Community Theatre

A golden year for musical commemoration

Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society (EUCMS) in Sydney celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2012. EUCMS members Elizabeth Yager and Christopher Melotti report on the company’s history and the celebration plans.

In 1962, a group of people at the Eastwood Methodist Church decided to devote their spare time to staging theatrical productions. Their aims were simple: to present musical and dramatic works, to promote the church’s values, and to donate profits to charities.

Art at Mount Players Features Local Art

The Mount Players (Vic) present Art by French playwright Yasmina Reza from May 9 – 31. The play is a comedic drama which has won several awards, including the Tony for Best Play in 1998. It looks at the interaction between three friends. One buys a painting … and things go downhill from there. 

“It is a play about friendship," said Christina Finch, who is directing the show.  "It covers a lot of emotional ground and it’s a fun ride.  There is even a happy ending of sorts!

Separating Jekyll from Hyde.

Director Craig Stewart, embarking on a new production of Jekyll & Hyde presented by Willoughby Theatre Company (NSW), gives an insight into his concept for this modern re-work of a period classic.

What attracts you to the story of Jekyll & Hyde?

Nunsense for Javeenbah Theatre

With Nunsense following close on the heels of a recent production of Doubt, and nuns dressed in full habits running around Javeenbah Theatre, locals could be forgiven for thinking a religious order had taken up residence at the theatre on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

In reality, the ‘nuns’ are madly rehearsing for Javeenbah Theatre’s next production – the musical Nunsense.

Cuckoo’s Nest for Bunbury

Bunbury Repertory Club (WA) will present One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest from March 23 to 31.

The play by Dale Wasserman, based on the novel by Ken Kesey, was made famous by the 1975 movie version directed by Milos Forman.

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE… AT LIVERPOOL

When the cast and crew of Liverpool Performing Arts Ensemble’s production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It take the stage at the Casula Powerhouse in March, they will be treading the same boards where 4 years previously Bell Shakespeare Company performed the same play for the Casula Powerhouse Theatres’ pioneer season in 2008.

Water Child: Local Play Premieres at Newcastle Theatre

How late is too late to start a family? When is it time to say ‘enough’?

Water Child, a new Australian play by CONDA and Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Award winning actor Emma Wood, which premieres at Newcastle Theatre Company from March 3, explores these controversial questions and more.

A drama with comic touches, the play examines issues surrounding one couple’s desire to start a family later in life, including miscarriage, relationship and wider family tensions.

Thriller for Frankston

Frankston Theatre Group (Vic.) presents thriller Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott from March 2, 2012.

A recently blinded woman isterrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin stuffeddoll they believe is in her apartment - a Broadway hit, this masterfully constructed thriller moves from one moment of suspense toanother as it builds toward an electrifying, breath-stopping finalscene. Wait Until Dark  was seen on the big screen in the 1960s featuring Audrey Hepburn.

Cosi: Music, Madness and Laughter in Chatswood

Epicentre Theatre Company presents the Cosi by Louis Nowra at Chatswood’s Zenith Theatre (NSW) from March 23, 2012.

Cosi was written for the stage in 1992 by Aussie playwright Louis Nowra (Sunrise, Capricornia, The Marvelous Boy, Inside the Island, Radiance, The Precious Woman). His screen adaptation later became a feature film starring Barry Otto, Toni Collette and Ben Mendelsohn.

39 Steps at Fremantle

HARBOUR Theatre’s first production of 2012 is The 39 Steps, adapted from the Alfred Hitchcock film and John Buchan novel of the same name.

Set before the onset of World War II, the play calls for the entirety 1935 Hitchcock film to be performed nearly verbatim onstage – but with a limited cast.

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