Submissions for Actors, Directors and Independent Theatre Groups close on May 31st 2012
Got a 10 minute play? Sure you do!
Simon Denver adapted So, Where Is It? from the original one-act play, which he wrote for a festival in a matter of days after Sam Coward said one day over a few beers, “WHY NOT? WE’RE GOOD AT VIOLENCE.”
The 10 minute version only came about when I received a phone call during rehearsals for our gig at The Sydney Children’s Festival inviting us to submit something to Short + Sweet and Sam said, in the dressing room of the Seymour Centre, “WHY NOT? WE’RE GOOD AT VIOLENCE AND IT’S JUST 10 MINUTES.”
So, Where Is it? won Brett Klease Best Actor at last year’s Sunshine Coast Theatre Festival and the 10 minute version took out 1st place in the Gold Coast & Brisbane Short+Sweet competitions. It then went to Sydney (thanks to some of YOU! THANK YOU!), where it won third place.
With so many one-act play festivals happening across the Sunshine Coast, why not do the same? Or register your 10 minute play from the recent season in Buderim. IT’S JUST 10 MINUTES! YOU CAN DO IT!
You CAN do it. But do you need some help taking the red pen to your script? Register first! Just do it and then let us know! We can help edit and workshop your one-act play down to just 10 minutes or help you find a new script to work on.
Check out the vast collection that the 10 Minute Play Master, Alex Broun, has made available online for FREE.
The Short+Sweet QLD 2012 Brisbane+Gold Coast+Sunshine Coast theatre season runs from 1st August to the 19th August at
The Loft (QUT Creative Industries)
The Arts Centre Gold Coast
Lind Lane Theatre, Nambour
SAVE THESE DATES
June 16th Director briefing and welcome drinks
June 23rd Sunshine Coast auditions
June 30th Rehearsals commence
ACTORS, DIRECTORS AND INDEPENDENT COMPANIES REGISTER NOW!
Why? Because it’s a parody of all things community theatre…and it’s all true! Well, okay; to be safe, let’s just say it’s ”inspired by true events”.
Sam says of the show, “In true Denver style, this is chaos on speed!”
Locals will recognise many familiar faces not only on stage but within the references and in-house jokes, which Simon Denver has ingeniously (or is that just deliciously wickedly?) mashed together in order to present the play we had to have. Or is it a musical? Let’s use Midsummer’s line and call it “a play with songs”.
With Darren Heskes (MD) on board, we can certainly expect to hear some clever little musical references.
If you’ve ever been involved in community theatre anywhere, you will love this show.
(Actually, there’s a slim chance you’ll loathe it but that’s only if you’re unable to have a laugh at yourself!)
By the way, you might have noticed that on certain publicity materials my name appears, however; I was unable to commit to early rehearsals due to my involvement in Travelling North. Wait. Were there early rehearsals?!
I can’t wait to see what this show becomes by Friday night! I’m sure it will be full of surprises!
A deliciously wicked farce parodying community theatre.
A local group crash tackles Macbeth, sorta by William Shakespeare - but with all the Macbeth bits taken out!
A co-production presented by Lind Lane Theatre & SRT Productions
written & directed by Simon Denver.
“That Scottish Play” could almost be retitled – “ROAST THE COAST”
Opening night: Friday April 27th
Season continues: April 28th, May 2nd, 4th & 5th at 8pm
Matinees: April 29 & May 5 at 2pm
Adults $22. Concessions apply
Once word gets out this show will sell out so be quick to book!
The cast of 25 plus, includes members of 12 different theatre groups.
Or to put it another way, 15 current and past committee members of
aforementioned groups and 6 past or present presidents!
Pound for pound this is a very frightening cast! All from the deeper end of the talent pool.
David Hawkins, of Showtune Productions, is bringing the legendary Tony Award winning song and dance man
BEN VEREEN
to Australia in June! *screams*
Now, it’s unlikely that I’ll get to travel south to see him live, due to all the Travelling North I’m doing at the moment, followed by our commitment to the Noosa Longweekend (full program released on May 1st), but in case you’re able to go, here are the delicious details.
A true legend of Broadway, Ben Vereen will be Steppin’ Out with a unique blend of artistry combining a journey of his amazing career on Broadway, and paying tribute to Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr. Each performance is filled with song and dance, stories of his life, and a great deal of humour.
Tony Award winner for his role in Pippin, Vereen has appeared on Broadway in Wicked, Fosse, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, Grind, Jelly’s Last Jam, A Christmas Carol and I’m Not Rappaport. Vereen’s film credits include Bob Fosse’s classics Sweet Charity and All That Jazz and Barbara Streisand’s Funny Lady. Vereen starred as ‘Chicken George’ in the 7 Emmy Award winning mini-series Rootsas ‘Chiken George’, other TV appearances include How I Met Your Mother, Grey’s Anatomy, Law and Order: CI, OZ, Touched By An Angel, Second Noah, New York Undercover, The Nanny, and Star Trek – The Next Generation.
Well, when I read the news on Facebook today during our tech run, I exclaimed out loud something a little more Legally Blonde than Travelling North like, “OMIGOD! YOU GUYS! BEN VEREEN!” And Julia, who plays Frank’s daughter, Joan (Andrea Moor played the role in the film), was just as excited as I was and that was so excited that we started singing PIPPIN. And by singing PIPPIN I mean dancing around the new dressing room, singing the opening number at the top of our voices. Andree, who makes her stage debut as Helen, just stared. Clearly, we should have been running lines. But look, you can never have too much PIPPIN. It stays with you. I was Fastrada when I was fifteen…
Fastrada costume (sans character shoes) by Mum. Taken on location at the Stringybark Road residence.
And our Pippin? Well, he’s also gone onto bigger and better things!
Our Pippin, Lawrence Carmichael, with Director, Ian Austin in 1990
Hello, Sailor! South Pacific 2012
Meanwhile, you’ve booked your Ben Vereen tickets, haven’t you?
If you’re not booking them right away you’ll miss out!
And if you manage to get hold of a couple of extra tickets for Sydney on the 28th (we’re at the Noosa Longweekend until then) let me know! Seeing Ben Vereen as the Leading Player in PIPPIN (on VHS) changed my life a little bit . Imagine what it will be like to see this legend perform LIVE! This is what the independent producers do – well, this is what we’ve noticed David Hawkins does – he brings out the entertainers who will change your life.
Meanwhile, I think it’s important to note that I’m really pleased with our expression of interest for Floating Land 2013. While I can’t give anything away, I can tell you that, should our submission be successful, we’ll be needing incredible dancers and multi-disciplinary performers for a show like no other. We’ll also be inviting interested peeps from the community to get involved in the creative process. We enjoyed so much, working with local actors and non-actors to create Floating Words last year and we’re looking forward to being involved again, in any capacity, really; Floating Land is a very different festival for the Sunshine Coast. It’s growing biannually and gaining a reputation internationally. If you want to get in on the next one (31st May – 9th June 2013), stick with us, kids!
Floating Land is an ongoing conversation about creativity, culture and the environment pivoting on a dynamic ten-day event in the UNESCO listed Biosphere of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. Conceived in 2001 as an outdoor sculpture exhibition, Floating Land is now solidified one of Australia’s most significant green art events sparking the imagination of artists, scientists, politicians and conservationists globally. Leah Barclay was engaged as the guest curator in 2011 and successfully delivered a dynamic program on the theme ‘Water Culture’, expanding the traditional elements of Floating Land to include works engaging ephemeral projections, light and sound in the natural environment.
The biannual project is framed around a thematic site-specific artist residency and offers a platform for creative responses, provocations and interactive experiences that can underpin new ways of thinking and inspire change. The diverse creative responses of Floating Land become embedded in a rich program of community workshops, forums and interactive labs designed to confront and challenge a spectrum of environmental issues across disciplines. The intention is not just to deliver engaging experiences for the local community, but also to harness the energy of these conversations, ideas and visions across virtual platforms exploring new paradigms for our collective future. Visit www.floatingland.org.au for further information. Source: leahbarclay.com
Rocket Boy Theatre Ensemble will be making its theatrical debut on the Sunshine Coast tonight at the Buderim Uniting Church Hall.
In an attempt to engage younger audiences with classic theatre delivered in a contemporary setting, the new Coast ensemble will perform Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “We feel that the main exposure to Shakespeare is in schools and is often used as reading material rather than performance”, said Rocket Boy Director Ms. Carney. “Shakespeare was written to be performed and we wanted to provide an opportunity for young people to see the play performed in a way that they can engage with. The ensemble will be offering a unique experience for Coast theatre goers as the performance has been produced entirely by young performers, many being graduates of The Buderim Youth Theatre of Excellence (BYTE).
Rocket Boy will attempt to challenge the traditionally classic approach to theatre on the Coast by bringing a more experimental style to the stage. “I want Sunshine Coast theatre to take more risks,” Ms. Carney said. “We wanted to provide an opportunity for younger performers to stage a production. We have an opinion and a vision and are excited to share it”. The Cast ranges in age from 17-23 and all are passionate about their involvement in the industry.
Rocket Boy believes that the themes of the play are universal, which is why audiences continue to engage in the classic tale of love. “I love theatre that takes traditional techniques and puts a new spin on them”. “The young lovers think love can conquer all and they can overcome what is happening. It’s beautiful, naive but beautiful”, Ms. Carney said.
Opening tonight, the play will run for three nights, through to Sunday February 12.
Watch Rocket Boy Ensemble’s Romeo and Juliet trailer here. Book tix by emailing rocketboybooking@gmail.com
Read about the removal from print media, of Queensland Theatre Company’s controversial image to promote their production of Romeo and Juliet.
Listen to Fiona Jolley and Melanie Zanetti’s comments, in conversation with ABC Radio National
If you’re a Sunshine Coast resident, chances are you’ve passed by a big pink sign on Sugar Road in Maroochydore, advertising a beauty academy and salon. It’s been there for years; a massive building (it’s even bigger than you think), that once had a reputation for excellence (those therapists are now working all over the world) but fell into… a rough patch. Chances are you’ve driven right by it because you’ve heard the gossip – so often based on truth – or you’ve been there yourself. Once. And not returned. Well. I’m here to tell you that THOSE DAYS ARE GONE. What was once pink is now blue and what was once lost is found, or rather, is brand new and born of a lotus flower. It’s the gift of good business and great people behind it.
But far from hiding in the background, the incredible women who run The Beauty House (and it’s sister school in Brisbane) are, appropriately, the beautiful faces of their business. They are up-front, professional, congenial women who look gorgeous and who obviously have a passion for the beauty business. It was always Alier’s dream to share high quality training and thus, high quality treatments, with Sunshine Coast clients. She and Jane have been welcomed with open arms. When new business women come to the Sunshine Coast it’s a bit like they’ve turned up to the sandbox. I can’t recall who said that but it’s so true. Everybody here looks up and stops what they’re doing and calls out, smiling, “Come play! Play with me!” If you’re in local business and you’ve not yet ventured into the sandbox, pop on over and say hi sometime. In the meantime, check out this month’s Profile mag for, among other interesting and inspiring reads, The Rise of the Female Entrepreneur; opinions about women in business from key Sunshine Coast business women, including our dear friend, Min Swan, of White House Celebrations.
Yvette Adams, hubmaster at awardshub.com and the Creative Collective business guru, put on a special event to launch The Beauty House and to welcome the girls to the sandbox. Kim Edwards, owner of Sea English Academy, cut the blue ribbon and those Choccy Chicks, Kim Morrison and Fleur Whelligan, as the emcees, added their own special sparkle to proceedings. The celebration involved speeches, champagne, canapes, pictures, grand tours, treatments, cupcakes, prizes and goodie bags. And we all love a goodie bag.
The new owners of The Beauty House, Jane Walters and Alier ‘Doris’ Morgan, have over 40 years combined beauty industry experience. They are passionate about the areas they feel are neglected by other training schools; demeanour and presentation, retailing and selling, hygiene and cleaning, and advanced spa treatments.
Fleur, Alier & Jane
Fleur Whelligan, Kim Edwards & Kim Morrison
“Our graduates will emerge as the complete package. Not only will they be qualified therapists, they will be trained in up-to-the-minute treatments, and will have mastered the perfect in-salon demeanour and skills making our graduates the most sought-after pool of prospective employees for Sunshine Coast beauty salons and other beauty industry employers Australia-wide.”
The girls have plans to offer much more at their Sunshine Coast campus, including makeup for theatre, television and film and special effects makeup.
On salon days, clients can select from a generous range of services that include:
facials
eye treatments
manicures
pedicures
peels
microdermabrasion
waxing
spray tan
makeup
as well as a range of body treatments that need to be seen to be believed. Now, you might remember that I prefer to get threaded by my good friend and another awe-inspiring business woman, Liz See, but for all my waxing, I’ll be booking The Beauty House. A full leg and brazilian for $50? That’s half the industry rate! Okay! N.B. Boys, you can get your waxing done too. Just saying. I’m also looking at booking a vanilla body scrub, a vanilla nourishing wrap, a full body massage, a delicious mani/pedi, a collagen drops facial and an indian head massage. And that’s just to start! At any notable day spa I would expect to pay upwards of $500-$600 for this long list of treats but The Beauty House, charging training prices, will get less than $300 from me. Perhaps I should tip?
You can see that Genine Howard, editor of Profile mag, dressed for the occasion. You can see that I did not.
I wore my forgot-that-I-had-a-really-important-event-to-go-to outfit and I dressed it up at the last second with boots. As I raced out the door, I did the old pick-up-the-Louis-Vuitton-and-leave-my-Pradas-on-my-head-look. I think it worked quite well, don’t you? Lisbeth Salander meets Lara Croft meets school run mum.
Hmmm…
And what of the students, the trainees, the therapists? Well, we know they’re in training but we can be sure they are pretty good at what they do. For those of us privileged to receive a special launch evening invite, we received complimentary treatments that compare favourably with any I’ve experienced recently. In short, these girls are GOOD. They are also, unlike other salon, spa and counter staff, very well groomed and beautifully mannered. The Beauty House will certainly set a pretty little cat amongst the pigeons but my guess is that the upset will come from those who feel threatened when they realise their business is not up to scratch. This is all about raising standards across the Sunshine Coast beauty industry, which is a win for us all.
As for the building itself, there are a couple of spaces left unfinished at this stage, which don’t affect your visit and will be completed in no time at all, if Jane and Alier’s efforts this week are anything to go by! There is still some work to be done but I can confidently say that The Beauty House has already raised the bar in the beauty industry on the Sunshine Coast. Just you wait for the awards to start rolling on in, girls.
Nothing this polished remains unrecognised for long.
OPEN DAYS:
Saturday 4th February 12pm – 2pm
Saturday 11th february 10am – 12pm
The academy is accepting students (from 15 years of age) for the first semester, which commences on Monday 20 February and will open for Salon Days thereafter.
I saw the one-act plays again, the three best of the 87 plays entered into the National One-Act Playwriting Competition, and I enjoyed them so much more this time! Well, I wouldn’t say that Bruce Olive’s The Knock on the Door can really be “enjoyed” but I certainly appreciated it more the second time, as opposed to being quite unaffected by it on only the second night of the season.
The atmosphere at Noosa Arts Theatre was celebratory from the outset. And why wouldn’t it be? As Paul Ritchie, the current president of Noosa Arts said in his speech to launch the official proceedings, the general standard of plays has, again this year, improved. Two of the three playwrights were present (Mark Langham was on stage somewhere, being “an actor more than a writer.” His wife was there in his absence) and the founding members’ daughters and sisters, sponsors and audience members were all in fine form.
Brisbane based actor and director, Karen Crone, was present in the Adjudicator’s seat. She was able to provide some valuable feedback to the artists involved. I hope to see next year, a little more time during proceedings, afforded to the adjudicator. The majority of audience members are interested to hear the comments that come from an experienced professional theatre practitioner and any positive feedback is invaluable for the playwrights, performers and directors involved. There are artists who absorb positive and constructive criticism like sponges. Some of those artists will even consider the advice and apply it to their upcoming work, continuing to raise standards.
While we’re on the subject of comments and positive feedback, I attended at the theatre on Sunday, Michael Futcher’s Playwriting Master Class. Three of the fifteen playwrights present had entered scripts into the competition this year and didn’t appear to understand exactly what it was that was missing, or unsuitable or unappealing or whatever about their script. I know some feedback from the Reading Panel is provided and I would like to see an extension of this, perhaps in the form of several readings and rehearsed readings with actors, directors and other playwrights, establishing more of a workshop approach to the process. Perhaps, if this sort of creative collaborative process is not allowed in the lead up, this could take place in the weeks following the competition’s conclusion. I firmly believe that one cannot get better at the things one does without observing what else is out there and paying some attention to the response from audiences, adjudicators and critics. You may not agree with one person’s perspective, however; if the general feedback is starting to sound the same, you should know that you might have something to work on.
Seeing the plays again on Saturday, I felt that either some major work had been done or that the actors had simply committed and settled into their roles. I was more convinced by the relationship in the first play, Jenny Bullimore’s Star Crossed and I enjoyed Mark Langham’s Nothing again but without the number of beers being consumed being an issue (they’d halved the consumption. It made much more sense) and I actually felt – strongly – for the mothers in The Knock on the Door. It’s a shame we are sometimes only ready for the season towards the end of the season, isn’t it?
FINAL RESULTS
Best Play: NOTHING By Mark Langham
NOTHING By Mark Langham
Runner Up: THE KNOCK ON THE DOOR By Bruce Olive
THE KNOCK ON THE DOOR By Bruce Olive
Best Director: LIZA PARK
Karen Crone & Liza Park
Best Actor: FRANK WILKIE
Karen Crone & Frank Wilkie
Best Actress: JENNI MCCAUL
Karen Crone & Jenni McCaul
Adjudicator’s (Commendation) Awards: REBECCA PLINT & MICHAEL PARLATO
Congratulations to all playwrights, directors, actors and the team at Noosa Arts Theatre for a fantastic One-Act Play Festival in 2011. Meanwhile, the Noosa Longweekend continues. This week, I’ll be enjoying Caroline Nin’s Hymne A Piaf, the premiere of David Williamson & Mohamed Khadra’s At Any Cost?, Supper Club with Mrs Bang! (aka Sheridan Harbridge), Oscar Theatre Company’s [title of show] and Sandra Bates’ Directing Master Class. Bring it on!
Floating Land is a biennial, multi-arts, 10-day, Green Art event, the central site for which is Boreen Point, on the shores of Lake Cootharaba in the UNESCO-listed Noosa Biosphere. The event brings together local and international Artists to explore the theme of Water Culture and how water impacts our lives.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The Brief: Using actors to tell the stories, create an opportunity for visitors to the Floating Land site to experience the oral histories project, Floating Words, as several “moments” during the Dusk Installation Walks.
The Prep: Several actors were engaged and sent the text, which had been recorded and uploaded to Vimeo and subsequently transcribed. The goal was to re-tell the local people’s stories accurately, giving a real sense of the storytellers themselves, as per loose verbatim theatre definitions.
The Performance: The success of the first walk was always going to be dependent on the response from the audience. In this case, the audience was largely unknown; a crowd of around 30 visitors to this section of the site and immediately open and receptive to what we were doing. The atmosphere was created for us, by the perfect crisp, clear, chilly air and descending darkness. Boreen Point is a beautiful place, quite untouched by developers and still feels like a small fishing village; quiet, still, peaceful.
There has been a little more activity during the daylight hours – dance workshops, forums and live installations involving innovative local artists – but as dusk falls the mood has changed, slowed, fallen into lazy step with nature. It’s that sleepy twilight time before the nocturnal creatures – and the performers – wake up and come out to play.
On the Dusk Installation Walks one meanders along the road down near the edge of the water (you won’t get lost because you walk with a guide and you follow the road and you stay with the group. STAY WITH THE GROUP). Lake Cootharaba is an immense body of water and at night, with various states of lighting projected upon its surface it is magical. We placed our actors at intervals along a particular section of the road, with a candle and their text. In an ideal performing arts industry, the actors would have had the day to learn the people’s stories, about their connections with water. But these are (we are) actors who do other things.
By candlelight, each actor emerged out of the darkness and read the stories of those who had earlier relayed them to the interviewers. In the crowd were two of the storytellers, thrilled to hear their story brought to life in front of them.
The Repeat Performance: The Dusk Installation Walks continue until Friday evening. The stories will be different, each unique in their content and style, each conjuring somebody’s memories and each delivered by local performers who have a similar connection with the water sparkling under the star light and with the land, cold now, under their feet.
I am so often in Noosa, I think I might as well move there. If not permanently, then I should definitely move into Outrigger or Netanya, or one of the other amazing accommodation options on offer over the 10 fabulous days of The Noosa Longweekend from June 17th until June 26th.
The Noosa Longweekend this year celebrates its tenth anniversary and 40 years of David Williamson’s pre-eminence as a playwright in this country. He is our most successful playwright and a National Treasure. What’s more, he is a Noosa Treasure. As such, in true celebratory style, Richard Fidler will host a tribute dinner, which will take the form of a satirical Celebrity Roast, with special guests, including director, Bruce Beresford and Williamson’s sons, Rory and Felix, who are invited to “tell all” about their association with Williamson (Saturday June 25th). I’ve always been a Williamson fan and having recently finished up an inspired production of his highest grossing play, Influence, as well as having worked with some of Australia’s best loved actors in a special charity performance of Emerald City for The Corrilee Foundation and The Noosa Longweekend earlier this year, I was excited to see what David would bring next, to Noosa’s table.
At Any Cost? penned by Williamson and Mohamed Khadra is a stark look at quality of life versus medically assisted prolonged life. This play has it all – family conflict, dark humour and devastating family secrets – and will preview, prior to its World Premiere, on Tuesday June 21st & Wednesday June 22nd. At Any Cost? comes to us from Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre, directed by Sandra Bates and starring Martin Vaughan, Tyler Coppin, Tracy Mann, Danny Mitchell and Kate Raison.
The other major theatrical piece coming to the coast for the Longweekend is Oscar Theatre Company’s [title of show], a fantastic production, directed by Emily Gilhome, which I saw at The Powerhouse last year. A return Brisbane season and inclusion in the Noosa Longweekend program this year means this hot little company is beginning to be noticed!
The stalwart theatrical event of the Longweekend is the One Act Play Festival. For 30 years, Noosa Arts Theatre has proudly fostered playwriting and each year, we see the finalists from the National One-Act Playwriting Competition. This year, the finalists are Star Crossed, a drama by Jenny Bullimore from Victoria, Nothing, a comedy by Mark Langham from NSW and The Knock on the Door, a drama by Bruce Olive, from Queensland (Friday June 17th & Saturday June 18th).
Direct from the UK, in 2 exclusive Queensland performances (including the opening night VIP Soiree) The Magnets will wow Noosa Longweekend audiences with a new show, Gobsmacked! This sexy group of gorgeous guys is touted as the best a capella group on the planet and having seen their showreel, I don’t doubt it. The VIP tickets to this show include the entry to the post show Soiree.
Cabaret weighs heavily in this year’s program and I’m not complaining. Parisian cabaret star, Caroline Nin, back by popular demand after sell-out shows in 2010, presents for just one sensational performance, her homage to Piaf (Monday June 20th). Toby Francis, winner of the 8th Annual Cabaret Showcase, presents his new one-man show, Blokelahoma! (Wednesday June 22nd). Another one-night-only cabaret event, Mitchell Butel and Marika Aubrey will each bring to the same stage, their original shows, Killing Time (Butel) and Redheads (Aubrey). Butel gave us a hint of things to come, performing for the media and invited guests at the launch, the classic Johnny O’Keefe number, Save the Last Dance For Me. Butel’s second show, a Supper Club cabaret show titled Excellent Adventures, promises “the cabaret ride of your life.”
The Supper Club concept has become, not surprisingly, a bit of an institution and if you manage to secure tickets to any of these exclusive events, you are in for a very special evening. As well as Butel’s show (Friday June 24th) there are those by Avigail Herman (Tuesday June 21st), Sheridan Harbridge (Wednesday June 22nd) and Steve Ross (Thursday June 23rd). Thanks to some bold, young producers and the foresight of the Noosa Longweekend committee, we are once again, able to enjoy the crème de la crème of national and international cabaret acts in the intimate setting of berado’s restaurant and bar.
A Festival highlight will be the 4 hours of non-stop music, food and fun on Sunday June 26th at the Outrigger Resort. Sunshine Coast band, The Things That Swing lead a fabulous line up of special guests, including Butel, Harbridge, Aubrey and Stephanie Brownlee, Katie Noonan & Karin Schaup, as well as local vocal talents, Andrew Lawson and Kelsey Rimmer. Stephanie Brownlee will also appear with Melburnian five-piece party band, Skipping Girl Vinegar, on Saturday June 25th.
Classical enthusiasts will not be disappointed, with the return of Yayoi Negishi, together with Yasuhiro Saruta performing L’ail Kreis, a “duo of two pianos” with works by Johann Strauss II, Tchaikovsky and Rossini (Friday June 24th) and an appearance by the incomparable Katie Noonan with internationally renowned guitarist, Karin Schaupp on Saturday June 25th. Noosa Chorale and The Noosa Sinfonia are joined on Sunday June 26th by soloists, Gaynor Morgan and Patrick Donnelly for their presentation of Brahms German Requiem and Brahms Double Concerto, featuring Rachel Smith (Principal First Violin) and Louise King (Cellist). Queensland National Dance Company re-tells the greatest love tragedy ever told, Romeo and Juliet for one performance only on Sunday June 19th.
The film and literary components of the program are superb and include the likes of Brendan Cowell (interviewed by Hugh McKay on Friday June 24th) and William McInnes (interviewed by Richard Fidler on Saturday June 25th). Other authors, moderators and interviewers making an appearance include Ita Buttrose, Kristin Williamson, Barrie Cassidy, Heather Ewart, Alexandria Bernard, Peter Thompson and Graeme Dobell.
An array of workshops and master-classes are also on offer, including Avigail Herman’s Voice and Song Master-Class (Sunday June 19th), Sandra Bates Director’s Master-Class (Saturday June 25th) and Michael Futcher’s Playwriting Master-Class (Sunday June 19th).
Book early to avoid disappointment. The Noosa Longweekend is a sell-out event and if you don’t want to miss out, get in early to secure your event tickets and accommodation.
Booking Information:
TICKETS WENT ON SALE YESTERDAY. EVENTS ARE SELLING OUT FAST!
Influence opened in Noosa on Friday night. You’ve had 3 sold-out performances to start the season. How do you feel?
Very satisfied, especially considering where the show is at, where ticket sales are at and the level at which the public and critical responses have been. We’re in a good place!
Were there any obstacles or hiccups to overcome to get to this stage?
It’s been a relatively painless process. Illness at the eleventh hour made me a little nervous but generally speaking, with the level of competence in my cast and the level of wisdom in Williamson’s words, it all went pretty smoothly.
Opening Night highlights?
It was the first time in a long time that I’ve been able to sit in the bio box and see the audience’s immediate reactions and feel the buzz – it was electrifying and very satisfying.
So what’s your role during the run?
Because I’m a control freak and because, for the technical accuracy of this show, a degree of intimacy with the script was required, I decided I wanted to manually operate the lights for Influence.
When did you stop giving notes?
Today. Today the show reached a level that I felt couldn’t be enhanced or improved upon. This is not to say that I won’t be giving any further notes during the run, this just means I’m giving no more notes, at this stage, until further notice.
What’s your favourite thing about this show?
I would have to say that’s it’s probably that the end result is so close to the vision I had from the outset. This production has stayed true to the original picture and it’s exciting to see that a) we’ve been able to do that and b) other people like it too.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have put somebody else in the box early enough to learn the cues.
I really think the time invested in character early on is shining through now. We used the time we had very well. The performances are genuine.
I’ve felt very confident, almost relaxed, which is really rare. Usually tech week is all horror but it was seamless. It’s been a relatively easy ride. I feel like I just had to sell the vision and then discuss characters with the cast, design…in fact, the biggest part of my job was at the front end.
The playwright, David Williamson, is attending on the final night, a special gala evening to celebrate his 40 years’ involvement at Noosa Arts Theatre on April 30th. How do you feel about him seeing the show?
I’m very excited about that actually, because from our first discussions with him, he was intrigued as to how we were going to do this. Even Michael Futcher acknowledged that he’s not heard of anyone trying to do a Williamson in this way. I’m interested to get David’s reaction and I hope we can do his 40 Year Celebration justice. I’m quietly confident that we will. The way in which we are staging Influence is truly honouring the text and trusting that Australia’s greatest playwright is acknowledged as such for a reason. I don’t have to hide anything or do anything with smoke and mirrors because it’s enough on its own. And while I’m arrogant, I’m not arrogant enough to think there’s anything I can do with it that will improve on what’s already there. So with a text and a cast of this caliber how could I go wrong?
What’s next for you?
Hmmm. It’s a mystery.
David Williamson’s Influence continues at Noosa Arts Theatre until April 30th. To enquire about any remaining tickets, please call the box office (07) 5449 9343
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INFLUENCE: AN UPDATE
Tags: Comments, Community Theatre, David Williamson, Directing, Director, Interpretation, Noosa Arts Theatre, Sunshine Coast, Theatre, Vision
Interview with the director: Sam Coward
Sunday 17th April
Influence opened in Noosa on Friday night. You’ve had 3 sold-out performances to start the season. How do you feel?
Very satisfied, especially considering where the show is at, where ticket sales are at and the level at which the public and critical responses have been. We’re in a good place!
Were there any obstacles or hiccups to overcome to get to this stage?
It’s been a relatively painless process. Illness at the eleventh hour made me a little nervous but generally speaking, with the level of competence in my cast and the level of wisdom in Williamson’s words, it all went pretty smoothly.
Opening Night highlights?
It was the first time in a long time that I’ve been able to sit in the bio box and see the audience’s immediate reactions and feel the buzz – it was electrifying and very satisfying.
So what’s your role during the run?
Because I’m a control freak and because, for the technical accuracy of this show, a degree of intimacy with the script was required, I decided I wanted to manually operate the lights for Influence.
When did you stop giving notes?
Today. Today the show reached a level that I felt couldn’t be enhanced or improved upon. This is not to say that I won’t be giving any further notes during the run, this just means I’m giving no more notes, at this stage, until further notice.
What’s your favourite thing about this show?
I would have to say that’s it’s probably that the end result is so close to the vision I had from the outset. This production has stayed true to the original picture and it’s exciting to see that a) we’ve been able to do that and b) other people like it too.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have put somebody else in the box early enough to learn the cues.
I really think the time invested in character early on is shining through now. We used the time we had very well. The performances are genuine.
I’ve felt very confident, almost relaxed, which is really rare. Usually tech week is all horror but it was seamless. It’s been a relatively easy ride. I feel like I just had to sell the vision and then discuss characters with the cast, design…in fact, the biggest part of my job was at the front end.
The playwright, David Williamson, is attending on the final night, a special gala evening to celebrate his 40 years’ involvement at Noosa Arts Theatre on April 30th. How do you feel about him seeing the show?
I’m very excited about that actually, because from our first discussions with him, he was intrigued as to how we were going to do this. Even Michael Futcher acknowledged that he’s not heard of anyone trying to do a Williamson in this way. I’m interested to get David’s reaction and I hope we can do his 40 Year Celebration justice. I’m quietly confident that we will. The way in which we are staging Influence is truly honouring the text and trusting that Australia’s greatest playwright is acknowledged as such for a reason. I don’t have to hide anything or do anything with smoke and mirrors because it’s enough on its own. And while I’m arrogant, I’m not arrogant enough to think there’s anything I can do with it that will improve on what’s already there. So with a text and a cast of this caliber how could I go wrong?
What’s next for you?
Hmmm. It’s a mystery.
David Williamson’s Influence continues at Noosa Arts Theatre until April 30th. To enquire about any remaining tickets, please call the box office (07) 5449 9343