Whitehorse Performing Arts Season 2023 - Part 1

family

SEASON 2023

WHITEHORSE PERFORMING ARTS PART 1

Whitehorse City Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Family is everything. The family you are born into and the family you create, it is about finding your tribe. Let us gather as a family of theatre and music lovers for a season of shows, told in two parts.

PART ONE is staged at our home away from home and

PART TWO has the family arriving at our new home — The Round.

Whitehorse presents

VIVA ITALIA!

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

Saturday 25 March 7.30pm

Duration: 1 hr 50 mins

(including interval)

Subscriber $47

Full $55 Conc $52

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Virtuosi instrumentalists Jane Rutter and Giuseppe Zangari celebrate the music of Italy with classical masterpieces, dances and songs by Vivaldi, Giuliani, Paganini, Caccini, Piovanni (from the film La Vita è Bella) plus Ennio Morricone’s stunning Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission — and more!

Internationally acclaimed flautist Jane Rutter has several No.1 albums and ARIA nominations to her acclaim. Guitarist Giuseppe Zangari has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Australia and overseas.

Don’t miss this highly entertaining evening of superb Italian music, guaranteed to make your spirits soar and your hearts sing!

Whitehorse presents A Soft Tread production

THE WHARF REVUE –LOOKING FOR ALBANESE

Friday 14 April 7.30pm

Saturday 15 April 1.30pm & 7.30pm

Duration: 90 mins (no interval)

Subscriber $56

Full $62 Conc $59

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Patron advice: May contain strong language and adult themes

“A night of uproarious laughter and cheeky hilarity… This in one Wharf Revue you won’t want to miss”

— Canberra Times

Created & written by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe, Phillip Scott Performed by Jonathan Biggins, Mandy Bishop, Drew Forsythe, Phillip Scott Musical Director Phillip Scott Lighting Designer Matt Cox Video Designer Todd Decker Sound and Video Systems Designer Cameron Smith

Costume Designers Hazel and Scott Fisher

It’s a new dawn, a new day, and a new captain at the helm of the ship of state. And what a state we’re in! Inflation, rising interest rates, conflict in Ukraine, climate disaster, culture wars, COVID 19-20-21-22-23, and a looming World War Three… Could things get any worse? Absolutely!

But there is a light on the horizon: The Wharf Revue is back! Inspired by the new national spirit of optimism that lasted for a week, the team are as keen as mustard to once again tackle the big-picture issues.

Image: Ashley de Prazer

WALLFLOWERING

Friday 21 April 7.30pm

Saturday 22 April 1.30pm

Duration: 1 hr 50 mins

(including interval)

Subscriber $47

Full $55 Conc $52

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Wallflowering is a delightfully amusing and poignant play about the nature of marriage, the pursuit of happiness and the perfect foxtrot!

Peg and Cliff Small, an ordinary, suburban, middle-aged couple were once prize-winning ballroom dancers. Their story is interspersed with ballroom dancing by a younger couple, who represent not only Peg and Cliff in their glory days, but also their romantic, idealised view of themselves.

While Cliff now has dreams of becoming a writer, Peg is no longer content to quietly and unquestioningly follow her husband. She wants to lead and sees the possibilities and excitement in change. Suddenly they become out of step with each other and these changes threaten their marriage.

There is great comedy and pathos in the exploration of Cliff and Peggy’s ‘ordinary’ lives. In the swish of a taffeta skirt and slide of patent shoes, you will be transported to a glorious and romantic vision of our champions as perfectly synchronised, beautiful and extraordinary people.

Producer Christine Harris & HIT Productions Director Denny Lawrence

Whitehorse presents Hit Productions’

HIGHER POWER

Saturday 6 May 7.30pm

Duration: 2 hrs

(including interval)

Subscriber $47

Full $55 Conc $52

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Whitehorse presents

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL ROADSHOW

Tuesday 16 May 7.30pm

Duration: 2 hrs 15 mins

(including interval)

Subscriber $39

Full $45 Conc $42

U30 $30

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Patron advice: Coarse language, adult themes, sexual references and material that may offend.

Recommended for 15+ years

Australia’s ultimate comedy road trip!

Australia’s biggest and best comedy festival is hitting the road for a huge 25th year.

Featuring the best and brightest of the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, we’re bringing the funny to you!

Get ready for a stellar line-up with Roadshow favourites alongside the most talked-about breakthrough stars of the moment, together in one jam-packed show that’s sure to leave the whole nation laughing.

So, get some mates together, book your tickets and head out for a much-needed comedy fix when the Roadshow hits our stage.

— Style Magazine

“A feast of in-your-face laughter.”

SPARROWS OF KABUL

Saturday 27 May 7.30pm

Duration: 2 hrs

(including interval)

Subscriber $44

Full $52 Conc $49

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Patron advice: Moderate language, and imagery from the Afghanistan War. Suitable for 15+ years

“Fred Smith is an Australian national treasure. Diplomat, philosopher, poet and raconteur, his songs reverberate with the prophetic voice of humanity.”

— Canberra Critics Circle

Writer & Director Fred Smith

Fred Smith and band present this extraordinary song cycle on Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan, culminating in the dramatic evacuation from Kabul in August 2021. Great songs, vivid images and some cheeky Aussie humour combine to offer a vivid account of Australia’s Afghanistan story told through the eyes of someone who was there.

Fred was the first Australian diplomat to be sent to Uruzgan Province in 2009 and a last to leave in 2013. While there he wrote songs about his experience and put on regular concerts on the base with bands made up of Aussie, US and Dutch soldiers as well as Afghan interpreters. His epitaph for the mission is ‘it was what it was’, and we are left with an admiration for the work of our soldiers and for the courage and tenacity of thousands of Afghans who braved the human logjams outside the gates of Kabul International Airport in a last-ditch dash for freedom.

Whitehorse presents Fred Smith Productions’

Image: Geoffrey Dunn

This project is supported by Regional Arts Victoria and Creative Victoria.

THE SUNSHINE CLUB

Friday 7 July 7.30pm

Saturday 8 July 1.30pm

Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins (including interval)

Subscriber $47

Full $55 Conc $52

Venue: One Community, Blackburn

Patron advice: Contains theatrical haze and mature themes, including a reference to abortion

Sunshine Club tells the story of Aboriginal soldier Frank Doyle, who is just returning home to Brisbane after serving in WW2, to find that, while the world may have changed, the same attitudes and prejudices still exist at home.

Frank finds himself filled with a strong desire to change things for the better. By setting up The Sunshine Club, a place where all people are welcome to come together, laugh, romance and dance the night away, Frank sets out to win the heart of Rose, the girl from next door.

The Sunshine Club is a gloriously energetic, thought provoking and above all, entertaining night of theatre.

“The Sunshine Club is essential viewing –foremost for the joyous musical talent of its cast, but also for its story of local history and optimistic message of community strength in diversity.”

— Stage Whispers

MIDWEEK MATINEES

THE WINNER IS

Wednesday 22 March 11am

Venue: Stairway, Vermont

Tickets $22 Group (10+) $20

Morning tea served from 10am

Music Theatre and TV star Ian Stenlake teams up with award winning singer/actress Michelle Fitzmaurice to star in this brand new show. With full narrative, The Winner Is takes you on a journey of academy award-winning songs that have lit up our silver screens from 1935 to 2020. With songs such as Lullaby Of Broadway, Over The Rainbow, Might As Well Be Spring through to Can You Feel The Love Tonight, this production will be packed with hit song after hit song.

IT TAKES TWO

Wednesday 10 May 11am

Venue: Stairway, Vermont

Tickets $22 Group (10+) $20

Morning tea served from 10am

Join Karla Hillam and Jonathan Guthrie-Jones as they take you back to the 50s, 60s, 70s and the 80s performing their favourite duets. Featuring music from stage, screen and everything in between with songs like Up Where We Belong, I Got You Babe, Something Stupid, Islands In the Stream, All I Ask Of You and many more delights, you’ll have the time of your life as Karla and Jonathan sing, dance and perform some of the hottest show-stopping duets of all time.

NIGHT AND DAY

The Doris and Shirley Show

Wednesday 5 July 11am

Venue: Stairway, Vermont

Tickets $22 Group (10+) $20

Morning tea served from 10am

The fabulous Gina Hogan returns to the stage with another standout show featuring songs from Doris Day and Shirley Bassey. These two iconic women are as different as night and day, yet Gina moves effortlessly from Doris, the quintessential all-American ‘girl next door’ to the dramatic and powerful Shirley, capturing the essence of both women. With songs like Secret Love, Everybody Loves A Lover, Diamonds Are Forever and I Who Have Nothing, you’ll be taken on a trip down memory lane.

THE BEANIES EGG-STRAORDINARY DAY

Tuesday 18 April 1pm

Duration: 55 mins (no interval)

Full $22 Family (4+) $20

Venue: Box Hill Town Hall

Suitable for 3+ years

Patron advice: Some loud noises

Written by Miriam Rizvi, Michael Yore, Laura Dawson

Music by James Court

Parenting: How hard boiled can it be?

As seen on ABC Kids TV, The Beanies are live on stage!

The Beanies are ready to play with you! Come sing, dance and laugh in their giant box fort. But little do they know they’re about to face their biggest challenge everBABYSITTING…or should we say “egg-sitting”.

Turns out it’s harder than it looks: the trio argue about nap time, get confused about baby proofing and deal with crying fits — and then — DISASTER! The egg is poached — Bah Bah Baaaaa!

The Beanies need your help to save EGGbert, to solve problems, unravel riddles and search for clues. Will they find EGGbert before the time is up? You’ll have to come along to find out… but beware of those Sneaky Robbers.

Whitehorse presents

Whitehorse presents That Science Gang’s

YOU ARE A DOUGHNUT

Saturday 24 June 1pm

Duration: 60 mins (no interval)

Full $22 Family (4+) $20

Venue: Box Hill Town Hall

Suitable for 5+ years

Patron advice: Some loud noises and haze effects

Written by David Lampard

YOU are a doughnut!

It’s true! YOU are a great big fleshy lump with a remarkable hole running all the way through your middle — your digestive system.

Join biology teachers Oesoph A. Gus and Dewey Dean as they embark upon an utterly brilliant all-singing, alldancing (and all-clowning!) exploration of every twisting tube and remarkable organ — with sketches, songs, and sensational science. Along the way you’ll encounter a frenzy of enzyme-powered ping pong balls, sing along with a rainbow collection of poop puppets, and witness the weirdest poetry performance you’ve ever seen.

It’s a fast-paced variety hour, with each new digestive destination inspiring a wonderfully unusual performance.

“…a lesson on the human digestive system in the most fun, actionpacked way you could possibly imagine.”

— Kids in Adelaide

BOOKING INFORMATION

SEASON 2023 — PART 1

BOX OFFICE

Whitehorse City Council Civic Centre 379 Whitehorse Rd

Nunawading

Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm

Telephone 9262 6555

Email tickets@whitehorse.vic.gov.au Visit whitehorsecentre.com.au

SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES

Of our 7 great shows available, choose a minimum of 4 to create a package. Enjoy the benefits of a priority booking period until Tuesday 21 February 2023, plus the advantage of an instalment payment plan.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe Online

Select your own seats and purchase a subscription online. www.whitehorsecentre.com.au

Submit Booking Form

Complete the booking form and mail or email back to us.

PAY BY INSTALMENTS

Create a subscription package of between 4 and 7 shows and have the option to pay in instalments. Please note the following terms and conditions:

• You are committed to paying the full amount of your package.

• If your credit card (MasterCard or Visa) expires during the year please contact us with your new expiry date.

• Scheduled instalments will appear on your credit card statement as ‘City of Whitehorse’.

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS

Individual tickets to all Season 2023 — Part 1 shows go on sale Wednesday 22 February 2023 and can be purchased online, in person, by phone. Please note: phone bookings incur a $4.00 handling fee and internet bookings incur a $3.00 handling fee.

$30 TICKETS (U30)

If you are under the age of 30 then take advantage of this great offer of $30 tickets as part of the Season 2023 shows. Proof of age may be required.

TICKET EXCHANGES

You may exchange your ticket to a show for another performance of the same show (where available) prior to the first performance. This service is free for subscribers. Please visit whitehorsecentre.com.au for full ticketing terms and conditions.

ACCESS AND ACCESSIBILITY

• One Community, Stairway and Box Hill Town Hall are accessible for patrons in wheelchairs or with limited mobility. If you require a wheelchair space, please request this when booking tickets.

• Free and accessible parking is available at One Community and Stairway.

• Patrons with a hearing or speech impairment can call us via the National Relay Service on 133 677 then quote 9262 6333.

KEY DATES

Tuesday 21 February 2023

Last day to secure the best available seats before single tickets go on sale.

Wednesday 22 February 2023

Single tickets for all plays and music go on sale at 10am.

A new home for

PERFORMING ARTS

Launching in 2023, The Round will be an inspiring performing arts venue. It will offer an exciting cultural program and state-of-the-art home for theatre, music, dance and arts lovers alike in Melbourne’s East.