Community Theatre

Les Misérables Returns to Chatswood

Les Misérables returns to the Chatswood stage after an absence of 20 years when Willoughby Theatre Company revisits the grand musical theatre epic from April 10.

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, the Broadway, London and international hit Les Misérables will now be seen at Chatswood’s magnificent new theatre, The Concourse.

He’ll be there, inside your mind, at the National Theatre, St Kilda.

Melbourne’s CLOC Musical Theatre is preparing to launch its 2013 season in May with a huge coup – the WORLD amateur premiere production of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary masterpiece The Phantom of the Opera.

Steaming at Castle Hill

It’s 1981 in London’s working class East End … and in the Turkish Room at the local Public Baths, six women gather to share laughter, tears and the drama of their lives in Steaming, Nell Dunn’s hit play staged this April by the Castle Hill Players (NSW).

Disco Zombies Invade WA in Horror Comedy

BE warned: zombies will be on the loose this May – and they’re accompanied by disco music.

Pop culture, apocalypse mayhem and the decade fashion forgot come together in Maul of the Dead, a dark horror comedy presented by Phoenix Theatre and Dark Psychic Productions (WA) from May 10.

Written by Mitch Brian and directed by Jayde Clark and Shaun Griffin, the show is set in the late 1970s and embraces a treasure trove of horror film clichés as ravenous hordes descend upon an abandoned shopping mall.

Party From Hell in Mike Leigh Comedy at Limelight

WITH pineapple and cheese at the ready and Donna Summer on the stereo, Abigail’s Party is a 1970s English class comedy that’s been described as the “social get-together from hell”.

Directed by Karen Tropiano at Limelight Theatre (WA) from April 4, Mike Leigh’s play follows a simple premise: Beverly invites two new neighbours over for drinks with divorcee Sue, whose 15-year-old daughter Abigail is having a party next door.

From Jakarta to Javeenbah Theatre: Director Dawn China.

British black comedy The Anniversary, opening at Javeenbah Theatre (Qld) on March 22, may mark British ex-pat Dawn China’s directorial debut for the Gold Coast company, but she has an intriguing theatrical background.

Since moving to Australia in 2004, Dawn (pictured left with twin sons Ben and Paul) has embraced her new home at Javeenbah Theatre after a life of travelling the world.

“My husband’s career took us to Indonesia, where I first discovered theatre with the Jakarta Players, a group of expatriate theatre lovers.”

THE BEE IS BACK

In 2009 the Stage Artz Theatre Company produced The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (performed at the Zenith Theatre in Chatswood).  Since then, the Stage Artz Theatre Company has continued to receive requests to bring back the Bee!! so… “due to popular demand”, Stage Artz Theatre Company will present a return season of the Tony Award winning musical comedy at the Glen Street Theatre from March 20, 2013.

New Stage Version Celebrates 200th Anniversary of Pride and Prejudice

Highlands Theatre Group (NSW) celebrates the 200th Anniversary of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice in April with a new stage version of the book by playwright / director Jim Cheesley.

Back in 2011 the local Jane Austen Society approached the Highlands Theatre Group to see if they would be interested in performing Pride And Prejudice for the 200 year anniversary in 2013.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Strathfield

Strathfield Musical Society (NSW) will present The Wizard of Oz from May 17 at the Latvian Theatre.

The production is to be directed by Christine Firkin, who explained some of her thoughts on the production.

Bankstown Theatre Company Caught in the Web of the Spider Woman

Bankstown Theatre Company reports that their latest production Kander and Ebb’s Kiss of the Spider Woman, opening on March 15,is creating enormous excitement according to director/choreographer, Edward Rooke.

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