Community Theatre

Superstar in Sydney’s South

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock musical extravaganza Jesus Christ Superstar is Engadine Musical Society’s May 2014 production at Sutherland Entertainment Centre, following recent successes including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan.

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Rotorua HAIR Makes Musical Love NOT War

Tickets for the Rotorua Musical Theatre’s first production of 2014, HAIR, are selling fast!

Director Richard Marshall says “We have so far sold over 50% of all tickets. With opening night this coming Friday anyone thinking about buying tickets needs to book their tickets now, to avoid missing this psychedelic production”.

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Can't Pay? Won't Pay!

Campbelltown Theatre Group presents Dario Fo’s Can't Pay? Won't Pay! From May 16 to 31, 2014.

Do you find anything amusing about grocery shopping? Well, after Can't Pay, Won't Pay no shopping trip will never be the same again as two couples and battle against supermarket prices. Civil disobedience has never been funnier and leads to riotous outcomes. You’ll remember and giggle about this comedy each time you reach for that tin of beans.

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Singing Legend Julie Anthony launches Strathfield's Phantom

Julie Anthony AM OBE will launch Strathfield Musical Society's The Phantom of the Opera at a gala evening on 31 May 2014 at Club Five Dock.

The launch event titled “Masquerade” is the official opening of ticket sales for Strathfield's October production of The Phantom of the Opera and gives attendees the first opportunity to buy premium tickets for the show. Strathfield Musical Society is one of only a few amateur societies in Sydney to secure the rights to this exciting production.

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Witches Abroad Premieres in Maryborough as Company Celebrates 65 Years

Maryborough Players (Qld), will celebrate their 65th Anniversary in 2014 by staging the World Premiere of Sir Terry Pratchett’s Witches Abroad, adapted by Ian 'Renoir' Rennie, at the Brolga Theatre, Maryborough from June 4 – 7, and by holding a special Anniversary Dinner on June 21.

Robert Haigh from Maryborough Players said the theatre group was honoured to stage the world premiere of the adaption of Witches Abroad, which “ironically contains some parallels with the Maryborough of old”.

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Phoenix Theatre Brings Cosi to Perth

Louis Nowra’s popular Australian play Cosi is being staged at Phoenix Theatre in Hamilton Hill (Perth, WA), during May 2014.

It follows fresh-faced university graduate Lewis, who is contracted to put on a play at the local asylum with some of its patients – but he feels out of his depth directing them in the opera Cosi fan tutte.

Through working with the patients, Lewis eventually discovers a new side of himself which allows him to become emotionally involved and to value love.

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WHY ANDREW HOWIE THINKS ASSASSINS IS LIKE TV SHOW DEXTER

Ahead of Miranda Musical Society’s (NSW) production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Assassins at Sutherland Memorial School of Arts in June 2014, Musical Director Andrew Howie speaks to Stage Whispers.

Stage Whispers: Why did you want to do this show?

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International Gilbert and Sullivan Day 2014

As those keen followers of G & S will know, the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival is held in the UK in July/August each year.

A comment made at last year’s Magic of G & S symposium has led to the establishment of an International G & S Day, which has been embraced by enthusiasts all over the world.

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New Zealand Musical Theatre Boom

Big community theatres in New Zealand are riding a wave of success and are spoiled for choice about what show to do next. David Spicer reports.

The companies have the advantage of large theatre venues, with well-developed local audiences, and often own a building to rehearse and build sets in.

As well, they are offered musicals not available to community theatres in Australia, where professional companies hold the rights.

A national tour of Mamma Mia! commenced last month with its premiere in Auckland.

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Jury Tensions Run High in Twelve Angry Men

Courtroom classic Twelve Angry Men at Melville Theatre (WA) in May 2014, twists from an open-and-shut case to an edge-of-your-seat drama.

Adapted from the Reginald Rose teleplay by Sherman Sergel and directed by Vanessa Jensen, the play is set in a jury deliberation room on a sweltering hot New York evening in 1957 where 12 unnamed men must decide the fate of a young man accused of murder.

As the biases, personalities and tempers of the jury come together, each questions how he should vote, intensifying the uncomfortable nature of the room.

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