzie Miller. Sydney Theatre Company. Until Mar 30. Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. sydneytheatre.com.au

Mother And Son by Geoffrey Atherden. Arts Theatre Cronulla. Until Mar 23. 6 Surf Road, Cronulla. artstheatrecronulla.com.au

The Lewis Trilogy by Louis Nowra - Summer of the Aliens, Cosi and This Much is True Griffin Theatre Company. Until Apr 21. SBW Stables Theatre. griffintheatre.com.au

Gatsby: At The Green Light. Cabaret inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Sydney Opera House and Caper & Crow. Until Mar 24. The

Photo: Daniel Boud.

On Stage

New South Wales

Studio, Sydney Opera House. sydneyoperahouse.com

Idomeneo by Mozart. Opera Australia. Until Mar 15. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. opera.org.au

The White Sheep of the Family by L. du Garde Peach & Ian Hay. Pymble Players. Until Mar 16. Pymble Players Theatre, Pymble. pymbleplayers.com.au

Fox on the Fairway by Ken Ludwig. Lieder Theatre Company, Goulburn. Until Mar 9. theliedertheatre.com

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb. Wollongong Workshop Theatre. Until Mar 9. wollongongworkshoptheatre.com.au

Fame. Book by Jose Fernandez. Music by Steve Margoshes. Lyrics by Jacques Levy. The Players Theatre. Inc, Port Macquarie. Until Mar 7. playerstheatre.org.au

Relatively Speaking by Alan Ayckbourn. Woy Woy Little Theatre. Until Mar 10. Peninsula Theatre, Woy Woy. woywoylt.com

An O. Henry Christmas by Howard Burman. The Guild Theatre Rockdale. Until Mar 17. guildtheatre.com.au

Grain in the Blood by Rob Drummond. Virginia Plain with bAKEHOUSE Theatre. Until Mar 9. KXT On Broadway. kingsxtheatre.com

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum with Music & Lyrics by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg. Background Music by Herbert Stothart. Dance & Vocal arrangements by Peter Howard. Gosford Musical Society. Mar 1 - 17. Laycock Street Community Theatre. gosfordmusicalsociety.com

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Bell Shakespeare. Sydney Opera

Potted Potter - The Unauthorised Harry Experience - A Parody by Dan and Jeff takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real life game of Quidditch) into a seventy minute stage show. Its Australian tour will take in Canberra (April 3 to 7), Sydney (April 9 to 21), Melbourne (April 24 to May 5), Adelaide (May 8 to 12) and Perth (May 23 to 26). pottedpotter.com.au

Online extras!

House, Mar 2 - 30; The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland, Apr 2; Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith, Apr 4 - 5 bellshakespeare.com.au

The Man From Earth by Jerome Bixby. Murwillumbah Theatre Company. Mar 3 - 24. Murwillumbah Civic Centre Auditorium. murwillumbahtheatrecompany.com.au

Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay, adapted by Tom Wright. Campbelltown Theatre Group. Mar 8 - 23. Campbelltown Town Hall Theatre. ctgi.org.au

Frame Narrative by Emily Sheehan. New Ghosts Theatre Company. Mar 8 - 30. Old Fitz Theatre. oldfitztheatre.com.au

Zombie! The Musical by Laura Murphy. Hayes Theatre Co. Mar 8 - Apr 6. hayestheatre.com.au

Spies are Forever. Book by Corey Lubowich, Joey Richter & Brian Rosenthal, Music & Lyrics by Clark Baxtresser and Pierce Sieaers. North Shore Theatre Company. Mar 8 - 16. Zenith Theatre, Chatswood. northshoretheatrecompany.org Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti. Hunters Hill Theatre. Mar 8 - 24. Club Ryde. huntershilltheatre.com.au

The Kitchen Witches by Caroline Smith. Tamworth Dramatic Society. Mar 8 - 15. Capitol Theatre, Tamworth. tds.org.au

Exit Laughing by Paul Elliott. Nowra Players. Mar 8 - 23. The Players Theatre, Bomaderry. nowraplayers.com

The Great Divide by David Williamson. Ensemble Theatre. Mar 8 - Apr 27. ensemble.com.au

Photo: Dahlia Katz.

On Stage

The 39 Steps. Adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and the film by Alfred Hitchcock. Dubbo Theatre Co. Mar 8 & 9. fb.me/DubboTheatreCompany

Spamalot Young @Part Edition Original Book, Music & Lyrics by Eric Idle. Music & Lyrics by John Du Prez. The Regals Musical Society. Mar 817. Rockdale Town Hall, Rockdale. Bookings theregals.com.au

Dog Man The Musical. Book and Lyrics: Kevin Del Aguila. Music: Brad Alexander. CDP Kids. Mar 9 - 12. Glen Street Theatre. glenstreet.com.au

Holding the Man by Tommy Murphy, adapted from the novel by Timothy Conigrave. Mar 9 - Apr 14. Belvoir Street Theatre. belvoir.com.au

Atlantis by Lally Katz. New Theatre, Newtown. Mar 19Apr 13. newtheatre.org.au

Henry IV (Part 1) by William Shakespeare. Sport for Jove. Mar 12 - 18. Seymour Centre. seymourcentre.com

Avenue Q Book by Jeff Marx. Music & Lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Metropolitan Players. Mar 13 - 24. Civic Playhouse, Newcastle. civictheatrenewcastle.com.au

My Intervention by Jacinta Gregory and Jeremy Kindl. Little Triangle. Mar 13 - 17. Old Fitz Theatre. oldfitztheatre.com.au

The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott Mar 14 - 28. Glen Street Theatre. glenstreet.com.au

Richard III by William Shakespeare. Sport for Jove. Mar 14 - 19. Seymour Centre. seymourcentre.com

Mercury Poisoning by Madeleine Stedman. Snatched Collective and White Box. Mar

15 - 30. KXT On Broadway. kingsxtheatre.com

Rent Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Mar 15 - 17. Civic Theatre, Newcastle. civictheatrenewcastle.com.au

Best of Times by Josephine Gazard. The Company Theatre. Mar 19 - 30. Old Fitz Theatre. oldfitztheatre.com.au

West Side Story. Book by Arthur Laurents. Music by Leonard Bernstein. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Opera Australia / Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. Mar 22 - Apr 21. Mrs Macquaries Point. opera.org.au

Home Grown. Hayes Theatre Co and Hedger & Nicholson. Mar 24. Hayes Theatre. hayestheatre.com.au

Black Is The Color Of My Voice by Apphia Campbell. James Seabright. Mar 26 - 30. Seymour Centre. seymourcentre.com

New South Wales

RBG: Of Many, One by Suzie Miller. Sydney Theatre Company / Merrigong Theatre Company. Apr 3 - 6. Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. merrigong.com.au

Ada, Asmin, and the Analytical Engine by Sarah Kriegler and Deniz Aslan. Lemony S Puppet Theatre. Apr 4 & 5 Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. riversideparramatta.com.au

School of Rock. Book by Julian Fellowes. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Lyrics by Glenn Slater. Sydney Youth Musical Theatre. Apr 5 - 7 Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. (02) 8839 3399. riversideparramatta.com.au

For the Love of Paper by Almitra Malavala. Apr 5 - 20. KXT On Broadway. kingsxtheatre.com

Caravan by Donald McDonald. Castle Hill Players. Apr 5 - 27. Pavilion Theatre, Castle Hill

On Stage New South Wales

Showground, Castle Hill. paviliontheatre.org.au

No Pay? No Way! by Dario Fo and Franca Rama, adapted by Marieke Hardy. Sydney Theatre Company. Apr 6 - May 11. Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. sydneytheatre.com.au

Potted Potter by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner Potted Productions. Apr 9 - 21. Seymour Centre. seymourcentre.com

Catch Me If You Can. Book by Terrence McNally, Music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Miranda Musical Society. Apr 10 - 14. Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland. mirandamusicaltheatrecompany.com.au

Medea by Euripides, devised and directed by Sam Foster and Hayden Jones. Shock Therapy Arts. Apr 10 - 12 Riverside Theatres, Parramatta. riversideparramatta.com.au

Carmen. Johan Inger’s ballet reimagining Bizet’s opera. The Australian Ballet. Apr 10 - 27

Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. sydneyoperahouse.com

Wild Dogs Under My Skirt by Tusiata Avia. Victor Rodger FCC Productions. Apr 10 - 13, Merrigong Theatre Company, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, merrigong.com.au & Apr 18 - 20, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, riversideparramatta.com.au

A Case for the Existence of God by Samuel D. Hunter. Outhouse Theatre Co. Apr 11May 4. Seymour Centre. seymourcentre.com

Two Ladies and an Emu by Carl Moore. Theatre on Chester. Apr 12 - May 4. The Theatre, Cnr Chester and Oxford Streets, Epping. theatreonchester.com.au

Tell Me On A Sunday. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Lyrics

by Don Black. Michelle Guthrie Presents in association with Hayes Theatre Co. Apr 12May 5. Hayes Theatre. hayestheatre.com.au

The President by Thomas Bernhard, translated by Gitta Honegger. Sydney Theatre Company. Apr 13 - May 18. Roslyn Packer Theatre. sydneytheatre.com.au

Annie. Music: Charles Strouse. Lyrics: Martin Charnin. Book: Thomas Meehan. So Popera Productions. Apr 19 - 27. Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. merrigong.com.au

Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr. Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Book adapted by Lindsay Anderson. Rockdale Musical Society. Apr 19 - 21. Rockdale Town Hall. rockdalemusicalsociety.com

Home, I’m Darling by Laura Wade. Wyong Drama Group, Tuggerah. Apr 19 - 27. Red

Tree Theatre. wyongdramagroup.com.au

Murder Amongst Friends by Dianna Raffle. Elanora Players. Apr 19 - 27. Nth Narrabeen Community Centre. elanoraplayers.com.au

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Based on the novel by Roald Dahl. Book by David Greig. Music by Marc Shaiman. Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. Camden Musical Society. Apr 19 - 28. Camden Civic Centre. camdenmusicalsociety.org

Annie by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan. Parkes Musical and Dramatic Society. Apr 20 - May 11. The Little Theatre, Parkes. parkesmandd.com.au

Polar Bear & Penguin by Paul Curley & John Currivan. Sydney Opera House and Caper & Crow. Apr 20 - 24 The Studio, Sydney Opera House. sydneyoperahouse.com

60

On Stage

Forever Treasure Island

Musical adaptation by Matthew Crossey & Tom Kirkham of the book by Robert Louis Stevenson. Wyong Musical Theatre Company. Apr 23 - 28 Wyong Grove Theatre. wmtc.com.au

The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. New Theatre, Newtown. Apr 23May 18. newtheatre.org.au

Grand Horizons by Bess Wolf. Maitland Repertory Theatre. Apr 24 - May 12 Maitland Rep Theatre. (02) 4933 2766. mrt.org.au

Lose to Win by Mandela Mathia. Apr 25 - May 19. Belvoir Street Theatre. belvoir.com.au

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Bay Theatre Players. Apr 26 - May 11. Bay Players Theatre, Batemans Bay. baytheatreplayers.com

We Will Rock You by Ben Elton and Queen. Bankstown Theatre Company. Apr 26 - May 5. Bryan Brown Theatre. bankstowntheatrecompany.com

Queensland Peter Pan. Brisbane Arts Theatre. Until Mar 23. artstheatre.com.au

The Sound of Music. Music: Richard Rodgers. Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein 2nd. Book: Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse. Spotlight Theatrical Company, Benowa. Until Mar 9. spotlighttheatre.com.au

When The Rain Stops Falling by Andrew Bovell. Brisbane Arts Theatre. Until Mar 9. artstheatre.com.au

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Composer: Alan Menken. Lyricist: Tim Rice. Book: Linda Woolverton. Until Apr 21. Lyric Theatre, QPAC. qpac.com.au

War of the Worlds - Lux Radio Play. New Farm Nash Theatre. Until Mar 16. nashtheatre.com

New South Wales & Queensland

After three decades in the West End, Stephen Mallatratt’s ingenious stage adaptation of Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story The Woman in Black is coming to Australia. The incredible duo of John Waters and Daniel MacPherson star in this thrilling theatrical exploration of terror.

Presented by PW Productions, Woodward Productions and Neil Gooding Productions, The Woman In Black tours Australia from April to July. thewomaninblack.com.au

Online extras!

The show is a study in atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror.

youtu.be/UbmzIzjmSeA

The Wolves by Sarah Delappe. Ad Astra Theatre. Until Mar 9. adastracreativity.com

Aging Disgracefully. A series of monlogues. Ipswich Little Theatre. Until Mar 16. ilt.org.au

Go Back for Murder by Agatha Christie. Sunnybank Theatre Group. Until Mar 9. sunnybanktheatre.com.au

Four Flat Whites in Italy by Roger Hall. Centenary Theatre Group. Until Mar 10. Chelmer

your show on the front page of stagewhispers.com.au

Community Centre. centenarytheatre.com.au

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, adapted by Janys Chambers. Villanova Players. Mar 1 - 17. The Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills. villanovaplayers.com

The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott Mar 4 - 9. Playhouse, QPAC. qpac.com.au

Towards Zero by Agatha Christie. St Luke’s Theatre Society. Mar 8-23. Christ Church Hall, Yeronga. stlukestheatre.asn.au

The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Natalie Trengove and Jim Fury. Tweed Theatre Co. Mar 9 - 24. Tweed Heads Civic Centre. tweedtheatre.com.au

The Addams Family. Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa. North

Photo: James Reiser.

On Stage Queensland & Victoria

Queensland Opera and Music Theatre. Mar 13 - 17. Townsville Civic Theatre. nqomt.com.au

What Will Have Been. Circa. Mar 13 - 17. Playhouse, QPAC. qpac.com.au

Prospect Terrace by Angela Murphy. Malanda Theatre Company Inc. Mar 15 - 24. malandatheatre.org

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Music: Richard Rodgers. Lyrics & Original Book: Oscar Hammerstein II. New Book: Douglas Carter Beane. Empire Theatre, Toowoomba. Mar 15 - 23. empiretheatre.com.au

Frankenstein by R.N. Sandberg, based on Mary Shelley’s novel. Brisbane Arts Theatre. Mar 16Apr 20. artstheatre.com.au

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, adapted for the stage by Shake & Stir Theatre Co Mar 30 - Apr 7. Playhouse, QPAC. qpac.com.au

Danny The Champion of the World. Brisbane Arts Theatre. Mar 30 - Apr 27. artstheatre.com.au

Loot by Joe Orton. Ad Astra Theatre. Apr 4 - 27. adastracreativity.com

One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean. Coolum Theatre Players. Apr 5 - 14. Coolum Civic Centre. coolumtheatre.com.au

37 by Nathan Maynard. Queensland Theatre. Apr 11May 4. Bille Brown Theatre. queenslandtheatre.com.au

Burn by James Hall. Apr 1227. Spotlight Theatrical Company, Benowa. spotlighttheatre.com.au

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Queensland Ballet. Apr 12 - 27. Playhouse, QPAC. qpac.com.au

Wait Until Dark by Fredrick Knott, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher. Gold Coast Little

Theatre. Apr 13 - May 4. gclt.com.au

Aria by David Williamson. Noosa Arts Theatre. Apr 18May 12.

noosaartstheatre.org.au

Puffs by Matt Cox. Villanova Players. Apr 19 - 21. The Ron Hurley Theatre, Seven Hills. villanovaplayers.com

The Almighty Sometimes by Kendall Feaver. Cairns Little Theatre. Apr 19 - May 4. Rondo Theatre. therondo.com.au

Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti. Opera Queensland. Apr 20 & 27. Concert Hall, QPAC. qpac.com.au

Harvey by Mary Chase. Sunnybank Theatre Group. Apr 26 - May 11. sunnybanktheatre.com.au

The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow. Toowoomba Repertory Theatre Society. Apr 30 - May 11. Toowoomba Repertory Theatre. toowoombarep.com.au

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt Apr 30 - May 11. Playhouse, QPAC. qpac.com.au

Victoria

Grease by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia. Until Mar 16. Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. greasemusical.com.au

Groundhog Day. Book by Danny Rubin. Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. Ongoing. Princess Theatre, Melbourne. groundhogday.com.au

Meet Me At Dawn by Zinnie Harris. Melbourne Theatre Company. Until Mar 16. Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne. mtc.com.au

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Verity Laughton from the novel by Pip Williams. Sydney Theatre Company / State Theatre Company SA. Until Mar 10. Playhouse, Arts Centre

Melbourne. artscentremelbourne.com.au

Rent Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Until Mar 10. State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne. artscentremelbourne.com.au

Mother And Son by Geoffrey Atherden. The 1812 Theatre. Until Mar 6. 1812theatre.com.au

The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke. Malthouse Theatre. Until Mar 17. Beckett Theatre. malthousetheatre.com.au

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Mordialloc Theatre Co. Until Mar 9. Shirley Burke Theatre. mordialloctheatre.com

Milked by Simon Longman. The Ninth Floor. Until Mar 10. fortyfivedownstairs. fortyfivedownstairs.com

Dry Land by Ruby Rae Spiegel. Flat Pack and Theatre Works. Until Mar 9. Explosives Factory. theatreworks.org.au

Every Lovely Terrible Thing by Adam Fawcett. Lab Kelpie and Theatre Works. Until Mar 16. Theatre Works. theatreworks.org.au

Monument by Emily Sheehan. Red Stitch The Actors’ Theatre. Until Mar 10. redstitch.net

Wicked. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. From Mar 6. Regent Theatre, Melbourne. wickedthemusical.com.au

37 by Isaac Drandic. Melbourne Theatre Company. Mar 2 - Apr 5. Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. mtc.com.au

The Sound of Music. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Book by

Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Theatrical. Mar 2 - 17. National Theatre, St Kilda. theatrical.com.au

Fresno by Josh Connell and Jeremy Harland. Mar 4 - 9. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com

Fruitcake by Jaimee Doyle. Mar 6 - 9. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com

Shine My Light. Taku Mbudzi. La Mama HQ. Mar 6 - 10. lamama.com.au

Eat Your Heart Out by Angela Buckingham. La Mama Courthouse. Mar 6 - 17. lamama.com.au

The 39 Steps. Adapted by Patrick Barlow from the movie by Alfred Hitchcock and the novel by John Buchan. Hearth Theatre. Mar 8 - 17. Chapel Off Chapel. chapeloffchapel.com.au

Pane di Casa, A Taste of Home. Mar 11 - 16. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com

Car Crash. Mar 11 - 16. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com

Nu Disco by Ellen Marning. La Mama HQ. Mar 12 - 17. lamama.com.au

Swansong by Connor McDermottroe. Flat Pack and Theatre Works. Mar 13 - 23. Explosives Factory. theatreworks.org.au

Sylvia by A.R. Gurney. Torquay Theatre Troupe Inc. Mar 1423. Shoestring Playhouse at The MAC, Torquay. ttt.org.au

Future Proof by Gravity Dolls. Darebin Arts Speakeasy. Mar 14 - 16. arts.darebin.vic.gov.au

Clarissa & Pip by Margaret Hickey. Wangaratta Players. Mar 14 - 23. wangarattaplayers.org.au

Oliver! By Lionel Bart. NOVA Music Theatre. Mar 15 - 24. novamusictheatre.com.au

Zombie Prom. Music by Dana P. Rowe, book and lyrics by

On Stage Victoria

Online extras!

The cast of Theatrical’s The Sound Of Music perform ‘Do Re Mi’. youtu.be/xP2tBdUjh_4

Theatrical presents one of the most beloved musicals of all time, The Sound Of Music. In Austria, 1938, an exuberant young governess Maria, played by Tayla Dwyer brings music and joy back to a broken family, only to face danger and intrigue as the Nazis gain power. Playing at The National Theatre in St Kilda from March 2. theatrical.com.au/soundofmusic

John Dempsey. SLAMS Music Theatre Company. Mar 15 - 23. Knox Community Arts Centre. trybooking.com/CNXEI

In Search of Applause by Maroussia Vladi. Mar 18 - 23. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com

Beast in the Room by April Albert. Theatre Works. Mar 20 - 28. Theatre Works. theatreworks.org.au

Farewell Lady Autumn by Melka Stansah. La Mama HQ. Mar 20 - 28. lamama.com.au

Teeth and Tonic by Megan Scolyer-Gray. La Mama Courthouse. Mar 20 - 28. lamama.com.au

Hard Launch - Ally Morgan. Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Mar 25 - 31.

The Butterfly Club thebutterflyclub.com

Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024. Mar 27 - Apr 21. comedyfestival.com.au

Duck Duck Goose by Caitriona Daly. THAT Production Company. Apr 3 - 13. Theatre Works. theatreworks.org.au

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience. Interactive Theatre International. MICF. Apr 5 - 14. Oaks on Market Hotel. comedyfestival.com.au

Shakespeare Ghostbusters by The Coincidence Men. The Ghostlight League / MICF. Apr 9 - 13. St Martin’s Theatre. comedyfestival.com.au

I Have No Enemies. Bare Witness Theatre Co. Apr 10 -

Advertise your show on the front page of stagewhispers.com.au

20. Explosives Factory. theatreworks.org.au

A Case for the Existence of God by Samuel D. Hunter. Red Stitch The Actors’ Theatre. Apr 13 - May 12. redstitch.net

The Almighty Sometimes by Kendall Feaver. Melbourne Theatre Company. Apr 15May 18. Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. mtc.com.au

Stickybeak. Devised and performed by Kimberley Twiner, Jessie Ngaio, Laura Trenerry and Patrick Dwyer. MICF. Apr 16 - 21. MalthouseThe Tower. comedyfestival.com.au

Confetti and Chaos. Interactive Theatre International. MICF. Apr 16 - 21. Oaks on Market Hotel. comedyfestival.com.au

The Trojan War. A Slightly Isolated Dog Apr 17 - 28. Chapel Off Chapel. chapeloffchapel.com.au

The Exact Dimensions of Hell by Bridget Mackey. Mackey, Darling & Collaborators. Apr 18 - 28. fortyfivedownstairs. fortyfivedownstairs.com

Berlin by Joanna Murray-Smith. Heidelberg Theatre Company. Apr 19 - May 4. htc.org.au

Things I Know to be True by Andrew Bovell by Caitriona Daly. Theatre Works. Apr 19May 4. Theatre Works. theatreworks.org.au

You’re Being Dramatic by Zadie Kennedy McKracken. Theatre Works. Apr 24 - May 4. Explosives Factory. theatreworks.org.au

On Stage

Victoria, Tasmania & South Australia

Set amongst the poverty, crime and corruption of London, The Threepenny Opera (Die Dreigroschenoper) follows notorious criminal Macheath, a.k.a. Mack the Knife, his gang, enemies and lovers. It is both a biting satire of capitalism and a farcical story about love, betrayal and morality. Coming to Her Majesty’s Theatre Adelaide from March 6 to 10, after hit seasons at the Berliner Ensemble and Edinburgh International Festival. adelaidefestival.com.au/events/the-threepenny-opera

Garage Girls by Candace Miles, Madelaine Nunn and Anna Rodway. Three Birds Theatre and The Shift Theatre. Apr 24May 5. La Mama Courthouse. lamama.com.au

Peacemongers by The People. Darebin Arts Speakeasy. Apr 24 - May 5. arts.darebin.vic.gov.au

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Bell Shakespeare. Arts Centre Melbourne, Apr 25 - May 11. bellshakespeare.com.au

The Architect by Aiden Fenessey. FAMDA. Apr 26May 5. Foster War Memorial Arts Centre. famda.org.au

Kiss Me, Kate! Music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Book by Sam and Bella Spewack. Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Victoria. May 25. Alexander Theatre, Monash University. gsov.org.au

Tasmania

Green Day’s American Idiot. DoMaur Productions, Burnie. Mar 1 - 9. Town Hall, Burnie Arts. burniearts.net

Chess. Music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Lyrics by Tim Rice. Encore Theatre Company. Mar 8 - 23. Princess Theatre, Launceston. theatrenorth.com.au

Lost in Shanghai by Jane Hutcheon. Contemporary Asian Australian Performance. Mar 15 & 16. Theatre Royal Hobart, Studio. theatreroyal.com.au

The Effect by Lucy Prebble. IO Performance, Launceston. Mar 15 - 23. ioperformanceco.com

Dirty Laundry. Briefs Factory International. Mar 20 - 23. Theatre Royal Hobart. theatreroyal.com.au

Anne and Gilbert. Book & lyrics by Jeff Hochhauser. Music & lyrics by Bob Johnston & Nancy

White. Based on the novels by L.M. Montgomery. Hobart Rep. Apr 17 - 27. The Playhouse Theatre. playhouse.org.au

I Wish... Patch Theatre in collaboration with Gravity & Other Myths. Apr 17 & 18, Princess Theatre, Launceston, theatrenorth.com.au & Apr 23 & 24, Theatre Royal Hobart, Studio, theatreroyal.com.au

The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh. Launceston Players. Apr 24 - 27. Earl Arts Centre. launcestonplayers.com

South Australia

Adelaide Fringe Festival. Until Mar 19 adelaidefringe.com.au

Blue by Thomas Weatherall. State Theatre Company South Australia. Until Mar 16. Scott Theatre, University of Adelaide. statetheatrecompany.com.au

Hamlet in 15 Minutes. Adapted and directed by Peter Goers. Holden Street Theatres. Until

Mar 15. holdenstreettheatres.com

Adelaide Festival. Mar 1 - 17. adelaidefestival.com.au

The Threepenny Opera. Based on John Gay's The Beggar's Opera. By Bertolt Brecht (text) and Kurt Weill (music), in collaboration with Elisabeth Hauptmann. Adelaide Festival/ Berliner Ensemble. Until Mar 10. Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide. adelaidefestival.com.au

I Hide in Bathrooms by Astrid Pill and collaborators. Adelaide Festival / Vitalstatistix. Mar 516. Waterside Workers Hall, Yartapuulti, Port Adelaide adelaidefestival.com.au

Antigone in the Amazon by Milo Rau. Adelaide Festival / NTGent. Mar 15 - 17. Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre. adelaidefestival.com.au

Baskerville - a Sherlock Holmes mystery by Ken Ludwig.

Photo: Jörg Brüggemann.

On Stage

Adelaide Repertory Theatre. Mar 21 - Apr 6. Arts Theatre, Adelaide. adelaiderep.com

The Explorers Club by Nell Benjamin. The Stirling Players. Mar 22 - Apr 13. Stirling Community Theatre. stirlingplayers.sct.org.au

Blackbird by David Harrower. Solus Productions. Apr 2 - 13. The Studio, Holden Street Theatres. holdenstreettheatres.com

Charley’s Aunt. Adapted by Paul Thain from Brandon Thomas. Tea Tree Players. Apr 3 - 13. teatreeplayers.com

Elvis: A Musical Revolution. Book: Sean Cercone and David Abbinanti. David Venn Enterprises. Apr 3 - 21. Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide. elvisamusicalrevolution.com.au

A Shortcut to Happiness by Roger Hall. Therry Dramatic Society. Apr 10 - 20. Arts Theatre, Adelaide. therry.org.au

The Wedding Singer. Music by Matthew Sklar. Lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Book by Tim Herlihy & Chad Beguelin. Northern Light Theatre Company. Apr 12 - 27. Shedley Theatre, Elizabeth. northernlight.org.au

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. Book by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins. TEG Dainty. Apr 24 - May 26. Adelaide Festival Theatre. tinathemusical.com.au

School of Rock. Based on the Paramount movie by Mike White. Book by Julian Fellowes. Lyrics by Glenn Slater. Music by Andrew Lloyd Weber. Adelaide Youth Theatre. Apr season adelaideyouththeatre.com.au

Disney The Little Mermaid Jr. Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater. Book by Doug Wright. Adelaide Youth Theatre. Apr season adelaideyouththeatre.com.au

South Australia & Western Australia

Western Australia

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly. Until Mar 9. Wanneroo Repertory Club. Limelight Theatre, Wanneroo. (08) 9255 3336. taztix.com.au

Exit Laughing by Paul Elliot. Old Mill Theatre. Until Mar 9. Old Mill Theatre, South Perth. oldmilltheatre.com.au

Secret Bridesmaids’ Business by Elizabeth Coleman. Roxy Lane Theatre. Until Mar 10. Roxy Lane Theatre, Maylands. (08) 9255 3336. taztix.com.au

Melville Summer Shorts. Short plays by various authors. Melville Theatre Company. Until Mar 7. Melville Theatre, Civic Centre, Main Hall, Booragoon. (08) 9255 3336. taztix.com.au

Last Call by Sean Guy. KADS. Mar 8 - 23. Death walks into a bar. KADS Town Hall Theatre. kadstheatre.com.au

As You Like It by William Shakespeare. Graduate Dramatic Society (GRADS). Mar 13 - 23. New Fortune Theatre, University of WA, Nedlands. ticketswa.com

The Producers by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan. Primadonna Productions. Mar 22 - 24. Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. manpac.com.au

Wilfred Gordon McDonald

Partridge by Mem Fox. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. Mar 30Apr 12. Ellie Eaton Theatre, Perth Showground. sppt.com.au

The Lisbon Traviata by Terrence McNally. Garrick Theatre. Apr 4 - 20. (08) 9255 3336. taztix.com.au

Mother And Son by Geoffrey Atherden. Rockingham Theatre Company. Apr 5 - 20. The Castle, Rockingham. rtcrockingham.com

Time After Time. Fifi Productions. Apr 5 - 14. Byford Secondary College Theatre. fifiproductions.co

Annie by Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan. HAMA Productions. Apr 6 - 14. Regal Theatre, Subiaco. premier.ticketek.com.au

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Bell Shakespeare. Bunbury Entertainment Centre, Apr 9; Albany Entertainment Centre, Apr 11; Margaret River HEART, Apr 13; State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth, Apr 17 - 20 bellshakespeare.com.au

Disenchanted by Dennis T. Giacino. Art in Motion Theatre. Apr 12 - 20. Storybook heroines are unhappy with their portrayal. City of Gosnells Don Russell Performing Arts Centre. (08) 9498 9414.

Baby by Sybille Pearson, David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr. Old Mill Theatre, South Perth. Apr 19 - May 4. oldmilltheatre.com.au

Evil Dead - The Musical by Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt. Wanneroo Repertory Club. Apr 25 - May 11. Limelight Theatre, Wanneroo. limelighttheatre.com.au

Evita by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Stirling Players. Apr 26 - May 11. Stirling Theatre, Morris Rd, Innaloo. trybooking.com/CKYZT

Barracking for the Umpire by Andrea Gibbs. Black Swan State Theatre Company. Apr 23 - May 5. Subiaco Arts Centre. (08) 6212 9300. blackswantheatre.com.au

Gala Opening Concert. Roleystone Theatre. Apr season. Celebration to open Roleystone’s new theatre. The New Roleystone Theatre, Brookton Hwy, Roleystone. roleystonetheatre.com.au

Reviews

Grease: The Musical Book, music & lyrics: Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey. Director: Luke Joslin. Choreographer: Eric Giancola. Musical Director: Dave Skelton. Presented by John Frost for Crossroads Live. Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne. Jan 9Mar 10, then touring.

GREASE pays homage to the 1950s era of greased hair, engines, and food! The buzz at this opening night performance proves that Grease is still a favourite musical for many.

Director Luke Joslin has aimed for a 'contemporary' feel where characters seem to leap out of the scenery (designed by James Browne), as in a comic book world. Browne’s costumes, many modelled on the ‘Rockabilly’ style, are a vibrant reflection of the era. Eye popping lighting design by Trudy Dalgleish and well-balanced sound design by Michael Waters enhance the show. The band, conducted by Dave Skelton, is a well 'greased' machine of exceptional skill.

Joseph Spanti (Danny) and Annelise Hall (Sandy) are perfectly cast as symbols of teenage rebellion and romantic longing. Annelise’s performance of 'Hopelessly Devoted to You’ was a crowd favourite as was Mackenzie Dunn’s (Rizzo) torch song 'There Are Worse Things I Could Do', that literally stopped the show! Keanu Gonzalez (Kenickie), Brianna Bishop (Marty), Catty Hamilton (Frenchy), Tom Davis (Doody), Caitlin Spears (Jan), Andy Seymour (Roger), Lucy Fraser (Patty), Harry Targett (Sonny), Gareth Isaac (Eugene) and Cristina D'Agostino (Cha Cha), plus the incredibly talented ensemble each have their unique shining moments.

This production of Grease brings together three Australian performing icons: Patti Newton, Jay Laga’Aia and Marcia Hines, who add a dimension of class. Their performances and professionalism are outstanding!

With its memorable tunes, characters, energetic dancing, and spectacular staging, this incarnation of Grease is sure to leave a lasting impression on audiences for years to come!

It’s the perfect ‘Summer Night’ outing!

Jonathan Cox

Online extras!

The timeless hits of Grease prove irresistible to Melbourne fans. youtu.be/6OSvDXEj_tM

Grease: The Musical Photo: Jeff Busby.

RENT: The Musical

Book, music & lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Playhouse, QPAC. Jan 30 - Feb 11, then touring to Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Canberra.

AWARD-winning Director Shaun Rennie is touring his new, exciting production of RENT. Set in the late 1990s in New York’s Alphabet City, RENT’s Lower East Side is rife with demolition, skyrocketing rents, and a population decimated by AIDS.

Taking Puccini’s La bohème, set in Paris a century earlier during the tuberculosis epidemic, as his blueprint, Jonathan Larson infuses his story with a mix of musical influences in pop, rock, musical theatre, opera and cabaret. In many ways, RENT was ahead of its time it is LGBTQ+ friendly, race diverse, anti-capitalist, and gentrification averse.

Like all musical theatre/rock opera, it has moments of pure genius juxtaposed with weaker elements. This makes superb casting essential requiring diverse talents with distinctive vocal styles. In this wonderful cast, we have the ‘musical theatre lead’ Mark (Noah Mullins), the ‘smooth soul’ of Collins (Nick Afoa), ‘rock opera diva’ Mimi

(Martha Berhane), ‘disco queen’ Angel (Carl De Villa), ‘rockstar’ Roger (Jerrod Smith), ‘R&B regency’ with Joanne (Thndo), ‘stage star’ Maureen (Calista Nelmes) and ‘blues brother’, Benny (Tana Laga’aia) all backed by an energetic live band.

RENT has several standout solo and duet tracks, but the most moving are performed by the company: ‘Rent’, ‘La Vie Bohème’, ‘Seasons of Love’, and ‘Another Day’.

The show’s mantra No Day But Today certainly resonates in our post-pandemic world. Do not miss this production it is an exceptional showcase for this constellation of shining performers.

Beth Keehn

The Lonesome West

By Martin McDonagh. Empress Theatre Company. Director Anna Houston. Old Fitz Theatre. Jan 13 - Feb 4.

THE Ireland Martin McDonagh depicts in his Irish trilogies is not a happy place. His plays involve characters who are dissatisfied, angry, shockingly violent and often morally corrupt

Online extras!

Take a first look at the new Australian touring production of RENT youtu.be/OLYjl78mtHw

RENT: The Musical Photo: Pia Johnson.

In The Lonesome West, the Connor brothers cause the tension, provoking each other brutally and fighting viciously even though they have just buried their father … whom the older brother, Coleman, shot in the head.

The village thinks it was an accident, but his brother Valene knows the truth and has been sworn to secrecy in return for taking over their inheritance, taunting Coleman by marking everything in the house with a black “V”. The friction between them erupts into fights that are sadistic, cruel, violent … but somehow in a ‘quare’ Irish way, they are also funny.

Director Anna Houston skilfully follows the rhythms of McDonagh’s script, manipulating the action, especially the fight scenes, with careful choreography and explicit timing.

With dialect coach Linda Nicholls Gidley, Houston’s cast Lee Beckhurst, Andre de Vanny, Abe Mitchelland and Ruby Henaway find the accents, cadence, rhythm, pace and diction needed for McDonagh’s idiomatic dialogue.

Houston exposes Martin McDonagh’s wicked humour, and crazed, wild characters in a production that is a fine example of black comedy.

Carol Wimmer

Online extras!

Stage Whispers TV meets the creators of Bananaland to discuss the show.

youtu.be/pC7yJ3COWzA

Bananaland

Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall. Brisbane Festival and Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Sydney Festival. Director: Simon Phillips. Riverside Theatre Parramatta. Jan 3 - 14.

KATE Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall have been working together for many years. Their music and lyrics have won international acclaim, including their collaboration for Muriel’s Wedding - the Musical. But Bananaland is different! Director Simon Phillips calls it “a joyful, comic romp an outrageous satire of all the extraneous crap that anyone trying to forge a career in music faces on a day-to-day basis”.

The four main characters are “Kitty Litter”, a heavy, punk-style band whose lead singer Ruby Semblance is angry about everything. They have one lone fan, Darren, but when they are performing in Goondiwindi the Sunday afternoon performance has been sold out to an audience of children, because their angry song “Bananaland” (a protest about “Clive Palmer’s incursion into Federal politics”) has become an online kids’ hit!

Despite Ruby’s reluctance, they decide to try to make it as a children’s band, and the “Wikki Wikki Wah Wahs” is born. In pastels, dungarees and a dog suit, rather than black, lace and chains, the “Wikkis” become a hit. They are interviewed on daytime TV and are billed perform at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney!

Bananaland

Photo: Wendell Teodoro.

Phillips’ production, is pacy, perfectly timed and skilfully managed, in line with what he describes as “the rhythm of the dialogue that is … both musical and comedic”.

Carol Wimmer

The Inheritance (Parts I & II)

By Matthew

López. fortyfivedownstairs. Jan 17 - Feb 11.

THE Inheritance chronicles its characters’ fraught relationships sexual and otherwise, tender, cruel, obsessive, bewildering, giving and selfish, destructive and self-destructive dragging their pasts into its present. There are sharp and snappy one-liners and bitchy gay humour. It is, if you like, an engrossing, sprawling soap opera about gay love and love and real estate.

Although its present is 2015-2018, the play chronicles mostly New York gay male history as far back as the Stonewall riots, and through the AIDS plague the history and its lessons at risk of being lost.

The Inheritance is inspired by E M Forster’s 1910 novel Howard’s End. Most central to the novel and this play is Forster’s injunction, ‘Only connect.’ Here, to connect to each other, connect to the world and connect to the past.

Forster himself appears as a character ‘Morgan’, his middle name as a well-mannered ghost from an oppressive, closeted past, but an inspiration and storytelling guide to the contemporary characters as they shape their stories. Morgan (an almost ethereal, gentle yet

firm Dion Mills) intervenes in the narrative in Part I, always to point it in a more truthful, illuminating way. A felicitous device is that Mills doubles as Walter Poole, an older man from an earlier epoch with the dry humour, speech and manners of that epoch an epoch in which gays were persecuted, shunned and forced into secret lives to survive. The eponymous house of the novel finds its play equivalent in a house in upstate New York that becomes a sanctuary and a hospice for men dying of AIDS. Walter’s telling of his past and of that house is elegiac and deeply evocative of time and place.

The whole is brought vividly to life by a splendid cast of thirteen all of them doubling, sometimes as sharply individual characters, sometimes as narrators, sometimes as the ghosts of those who died, and sometimes as spectators at the central drama that of Eric Glass (Charles Purcell), a gentle, generous, vulnerable but recessive man who suffers but evolves and his lover Toby (Tomás Kantor), mercurial, ruthless, dangerous, selfish and self-destructive, hiding and hating his past.

Linking Toby’s specious theatrical success and his falling obsessively in love are the key but very different roles of Adam, a swollen-headed actor, and Leo, a near identical homeless rent boy. Both are played by Karl Richmond, who gives them subtlety and a clear delineation of each as they develop in very different ways.

The Inheritance

Photo: Cameron Grant.

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Significantly, the theme of acceptance and love is embodied here in the play’s only female, Margaret (the wonderful Jillian Murray). Her monologue about the son she rejected until it was too late, holds the audience spellbound and deeply moved.

Director Kitan Petkovski animates and moves his cast with an energetic fluidity and clarity and performances always sympathetic even when a character’s actions are at their most repellent.

López is not afraid to critique his gay characters and their milieu, but their chief flaw is to take their acceptance for granted, their lack of gratitude and amnesia about the past. He even constructs a Shavian scene of heated argument in which Henry Wilcox (Hunter Perske in a beautifully costive performance), Republican multi-millionaire property developer, argues that it was the profit motive that brought about a cure for AIDS…

Of course, The Inheritance is compared with Angels in America and yes, perhaps it lacks the thematic scale, depth and focus of that play, but it is nevertheless moving, articulate, entertaining and important. Like Angels, it is in two parts, each here over three hours long. Each part has a twenty-minute interval, but the two parts can be seen on two subsequent nights. It demands some stamina, our attention and patience. All are rewarded. True, there are longueurs. But to hold an audience’s attention when dialogue becomes a little too ‘on the nose’ and keep them with the narrative is a major achievement. Much praise must go to producer Cameron Lukey and fortyfivedownstairs for mounting this epic work.

Michael Brindley

The Magic Flute

Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. Opera Australia. Directed by Kate Gaul. Conducted by Teresa Riveiro Böhm. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Feb 1 - Mar 16.

AUSTRIA sometimes gets mixed up with Australia, and you may have seen T-shirts to that effect with a map of the European country and a kangaroo crossed out.

This production, composed by Vienna-born Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, blends both countries in a different way. Director Kate Gaul and playwright Michael Gow translated the German language opera into Australian English, and inserted dialogue in place of some of songs.

This made the production a more accessible way of introducing someone new to the artform. However, it did not entirely gel or work for a purist. It was half-way between the world of operetta/musical and opera.

Ben Mingay as Papageno was charismatic. The musical theatre star entered the stage blowing into his pipes from the audience. He was comfortable in the style

Groundhog Day The Musical. Photo: Jeff Busby.

Online extras!

Audiences look to relive the magic of Groundhog Day over and over again. youtu.be/czUWzhxg6xg

of the adaptation and every lyric he sang could be understood.

By contrast, with some of the other seasoned opera singers, we required close reference to the sub-titles to understand the lyrics of their songs, even though they were being performed in English.

A projection of a full moon and shadow puppetry were the major scenic effects. The stage floor was dressed in artificial turf and the major backdrop was comprised of various coloured glitter curtains.

Contemporary costuming and props were amusing. Papageno (the bird catcher) is covered in bird droppings and brought onto the stage an Esky.

Musically it was sumptuous. The Magic Flute Mozart’s last opera has lots of memorable tunes. With new leadership at Opera Australia, it was wonderful to see an entirely Australian cast in the leads, with Pamina (Stacey Alleaume), Tamino (Michael Smallwood), and Sarastro (David Parkin) all taking their moments to shine.

Giuseppina Grech had the thrilling Queen of the Night aria, crisply hitting the top F.

David Spicer

Groundhog Day The Musical

Book by Danny Rubin. Music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. Developed and directed by Matthew Warchus. GWB Entertainment. Princess Theatre Melbourne. Jan 4 - Apr 7.

SHOULD I, or shouldn’t I, watch the movie again before I see the musical?

No, I didn’t, and I’m glad as this forced the musical to stand on its own feet without (unnecessarily) referencing the film.

This excellent adaptation reinvents the plot from screenplay to stage.

Director Matthew Warchus calls it an American supernatural parable. None of us gets that chance to rerun a scene from our life if we screw up the first time. But TV weatherman Phil Connors does so, as he lives through the same day umpteen times.

Tim Minchin’s score and lyrics are a joy, with “Hope” in Act 2 a highlight. I’ve been humming them since seeing the show.

In swift repetition Phil Connors walked off the stage, climbed a ladder into the rigging, was carried off the stage by police, or pushed off on a gurney or some other mode of transport, then each iteration of the scene was spectacularly followed not even one second thereafter by the alarm clock waking him up in bed in his pyjamas. This blew my mind. It was a masterful sleight of hand by use of body doubles, completely imperceptible to the audience.

All four main creatives have been over the top complementary about this cast. There were outstanding performances by the two leads Andy Karl (Phil Connors) and Elise McCann (Rita Hanson), plus Alison Whyte (Mrs Lancaster) and Ashleigh Rubenach (Nancy).

Add a stellar ensemble of well-known names in Aussie musical theatre and swings who have done some of the biggest shows in Australia and there is not a single weak point in this show.

Andy Davis

Last Cab To Darwin

By Reg Cribb. Hobart Repertory Theatre Company. Shauna -Lee Ward (director). Carolyn Whamond (designer). Louise Stubs (lighting design). The Playhouse Hobart. Feb 7 - 17.

LAST Cab to Darwin is a play about death (and life), the personal (and the political), an individual (and a country).

The set is a total corker. Everything on stage is recycled or second hand, baking under the warm colours of the outback. Dry grass and cyclone fencing is enhanced by an evocative soundscape of mosquitos and cicadas.

Co-starring with the set, is Brendon Flynn. Highly credentialed in the theatre, Flynn has his personal reasons for playing Max, the cabbie who drives from Broken Hill to Darwin in 1996 to avail himself of the briefly legal assisted dying laws. Flynn is on stage for the entire play as archetypal Aussie, Max, the poetic philosopher, delivered in the relaxed, resigned manner of a man who has comes to terms with his fate. Flynn, long of limb spare of flesh, gives Max as a man equally discomfited by his cancer and the death of his country. The audience is engaged by his sardonic humour as well as the pathos of Max’s situation.

Flynn is supported in a natural performance by Jodi Haines as next-door neighbour Polly. The comic trio of

David Bloomfield, Mark Morgan and Tony Webb show us the best and worst of the Aussie mateship.

The play is long, like Max’s journey, but only ever flags during the parliamentary scene. In their ivory tower defined by a box table light, the scene added little, except to remind audiences that policy affects lives.

Cribb’s script is rich. He writes poetically about roadkill and the love it takes to put down a mongrel dog.

Charming and powerful phrases resonate. Something might make you go “rabbit proof mad” while death tears away at your body “in greedy handfuls”. Particularly poignant is “God didn’t put the cattle here”.

Max, eaten away from the inside out, enjoins us all to “look at the moon” rather than the gutter.

Anne Blythe-Cooper

Homos, Or Everyone In America

By Jordan Seavey. New Theatre, Newtown, NSW. Feb 6Mar 9.

JORDAN Seavey’s play follows the tender if fiercely argumentative relationship of two gay twenty-somethings living in Manhattan. His interesting storytelling leaps through scenes, long, short, sometimes repeated, and not always chronological.

Their five year bond ends just before gay marriage equality arrives in America.

Edward O’Leary plays the emotionally withheld academic in media and queer studies, an apostle of identity politics, but enraptured with Reuben Solomon’s

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agile charismatic writer who doesn’t share the academic’s faith in gay/social progress and community.

Seavey postulates that we’re in a “post-gay” age where the big fights are done and Homos now face the same relationship challenges as Everyone in America. Well, maybe in Manhattan.

One old trope is our effusive writer freaking out monogamous academic by wanting a threesome with his old school friend, the strapping Dan (Axel Berecry). But Homos is essentially a two hander of articulate argument and recovery, shouting over each other and directed at a snapping pace by Alex Kendall Robson.

It’s insightful, witty and with their obvious love so well portrayed in the two central performances, we somehow last the 105 uninterrupted minutes of high volume.

Designer Zara Pittoni’s stripped-back stage, with a central bed, probably makes the actors shout even more. Homos does need more variety of volume and tones, reflection and intimacy.

It helps to know your US gay history, but this outspoken, explicit play is fully entertaining in showing us where that history has brought us all.

Martin Portus

The Pool

By

Steve Rodgers. Perth Festival. Bold Park Aquatic Centre. Feb 11 - 25.

WRITER Steve Rodgers had a great idea while frequenting his local pool what if all these interesting, diverse pool-goers were characters in his play?

Above: Homos, Or

Everyone In America.

Photo: Chris Lundie.

Below: Last Cab To Darwin

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When he spoke to director Kate Champion, she suggested that, rather than create special effects on stage, a much more authentic theatre space would be an actual pool, exploring the healing power of water while appealing to a wider, community audience.

Seated on the bleachers, each spectator is given a headset tuned into the main conversations between the characters.

Pool staff chat privately near the shallow end; old friends gossip near the mid-pool and a young couple who’ve wagged school to be together, splash about near the deep end.

We get to know a young woman (Carys Monks) who strengthens her identity (and body) by being a long-time member of the Superfins swimming club.

Kylie Bracknell and Joel Jackson play the Aquatic Centre’s key staff and are incredibly watchable.

Their interactions with regular clientele are highlighted by pre-recorded monologues with cinematic background music that enriches each character’s emotional truth.

Geoff Kelso and Polly Low are wonderfully comfortable playing a long-married couple.

Their story appears simple on the surface, as their adult daughter (played with nuanced complexity by Emma Jackson) arrives for swimming lessons, but their individual stories are richer than our pre-conceived ideas about older people, including their close friend, played by Julia Moody.

There was some clever choreography by a chorus of swimmers and the high school couple (Edyll Ismail and Tobias Muhafidin) mirroring aspects of the older couple’s relationship.

Sound logistics and quality were seamless, thanks to composer and sound designer Tim Collins and his audio team.

At the conclusion, Anna Gray and Kylie Bracknell remain in character as pre-registered audience members jump in for a mini aqua-aerobics class and join the fun.

The Pool should tour to country areas, making a splash wherever there’s a local aquatic centre.

Jane Keehn

Big Name, No Blankets

Score: Warumpi Band. Created in collaboration with founding band member Sammy Butcher and the families of Warumpi Band members, co-directed by Dr Rachael Maza AM and Anyupa Butcher. Ilbijerri Theatre Company. Sydney Festival. Roslyn Packer Theatre. Jan 10 - 14.

THE first to sing in language, the Warumpi Band created anthems which radicalised Australians, black and white, into action on Aboriginal concerns and land rights. Their charismatic lead singer, the late George Burarrwanga, was a performer to be reckoned with.

This world premiere part theatre, part concert relives their songs and their leap to fame here and overseas from NE Arnhem Land in the 1980s. The sole surviving Indigenous musician Sammy Butcher is the consultant, while his relation Anyupa Butcher is codirector with Rachael Maza and the Ilbijerri Theatre Company.

Big Name, No Blankets

Photo: Brett Boardman.

Googoorewon Knox may not have Burarrwanga’s agility, but, starting with the anthem “We gotta be Strong”, he knows how to get us moving. Baykali Ganambarr plays Sammy, who discovers Neil Murray (Jackson Peele), strumming by the road, a young white fella songwriter who has a guitar, an amp and even a car! And so, with Teangi Knox (drums) and Aaron McGrath, the Band creates Top End fame with their “Desert Reggae”.

Tensions arise as some crave a return to country; George convinces the band to visit his on Elcho Island and is flattered by Neil’s dedicated song, “My Island Home”. Later he’s furious at Neil for reworking a more upbeat version for the Sydney Olympics.

Frequent dramatic moments like this occur in Andrea James’ script which promise depth but die too quickly, not helped by some rambling acting. Yet it’s still a show with considerable charm and appeal; the performers appear to relish more the concert stage than the dramatic one, and the applauding Sydney Festival audience seemed to feel the same.

Martin Portus

PERFORMING ARTS MAGAZINE

MAR/APR 2024. VOLUME 33, NUMBER 1

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Contributors: Cathy Bannister, Anne Blythe-Cooper, Michael Brindley, Kerry Cooper, Rose Cooper, Ken Cotterill, Bill Davies, Coral Drouyn, Jenny Fewster, Kitty Goodall, Peter Gotting, John P. Harvey, Frank Hatherley, Barry Hill, Jude Hines, Beth Keehn, Fiona Kelly, Tony Knight, Debora Krizak, Neil Litchfield, Ken Longworth, Rachel McGrath-Kerr, Mel Newton, Peter Novakovich, Peter Pinne, Martin Portus, Suzanne Sandow, Kimberley Shaw, David Spicer, Mark Wickett, Geoffrey Williams and Carol Wimmer.

Musical Spice

The Sydney suburb of Cronulla is famous for being the home of the novel Puberty Blues, and notorious as the place where a race riot erupted in 2005.

I was one of the few reporters on the scene that day, when a mob set upon anyone with brown skin. I recall a protester running past me, holding his hand up for an approving highfive. When I declined to reciprocate, he slapped my stomach.

Not so well known is the fact that a community theatre called Arts Theatre Cronulla permanently occupies a substantial shopfront street frontage just 100 metres from the beach.

When the riot erupted, the company had a matinee performance of the comedy Volpone on stage. A long-standing member, Neil Moulang, recalls the tension of the day, and the number of people coming from other suburbs for the protest. The show did go on, but patrons had to steer clear of the police and troublemakers on the way out.

The Arts Theatre is currently staging the comedy Mother and Son by Geoffrey Atherden, which I represent, and I ventured back to the shire to see a performance.

Inside is a little paradise for a community theatre company. In real estate crazy Sydney, the Cronulla School of Arts is a substantial building on Surf Road, dedicated to community groups and activities, surrounded by restaurants and shops paying big rent.

The Arts Theatre recently celebrated its 60th birthday with a party in their large, sparkling foyer. Their 130-seat theatre has excellent acoustics, a dressing room big enough for 18 actors and room for set, prop and costume storage.

Before the pandemic, every production sold out, and the company is now getting back to 80 percent capacity.

No actors, directors or crew get paid, and with such a strong business model you can understand how they were able to pull together more than a million dollars for recent renovations. These included a lift to a second storey which has a little theatrette and rooms for local craft clubs. The lift also has the capacity for a third storey, which they will get around to building one day.

As the company is the sole occupant of the theatre, Director Neil

Moulang had a leisurely three weeks to build his impressive set for Mother and Son, put together by 12 volunteers.

It was a nicely acted performance by a diverse cast of new and experienced members, led by veterans with over 20 years experience Lynda Leavers (Maggie) and David Wrightson (Arthur).

Mother and Son plays until March 23 at the Arts Theatre. Nine other productions will be staged around Australia this year.

The Cronulla School of Arts Committee was established in 1903. In a close shave the venue almost reverted back to the council when the committee was disbanded in the early 1960s. So long as clubs remain active in the building, they can keep operating out of it.

Spicer

David

Arts Theatre Cronulla’s Mother And Son Photo: Jeffrey Gall.