Community Theatre

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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The Phantom of the Concourse

Five Minutes with Simon Greer, Willoughby Theatre Company’s Phantom of the Opera

What does playing the role of 'The Phantom' mean to you?

I have been fascinated by the show ever since I first learnt of it in primary school. It is a pretty iconic role for a musical theatre actor to play and I am so lucky to be able to have a crack at such an interesting character.

What is the biggest highlight of playing this role?

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Mike Fletcher is Fagin at Frankston

PLOS Musical Productions welcomes popular performer Mike Fletcher back to the Frankston Arts Centre stage for their June 2014 season of Oliver! in the role of Fagin.

Mike’s previous roles with the company include Patsy, the noble King’s assistant in Monty Python’s Spamalot (pictured below) where his cameo as the gaol guard was recognized with a Victorian Musical Theatre Bruce Award.

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High Society on Mousetrap Stage

Classic Cole Porter songs transformed Philip Barry’s The Philadelphia Story into the well-loved MGM movie musical High Society, on stage at The Mousetrap Theatre Company Inc., Redcliffe Showgrounds (Qld), from May 2, 2014.

C. K. Dexter Haven (Jason Kirby) was divorced from wealthy socialite Tracy Samantha Lord (Donna Woollard), but remains in love with her. She, however, is about to get married to a bland gentleman of good standing, George Kittredge (Marcus Thomas).

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The Female of the Species for Castle Hill

Castle Hill Players’ 2014 season continues from May 2 at the Pavilion Theatre with Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith’s comedy The Female of the Species.

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Loves & Hours: Australian Premiere for Adelaide’s Galleon Theatre

If a man is newly divorced and an empty nester, what does he do with the rest of his life? That’s the dilemma facing Dan Tilney in Galleon Theatre Group’s Australian Premiere of Stephen Metcalfe’s gentle comedy Loves & Hours.

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42nd Street: CLOC Celebrates 100 shows and 50 years

2014 will be a very special year for Melbourne’s CLOC Musical Theatre, as the company prepares to launch its 100th production in its 50th year.

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Urinetown: to pee, or not to pee

When Shakespeare penned the phrase "What's in a name?" four centuries ago he would scarcely have imagined a musical by the name of Urinetown by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman.

Whilst the title of the triple Tony Award winning Urinetown: the Musical may be a little 'off-putting', Dural Musical Society (NSW) is promising to deliver a night of good clean satirical fun from May 16th through 31st 2014.

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MLOC’s Modern Millie Team

Behind the scenes of MLOC’s June production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, is an all-female powerhouse.

Director Lyn Laister started performing at age five in Brisbane, taught dancing and co-founded the Queensland Contemporary Dance Company, before moving south to Melbourne after 26 years’ performance and dance experience.

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