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Title: Romeo and Juliet Presented By: St Luke’s Theatre Society Genre: Classic Drama / Shakespearean Tragedy Synopsis: In a city divided by a long-standing feud, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall deeply and dangerously in love. As their secret relationship blossoms in the shadows, violence, misunderstandings and impulsive choices build to a heartbreaking climax. This production invites actors to dive into raw emotion, loyalty, humour and heartbreak, exploring one of Shakespeare’s most iconic and enduring love stories. Audition Date: Sat 13th December, 2025 Audition Time: 10:00am Audition Location and Address: St Luke’s Church, 193 Ekibin Road East, Tarragindi Audition Requirements: Auditionees are required to present: An interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s sonnets, or A soliloquy from any Shakespearean text. If you are unable to attend at 10:00am on the audition date, you may contact the director to discuss an alternative audition time. Audition Registration: Email the director, June Balfour, at juneabalfour@gmail.com  to register your interest and book an audition. Performance Dates: 13 March – 28 March 2026 Performance Times: Friday evening, Saturday matinee, Saturday evening Rehearsal Dates: Rehearsals commence following casting. Held on Monday evenings, Wednesday evenings, Sunday afternoons Warnings: Themes include violence, death, and suicide (standard for Romeo and Juliet ). Production Website: https://stlukestheatre.asn.au/index.php/auditions/ Available Roles/Character Breakdown: (Indicative – subject to director’s casting vision.) Romeo Montague  – Passionate, impulsive young lover. Juliet Capulet  – Intelligent, courageous and strong-willed Mercutio  – Romeo’s witty, charismatic friend. Benvolio  – Romeo’s cousin; peacekeeper with a good heart. Tybalt  – Hot-headed nephew of the Capulets; expert fighter. Nurse  – Juliet’s confidante; earthy, humorous and protective. Friar Laurence  – Well-meaning priest who marries Romeo and Juliet in secret. Lord & Lady Capulet  – Juliet’s parents; status-conscious, volatile, and controlling. Lord & Lady Montague  – Romeo’s parents; concerned but less present. Paris  – Nobleman seeking Juliet’s hand in marriage. Prince Escalus  – Ruler of Verona, trying to keep the peace. Benvolio, Balthasar, Abram, Sampson, Gregory, Peter  – Friends and servants to the Montagues and Capulets.

Blue – Sun and Wine Arts Company at PIP Theatre Written and Directed by Claire Yorston Starring Laura Renee, Hayden Parsons and Reagan Warner Sound Design by Hannah Page and Composition by Ziggy Enoch Lighting Design by Claire Yorston Sun and Wine Arts Company presented this original play by Claire Yorston , tracing a love story that appears sweet on the surface yet slowly reveals uncomfortable truths about trust, power, and control. Content warnings include domestic violence along with verbal, physical and emotional abuse. Set inside the intimate PIP Theatre studio, the space had been transformed into a cosy coffee shop, complete with pages plastered across the walls and columns. The old theatre seats meant we were all angled in one direction, which gave us a bit of a neck-tilt, but the overall design suited the grounded, everyday realism of the story. The sound design by Hannah Page and song composition by Ziggy Enoch added much to the atmosphere too: the café ambience, the ocean waves when they sat on the pier, the soft hum of songs. At first, Blue  appeared to be a simple romantic drama… but that soft glow didn’t last long. Elias, just 23 and working as a barista, falls hopelessly in love at first sight with a customer, Annette. “This is a love story,” narrator Reagan Warner tells us, already settled in his corner observing the pair like a Fate who wandered in for a coffee. The pacing moved quickly by design, taking us through the initial spark, the awkward flirting, the honest conversations and the moment they made things official. The writing had the lyrical feel of reading a novella or watching a short indie film. Annette, played by Laura Renee , entered the story with her walls built up high around her heart, and even armed with a list of printed questions for their first date in case the conversation stalled. Elias, played by Hayden Parsons , did his best to answer, sweet and awkward, while she silently judged every response (red flag number one). The whole date felt hilariously and painfully true to life, full of random tangents, unfiltered confessions and those tiny moments of vulnerability that catch you off guard. And when Elias looked at Annette and said “you add to my happiness,” I melted a bit. But Annette openly looked down on Elias for working in hospitality (red flag number two). As the relationship progressed, their dynamic shifted in ways that felt painfully familiar. People can absolutely lose their identity inside a relationship, and this play explored that slow erosion with uncomfortable accuracy. Reagan’s corner-of-the-room narration and emotional commentary became one of my favourite devices in the show. As the couple’s relationship sours, his frustration echoed the audience’s own. My early (good) assumptions about Annette transformed into a genuine frustration (props to Laura!) as she became increasingly dismissive and secretive and slowly chipped away at Elias’s sense of worth. Elias, meanwhile, wore his heart on his sleeve and didn’t recognise the warning signs until they were unavoidable, barely noticing her obvious body language. A short musical interlude from Laura on guitar landed beautifully, her voice expressive and aching on the lyric: “Now I’m covered in blood and I’m always blue, but thank God I don’t have to deal with you.” It felt like the emotional thesis of the show wrapped inside a haunting melody. The humour in the first half really worked, mostly thanks to Hayden’s natural timing and the easy chemistry between him and Laura. Their playful banter and the rare moments where they truly communicated were believable. Elias tried to set boundaries with real maturity, vowing he would never cage her, but by the final third things had soured. Annette pushed him to change his career and even talked him out of breaking up with her. Her past trauma explained parts of her behaviour, but it definitely didn’t excuse it. The final act was tough to watch as violence unexpectedly crept in. Laura's performance became genuinely chilling, while Hayden withdrew into himself - posture tightening, avoiding eye contact, his voice shrinking with exhaustion and fear. The play tackled the stigma around male victims of abuse directly with the line, “It’s not abuse? He’s a man." Despite Annette and Elias being, objectively, a terrible match, Laura Renee and Hayden Parsons created something magnetic onstage. Reagan Warner, however, was the standout for me. Invisible to the characters but completely present for us, his emotional accessibility and honesty were phenomenal. His final narration landed like a blow: “This is a real love story. One that didn’t have to happen. But not everyone deserves love.” That line absolutely wrecked me Claire! Her writing and direction carried us there with excellent pacing and a structure that was polished and compelling from start to finish. The audience was collectively absorbed by this story. Blue  was gripping, uncomfortable, beautifully acted and unexpected in its exploration of how love can curdle when control creeps in. A powerful original work from a team with huge potential.

I spent a full day at Queensland Theatre immersing myself in their free play readings and artist workshops, and honestly, it fed my creative soul in ways I did not even know I needed. Thank you to everyone involved. It felt like being handed a backstage pass to the future of Australian theatre. If they run The First Twenty again, I will be lining up at the door before they even unlock it. Kitty Cleans Up – By Maxine Mellor Directed by Sanja Simić This reading kicked off the day with an absolute bang. Kitty Cleans Up was a very Aussie, very funny whodunnit that explored the delightfully mundane world of house cleaning... and murder! Kitty, a no-nonsense mature-aged cleaner with the driest delivery, visits a regular client with her grandson Jet in tow. Jet is the picture of youthful disinterest, more invested in avoiding work than making an earning. When they stumble upon piles of cash hidden throughout the apartment and then find the actual dead body of Mr Madden in the study, the audience collectively leaned forward like we had just been handed popcorn. Then, a heavily pregnant stranger walks in claiming to be the dead man’s daughter, and from that moment onwards the twists just kept coming. Kitty had a wonderfully unfiltered sass, the kind of old broad who had lived long enough to stop caring about being polite. Maxine Mellor’s writing was sharp, playful, and wonderfully self-aware. The whole thing carried the tone of Only Murders in the Building if it had been plonked straight into suburban Brisbane. I left the reading already craving the next instalment of this delightfully messy mystery! Light – By Vidya Makan and Tasnim Hossain Even though we only saw three scenes and three songs of this musical-in-progress, Light already felt like the groundwork for something big, heartfelt, and culturally rich. It opens with a joyous ensemble number about community, connection, and the juggling act of everyday expectations. The music had a gorgeous percussive pulse running through it and, even though we were hearing recordings, you could feel the energy rippling through the room. The FMC’s solo is a beautifully grounded piece about the heavy responsibility of running her family’s medical clinic while still holding space for her own inner world. It was honest, tender, and instantly recognisable for anyone who had grown up around family businesses or inherited expectations. Jay’s solo, sung while he delivers UberEats (an international student trying to make ends meet), was cheeky with the quiet ache of someone caught between survival mode and ambition. Tonally, the whole piece hit that perfect sweet spot of Indian-family dramedy: blunt, warm, culturally specific, and deeply self-aware. I loved the way it blended ancient mythologies and gods with modern anxieties, adding a sense of magic and timelessness to what was, at its heart, a very human story. Even in this early state, the creative chemistry between Vidya Makan and Tasnim Hossain is undeniable. The writing was sharp and sincere, the music was catchy and rhythmically exciting, and the world-building felt both specific and universal. Something truly exciting is brewing here, and I can't wait to see where Light goes next. Aurochs – By Kathryn Marquet Directed by Daniel Lammin This one absolutely fascinated me. Bold, original, and quietly devastating, Aurochs unravelled the tangled history between humans and cattle, tracing our relationship across centuries like a living, breathing tapestry of ethics, survival, power, and consequence. I loved how Kathryn Marquet designed the narrative to move backwards through time, an incredibly clever choice that allowed each scene to reframe the one before it. We begin in 2067, with the world buckling under a future crisis of beef production, the kind of speculative fiction that does not require much speculation at all. From there, we jump to the 1980s and the panic of mad cow disease, then further back to the rise of industrialised beef production around the turn of the century. Next is the pre-American Civil War era, where issues of labour, class, and human cruelty intersect sharply with the treatment of cattle. Finally, we arrive in the 1600s and the extinction of the aurochs, the enormous wild ancestors of modern cattle. In this reading, we only visited the pre-American Civil War era, but I could already feel that the play will nudge the same quiet question in every period. How did we get here, and what have we learned? We met several characters. Charlotte was all fire and fury, railing against injustice with a conviction like she could drop into any century and still be wrestling with the exact same systems. Mary possessed a grounded, wise leadership as a former-suffragette, making her the emotional anchor of the scenes. Then there was Robert, a stuttering, nervous wreck attempting to confront the "big cheese" about the terrible conditions of the cows supplying milk to New York City (and ultimately poisoning the infants). There were so many great lines sprinkled throughout the reading, however “Fight for what you believe in, but do not lose your kindness” lodged itself firmly in my chest. The idea that advocacy without compassion becomes another form of violence. Stylistically, Aurochs never felt like a lecture, even though it tackled slavery, animal cruelty, capitalism, and ecological collapse. Instead, it felt like a deep exploration of how humans justify harm, how systems swallow us whole, and how our actions ripple endlessly forward or, in this case, backward. By the end, I was completely hooked. It was one of those readings where you could feel the potential radiating off the pages. This was only a taste, a sliver, a doorway into a much bigger world. I am genuinely desperate to see the full version one day because this reading only scratched the surface. No Need To Hide A Light When It Shines Like Hers – By Matthew Whittet This reading was adorable, chaotic, and heartfelt. Ada Lukin as Connie brought an excitable, nervous, slightly over-caffeinated energy that felt so true to young adults on the edge of big decisions. She had a comedic stutter in her delivery that hit just the right amount of “my brain is sprinting faster than my mouth can catch up!" Siena D’Arienzo as Grace was the perfect gentle counterpart. Where Connie fidgeted and spiralled, Grace floated around like the calm centre of the storm. She was serene, composed, a little clueless in a charming way, and unfailingly loyal. Together, Ada and Siena captured the dynamics of the friendship with such honesty: the comfort, the magnetism, the breathless confessions of every terrifying thought you cannot hold inside. I loved how sincerely the play explored identity through the world of physie and competitive dance, especially in a world where kids are often funnelled into paths chosen for them before they have a chance to find their own passions. Instead, we watch Connie realise that dance feels more like an obligation, while singing begins to feel like a true calling. The story deepens once Connie starts confronting questions about her absent father. Her decision to track him down leads to an awkward, strangely sweet meeting with Derek, played by Stephen Hirst. He is a gifted musician, socially strange, unexpectedly tender, and apparently... believe he is a werewolf? His quirks could have tipped into caricature, but Stephen balanced them so well that he became genuinely sympathetic. Their scenes together were some of my favourites, a mix of cringe, sweetness, and a surprising mutual understanding that neither of them quite know how to articulate yet. This reading slotted perfectly into the wave of YA stories I have been loving this year: Katie is a Marker-Sniffing Lesbian, Dance Nation, The Virgin-mobile, Tell Me Something, Blue. All these works capture the messy, bright, emotionally honest landscape of coming of age. By the end of the reading, I felt fully invested in Connie’s journey. I wanted to know what would happen when she tried singing. I wanted to see how Grace supported her. I wanted more Derek weirdness. I wanted Connie’s mum in the mix. I wanted the physie championships. If this becomes a full production, I will be there immediately because I am already wildly attached to these characters. The Light in the Sahara – By Lewis Treston Directed by Sanja Simić This two-hander was a massive highlight for me. It was the kind of piece that sneaks up with its humour and then suddenly blindsides you with emotional honesty. The play begins with a jarring and oddly funny moment: Boomer, her colleague, has died from a sudden heart attack. She calls her son from the wake, and the story launches into a wonderfully surreal journey that bounces between wanderlust, existential dread, and the kind of mother-son relationship that probably needs therapy but settles for a holiday instead. From the moment Christine O’Leary opened her mouth as the "mother", the audience was completely hers. She had that glorious Kath Day-Knight energy , the perfect mix of loveable dagginess, misplaced confidence, and an unshakeable belief that she was coping just fine even when she absolutely was not. She was instantly hilarious, instantly familiar, and instantly endearing. Her "son", played with a warm blend of exasperation and affection, asked his mum where she would go if she could travel anywhere in the world. She chose the Sahara, of all places, and suddenly we were swept into a bizarre and blackly comic adventure. "The world just got so loud one day" felt like the kind of line that summed up midlife burnout, modern overstimulation, and unspoken emotions with painful accuracy. "I cannot talk her out of an existential crisis when I am going through one myself" had the room laughing while quietly nodding in understanding. One of my favourite parts of the experience was seeing Lewis Treston in the audience absolutely cracking up at his own lines. For a two-hander, this felt surprisingly expansive, a reminder that you do not need a large cast to tell a big story. You only need two excellent actors, a sharp script, and a whole lot of humanity. I would see a full production of this in a heartbeat.   WORKSHOPS Scene One: A Director’s Guide – With Dr Benjamin Schostakowski This workshop was a little treasure chest of directing wisdom. Dr Benjamin Schostakowski, from NIDA has this calm, grounded confidence about him that makes every word feel like something you want to scribble down immediately. A few tips that I noted: Meet the play first.  Read the original version, do the research, immerse yourself in its history. Do not squash your concept onto it before it has had a chance to speak to you. The first read-through is sacred.  No interruptions, no intellectualising, no “what if we…” ideas. Just absorb it. Hold onto the lure.  That initial spark you felt when you first connected with the play is the anchor you return to when things get messy or confusing. Slow read equals facts and questions.  Do a slower read next and let the text show you what it contains. Write a column of facts and a column of questions. The questions become a collaborative journey you take with your actors. Active analysis.  Get up on your feet, improvise, explore, encourage autonomy. Let actors bring forward their own ideas. Break scenes by events, not tiny beats.  Focus on the major shifts, the big "ball game change" moments. It was such a generous and practical (albeit short!) session. I left with a full page of notes and a clearer sense of how I might approach directing if I ever step into that role again. Staying Present in the Creative Storm – With Emily Burton Emily Burton approached nerves, fear, perfectionism, and burnout with so much compassion that you could feel the whole room exhale a little. She shared somatic tools that were simple but powerful. The butterfly taps on the chest, the grounding breaths, the literal shaking of the body. She encouraged us to find our personal version of safety, whether that is music, movement, a mantra, a pet, a person, or something else. I appreciated how honest she was about the relentless schedules artists face. She reminded us that when the stress response cannot complete its cycle, it just keeps building until the body shuts down in whatever way it can: sleep, digestion, anxiety, exhaustion. We need to close the stress cycle so your nervous system knows the “threat” is over each day. Her workshop felt like a loving interruption to that spiral, a reminder that recovering from stress is a skill we must practice, not something that magically happens on its own. Nurturing Your Creative Practice – With Dr Margi Brown-Ash This was the most soothing, reflective way to end the day. Dr Margi Brown-Ash spoke with the kind of soft authority that instantly made the space feel safe and warm. We moved through meditation, creative journaling, gentle movement, and the idea of building a personal creative sanctuary. I loved the encouragement to think about where all our artistic selves live. What does our creative space look like when it is curated with intention? What does it need to contain so that we feel held, energised, and open? It felt like a permission slip to slow down and check in with ourselves, to nourish rather than constantly produce. After a full day of new ideas and buzzing inspiration, this workshop felt like a deep breath. FINAL THOUGHTS I walked out of Queensland Theatre absolutely buzzing. The readings were diverse, bold, funny, moving, and bursting with potential. The workshops cracked open parts of my artistic brain that had been sleeping for months, and I felt genuinely recharged in a way I had not expected. The whole day reminded me why I adore this community. The generosity, the curiosity, the excitement for new work, the willingness to share knowledge and hold space for emerging ideas; exactly the kind of accessible creative offering Brisbane needs more of.

Written by Rodgers & Hammerstein Directed & Choreographed by Lucy Martin Vocal Direction by David Valks Additional Choreography by Natalie Cassaniti “Don’t talk purty to me!” GCLT closes their 2025 season, celebrating their massive 75-year milestone, with a production of the comforting classic Oklahoma!  The season is basically sold out, and it only takes about ten seconds into “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” to understand why. Now, confession time: I have never seen Oklahoma!  before. Not the film, not a school version, nothing. I walked in a blank slate, and I walked out thinking, “Oh… this is why it’s been revived since dinosaurs roamed the Earth.” So before we dive in, a short synopsis of the classic tale: Oklahoma!  is set in early 1900s America, following the romance between Curly, a charismatic cowhand, and Laurey, a strong-willed farmgirl who is far less immune to flirting than she pretends. As the community heads toward statehood, tensions simmer between farmers and cowmen, all while the brooding, volatile Jud Fry lurks at the edge of Laurey’s world. It is a story of young love, rivalry, community spirit, and the darker undercurrents beneath the prairie sunshine. Sean Curran’s set is a total GCLT special: detailed, immersive, and charming, like a toy-box prairie town that looks real enough to move into. A farmhouse and a barn façade straight from an old sepia photograph are paired with AV projections of rolling countryside and a cozy dance hall. The whole thing creates a subtle forced-perspective illusion that makes this modest stage feel twice its size, beautifully lit by Michael Sutton’s warm sunset tones and moody shadow cuts. Lucy Martin’s costumes are frilly, floral, flannel, and beautifully considered. The colour palettes suit each performer with uncanny accuracy. Isabella glows in soft pastels, and Elysium pops in bright blue and golden yellow that echo the sky and fields. It feels like early-1900s prairie couture with a modern eye for what flatters. Lucy Martin’s direction is light-footed and intentional. She leans into the light joy of Act I: the community riffs, the flirtations, the optimism... while letting the shadows creep in slowly at the edges. There is no live orchestra this time around because the stage simply cannot hold one, so the production leans on the R&H tracks instead. Under David Valks’ vocal direction, the cast sounds steady, strong, and wonderfully unified. Noa Fogarty, a bright young talent heading to the QLD Con next year, steps out to deliver “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’”. His tone is warm and golden (and dare I say deliciously James Marsden-coded). You can practically feel the sunshine cracking through the stage walls at his voice. Isabella Wiesenthal’s Laurey is pretty in pink, soft-spoken but steel-spined, and her crystal-clear, supported soprano is the kind of voice that makes you instinctively fix your posture. As the original will-they-won’t-they, Curly and Laurey’s duet “People Will Say We’re in Love” is sweet, flirty, and brimming with early-love coyness. Isabella plays Laurey as demure, but her eye-acting betrays the whole game. She adores every second of Curly’s attention. “Many a New Day” glimmers with sincerity, and the ladies’ dance break that follows is sweet and spirited, all perfect smiles and hopeful twirls. Shoutout to the duo choreography team of Natalie Cassaniti and Lucy Martin. And I believe all the hairdos are real? Ringlets everywhere! Shoutout to hair designer Ann-Britt Riget. If Laurey is subtle charm, Ado Annie is pure chaos and sunshine. Elysium Hipwood steals Act I with “I Cain’t Say No,” a wildly energetic, giggle-laced ode to being a hopeless flirt who simply cannot help herself. She is the original loveable dork who just so happens to have an astonishing belt! Her chemistry with Torrek Elbeb’s Will Parker is absurdly cute, especially in “All Er Nuthin’,” a duet that feels like watching two golden retrievers attempt to discuss exclusive dating. Torrek also leads the lads in a hilariously hyperactive “Kansas City,” a full song-and-dance expulsion of restless boy energy. Ashley Williams as Ali Hakim is a comedic gift. He plays the sleazy travelling peddler with a gravelly Harvey Fierstein-style voice and the timing of someone who has been doing vaudeville since birth. His big number “It’s a Scandal! It’s an Outrage!” is pure musical-theatre serotonin. Louise Thorpe grounds the entire town with a firm hand and a soft centre as Aunt Eller. She is both referee and heartbeat, offering warmth and authority in perfect balance. Then there is Gertie, with Nicolette Ditchburn weaponising perkiness with a giggle that should come with a warning label. Then... the lights shift, the humour drains, and something prickles. Jake Stubbs enters as Jud Fry, the unwashed, isolated, intimidating farmhand. “Lonely Room” becomes an unsettling glimpse into his twisted inner world, alongside beautifully lit staging. His presence around Laurey is genuinely uncomfortable to witness, exactly as it should be. Jud is the embodiment of everything simmering beneath the town’s wholesomeness, and Jake commits fully to the role. The tonal whiplash of Curly singing “Pore Jud Is Daid” is confronting, as Curly literally tries to convince Jud he would be more appreciated if he were to unalive himself. Noa delivers it with a chilling, cheerful darkness. These two young actors, Jake and Noa, are undeniable rising stars. Oklahoma! ’s famous dream ballet lands with a bang, beautifully executed. It moves from soft, sweeping romance — the ladies’ ensemble spinning in hopeful circles, curls bouncing, dresses fluttering — into Jud’s fantasy, a burlesque-style silhouetted nightmare dripping in red light and oppressive power. The use of chairs, shadows, and stage combat is fantastic. It is vivid, brutal, and even prophetic. “The Farmer and the Cowman” plays exactly like the childish campfire brawl it is, joyful, stompy, and silly. I caught myself tapping my feet like I was in an actual square dance. “Oklahoma!” (the song) remains one of the catchiest pieces ever written. Their rendition is rich, full, and bouncy in all the right ways. From here, things get funnier, flirtier, and then the rural bliss fractures. The final scenes unfold with a surprising dose of darkness, a reminder that Oklahoma!  is deceptively complex beneath its cornfed cheerfulness. This production is a sun-drenched celebration of young love, small-town pride, and simple life. A duality of a show, handled with enormous heart by a gifted young cast and a creative team that understands exactly how to blend nostalgia with bite. It is the perfect finale for GCLT’s 75th year. And I am still humming “Oklahoma!” (Help.)

Title: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR. Presented By: Brisbane Junior Theatre (BJT) Genre: Youth Musical Theatre Synopsis: A magical 60-minute adaptation of the beloved Broadway and Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast JR.  follows Belle, a bright young woman from a small provincial town, and the Beast, a prince trapped under an enchantress’s spell. Only if he learns to love and be loved can the curse be broken. With iconic songs by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and a host of colourful supporting characters, this “tale as old as time” offers spectacular roles, imagination and fun for young performers of all levels. Audition Date: 13 December 2025 Audition Time: 1:00pm, 2:00pm or 3:00pm Audition Location and Address: Emerge Church, 1 Coorparoo Road, Warner Audition Requirements: BJT follows a structured audition process: Step 1: Memorise a monologue (from the Monologue Pack) with characterisation and any required accents. Step 2: Learn the audition song linked at the bottom of the monologue sheet. Dance will be taught on the day. Step 3: Book an audition time by SMS to Debbie (0438 896 436). Step 4: Complete and email the Production Registration Form to brisbanejuniortheatre@gmail.com . Step 5: Optional – Submit a T-Shirt Order Form at your audition. Note: Students cannot audition unless they are registered and pay the fee on the day. Performance Dates: 9–10 January 2026 (double-cast performances) Rehearsal Dates: 5–9 January 2026 (intensive rehearsal week) Production Website: https://brisbanejuniortheatre.com.au/ Other Information: Fees: $425 inc. GST (covers costumes, rights, scripts, staff, sets/props, venue hire, insurance, and a Friday pizza dinner). Everyone who auditions is guaranteed a place in the cast. All shows are double-cast to provide more opportunities. Available Roles / Character Breakdown: All roles are open to youth performers. Belle  – Smart, confident, compassionate. (F5–G3) Beast  – Dramatic acting role; emotional range needed. (B3–E5) Narrators  – Strong speakers; non-singing. Old Beggar Woman / Enchantress  – Dramatic, non-speaking. Gaston  – Arrogant, comedic leading man. (A3–F5) Maurice  – Belle’s eccentric father; character role. Lefou  – Gaston’s silly sidekick; physical comedy required. (B3–E5) Les Filles de la Ville  – Gaston’s fangirls; trio harmonies. (C4–F5) Lumiere  – Charming French maître d’, strong singer/actor. (A3–D5) Cogsworth  – Stuffy but loveable clock; comedic. (A3–E5) Mrs. Potts  – Warm, motherly, sweet vocals. (F3–E5) Chip  – Innocent, youthful. (D4–D5) Madame de la Grande Bouche  – Operatic diva; big voice. (A3–C5) Babette  – Flirtatious feather duster; elegant harmonies. (A3–B4) Monsieur D’Arque  – Sinister; mostly acting. Servants  – Enchanted objects; large ensemble roles. Villagers  – Ensemble with featured lines and moments.

Title: A Night of Sherlock Holmes – 3 Radio Plays Presented By: Nash Theatre Genre: Radio Play / Mystery / Classic Adaptation Synopsis: Three classic Sherlock Holmes stories come to life in one entertaining night of live radio theatre. Based on the original radio dramas by Ted Medland and Radio Active, this production blends suspense, charm and theatrical adventure as Holmes and Watson return to the airwaves once more. Audition Date: Sunday 7 December 2025 Audition Time: 9:00am – 11:00am Audition Location and Address: Nash Theatre Playshed, 52 Merthyr Road, New Farm, Access via Amity Street Audition Requirements: Typically radio plays require cold reads or short monologues in character. Audition Registration: Email jasonenash@gmail.com  to register your interest. Performance Dates: 20 February 2026 - 14 March 2026 Performance Location: Nash Theatre, New Farm Production Website: https://nashtheatre.com/get-involved/auditions/

The Mousetrap – New Farm Nash Theatre Written by Agatha Christie Directed by Sharon White As is customary, the last performance of the year at New Farm Nash Theatre takes us into Agatha Christie territory, which means two things: an abundance of suspicious characters and a vow that I must never reveal the murderer's identity to anyone. I take my oath very seriously… Although I did quietly guess correctly right near the end and feel extremely smug about it. The Mousetrap first hit the stage in 1952 and holds the title of the world’s longest-running play. Under Sharon White’s direction, its vintage charm is beautifully honoured, with the script serving up a buffet of clues, contradictions, twists, accusations, and red herrings, all delivered through genuine drama and self-parody. For a short, spoiler-free synopsis: The Mousetrap follows a newly married couple, Mollie and Giles Ralston, who have just opened their remote country guesthouse during a heavy winter snowfall. As their guests arrive one by one, news breaks of a recent murder in London. When a police detective reaches the house on skis, he warns that the killer may be hiding among them. With the phone line cut, the roads blocked, and every guest harbouring secrets, tensions rise as the unwilling group attempts to uncover the truth before another murder takes place.... Dun dun dun! Designed by Sharon White, Phil Carney, and Rob Crook, the set places us in the front room of the cozy British guesthouse. Picture green walls, a multitude of doorways, period furniture, embroidered artwork, a rug by the fireplace, a crackling radio, a writing desk, and luggage that looks as if it has lived many lives. It’s described as a “bit of a maze” and it certainly feels like one. There’s so much for the eye to catch, and it creates a deliciously claustrophobic space for this group of strangers who suddenly find themselves snowed in and forced to get along. Or not... Who knows? Helen Barrett and Matthew Hobbs star as Mollie and Giles Ralston. Matthew stepped into the role only two weeks ago, which is wild, because his dry wit and grumpy-gentleman presence fits right into the show’s rhythm. Their arguments feel incredibly real, especially as the paranoia in the house rises. Helen brings a sweet innocence to Mollie, always smiling/grimacing even when she probably shouldn’t be. I find myself wishing for even more emotional punch from her big dramatic beats, but she handles the sheer volume of dialogue with impressive dedication. The guests themselves are absolute characters. Brendan James as Christopher Wren is chatty, excitable, and bouncing off the walls like a kid who’s had too much cake at a birthday party. Chris Sibley’s Mrs Boyle is the “perfectly horrid woman” everyone loves to hate. She sweeps through rooms with wild eyes and a tongue sharp enough to slice through any peaceful moment. Matt McNeice’s Major Metcalfe is as friendly and warm as a cozy Irish pub. Philippa Dwyer’s Miss Casewell is a standout for me, sharp and composed with a mysterious air that keeps my attention every second she’s onstage. Then there's John Stibbard playing Mr. Paravicini, the "unexpected guest" who seems like he just stepped out of a gothic Italian opera. He's theatrical, intimidating, and has this creepy demeanour that makes the audience squirm and chuckle at the same time. He glances directly at audience members to make us uneasy (but technically he’s just staring at the wall). It’s such a clever, unnerving effect. One of my favourite little lines of the night comes from Mr Paravicini, who looks Mollie dead in the eye and purrs, “You and your husband are very trusting…” At last, Tyson Hargreaves bursts in as Detective Sergeant Trotter, the dashing cockney cop who insists, “this is a serious mah-ah!” His arrival accelerates the tension. Suddenly, clues pop up like everywhere, accusations fly, and the whole house turns into a tangled web of “he said, she said.” There are no phones, no fact-checking, and the unsettling realisation that every person in this house is carrying a past they would rather hide. The fun is trying to figure out who is here by coincidence and who is absolutely not . Phil Carney’s lighting and sound design support the mystery well, especially the dramatic radio music and the recurring, creepy tune of “Three Blind Mice.” Every time it plays, the tension in the room tightens. Costumes and hairdos suit the time period pretty nicely, with coats, hats, gloves and layers to emphasise how cold it is outside. The accents throughout the show are mostly well done, with the cast leaning into various flavours of British regional dialects. What I really admire is how Sharon White leans into the self-parody of Christie’s writing (and the whole detective mystery genre) without ever mocking it. She lets the humour coexist comfortably alongside the tension; like “There are more important things than meals!”, as Mollie tries to duck out of a murder interrogation so she can go cook dinner. Priorities... I get the sense that Sharon White has told every actor from day one to behave like they are the killer, and it works, for I am constantly adjusting my inner suspect list. The audience was thoroughly engaged throughout, letting out dramatic gasps and buzzing with whispered theories. To the performer behind the murder… the way you shifted character to unleash that charged intensity in the reveal was genuinely chilling. It looked like an absolute thrill for you to play that role. Bravo. Tickets are wonderfully affordable, which makes this a great night out for anyone who loves a classic mystery. The season wraps up on 6 December, so make sure you grab a ticket here while you can. My lips are now sealed.

Presented at Twelfth Night Theatre Directed by Deian Ping Music Direction by Nicky Griffith Choreography by Julianne Burke Photography by Creative Street & Pif Productions "There's a dream in the future. There's a struggle that we have yet to win." There are certain shows that never fail to lift your heart, and Hairspray  is firmly on that list for me. Queensland Musical Theatre clearly understands the joy baked into this story and jumps right in from the start. For anyone who's somehow dodged this musical/film, Hairspray  follows Tracy Turnblad, a Baltimore teen with a big heart, a bigger dream, and absolutely no interest in shrinking herself to fit anyone’s expectations. She fights for a spot on her favourite TV dance show, tumbles head over heels in love, breaks down a few terrible social norms, and pulls everyone toward a brighter future. The script is intentionally riddled with the attitudes of the era (racism, fat-phobia, ableism, etc.) so that the story can give them a good ol’ smackdown. This production keeps the set simple to allow room for the enormous cast, but it never feels bare. Bright costuming and wonderfully ridiculous retro projections do a lot of the visual lifting. Every time a new colourful graphic splashes across the back wall, it is so kitschy that you can’t help but giggle. Hairspray is notoriously tricky to cast — you need performers who can sing, dance, and have the right character "look". Big applause to director Deian Ping for putting together a team this large who can keep up with the show's demands! From the moment Eloise Newman springs out of bed for “Good Morning Baltimore”, the show takes off like a rocket. She is a brilliant Tracy, with a voice that balances sweetness and power, nailing every big number like it’s a piece of cake. “I Can Hear the Bells” is especially fabulous. She throws in an opt-up, with gorgeous harmonies (and handheld bells) swirling around her, while the haze and lighting create a dreamy rom-com glow. Eloise shines brightest when she leans into Tracy’s dorky humour. Eloise is an absolute joy both on and off the stage. Her later performance in the “Baltimore Reprise” is another standout, especially with the line “I’ll eat some breakfast then change the world!" Nicholas Joy as Link and Wednesday Reign as Penny both appear right at home the second they walk onstage. Nicholas vocally dazzles in “Without Love,” with the full band energising his committed, lovelorn acting. His chemistry with Eloise feels warm and endearing, and his solo “It Takes Two” is beautifully enhanced by excellent lighting. Wednesday’s portrayal of Penny is excessively dorky, and her voice is remarkable, particularly in “Mama I’m A Big Girl Now”. Seaweed, played by young Joshua Davis, is one of the show’s most exciting discoveries. For his first time stepping out of junior theatre, he's unbelievably cool, groovy, and confident. He breezes through “Run and Tell That” with suave ease. Shoutout to Little Inez (AvaLyn Doherty) and Gilbert (Johnathan Vongdara) — always fully engaged, dancing with passion, and totally enjoying the moment. Rudo Banya doesn’t arrive as Motormouth Maybelle until later in Act 1, but when she does, the whole room lifts. Making her grand entrance into the world of musicals, her rendition of "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" was such a blast that I wanted to sing along too! And “I Know Where I’ve Been” was a total showstopper, lifted higher by the gorgeous ensemble vocals. Jason Kiger and Steve Beck are perfect as the daggy Turnblad parents. Traditionally, a guy plays Edna, and Jason brings the sass, hilarity, and rocks that v-neck dress with some seriously epic fake cleavage. I was honestly worried they might accidentally pop out at one point! Steve Beck is the ideal match as Wilbur. Their duet “You’re Timeless to Me” is packed with humour, terrific vocals, and just the right touch of cheeky chemistry. As the villains go, Liana Hanson’s Velma von Tussle is perfectly detestable — polished cruelty, snappy lines, and a wig-and-dress-suit combo that screams "evil chic." Her vocals in “Miss Baltimore Crabs” are astounding and definitely one of the musical highlights. Jade Plaistow as Amber goes all in on a high-pitched, Tour-Guide-Barbie persona. Her slightly doll-like movements fit the character choice perfectly. Whether or not the character choice is your cup of tea, you have to admire Jade's strong commitment. Lachlan Gleadhill, playing Corny Collins, makes an impressive debut. With a stunning voice and charisma, I believe he has the potential to bring even more to the character! Gabriel King perfectly embodies Mr. Spritzer with his game-show-host grin and voice, fully embracing the character. Choreography in Hairspray  is no small task, and Julianne Burke has clearly worked hard to shape a cohesive world for such a large ensemble. “The Madison” is a particularly fun number with dance style switch-ups and a full stage of slick moves. The brief tap break in “The Big Dollhouse” was a welcome surprise that got a great reaction. Just a tiny tip for “It Takes Two”: remember that even though the spotlight is on Nicholas, audience members can see where your eyes go, so keep your adoration locked in on him! “Nicest Kids in Town” is strong and could be even more so. This show thrives on excess, and you simply cannot be "too much" in this number! Eighteen musicians, led with precision by Nicky Griffith, fill the room with that irresistible sixties pop sparkle (shoutout to the horns especially for that extra punch!) There are small moments where the pace dips or dialogue lags, but these feel like natural opening-week tweaks. There is a touch of upstaging from a few actors, though not in a way that derails scenes. It’s the kind of enthusiastic energy that naturally happens in large amateur ensembles and would be less noticeable if the whole cast matched that energy intensity. Some costumes look slightly ill-fitting and may affect performer comfort, but the overall aesthetic is colourful, bright and very sixties: colourful skirts, high hair, and groovy silhouettes. The lighting complements the colourful costuming, retro vibe and the sixties-TV-style backdrops, and there are some fun set pieces and effects sprinkled throughout. “You Can’t Stop the Beat” is notorious for being one of the hardest finales in musical theatre because it never stops and barely allows a breath, but this cast powers through with big smiles and bigger stamina. The entire ensemble throws themselves into it, but Nicholas in his dazzling jacket, gives more energy than anyone out there and absolutely owns the final moments. Overall, this is a big-hearted, enthusiastic production of Hairspray  full of emerging talent, strong vocals, colourful characters and genuine joy. You can feel the love and effort behind it. With a few polish points it will soar even higher, but as it stands, Queensland Musical Theatre offers a vibrant, fun night out that celebrates community, inclusivity, and the huge spirit of Hairspray .

Written by Emma Dean | Directed by Belinda Raisin | Musical Direction by Tony Dean Performed by Cheep Trill at Thomas Dixon Centre for the Brisbane Festival Photography by Barbara Lowing   Warm, hilarious, and overflowing with heart, Community Choir: The Musical  captured everything that makes Brisbane’s arts scene so special: the joy, the quirks, and the undeniable sense of community that ties it all together! As part of Brisbane Festival , this show was the perfect opener; a homegrown story bursting with local pride, creativity, and plenty of laughs. Written by Emma Dean and directed by Belinda Raisin , this original musical told the story of a ragtag Brisbane choir (Cheep Trill) that somehow found themselves accidentally invited to the prestigious National Choral Competition in Sydney. What begins as a simple rehearsal quickly spirals into a whirlwind of excitement, panic, drama, and a sprinkle of magic when the flamboyant Spirit of the Song  appears: a glittery guide that only one choir member can see and hear. What followed was a touching and laugh-out-loud journey through self-doubt, friendship, and finding your voice (literally and figuratively). Early on a line struck me: “People say choir is my whole life. They are correct.” At that moment, I knew we were in for something both hilariously relatable and sincere. As audience members entered, we were greeted by an interactive pre-show that made it feel like we’d stepped right into their rehearsal hall. Posters decorated the stage (“Used dentures for sale” one definitely caught my eye), and a haze-filled atmosphere set the tone for the most hauntingly beautiful Acknowledgment of Country I have ever witnessed , performed and written by Michelle Roberts under stunning lighting design. The three-piece band, led by MD Tony Dean on drums, pumped the theatre full of energy throughout. The moment the full choir launched into Welcome to the Choir , the entire theatre lifted. Their harmonies were full-bodied and joyful, and the lyrics “You are welcome, even if you can’t sing” summed up the show’s inclusive spirit perfectly. This particular performance featured the Northside Brisbane cast , and what a team they were! With more than a hundred singers of all ages and abilities, this was community theatre in its purest form. The ensemble wore bright, casual outfits that felt straight out of a local rehearsal; a beautiful visual of authenticity and colour. Jen Codognotto as Judith was a standout, delivering her scenes with comic precision and warmth, while Lucy Sweeney as the Spirit of the Song sparkled – literally and vocally – in a fairy-angel ensemble that glittered under the lights. John Catania as Johnno was hilariously endearing, especially in his solo The Chosen One . His newfound superpower: the ability to hear everyone’s thoughts through song, was a stroke of genius and had all the charm and heart of a Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist  episode. There were so many memorable songs. Carve Out My Place , performed by Helen Beauchamp ( Harriet ), was a vocal highlight, her a strong belt holding heartfelt conviction. All By Myself  by Jaspa Woolford-Clark ( Connie ) captured the aching vulnerability of self-doubt in a crowded room. Waiting Room  was wonderfully choreographed, with furniture blocking that ticked in perfect time, while Weetbix Song  managed to be both silly and moving. Belinda Raisin’s direction was clever and clearly grounded in love for her performers. She made sure everyone had their moment. The use of risers meant the majority of the choir could always be seen, and the transitions were impressively tight for such a large cast. I adored her cameo as Bernard Dubois , the over-the-top adjudicator in a sparkly tux, complete with a fake moustache, a hoverboard, and what I can only assume was a pillow stuffed under her shirt! By the time Bigger Than Me  arrived, the whole audience was clapping along. The front row even got up to join the flash-mob style finale, and before I knew it, the entire theatre had turned into a mini Pub Choir moment. The original music was catchy and fresh, full of clever lyrics and contemporary choral arrangements. Emma Dean’s writing found that perfect balance of sincerity and silliness. I saw myself in so many of these characters: the Taylor Swift-obsessed girl, the people-pleasing administrator, the bitter ex, the hopeless romantic... and judging by the lughter around me, I wasn’t the only one relating. There was something deeply touching about how honestly these fragile, funny, real people were portrayed. Their flaws made them loveable, their chaos made them human, and their music made them unforgettable. Community Choir: The Musical  was a zesty dose of joy and confidence, a tribute to the power of music and the bonds it creates. For a cast made up of 95% non-professional performers, this was an extraordinary feat. It was personal, passionate, and quintessentially Brisbane . By the end, less like an audience observing a choir and more like a community sharing a unique experience. This original musical was for anyone who have ever sung in a choir, wished to, or simply loves the sound of people coming together to make something bigger than themselves.

Director: Fiona Kennedy Assistant Director & Set Design: Prue Robb Intimacy Coordinator: Heidi Gledhill Stage Manager: Isabel Foland Lighting & Sound Design: Kyle Royall-West Set Build: Scott Lymbery “This is not a spontaneous person you have before you!” Walking into Ad Astra’s brand-new black box space, Pluto , feels a little like déjà vu. There’s an echo of their much-loved Fortitude Valley venue here: close walls, low ceilings, and that quiet hum of anticipation that only a tiny theatre can hold. Upstairs, the Galaxy waits for the big, bold productions… but downstairs? Down here is where intimacy thrives. And honestly, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune  is the perfect christening. The house lights dim, the theatre drops into darkness, and we are immediately thrown into the unmistakable sounds of enthusiastic lovemaking. Bed squeaks, grunts, giggles... there’s no easing us into this one! Before we even see Frankie and Johnny, we’re eavesdropping on one of the most vulnerable moments two humans can share. When the lights lift, we land in Frankie’s 1987 New York walk-up apartment, a tiny but homely apartment made up of a kitchenette, a cramped bathroom, a bed, and their clothing scattered like evidence across the floor. Candice Hill’s Francis (Frankie) sits right on the edge of that post-intimacy awkwardness: half flattered, half panicking, already tidying the room like she wishes she could tidy away the whole situation. Beside her, Nathaniel Currie’s Johnny is a whirlwind of words, babbling with the confidence of someone who believes he has just discovered destiny. Frankie, on the other hand, is trying desperately to remain polite while pushing him toward the exit in her mind. Candice is mesmerising to watch. Her avoidance of eye contact, the way she curls into herself when he compliments her, the tightrope walk between wanting connection and wanting to survive it; every expression tells a story she’s terrified to speak aloud. Meanwhile, Nathaniel leans into Johnny’s chaotic sincerity. He’s weird, irritating, intense… yet disarmingly endearing, with a perfect Brooklyn accent. When he looks at Frankie, he sees his Brigadoon... a magical place that appears once in a hundred years. When she looks at him, she’s torn between “please leave!” and “please don’t leave me alone.” The natural humour between them bubbles up organically. Their small talk is painfully real; picture the kind of chat you have when you’re half-naked with a co-worker and pretending it’s totally normal. As the night unfolds (well, 3am), their first impressions unravel into something far deeper. They share memories, fears, old wounds. They fight. She explodes, quite literally destroying parts of her apartment in a panic spiral. He stands there, bewildered and bold, insisting that love is worth the risk. “When it comes to love, life is cheap and short,” he says, and even though it sounds like a line from a tragic romance novel, in the moment, it lands with truth. The set by Prue Robb and Scott Lymbery is wonderfully lived in: rotary phone, tiny television, radio humming with soft piano throughout the night, and lighting hat gradually shifts from the sleepy glow of lamps to a gentle morning warmth as the sun rises. Those small production choices make the long night feel real, like time is truly stretching around them. Director Fiona Kennedy and Assistant Director Prue Robb keep the blocking fluid and natural, especially in the scenes where Johnny cooks for them. Watching a real sandwich being made while the pair discuss lost time and lost dreams somehow grounds this heightened night into everyday reality. It’s a clever juxtaposition: grand emotions nestled in the banality of late-night snacks. The two actors seem utterly alone in this room; no audience, no world outside, just two flawed adults battling their own loneliness. Frankie’s terror of being hurt again comes pouring out of Candice, raw and vulnerable. Johnny stands in it, unwavering, offering not perfection but presence. This production celebrates everything black box theatre does best: closeness, honesty, discomfort, humour, and the quiet bravery it takes to be seen. With only 50 seats, every breath of the performance lands directly in your lap. It’s unfiltered, human, and beautifully messy. If you’re after a date night that promises honesty, laughter, and a surprising amount of emotional truth, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune  is absolutely worth the trip to Pluto. Just… prepare yourself for the first 30 seconds!

Bahala/o was one of those shows that hit me with a wave of energy the moment I walked in. Creator and performer Buddy Malbasias and co-star Clare Dark were already onstage sweeping mounds of rice off their catwalk, a lone pedestal fan whirring at one end, haze drifting from underneath the stage, and a full house buzzing with excitement. I sat front row and immediately learnt two things: cover your bags and drinks unless you want them seasoned, and prepare to get up close and personal with the rice. Framed by the Filipino philosophy of “Bahala na” (whatever happens, happens), Bahala/o was both playful and cheeky, yet deeply tender and intimate. This genre-bending, rice-rattling explosion of physical theatre was a joyride through contemporary dance, prose, mime, rave, sensuality, and a hint of musical theatre. It was designed for those living in diaspora or balancing multiple cultural identities, without ever feeling too heavy handed. The duo onstage were a brilliant match, slipping between intense dance sequences, precise partner work, and random little comedic throwaways like “oh naur Cleo!” or the Camp Rock choreography tribute (we love a millennial moment!). We even got to throw rice at them! They encouraged it. They wanted it. Here, rice was more than just a prop. Flinging handfuls into the air added to the beautiful mess of the performance and embodied that Bahala na spirit. Costuming was also a captivating slow reveal. Layers from their underwear, white flow-flowing cottons, and bristly thatch jumpsuits were slowly peeled back and reassembled, like shedding and reclaiming different versions of self. The sweat was real too. Physical theatre of this calibre is no joke and they truly exerted themselves for every moment. I was exhausted just watching them and could only imagine how brutal it must be under the lights, with rice sticking to your feet! One of the biggest highlights was the spoken segment on "How to make rice: a staple food that transcends cultures." On paper it sounds simple. In practice, it turned into one of the most impressive multi-genre duologues I have seen. A bell would ring and the style shifted instantly. We heard rice cooking instructions as theatrical declamation, in another language, in a robotic manner, as a seductive spiel, as earnest storytelling, and even as brilliantly expressive nonsense. It was a “dance script” brought to life, constantly flipping between modes of performance and identity. The audience was completely transfixed. The lighting design took everything up a notch, pulsing from every angle, above, below and along the sides of the catwalk in the round, perfectly synced with the sound effects and high-energy beats. The music alone would have pumped you up, but combined with the strobes, haze and nonstop movement, it genuinely felt like stumbling into a weird-themed rave party. Bahala/o was messy, sweaty, hilarious, culturally rich and endlessly inventive. Underneath the chaos sat something very heartfelt: a meditation on family, legacy, queer joy and belonging. It lagged a little near the ending (the dancers literally crawling like snails through the rice), but even then it kept its heart firmly in place, like it wanted to give you a moment to sit with everything you had just witnessed. For me, it was one of my favourite physical theatre pieces this year. If you love genre chaos, bold storytelling, Asian and queer perspectives, or you simply adore rice as much as they do, this one was an absolute must-see!

Title: Rumors Presented By: Spotlight Theatrical Company Genre: Comedy / Farce Synopsis: Four affluent New York couples arrive at the deputy mayor’s townhouse for his 10th wedding anniversary celebration… only to discover the host has a non-fatal gunshot wound, his wife is missing, and the servants have vanished. Desperate to protect everyone’s reputation, they scramble to cover up what really happened before the police arrive — leading to a night of escalating lies, frantic improvisations, physical comedy, and Neil Simon’s signature rapid-fire wit. Audition Date: Thursday 4 December 2025 Audition Time: From 6:00pm (by appointment) Audition Location and Address: Spotlight Theatrical Company, Gold Coast Audition Requirements: Cold reads from the script (audition pieces provided after registration) Strong comedic timing and comfort with farce Bring completed audition form, CV/bio, and recent headshot Callbacks (if required): Thursday 11 December 2025 from 6:00pm Audition Registration: Email your completed registration form to: clemshellyhalpin@gmail.com Audition Pack: https://www.spotlighttheatre.com.au/auditions/2025/Rumors/AUDITION_PACK_Rumors.pdf Performance Dates: Thursday 12 March 2026 – 7:30pm (Preview) Friday 13 March 2026 – 7:30pm Saturday 14 March 2026 – 7:30pm Sunday 15 March – 2:00pm Thursday 19 March – 7:30pm Friday 20 March – 7:30pm Saturday 21 March – 7:30pm Sunday 22 March – 2:00pm Thursday 26 March – 7:30pm Friday 27 March – 7:30pm Saturday 28 March – 7:30pm Performance Location: Spotlight Theatre, Benowa (Gold Coast) Rehearsal Dates: Commencing Sunday 11 January 2026 Tuesdays – evenings, Thursdays – evenings, Sundays Warnings: Adult themes, depictions of a gunshot wound (non-fatal), coarse language, farcical chaos. Creative Team: Director – Clem Halpin Production Website: https://www.spotlighttheatre.com.au/auditions Other Information: If cast, you must become a financial member of Spotlight Theatrical Company Cast must provide their own make-up, personal garments, and shoes Flexibility may be required for promotional calls or added rehearsals Script and audition pieces can be requested prior to registration by emailing the director Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Chris Gorman  – Female - Ken’s elegant, attractive wife. High-strung, anxious, comedic. Large role. Ken Gorman  – Male - A handsome attorney, articulate and stressed by the evening’s chaos. Large role. Claire Ganz  – Female - Lenny’s gossip-loving wife from Westchester. Stylish, sharp, dramatic. Large role. Lenny Ganz  – Male - An irritable accountant with biting sarcasm and explosive comedic moments. Large role. Ernie Cusack  – Male - A smug psychiatrist, well-meaning but overwhelmed. Medium role. Cookie Cusack  – Female - Ernie’s dramatic, eccentric wife with a bad back. Big physical comedy. Medium role. Glenn Cooper  – Male - A polished politician, charming and image-focused. Medium role. Cassie Cooper  – Female - Glenn’s jealous, glamorous, crystal-obsessed wife. Emotional, fiery. Medium role. Officer Welch  – Any gender - Seasoned police officer, assertive and observant. Small role. Officer Pudney  – Any gender - Rookie cop, quiet but sharp. Very small role.