Community Theatre

Bertie and Jeeves Song and Dance for Normanhurst

Normanhurst Uniting Church Musical Society presents the Andrew Lloyd Webber rarity By Jeeves, and leading the company is Kent Blackmore, a veteran of 35 shows with NUCMS.

The show, based on the classic P. G. Wodehouse characters is close the Kent’s heart as he grew up on the classic English humour of Bertie Wooster and his eccentric friends and acquaintances.

“Wodehouse's pre-war characters are so cleverly drawn that you will recognise them in your own friends today.”

Avenue Q: No Way These Puppets Live on Sesame Street

It may have cute puppets and catchy songs, but adults-only musical Avenue Q is a whole different thoroughfare from Sesame Street.

Phoenix Ensemble (Qld) is pushing the envelope with its October / November show, a crazy comedy featuring humans and puppets. With racy sexual content (including a puppet sex scene) and bad language, Avenue Q: The Musical is not for everyone, and comes with a 16+ recomendation.

CLOC: Getting all dressed up for All Shook Up

CLOC Musical Theatre (Vic) is preparing to take a nostalgic trip back to the days of slick hair, smooth talk, cool dudes – and hip swivelling rockin’ good times during October 2012.

Attend the Score of Sweeney Todd

Altona City Theatre (Vic) is presenting Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s dark, operatic Tony and Olivier award winning musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, from September 21 to October 6 at the Altona Theatre.

Forgive our play on the Sondheim lyric, but when Stage Whispers had the chance to speak to Musical Director Ian Nisbet it seemed such an apt title.

Stage Whispers: Are you a particular Stephen Sondheim fan? What makes his writing special for you?

Forbidden Planet Rock Musical takes Melbourne audiences out of this world.

Audiences are in for an out-of-this-world experience when they take their seats to Return to the Forbidden Planet, a performance mash-up of Shakespeare, science fiction and rock and roll.

For a strictly limited season at Monash University’s Alexander Theatre (Vic), Return to the Forbidden Planet allows audiences to blast-off for a wild ride where Mad Men meets Rocky Horror in outer space.

Australian Horizons for Darwin

Darwin Chorale comes together to deliver a night of song showcasing the talent in the NT with their latest production, called Australian Horizons – Songs from the Bush to the Beach, at the Darwin Entertainment Centre Studio Theatre on September 21 and 22.

The show includes iconic ballads and standards from the Australian chorale repertoire.

It will also feature the world premiere of ‘More Than Just a Home’, written by Darwin musician and actor Yoris Wilson.

New Version of The Breaker for Brisbane

Centenary Theatre Group (Brisbane) presents the premiere production of the revised version of Kenneth Ross’s Breaker Morant from September 14 – 29, 2012.

The play depicts the infamous court martial of Harry 'Breaker' Morant (1864-1902), a drover, balladeer and poet who was executed for war crimes during the Second Boer War (1899-1902).

The Hatpin: Dramatic Australian Musical for Regals.

It’s not your typical content for a musical.

Set in Sydney 1892, The Hatpin tells the story of Amber Murray, a single mother who entrusted her son to the Makin Family in the hope of saving his life and ended up embroiled in one of the most macabre moving and exciting criminal trials in Australian history.

The show deals with the themes of betrayal, loss, grief and despair, but it also explores courage, hope and friendship.

The Regals is bringing this production to Kogarah (NSW) this October.

Beauty and the Beast for Miranda

Miranda Musical Society (NSW) presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Sutherland Entertainment Centre from September 19 to 23, 2012.

Featuring the Academy-Award winning musical score (Alan Mencken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice) that made the animated film such a hit, plus addirional songs, Beauty and the Beast was adapted as a stage musical, and played on Broadway for 5,464 performances between 1994 and 2007, becoming Broadway’s eighth longest running musical.

Short Plays Showcased

Blacktown Theatre Co. (NSW) will showcase short plays by one of their favourite international playwrights Mark Harvey Levine (USA) for one weekend from September 14 - 16. Over many years, Levine has submitted plays into the company’s annual 4 Short Plays seasons and his plays have always proved popular, which is why the company has produced this special event showcasing his work.

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.