After COVID-19 decimated 2020 Community Theatre seasons, many companies are now cautiously announcing their plans for 2021 – in some cases it’s a whole season, in others just a first production.
Many companies are re-scheduling postponed shows, while others are offering new programming, or a mix of both.
Following the lifting of lockdowns, Queensland and Western Australian companies were first back on the boards, but productions are now being mounted or planned everywhere, with precautions in place including socially distanced audiences and performances.
Castle Hill Players return in Feb 2021, resuming from its Covid-interrupted 2020 season with Andrew Bovell’s entertaining Aussie play Things I Know to be True.
CHRISTMAS is coming early this year at Harbour Theatre in WA with ’Twas The Night Before Christmas, written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Jane Sherwood, which follows the story of whySanta forgot to visit Emily and her friend Amos the mouse the previous year.
MAGIC, pirates, fairies and other fantastical creatures come together during November and December 2020 at Limelight Theatre (WA) in their production ofPeter Pan.
Stage Whispers correspondent Kimberley Shaw has attended more than 30 productions in WA since theatre returned in that state. She reports on how theatres are managing.
While much of Australian theatre patiently awaits to return, Western Australian school, community, pro-am and professional theatre is tentatively returning - but what does it look like and how does it work?
Following the NSW Government’s directive in March this year that all non-essential gatherings of 100 people were banned, Arts Theatre Cronulla was unable to proceed with the remaining planned performances of Don’t Dress for Dinner and the theatre was literally plunged into darkness, with the set being mothballed.
Theatre management is now very excited to be able to reprise the show for a limited number of performances from 13-28 November. There will be ten shows in total, including two Sunday matinees.