Welcome to Season 2010! Queensland Theatre Company has just announced its 2010 Season with much to look forward to. See lives transformed on stage as characters discover family secrets, fall in and out of love, follow their dreams and even spin straw into gold. Click here for the 2010 Season Media Release or here for the Season Brochure.

Morgan Dowsett is set to direct Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig for QTC in 2010, with Renée Mulder back on board as Designer.
Fat Pig will run for 4 weeks from June 3-26, with 3 previews on May 31st and June 1-2. Click here for the full Fat Pig Media Release and what Morgan had to say about the play, or simply click the image below to take you straight to the site.

FAT PIG

by Neil LaBute

When Tom meets Helen in a crowded restaurant, their chance encounter soon develops into a full-blown romance.
Helen is beautiful, smart, funny and just a little on the large size.  But to Tom’s self-obsessed work buddies, she’s just plain gross.
As office gossip about their relationship turns increasingly malicious, peer pressure leads to question whether his love for Helen outweighs the shallow stereotypes of his workmates.

Director: Morgan Dowsett
Designer: Renée Mulder
Cast includes: Paige Gardiner, Amy Ingram, Steven Rooke, Christopher Sommers.

Venue: BILLE BROWN STUDIO
Running Time: 1 hour 45 mins (no interval)

Chaos and confetti, masks and multimedia: everyone has heard Mozart’s music, but no-one will have seen a Così Fan Tutte quite like this. Prepare to be moved, entertained and maybe just a little shocked by Jim Sharman’s exuberant new production.

David Harmon has spent the month attached to the production and, along with David Ford, has been filming everything. You can take a sneak peek inside the rehearsal room here.

Those inclined could follow our exploits online too! Check us out on twitter and facebook.

“Bold and very funny… My major complaint would be that at 95 minutes, it was rather short and I wanted to see more (!) but I have no doubt that we will see much more from these talented young directors.”
– Holly Champion, Theatre Australia

“It is a great pleasure to see Sydney’s next generation of theatre makers putting such bold ideas into action and backing them up with work that is different, engaging and of a very high quality… This is intelligent, funny theatre.”
– Julian Dibley-Hall, Vertigo

“Unique and colourful… An exciting evening of theatre showcasing a group of talented young directors.”
– Benita de Wit, AussieTheatre.com

“This is risky theatre. But it works. I was at the media preview last night, and was upset to know I would not be able to see the show again.”
– Joanna Erskine, Cluster

Only two more performances today before THE SNEEZE bounces on out into the night. Thanks to everyone who came and supported cooperative and emergant theatre!

Tickets now available through ticketek. Click here and book now!

In July, NIDA Parade Studio will play host to a thrilling experiment in theatre. Five young minds will take on five different early comedies by Anton Chekhov and deliver magical and boldly inventive interpretations.

The adaptation comes courtesy of Michael Frayn (Noises Off), one of Britain’s most brilliant comic playwrights and originally performed with a cast that included Rowan Atkinson. In this Australian Premiere, each director will work with the same ensemble and designers to create a night of theatre that is as transformative as it is laugh-out-loud funny.

The production is the result of a collaboration between the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and Theatre Forward – an emerging collective of young directors making waves in the Australian theatre world as innovative, bold and wildly different theatre-makers. The Sneeze will be Theatre Forward’s first collaborative venture.

LISTING INFORMATION

NIDA PARADE STUDIO
215 Anzac Parade, Kensington NSW 2033

Season: Tuesday 28 July (Preview) Wednesday 29 July – Saturday 1 August
Times: 7:30pm plus Saturday 1 August Matinee @ 2:00pm
Prices: $29 Adults / $24 Concession / $15 Preview
Bookings: boxoffice@paradetheatres.com.au or www.ticketek.com.au

Kate Revz’s new production company CRY HAVOC has just confirmed the Wharf Theatre’s new performance venue, The Loft as the home for their inaugural production, Julius Caesar. Featuring a dynamic cast of recent NIDA and WAAPA graduates, Julius Caesar will open in October this year.

David Harmon spent April in Melbourne where he was placed in secondment to Opera Australia’s new production of A Little Night Music directed by Stuart Maunder. In May he spent a week teaching improvisational methods and playbuilding to talented regional secondary students at the 2009 Riverina Region Drama Camp in Borambola.

Imara Savage has been busy working for the Sydney Theatre Company as Assistant Director to Marion Potts on The Wonderful World of Dissocia.

During this period, Imara and David were also succesful in winning twin creative residencies with Opera Australia through the Australia Council OYEA Arts Grants fund. In the second half of the year they will undertake mentorships in the creation of three new works in the 2009 OA winter season.

Following on from a successful season of The Herbal Bed at The New Theatre in March and April, Sarah Giles has spent the last six weeks in Melbourne working with the Malthouse Theatre as Assistant Director to Michael Kantor on Optimism – Tom Wright’s new adaptation of Voltaire’s Candide. Optimism is a co-production between The Malthouse Theatre, The Edinburgh International Festival, The Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Festival and will be traveling to the 2009 Edinburgh International Festival and to the 2010 Sydney Festival. She is also about to begin her role at Griffin as the Affiliate Director in Residence.

Morgan Dowsett has only just returned from a busy period in Queensland where he worked as AD to Michael Gow on a new QTC production of God of Carnage. He also has been teaching students of drama in rehearsal methodology at QUT.

Finally, since recently finishing up on the sell out production of Grease on the beach, Mark Grentell has spent time working with Jonathon Biggins on the touring production of Avenue Q, he has begun auditions for an upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and is about to begin work shortly with STC and David Berthold on their production of Saturn’s Return. Mark is also currently working on New scripts currently in development with several emerging Australian writers and also has both a feature film screenplay and Children’s television pilot in development.

All six Theatre Forward directors are very much looking forward to beginning the exciting process or working collaboratively on The Sneeze as part of the NIDA 50th Springboard initiative.

As part of their 50th Birthday, NIDA has launched SPRINGBOARD, a new platform for supporting graduates as they enter the industry. The winners this year are THEATRE FORWARD, the graduating Directors of 2008.

THEATRE FORWARD present

‘The Sneeze’
six short comedies by Chekhov
Adapted by Micheal Frayn (Noises Off)

CASTING:
We are looking for 6 exceptional actors who are particularly skilled at comedy, with an interest in Chekhov.

STAFFING:
We are looking for a kick-ass PSM, SM who want to work on the best show Sydney has ever seen…

–

Rehearsals commence – Monday 29 June 2009

Rehearsals run Monday – Friday
9am – 6pm
depending on availability of actors.
(Saturday rehearsal times may be required.)
We understand life gets in the way, and can be flexible with scheduling.

Performance week: Monday 28 July -Tuesday 3 August 2009

AT THE MOMENT, THIS PRODUCTION IS OPEN TO NIDA GRADUATES, ONLY. PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS.

Auditions:

NIDA – 21st May
6:30pm RR5

AUDITION REGISTRY IS ESSENTIAL.

Please prepare a monologue from any Chekhov piece.

TO REGISTER AN AUDITION TIME PLEASE CONTACT

Kate Revz
0401 826 616
kate.revz@theatreforward.com

if you cannot make this audition, do not hesitate to contact us and we can arrange a time to see you.

Kate Revz‘s production company, CRY HAVOC, have just returned from their resedency at Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon Trust where they developed new work Any Other Name. The Trust program is open to professional artists and groups, from all disciplines. The program supports artists’ new work, research and collaborations. Australian and international artists are hosted in purpose-built studios located at the Bundanon properties on the Shoalhaven River in NSW. As a gift to the Australian people, Arthur Boyd’s vision for Bundanon was to provide an inspirational haven for artists to pursue their practice. This proved so for CRY HAVOC, achieving a completely worked third draft on the retreat.

Any Other Name follows the untold story of Rosaline from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. After a successful residency CRY HAVOC have decided on a premiere production for 2010.

For more information visit www.cryhavoc.com.au

A WORLD FILLED WITH WHISPERS AND SUSPICION WHERE YOUR REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING.

“Director Sarah Giles shows how fine dramatic results can be obtained from a small budget and a lot of grossly underpaid talent. All seven actors look their parts and play them well, on a set of such austere simplicity it seems natural, even though we see through non-existent walls to the faces and attitudes of characters absent from the scene.” – Jason Catlett, Time Out Sydney

“Sarah Giles brings Susanna’s story to life in innovative and compelling style.” Sandra Bowden, Oz Baby Boomers

“With a uniformly fine cast and some excellent, inventive direction by Sarah Giles (who similarly impressed with her graduating piece at NIDA late last year), the calibre of this production would not seem out of place at Belvoir Street or Wharf 1.” Jack Teiwes, Australian Stage Online

“Giles’ deceptively simple direction contains many stylised touches that frame the action in ways one imagines are not scripted, yet never seem contrived or out of place. On the contrary, they considerably enhance the play…” Jack Teiwes, Australian Stage Online

“Sarah Giles brings Susanna’s story to life in innovative and compelling style.” Sandra Bowden, Oz Baby Boomers

Peter Whelan’s The Herbal Bed is a brilliant retelling of a scandal involving Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna Hall.  Inspired by the few documented facts available, The Herbal Bed explores the clash between personal freedom, desire and the need to conform in order to survive.

Click here to listen to Steven Ferris and Terry Serio interview Sarah Giles and Keith Agius on FBi’s radio program Stagefright!

Click here to read Sunny Burns atricle in the Sydney Star Observer.

19 March – 11 April, 2009
8:00pm, Thursdays to Saturdays, 5:00pm Sundays
(6:30pm, Wednesday 8 April)

Bookings at 1300 306 776 | mca-tix.com.au (no additional booking fee)

The Herbal Bed, by Peter Whelan
Directed by Sarah Giles
Designed by Renee Mulder

Lighting Design by Joshua Emanuel & Matthew Tunchon
Composed by Brent Hill
Voice Coach Emma Harris
Movement Daniella Lacob

With Keith Agius, Rick Cosnett, Jamie Irvine, Dave Kirkham, David McLaughlin, Fiona Pepper and Gemma Yates-Round.

Click here for additional information

In February, David Harmon directed a new staged reading of A Doll’s House for the New Theatre’s Education Program. He is currently working as Assistant Director on Darren Gilshenan’s production of The Popular Mechanicals at the Parade Theatre, NIDA (tickets).

Following David’s New Theatre reading is the next in the series – The Country Wife – directed by Kate Revz (infomation and tickets). Kate is also working on the launch of her production company, Cry Havoc! who’s premire production, Julius Caesar will be staged at the Malt Shovel Factory in Camperdown in November. Kate is also taking a group of collaborators on retreat as part of the Bundanon Trust’s Artist in Residence program to complete the 3rd draft of Any Other Name a new play based on the ill fated Rosaline from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

Imara Savage has been busy; completing a secondment with Opera Australia on Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. She is about to begin production as Assistant Director on Marion Pott’s production of The Wonderful World of Dissocia at the Sydney Theatre Company, with another assisting role lined up on The Mysteries for later in the year.

Mark Grentell is currently in production for Grease! on the Beach (Manly Daily) to be performed at Clontarf Beach in aid of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Appeal. Mark is also working on a new Australian screenplay and new play based on the girls from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

In addition to rehearsals for Peter Wheelan’s The Herbal Bed, Sarah Giles is working on the second stage of development on the new Australian play K.I.J.E by Joanna Erskine. Sarah will be the Griffin Theatre Company’s New Director in Residence from July 2009.

Morgan Dowsett is set to fly to Queensland later in the year with an Assitant Director role with QTC‘s Michael Gow. Whilst in the sunshine state Morgan with work with students from QUT on new rehearsal methods and actor training. Morgan is currently Assistant Director to France’s Jean-Luc Prevost on A Journey Through the World of Moliere (tickets) which opens in April.

Sandra Burn White has reviewed the Emergency: Space Programme for ozbabyboomers.com.au.

“The pathos of And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens (written by Tennessee Williams and directed by David Harmon), the menace of In the Solitude of Cotton Fields (written by Bernard-Marie Koltes, translated by Jeffery Wainwright and directed by Morgan Dowsett), and the absurdist exuberance of The Bald Soprano (written by Eugene Ionesco and directed by Sarah Giles) all provided stimulating experiences showcasing the not-to-be-ignored talent of Australian theatre’s stars of the future.”
- Sandra Burn White, ozbabyboomers.com.au

You can read the full review here.

Theatre Forward would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support of the Emergency season that ended last week, following five sold-out shows in both programs.

We are very proud of our our productions and ready to move into our careers with great support from NIDA staff and students and the industry at large. In order to follow Theatre Forward on our emerging paths, subscribe to our web-feed or stay tuned to our website for show and profile updates.

“EMERGENCY is an absorbing collection of excellent work by some very promising new talent. It will be a pleasure to watch these new directors mature over the course of their careers, as they clearly have much to offer the Australian theatre scene.”
- Jack Teiwes, Australian Stage Online

To view these reviews on Australian Stage Online, click on the following:
Emergency: Space Programme | NIDA
Emergency: Studio Programme | NIDA