Sweet Charity for Coffs Harbour

When Coffs Harbour Musical Comedy Company (NSW) presents Sweet Charity, from May 5, 2012, Cath Beynon will return in the title role which she previously played for the company a decade ago.

Cath Beynon has a string of professional roles to her name, including The Glass Menagerie and The Vagina Monologues tour of Regional Australia. Cath lives in Bellingen, and is a firm believer in community theatre: ‘I love the way theatre can unite people from all walks of life who love theatre, who then come together to make a show, united by their passion. It’s all about connecting with the community you live in’, says Cath.

Is her Charity the same 10 years on?

"Well I think she has a little more depth, a little more strength and a lot more wrinkles, but that's the beauty of stage makeup, pile it on," says Cath.

This production came about because the company was unable to cast their planned production of A Chorus Line, due to insufficient men (the old, old story!). During one week in February they had to come up with an idea for a show, a director, hold auditions and cast it – which they did!

The company chose Sweet Charity because they had produced it 10 years previously. The two committee members who are co-directing (Maureen Burgess & Judi Williams) were involved with that production. Musical direction is by Peter Kaukiainen.

Auditions, advertised with 2 days notice, attracted some 50 auditionees, and the show was cast with some strong leads, supporting performers and a large ensemble. The cast features several original cast members as well as many who have never been on stage before.

Given only three months to pull the show together, the company tells Stage Whispers it has been a lot of hard work, especially for Cath Beynon, as Charity, and for Peter Hodges, playing two of her three love interests, Vittorio Vidal and Oscar Lindquist.

Hodges says he struggled initially juggling two roles, Vittorio, Italian and confident, and Oscar, American, shy and awkward, until he was able to develop distinct characterisations for the two characters, but is relishing the challenge, and has been pleasantly surprised to find that his usual bass baritone range can extend as far as low tenor.

The company’s approach to the show (apart from being flat out trying to pull it all together in such a short space of time), features an almost-cartoonish approach to the set – sliding flats are painted by local artist Ash Johnson (who has done many backdrops for the company) and are a cartoon-like street scene. Costumes are 60’s bright, colourful, and the Fandango girls (Hey Big Spender) camped right up.

Sweet Charity plays from May 5 to 27 at the Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour.

Bookings:(02) 66528088/ www.jettytheatre.com