Community Theatre

Reaching the Stars and the Moon.

An all-abilities Melbourne community theatre is bringing ‘life changing experiences’ for both disabled artists and their mentors. Actor and entertainment journalist Tayla Ham reports.

Have you ever attended a theatre production where the lead actor had a disability or a musical in which half the cast members had disabilities? Chances are that you haven't.

Read more

Bundaberg Players Mark Major Milestones

Since its formation in 1951, the Bundaberg Players Incorporated (formerly Bundaberg Amateur Players), has provided an annual program of entertainment, and this year they will reach a remarkable performance milestone.

Plans are progressing well for ‘Revue 500’, which will celebrate the staging of 500 productions by the Bundaberg Players Incorporated this September.

This revue will be a concert-style production featuring songs, dance, and reflective moments from the organisation’s last 499 shows.

Read more

Noosa Arts Theatre Calls Out for One Act Play Entries

Noosa Arts Theatre in Queensland is calling for playwrights to submit an entry into their highly regarded and well-known One-Act Playwriting competition. Now in its 47th year, this prestigious competition attracts submissions from Australia and overseas. It is not only the prize money which attracts, but the fact that each of the three finalist plays is performed over a two week festival by a highly regarded acting and directing fraternity.

Read more

For the Love of Theatre Podcast

Image above: Guest host, Brittany Daw, interviewing cast members of St. Jude’s Players’ Red Peppers, Kim Clark, Rhonda Grill, and Sam Wiseman.

Actor and director Olivia Jane Parker talks to Stage Whispers’ Mark Wickett about her role in promoting South Australian community theatre through a podcast.

Read more

Community Theatre Seasons 2024

Image: Cats. Willoughby Theatre Company. 2023

Welcome to our Community Theatre Seasons feature, a round-up of productions in 2024 across Australia and New Zealand.

If your productions are incomplete, or your company is not included, please let us know at our contact form - https://www.stagewhispers.com.au/contact

Read more

Barry Hill OAM

Stage Whispers readers outside South Australia will mainly know Barry Hill as a reviewer, occasionally also reviewed for his direction, or for his stage performances. A stalwart of Adelaide theatre, we congratulate Barry, who was honoured with the Order of Australia Medal on Australia Day, thanking him for his lengthy, passionate ‘service to the Performing Arts’. We asked Barry to share some of his theatrical highlights.

Read more

Celebrating Sixty Years of Theatre at Cronulla

As Arts Theatre Cronulla turns 60 in 2023, Publicity Officer Michele Potter shares the theatre company’s history.

Arts Theatre Cronulla is thrilled to be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2023. Through a formula of good plays, high production values and talented performers, ATC enjoys continuing success as a community theatre group after six decades, with a wealth of productions and experiences enjoyed by cast, crew and audiences alike.

Read more

Cat Fight

Unpublished

A cat fight has erupted over the announcement that a professional production of Cats will open next year in Sydney.

Rod Herbert, (pictured left) the Director of the Rockdale Musical Society production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic - which is scheduled to open next month, has released a letter of complaint about the close proximity of the professional season to his community theatre production.

Read more

All Aboard For Comedy Suspense Thriller!

It is, as they say, a dark and stormy night. The train pulls in. Three stops from nowhere, you and your fellow travellers are unloaded into a railway station waiting room with both an unhelpful stationmaster and arguably the most annoying man on earth. There are no more trains until tomorrow. What could possibly be worse?

Well, it could be a haunted railway station with a lethal ghost train due to arrive any minute.

Read more

Ruddigore at Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria

Image above from the 2012 GSOV production of Ruddigore

Gilbert and Sullivan’s witty and ghastly melodrama Ruddigore (or The Witch’s Curse),will be presented by Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria from 6-8 September, 2024, at the Alexander Theatre, Clayton.

Read more

Featured Shows