Stage Briefs

Australian Plays Loses Funding

Australian Plays is the latest arts organisation left reeling after being told  it will no longer receive critical organisational funding from the federal government through its funding body, the Australia Council for the Arts from 2021.

Tap Dog Teaches Young Pup

Original Tap Dog member, Darren Disney, believes in “passing it on.”

Owner and dance instructor at D3 Dance Studio at Wyong, Darren teaches up to 200 dance students each week but makes special time available for young up-and-comers who have that something extra.

For the past five months, Darren has been teaching tap to Central Coast school teacher Brett Perkins in preparation for the young man’s role in Stepping Out, an English comedy/musical about a group of people from different walks of life learning to tap.

Sydney Gains High Standards Charity Concert

Good Egg Creative has announced a new charity concert for Sydney, HIGH STANDARDS, which will be held at the City Recital Hall on Monday 28 October, and raise much needed funds for the Actors Benevolent Fund NSW.

High Standards celebrates the greatest songbook of the 20th century, featuring magnificent tunes from such writers as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Harold Arlen made famous the world over by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Nina Simone and many more.

Queensland Theatre’s Storm Boy Takes Flight in Brisbane

Beth Keehn reports.

Ahead of the opening night for this joint production by Queensland Theatre and the Melbourne Theatre Company, Stage Whispers went backstage at QPAC’s Playhouse to meet Storm Boy’s Director, Sam Strong, and Puppet Designer and Associate Director, David Morton to learn how this production will immerse the audience in the classic story’s setting in the coastal wilds of South Australia’s Coorong beaches.

John Barrowman in Concert at QPAC

Sci-fi, television, film and musical theatre fans alike can spend an intimate evening of songs, stories and laughter with John Barrowman exclusively at Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

John Barrowman in Concert will be presented in QPAC’s Concert Hall on Saturday 21 September 2019. 

From West End leading man to time-travelling hero, John is the epitome of entertainment. Singer, dancer, actor, presenter and judge, he is considered a unique talent in the entertainment industry.

Iron Lung’s ‘night, Mother at Chapel off Chapel

1983 Pulitzer Prize winning play 'night, Mother by Marsha Norman is on stage at Chapel off Chapel - The Loft Theatre from 6 to 17 August 2019, presented by Iron Lung Theatre.  'night, Mother is the turbulent tale of a mother-daughter relationship rejuvenated by the daughter’s admission she will kill herself that evening.

That's Show Business with Queensland Pops

What could be more engaging than a 58 piece Symphony orchestra playing your favourite musical theatre tunes? Add the mellow sounds and energetic moves of Rob "Millsy" Mills with the best Australia has to offer in the next wave of musical stars, and you have a night to remember.

The talented students from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University Performing Arts also join Queensland Pops for the 4th year in That's Show Business, playing in Brisbane (August 31) and Toowoomba (September 1).

2019 OzAsia Festival Preview

A sneak peek into Adelaide Festival Centre’s 2019 OzAsia Festival program offers everything from immersive and physical theatre, world-leading contemporary dance and international music stars, with tickets now on sale for six exciting new shows.

The line-up includes legendary playwright and director Stan Lai (with The Village), award-winning multi-instrumentalist Nitin Sawhney (with Beyond Skin – Revisited) and Malaysian pop star Siti Nurhaliza.

Between Tiny Cities at Arts Centre Melbourne

As part of Arts Centre Melbourne’s Big World, Up Close and Families Winter/Spring programs, Between Tiny Cities រវាងទីក្រងុតូច is a dance work that represents the cultural exchange between Australian and Cambodian artists, taking over the State Theatre Rehearsal Room from 10 – 13 July these winter school holidays.

Little Triangle to Stage NINE

Following their productions of Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along, & The Wild Party, Sydney’s Little Triangle will present its fourth musical, NINE, in September for a 2-week season at the Seymour Centre, featuring a cast of 1 man, 17 women, and 1 child.

“What’s a good thing for, if not for taking it to excess?”