Community Theatre

Bankstown Theatre Company’s production of the Kander and Ebb musical Kiss of the Spiderwoman posed unique casting problems for director/choreographer Edward Rooke.

“I want a chorus of men who look like they could be a believable bunch of South American gaol inmates. I need them big and small, young and mature. They must look interesting – and they must be able to dance,” he said.

Smash Theatrical, founded by Joanna Pearson and Shane Tooley, will launch onto the Brisbane stage in 2013 with their inaugural production of The Wedding Singer, the Broadway musical based on the Adam Sandler movie, will be presented at Brisbane’s historic Schonell Theatre from February 14 to 23 2013.

Heidelberg Theatre Company’s first production for 2013, The Dresser, opens on February 21.

Playwright Ronald Harwood was himself dresser to the great Shakespeare actor-manager Donald Wolfit for several years, and though he strenuously denies it, has clearly made great use of this experience in creating The Dresser.

MELVILLE Theatre (WA) is presenting two very different comedies from February 8 – the world premiere of the adaptation of an Australian short story, Someone Called Rob, and a classic British comedy, Hands Across The Sea by Noël Coward.

Martin Lindsay’s Someone Called Rob was featured in the book Best Australian Stories 2012 and he has now adapted it for the stage.

Jeffrey Hansen is directing the comedy, which explores the miscommunication and subsequent paranoia that can occur from a simple mistake.