Title: The Hunchback of Notre Dame Presented By: Savoyards Musical Comedy Society in collaboration with Redland Performing Arts Centre Genre: Musical / Gothic Drama Synopsis: Based on Victor Hugo’s novel and featuring songs from the Disney animated film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame combines Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s Academy Award-nominated score with additional songs and a book by Peter Parnell incorporating passages from Hugo’s novel. In fifteenth-century Paris, Quasimodo, the bell-ringer of Notre Dame, longs to escape the cathedral and experience the outside world. Kept isolated by his controlling guardian, Archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, Quasimodo ventures out during the Feast of Fools and meets Esmeralda, a young Romani woman who shows him compassion when others do not. Esmeralda also attracts the attention of Captain Phoebus and Frollo, whose obsession leads him to persecute Paris’s Romani community. Audition Date: Friday 16 – Monday 19 October 2026 Audition Time: Friday 16 October – 7:30pm–10:30pm individual auditions; movement call 8:30pm–9:00pm Saturday 17 October – 1:00pm–9:00pm individual auditions; movement calls 2:30pm–3:00pm and 7:00pm–7:30pm Sunday 18 October – 9:00am–12:00pm individual auditions; movement call 10:30am–11:00am; Choir auditions 1:00pm–5:00pm Monday 19 October – 6:30pm–10:30pm individual auditions; movement call 8:30pm–9:00pm Audition Location and Address: Wynnum West State School, entry via School Road, Wynnum West Audition Requirements: Stage Cast – named characters and Congregation: Complete a private 10-minute individual audition and a group movement call of approximately 30 minutes. Prepare 32 bars of a musical theatre song that is not from the show and showcases both your vocal and storytelling abilities. Bring a backing track on an AUX-ready device. You will also be asked to perform your chosen song as a monologue. The movement call will explore your ability to work within a group while demonstrating personality, fun, and spontaneity. Arrive 15 minutes early to register and receive an audition number. Choir: Attend a dedicated group choral audition of approximately one hour. After registering, auditionees will receive an excerpt of music to learn and should prepare only the line best suited to their voice type. The material will be reviewed during the audition before being performed in small SATB groups. All auditionees should bring: backing track where applicable, completed audition form including all conflicts, performance history/CV, colour headshot of at least 10cm × 15cm, and clothing/footwear suitable for movement. Headshots will not be returned. Audition Registration: Email auditions@savoyards.com.au with: Name Mobile phone number Role/s you wish to audition for You will receive a confirmation email containing your audition time. If you have not received a reply within three days, contact Savoyards again. Audition Pack: Download Audition Pack Performance Dates: 4–7 March 2027 Performance Times: Thursday 4 March – 7:30pm Friday 5 March – 7:30pm Saturday 6 March – 1:00pm Saturday 6 March – 7:30pm Sunday 7 March – 1:00pm Sunday 7 March – 6:00pm hold/keep available Performance Location: Redland Performing Arts Centre, 2/16 Middle Street, Cleveland QLD Rehearsal Dates: First rehearsal – 1 November 2026 Last rehearsal of 2026 – 9 December 2026 First rehearsal of 2027 – 11 January 2027 Tech rehearsals – 22 February–2 March 2027, including Sitzprobe on 27 February Bump-in – Monday 22 February, if available Bump-out – Monday 8 March, if available A launch event and photoshoot are also planned for November 2026. Rehearsal Times: Sundays – 12:00pm–5:00pm Mondays – 7:00pm–10:00pm Wednesdays – 7:00pm–10:00pm Rehearsals will take place at Wynnum West State School and RPAC Concert Hall and Studio. Successful performers are asked to keep all required rehearsals, performances, and key dates available. Performer Age: Minimum age is 18 years for all performers. Character playing ages range from approximately 20–60. Creative Team: Director – Sherryl-Lee Secomb Musical Director – Geoffrey Secomb Choreographer/Assistant Director – Bec Swain Choral Director – Jacqui Cuny Hall Assistant Musical Director – Chloe Evans Cultural Consultant – Matthew McKenzie Production Website: Savoyards – Auditions Other information: Savoyards is an amateur, volunteer-run theatre company. Financial membership is not required to participate, although performers are encouraged to become members and contribute to the wider activities of the society. The production is guided by a cultural safety plan and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies. The team welcomes performers of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities, including BIPOC, LGBTIQA+, gender-diverse performers, and performers with disability. Choir callbacks, if required, will be held Wednesday 21 October. Stage cast callbacks, if required, will be held Thursday 22 October at Savoyards Hall, Ferguson Street, Manly. All auditionees will be notified of their outcome. Casting offers will be communicated by phone, while unsuccessful auditionees will be notified by email. Successful performers are subject to a social media blackout until advised otherwise. Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Quasimodo | Male-presenting | Playing age 20–30 | Vocal range Bb2–Bb4 | The deformed bell-ringer of Notre Dame and Frollo’s nephew and charge. Lonely and obedient to Frollo, Quasimodo has a vivid imagination that brings the cathedral’s bells and gargoyles to life. Shy and uncertain, he quickly befriends Esmeralda and proves himself big-hearted and brave. Dom Claude Frollo | Male-presenting | Playing age 40–50 | Vocal range E2–D4 | Archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral. A righteous and imposing man whose devotion to the Church supersedes everything else. Ashamed of his attraction to Esmeralda, he attempts to suppress his desire by persecuting her and the Romani people. Esmeralda | Female-presenting | Playing age 20–30 | Vocal range Eb3–Db5 | A free-spirited young Romani woman who supports herself as a dancer. Independent, strong-willed, and outspoken, she fights for the fair treatment of her community and shows compassion towards Quasimodo. She falls for Phoebus but refuses to surrender herself to Frollo, even when doing so could save her life. Captain Phoebus de Martin | Male-presenting | Playing age 25–40 | Vocal range Ab2–Ab4 | The dashing new captain of the Cathedral Guard. Charming and arrogant, but struggling with trauma from four years of intense battle, Phoebus becomes torn between following Frollo’s orders and doing what he knows is right. He falls for Esmeralda and ultimately defies Frollo. Clopin Trouillefou | Flexible gender | Playing age 30–40 | Vocal range C3–G4 | The King/Queen of the Gypsies, a clever and agile entertainer and Romani leader. Acutely aware of the prejudice and danger faced by the Roma, Clopin is fiercely protective of the community and runs the Court of Miracles with authority. The role particularly calls for presence and personality. Jehan Frollo | Male-presenting | Playing age 20–30 | Vocal range G#2–Eb4 | Claude Frollo’s wild and charming younger brother and Quasimodo’s father. Far less faithful to the Church than Claude, Jehan shares a strong bond with his brother until his rebellious nature creates a fatal rift between them. Florika | Female-presenting | Playing age 20–30 | Vocal range C#4–F5 | Jehan’s Romani girlfriend and Quasimodo’s mother. Father Dupin | Male-presenting | Playing age 40–60 | Vocal range C4–A4A devout priest of Notre Dame Cathedral and stern guardian of Claude and Jehan. Judicial Officer | Male-presenting | Playing age 20–50 | Vocal range G2–E4 Saint Aphrodisius | Male-presenting | Playing age 30–50 | Vocal range B2–E4A stained-glass image that comes to life. Congregation – Stage Ensemble - An ensemble of storytellers portraying a wide range of characters including Roma, gargoyles, statues, soldiers, revellers, parishioners, priests, prostitutes, citizens of Paris, Lieutenant Frederic Charlus, and King Louis XI of France. The Congregation uses dynamic physical storytelling and choreographed movement to bring the world of the musical to life. Choir - A dedicated vocal ensemble forming the musical foundation of the production’s substantial choral score. The Choir remains on stage throughout the performance.

The Heartbreak Choir Presented by: PIP Theatre Written by: Aidan Fennessy Date attended: 18 September 2026 Directed by: Sherryl-Lee Secomb Produced by: Deidre Grace Stage Manager: Courtney Farrar Music Consultant: Jacqui Hall Cuny Set Design: Regan Henry Sound Design: Hannah Page Costume Design: Bill Haycock Lighting Design: Noah Milne Composer: Bradley McCaw Ignite Choir Director: Harmony Wollett Photography: Kris Anderson (Images by Anderson) “A choir is not a choir until someone listens.” I’ve been in enough choirs to understand that it's not just about the music; it's about the people. Week after week, this random collection of voices starts to form a community. That's why the fracture at the centre of The Heartbreak Choir is painful even before we know its cause. Five people have left their old choir over a matter of conscience, but they still need somewhere to belong. Regan Henry’s set in PIP Theatre drops us into a rural service hall with an upright piano, bulletin board, rusted chairs, toilet door, portrait of Queenie Elizabeth II, and a tiny wall heater valiantly warming only one square metre. I know this room. I’ve rehearsed in this room. Heck, I’ve nibbled on a stale biscuit in this room. Five oddballs make up the new choir after ditching the town’s original group over a moral dispute. The old choir still rehearses at the church, leaving this tiny town with two choral groups now eyeing the same festival performance. Barbara (Catarina Hebbard), a psychologist and chronic worrier, opens the show fussing over chairs while casually crop-dusting the empty hall. Assini (Brightholly Nininahazwe) is warm, pregnant, and hilariously blunt. Mack (Gemma Galley) is loud and capable of manspreading wider than I’ve ever seen any woman. Her daughter Savannah (Micheal Enright) uses sign when words become difficult. Totty (Deidre Grace) is a complete goober who says whatever comes to mind. “What should we sing? Nothing that involves testicles.” Their rehearsals feel like old gal pals catching up over coffee. The ensemble slips easily into that familiarity, with half-finished thoughts bouncing around the room. But every so often the conversation catches. Certain names land awkwardly. Subjects are dodged. Something sour sits underneath the banter... The second act takes a substantial turn from the fart jokes of the opening. Director Sherryl-Lee Secomb plants enough unease beneath the comedy that the later revelations feel like the floorboards finally giving way, not a different play suddenly taking over. Deidre Grace gets some of the biggest laughs as Totty (short for Charlotte, which is a whole convo of its own). Seemingly bogan yet wealthy and hopeless at reading the room, Totty also keeps the choir afloat. She sorts the logistics, chips in generously, and keeps arriving with food nobody has the heart to tell her is awful. Grace delivers the killer one-liners with total sincerity, blissfully unaware of how funny Totty is. For me, Gemma Galley is the production’s strongest performer. Mack has the volume of someone who has never worried about being overheard, reacting first and filtering thoughts later. The character is basically a megaphone with a big heart, especially where Savannah is concerned. Their exchanges are affectionate and often wordless (who needs words when you’ve got a mum who can read your mind?). Beneath all that bluster is a mother ready to go full mama bear to protect her child. Micheal Enright’s Savannah may be the quietest person in the room, but they’re constantly worth watching. When anxiety hits hard, speech can become difficult, So, much of Enright’s work lives in the body, the signing, and small reactions on the sidelines. Then Enright sings “Sing About It”, and that gorgeous voice comes pouring out. I love how Enright portrays a quiet demeanour without implying passivity. Savannah has humour, strong opinions, and a stubborn little streak beneath all those gothic layers. For Savannah, music is the language of comfort, unlocking thoughts and feelings that conversation might otherwise lock away. Brightholly Nininahazwe (the most amazing name) plays Assini with a lovely steadiness. A Zimbabwean doctor waiting for her qualifications to be recognised in Australia, she’s heavily pregnant and deeply religious. Assini is warm, practical, and has a way of saying exactly what she thinks before anyone has time to brace for it. Nininahazwe delivers those one-liners with a poker face, making them even more hilarious for us. But when the room starts tying itself in moral knots, Assini cuts through the noise with a calm clarity that the others often lack. The arrival of local cop Peter (Bradley McCaw) changes the temperature in the room. Recently widowed and raising his withdrawn teenage son Beau alone, Peter joins his wife's old choir to keep her close through the music she loved. What he doesn’t realise is that the group knows something about her past that he does not. Peter starts off with an awkward stiffness (his audition for the Brisbane Lions war cry is definitely memorable), but McCaw gradually lets the strain show. He is carrying grief, parenthood, police work, and a son who barely wants to speak to him. How much should he tell Beau? Can he leave the badge at the door when the people involved are those he loves? And can he open up to his wife’s best friend without falling apart? Benjamin Cole’s Beau has strong “please stop trying to make me talk about my feelings” energy. Dragged into choir life by Peter, he keeps the adults at arm’s length. But as his mum’s story comes into focus, the resistance loosens and anger seeps in. When Beau eventually adds his own voice to the choir, it doesn’t fix anything, but he is finally willing to let these people in. Barbara (Catarina Hebbard) is the quiet engine of the choir. She runs rehearsals, chooses the songs, checks on everyone, and remains neutral towards the members who stayed behind rather than treating the split like a small-town civil war. Hebbard gives her a wonderfully recognisable kind of anxious competence, always tending to the room and the people in it. As Caro’s best friend and practically an auntie to Beau, she’s carrying grief alongside information that isn’t entirely hers to share. Hebbard is at her best when Barbara is finally left alone with feelings she can’t redirect towards somebody else. Her panic attack, played against the uncooperative little heater, is painfully convincing. Bill Haycock’s costumes sketch each personality quickly, from Savannah’s gothic layers and Peter’s police uniform to Assini’s bright patterns and the choir scarves. One of the simplest details became one of my favourites. That tiny heater, already hanging over proceedings like the saddest sun imaginable, starts to feel connected to Caro. A patch of warmth in the room. A presence that isn’t physically there. Once I noticed it that way, I couldn’t stop seeing her in it. I totally get symbolism. Jacqui Hall Cuny’s music consultation and Hannah Page’s sound design keep the songs rooted in this scruffy room. McCaw’s original composition brings that idea home in the finale. The Ignite Choir, led by Harmony Wollett, emerges from the shadows and joins the cast onstage, their voices suddenly blooming from what had been a small, fractured group. McCaw accompanies at the piano as the song swells around him. “You are the voice coming through the darkness” could hardly find a more fitting home. Writer Aidan Fennessy described The Heartbreak Choir as a celebration, and I understand what he means. Not because these people have fixed everything. Some wounds remain open. Some questions don’t receive satisfying answers. The celebration is that they come back. They drag out the crappy chairs. And they sing. As someone who understands the need to belong to a group, this show gets me. Music can’t undo what happened in this town, but for a couple of hours in a rural hall beside one determined little heater, it gives these people somewhere to put their voices.

Scorched Earth Produced by: Attic Projects (IRL) Presented by: Brisbane Festival in association with Brisbane Powerhouse Date attended: 17 September 2026 Direction, Writing & Choreography: Luke Murphy Rehearsal Direction: Stephen Moynihan Set & Costume Design: Alyson Cummins Lighting Design: Stephen Dodd Composition & Sound Design: Rob Moloney Audio Visual Design: Patricio Cassinoni Cast: Luke Murphy, Ryan O’Neill, Sarah Dowling, Tyler Carney-Faleatua, Will Thompson Voiceover Artist: Eavan Gaffney Producer: Gwen Van Spÿk Australian Tour Producer: Lee-Anne Donnolley Photography: Pato Cassinoni, Emilija Jefremova, Sound of Photography, Teddy Wolff “Did you love it or just desire it? One is about giving, the other about taking.” That question burrows deep into Scorched Earth, Attic Projects’ slippery hybrid of dance theatre, crime drama, psychological thriller, and one extremely committed argument about a field. William Dean is dead. The property developer had returned to Ireland intending to build on land previously leased and lovingly tended by farmer John McKay (Luke Murphy), who wanted to buy it himself. Detective Alison Kerr (Sarah Dowling) brings McKay into an interrogation room, and has 24 hours to prise out the truth. It’s almost a whodunnit... but there's a disputed patch of Irish earth, a community closing ranks, conflicting recollections, and (I promise I didn’t dream this) a missing donkey. “He wasn’t from here,” we hear repeatedly about Dean, a simple phrase carrying the weight of an entire community behind it. What does it take to be from somewhere? Kerr’s interrogation eventually resembles a hostile therapy session as McKay explains far more than simply where he was on the night of the murder. Designer Alyson Cummins’ grey interrogation room initially appears straightforward: fluorescent lights, a metal desk, chairs, two-way glass, and a countdown steadily chewing through those 24 hours. Nothing stays straightforward for long though. The glass becomes a radio booth, bar, morgue, mirror, and frame for live tableaux. Furniture changes purpose. Grass starts turning up where grass absolutely shouldn’t be. The theatre itself behaves like an unreliable witness. Murphy establishes this language through opening tableaux that scatter fragments of the story in front of us before we understand what they mean. Bodies freeze, collapse across furniture, tangle together, or hang mid-action. Patricio Cassinoni’s audiovisual design extends the idea through black-and-white slides of fields, documents, and crime-scene material, while voiceovers deliver autopsy findings, memories, and recollections. Events are replayed through movement, and everybody has their own version of what happened. The five performers are remarkably versatile storytellers, shifting between acting, contemporary dance, physical theatre, townspeople, memory fragments, corpses, and strange embodiments of the landscape. Slow-motion sequences are so controlled that actions seem caught frame by frame, like evidence being scrubbed backwards for inspection. The treatment of Dean’s "corpse" (Will Thompson) is particularly impressive, his body becoming ragdoll-like as it's rolled, folded, dragged, and flung through extensive floorwork. Portraying dead weight, inconveniently, requires an enormous amount of very alive muscular control. McKay’s attachment to the land becomes physical through the moss-covered creatures that crawl into his world. A duet between McKay and one of these human clumps of landscape is intimate and aggressive at once, crossing the desk through lifts, grappling, clinging, and contorted embraces. Is he loving the land or wrestling it into submission? Soon three creatures are attacking him and Murphy is somehow carrying all of them at once. Respectfully: muscles?! That strength runs through the whole cast, and by about two-thirds of the way through I’m already thinking, these poor dancers must be exhausted. They haven’t even met the hill yet. Rob Moloney’s sound design rarely lets the audience settle. Pulsing strings meet Celtic fiddle, EDM, sudden blasts of noise, recorded voices, and intricate foley. Water drips. Feet move through grass. Tiny sounds become enormous. The auction scene uses that pressure particularly well, turning McKay’s desperate attempts to gather enough money for the field into a frantic rush driven by an electronic pulse. As somebody with misophonia, some of the hyper-amplified ASMR-adjacent effects made me want to crawl out of my own skin. Theatre of cruelty indeed. I can appreciate the precision while also begging everyone to stop making noises directly inside my skull. Stephen Dodd’s lighting continually redirects attention through a production where information can appear anywhere. An autopsy is conducted through dance and voiceover, while another memorable duet uses the reflective glass and carefully manipulated light to split bodies across the space. Even as McKay’s sense of time blurs, the production’s own timing remains exact. Sound, projections, movement, lighting, and scenic shifts have to collide at precisely the right second. My favourite piece of stagecraft arrives when Scorched Earth decides it has had enough of its own set. As the truth of the murder is described, the cast begin dismantling the interrogation room around McKay. Walls disappear, furniture moves, and flooring is pulled apart while Murphy continues a sequence of violent movements against swelling string music. The performers suddenly become their own stage crew, stripping away the physical world of the interrogation at the same moment McKay’s story is being stripped down. After spending the night watching one room constantly change identity, Attic Projects finally tears the whole bloody thing apart. And what it has been hiding is enormous! The light gradually rises over a huge sloped field of grass occupying the back of the stage. It has been sitting there all along. The interrogation room suddenly seems tiny in retrospect, and the dancers now have to confront the land physically. They sprint uphill, scramble, slide, tumble back down, roll, jump, and crawl as layers of sounds heard throughout the performance re-emerge to gather around them. By the end, five exhausted bodies are reduced to battling gravity. They climb. The hill sends them back. They climb again. Another triumph from Attic Projects. Their production of Volcano still takes the cake for me, but Scorched Earth is an entirely different beast, built from a different theatrical language and a design that keeps finding new ways to wrong-foot us.

Title: Arise Theatricals’ Brand-New Variety Show 2027 Presented By: Arise Theatrical Genre: Variety/Youth Performance Synopsis: Arise Theatricals is developing a brand-new variety show showcasing talented emerging performers from Brisbane and surrounding areas. The production will bring together young artists with skills across circus, dance, vocals, live music, musical theatre and other variety disciplines, providing them with an opportunity to perform and further develop their craft. Audition Date: Due by the 21st of September Audition Requirements: Your age Your CV (if available) or a short bio A recent headshot (if available) A video of your act recorded in the last 12 months Audition Registration: Email arisetheatricals@gmail.com or directly message their social media accounts @arisetheatricals Audition Pack: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc_GtrbFuN6/?hl=en Performance Dates: Friday 8th of January 2027 Saturday 9th of January 2027 Possible extension for a third performance Performance Times: TBA Performance Location: Brisbane’s southern suburbs; specific venue TBA Rehearsal Dates: TBA Rehearsal Times: TBA Rehearsal Location: Brisbane’s southern suburbs; specific location TBA Warnings: Dependent on individual acts Performer Age: 7+ Production Website: https://www.instagram.com/arisetheatricals/?hl=en Other information: Applicants must be based in Brisbane, Queensland, or the surrounding areas. This is an unpaid community theatre project. The production aims to provide emerging young performers with a professional platform through which they can perform and develop their skills. Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Seeking versatile performers aged 7 years and older. This is a variety production rather than a character-based scripted show, so applicants are being considered according to their individual acts and performance skills. Must be engaging with the audience, confident on stage or have previous experience. Areas of interest include: Circus and acrobatics Dance, including tap and Irish dance Vocal performance and singing Musical theatre Live music and instrumental performance Skating Hula-hoop performance Balance acts Clowning Other distinctive variety or specialty performance skills

EQUINOX: A BRAND NEW MUSICAL Presented by: Brisbane State High School Venue: QUT Gardens Theatre Date Attended: 11 September 2026 Book, Music & Lyrics: Malcolm Hume Musical Director/Conductor: Jane Iszlaub Stage Manager: Aimee Gust Assistant Directors: Gabrielle Quin and Eliza Moore Design Lead: Charlotte Pezaro Vocal Coaching: Naomi Thurlow Choreography Leader: Jess Zeibell Photography: Jeffrey Zhang “Wake, work, eat, sleep, repeat.” Aboard the spaceship Persephone 1, that motto is company policy. Brisbane State High School has chosen to fly in a new direction for its 2026 musical production. Instead of handing its cast a familiar musical with an established soundtrack and multiple bootlegs to study, the school premieres Equinox, an entirely new sci-fi musical by Malcolm Hume. We get aliens, workplace oppression, rich people complaining, fighter-pilot jocks, and corporate propaganda that's out of this world. Seven months into Persephone’s maiden voyage, humanity’s latest batch of colonists is heading towards a new life on Equinox. Corporate assures everyone that the ship is state-of-the-art. The wealthy passengers disagree, largely because the catering isn't up to their gourmet standards. The Flight Crew are sulking because their extremely expensive fighter jets are tragically sitting around gathering space dust. The Staff are exhausted, underpaid, and trapped in an endless loop. Meanwhile, nervous junior navigator Ensign Rensom discovers that the ship is off course, and nobody in charge seems particularly interested in listening to her. Malcolm Hume cites the class farces of Gilbert and Sullivan as inspiration, and I can see the family resemblance. Every character has their own agenda, social groups travel in packs, authority figures are absurd, lyrics come thick and fast, and the plot gradually ties itself into a knot of competing schemes. This time, though, the operetta has been launched into space and plugged into a synth-rock score. And that score does not make life easy for anybody. The timing is hard. Rhythms shift, lyrics tumble over each other, entrances demand precision, and some of the time signatures appear to have a personal vendetta against these teenagers. The nine student musicians in the pit (two pianists, guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, two trumpets, and trombone) handle it confidently under Jane Iszlaub’s direction. Isabelle Harris gives Ensign Rensom a nervous physicality from the beginning. She’s discovered a potentially catastrophic navigational problem and would very much prefer that somebody else fix it. Isabelle holds tension through her posture and delivery, making Rensom appear to shrink around the bigger personalities before slowly coming out of the shadows and finally taking up space. “Alone Out Here” lets her work through that anxiety vocally, while keeping Rensom recognisably determined. Isabelle's duet with Adina Stephen’s Alien Sibling 3479, “To See the Stars”, brings their voices together beautifully, with lovely harmonies underneath all the curiosity of two characters trying to figure each other out. Adina brings a softer presence to Sibling 3479, including “One Percent”, which looks at the surviving humans with unexpected tenderness. The Alien voices have their own bizarre flavour too, sung offstage in a solemn monotone that sends my brain somewhere between Jesus Christ Superstar chanting and We Will Rock You futurism. Peyton Pule’anga has plenty of fun with Captain Bromard’s dramatic tendencies while finding a sweeter side in “Perfect Little Dome”. Bromard’s grand dream is hilariously relatable: forget commanding humanity through deep space, she would quite like her own dome where nobody can schedule a meeting, send an email, or ask her for anything. Deeply valid... Lucie Le Saveant gets one of the score’s juiciest numbers as scheming Lieutenant Carvolth, and she has the voice to sink her teeth into it. “That Uniform” turns villainy into a full production number, with Lucie controlling the bodies around her through puppeteer-style choreography. Even better, she choreographed the number herself! Carvolth doesn’t need to explain how she sees everyone else when she can physically arrange them like pieces on a board. That creative ownership extends throughout Equinox. Individual songs have their own student choreographers, which I don’t see particularly often in school productions, and I love the idea of handing students that responsibility. Erin Savage choreographs the regimented “Wake, Work, Eat, Sleep, Repeat”, Darcy Viles takes on “A Reasonable List of Demands”, Kyra Ryan handles “A Modest Proposal” and “Bromard’s Torment”, Jemma Hart-Phillips choreographs the opening and finale, and Lydia Du and Mary Mac Geraghty tackle the rapid-fire “Just Say Yes”. Nikhil Cheriyapath leads the Colonists’ complaint department as Grandall, surrounded by passengers in extravagant clothes, sour faces, and noses held higher than everybody else’s. His diction is particularly useful during “A Reasonable List of Demands”, where grievances arrive at speed, and his voice comfortably leads the motley band of wealthy space Karens around him. Heidi Cesnik’s Corporal Porkins looks permanently one workplace request away from collapse. She throws her whole body into Porkins’ frazzlement, racing through duties as though the survival of civilisation depends on somebody finally getting the laundry done. “Don’t You Want to Be Free?” gives Heidi room to open up vocally after all that stress, and Porkins finally gets some proper breathing room. Brandon Barnes as Melwick leads the Flight Crew, who are basically the ship’s jocks: athletic, excitable, and deeply disappointed that nobody has required them to dramatically save the day in their fighter jets yet. Brandon gives Melwick the right amount of irritating swagger for someone who’s spent far too long waiting for an excuse to use the expensive toys. “Fly By” goes all in with full choreography and even a tap break! Visually, Equinox achieves a lot with fairly modest materials. Cardboard scenic pieces and LED strips outline the ship, while bright coloured lighting shifts the mood and throws stars around the theatre. The projections are a great addition for imagery and context, while the surtitles help enormously when voices come from offstage and the musical textures get crowded. There are rough edges, of course. Equinox is long, and its plot is carrying a lot of ideas: Rensom’s navigation crisis, the Alien breach and body-swapping, Carvolth’s ambitions, Bromard’s spiralling, the staff uprising, the colonists protesting, corporate pressure, and the flight crew all want space. The costume changes and transitions also leave occasional patches of empty stage. I’m forgiving here because this is a high school production premiering an original musical from scratch, but tightening those gaps would help the story maintain momentum instead of having to rev itself back up. The line I kept thinking about afterward was: “You are worth more than you produce.” Equinox keeps circling questions of status, labor, privilege, and what happens when people are valued according to their usefulness or position. It’s also interested in what changes when they start looking across those divisions at each other instead. Most excitingly, these students are the first test pilots to try any of this material. There’s some turbulence, sure, but that comes with premiering a brand-new musical hurtling into unknown territory.

Class of 2026 Musical Theatre Showcase Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre, Griffith University Date Attended: 10 September 2026 Creative Directors: Paul Sabey, Megan Shorey, and Dr Elise Greig Musical Director and Arranger: Heidi Loveland Choreographer: Dan Venz Voice and Acting Coach: Dr Elise Greig Stage Manager and Lighting: Cathy Healy One hour. Twenty graduating musical theatre students. Dozens of songs, scenes, dance breaks. And approximately four seconds in which to breathe between them. No pressure. The Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre’s Class of 2026 Musical Theatre Showcase gives its graduating cohort one final chance to show exactly what three years of training has produced before they’re sent out into the industry. Everyone performed as though their lives depend on it. Or their degrees. Possibly both. The format is stripped back. There are no microphones, barely any time between each piece, and a live band led by musical director Heidi Loveland, with Archie Loveland on guitar and Lucas Harm occasionally swapping performer duties for percussion. The staging is intimate, exposed, and audition-like. They have only a minute or two at a time to establish a character, tell a story, show off some vocal fireworks, dance themselves breathless, and convince the audience that they should be cast immediately. It’s a terrifying proposition when you think about it. And that pressure produces some of the showcase’s most unexpected choices. Having seen many of this cohort across their training, I spent much of the hour watching them perform roles I haven’t previously associated with them. There’s very little safety in staying within an obvious casting type. Scene work helped considerably because the acting material covered wildly different territory. This year, the students performed existing texts rather than self-written scenes, moving from the heightened ridiculousness of Fangirls, Freak, Matilda, and Muriel’s Wedding into the thornier worlds of Marriage Story, Closer, Glengarry Glen Ross, and DNA. The musical choices are just as determined to test every available skill. Alessia Charman and Jackson Hughesman find an intense connection in “Seventeen” from Heathers. Caelan McCarthy and Anni Reilly’s Juno scene captures the awkward rhythm of two people struggling to articulate their feelings. Ned Kelly and Addisyn Herndon bring a convincing push and pull to “First Date/Last Night” from Dogfight. Addisyn also brings wonderful emotional shape to “The Mad Hatter” from Wonderland. AJ Betts finds sincerity inside the underrated “Who I’d Be” from Shrek. What I keep noticing across their roles is the ability to simply become whoever they’re playing. AJ's characters arrive fully formed Zoe Allsopp Lander has one of my front-runner vocal moments in “When It All Falls Down” from Chaplin. It’s a big, brassy, belted number, and that huge sound isn’t what I expect to come out of Zoe until she opens her mouth and there it is. Ned Kelly brings both scale and emotional urgency to “The Flesh Failures/Let the Sunshine In” from Hair. Caelan McCarthy’s “Leave” from Once is at its best in its simplicity: a performer, a guitar, and a story. Caelan also has one of the most distinctive voices in the cohort, with a vocal quality that feels entirely his own. Priya Gill, Lily Bennetts, and McCarthy perform an acoustic, non-musical-theatre rendition of “Landslide,” allowing the harmonies and warmth among them to elevate the song. In a programme that moves at such speed, these quieter pieces are so valuable, showing that holding back can reveal just as much as belting, dancing, or throwing everything at the audience at once. There’s another challenge in tackling songs with popular versions already lodged in people’s memories. Tayler Ramsay gets her own deliciously theatrical turn with “Roxie”. Priya Gill handles the rhythmic precision and agility of “Helpless” from Hamilton. I can def see her playing Eliza one day. Aarya Doolabh brings buoyant energy to “When Will My Life Begin?”, capturing the song’s particular brand of Disney optimism. Saul Kavenagh gets to flex his musical muscles with “Moving Too Fast”, attacking Jason Robert Brown’s relentless phrasing and momentum head-on. Saul has that recognisable musical theatre leading-man quality: clear, assured, and easy to imagine carrying a full production. Some other performers have looked at the requirement to sing unamplified and thought... Excellent. Now I shall dance as hard as I possibly can! These are borderline sadistic choices (which is a compliment). Alessia Charman opens the entire showcase with “New Money” from The Great Gatsby, combining its flash, vocal attack, and relentless physicality, which immediately put my jaw on the floor. Lucas Harm barely stops moving through “I Can’t Stand Still” from Footloose, yet keeps the vocal line clear and projected while his body does exactly what the title promises. Ella Wood takes on the beast that is “The Life of the Party” and goes after it with total commitment: fearless eye contact, a huge vocal belt, and stamina through every beat of the choreography. She leaves nothing in reserve. Just when I think the showcase can’t ask much more of them, Anni Reilly takes on “Mein Herr”, with all its stylised precision and physical demands layered on top of the singing. The ensemble backs her beautifully, helping build the number’s scale and sharp theatricality. Harry Ince goes one step further and sings Barnum while juggling, because musical theatre training clearly wasn’t keeping him busy enough. Hannah Mohr tackles the jazzy agility of “Here I Am” from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and she’s also one of the performers I kept noticing in the dance-heavy ensemble material. Lily Bennetts seduces the audience through the tango rhythms of “Whatever Lola Wants”, twisting through the choreography with control. These numbers demand projection, breath control, and stamina, and Dan Venz’s choreography doesn’t baby the cohort either. But that’s the job, and I have enormous admiration for performers who can do all of it at once (while still smiling). Lottie Smith and Sam Thomas go charging into “This World Will Remember Us” from Bonnie & Clyde with all the reckless excitement it needs, completely matching each other’s energy. Lottie also gets her own chance to bite into the humour of “I’m Infected” from Cry-Baby. And Sam singing “On My Own” from Les Mis may be my favourite example of the showcase’s refusal to typecast. I didn’t expect it from someone I associate so strongly with comedy, and I’m glad there’s space here for him to show that side of emotion. The ensemble is rarely far from the action, with few students ever truly performing alone. Classmates constantly step in to support one another in numbers like “Larger Than Life”, “Helpless”, “New Money”, and “Moses Supposes/Good Morning”. Saul and Zoe front Rocky Horror's “Damn It, Janet”, while the others’ perfectly expressionless faces pop into view. Lachlan Dunks takes charge of “The Mob Song” from Beauty and the Beast, his low, intense voice giving the Disney number a menancing edge. Jackson closes the show with “Goodbye” from Catch Me If You Can, drawing everyone back onstage for one final shared moment. You can feel everybody willing each other through the showcase. This is a cohort of big personalities, but there’s also a lovely generosity in how readily they support whoever has the spotlight. The brutally tight transitions leave almost no opportunity to celebrate one another. A number finishes, the audience wants to cheer, and somebody else is already halfway into their next piece. I imagine the internal dialogue is mostly, You smashed that! Love you! Move, I need your spot! A few performers kept tugging my attention back throughout the hour, and I’d like to briefly single them out of the chorus line. Zoe Allsopp Lander moves easily between broad comedy and emotionally direct material, while AJ Betts has a knack for disappearing into each character they’re handed. Alessia Charman moves between the physical, vocal, and emotional demands of each piece with command. Jackson Hughesman has the kind of warmth that naturally draws the eye. There’s an individuality to him that’s difficult to manufacture, along with an ease in front of the room that makes even the most exposed material feel comfortable. Ella Wood impresses me just as much for the distance between her musical choices. “The Life of the Party” asks for attack and the nerve to fill every inch of the number, while Waitress requires almost the opposite instinct: restraint. Harry Ince is perhaps the performer who most consistently makes me reassess where I’d cast him. He can be a swaggering showman in Barnum, soften completely for Waitress, and then jump into the thrill of David Mamet. Ned Kelly is equally determined to visit a new genre every time he walks onstage, moving between Marriage Story, Dogfight, and Hair. More than the variety itself, though, it’s the sheer commitment that keeps pulling my attention back to him. His focus is intense in every role, and he gives each appearance the same full-bodied investment whether he has one minute or ten. The only downside is built into the form itself. A minute can be cruelly short. Just as somebody establishes a character or settles into a song, we’re moving again. Yet that’s also the skill being tested: walk into an almost empty space, with very little time and nowhere to hide, and make somebody take notice. This cohort can do it. I’d already started imagining where I’d like to see them next. Only a month later, some are turning up on our local stages. I didn’t have to imagine for long!

Grease Presented by: Ipswich Musical Theatre Company Venue: Ipswich Civic Centre Date attended: 12 September 2026 Director: Thomas Armstrong-Robley Musical Director: Matt Rofe Choreographer: Simon Lind Sound Design: Murray Keidge Lighting Design: Zephyr Burns Set Design: Thomas Armstrong-Robley and Zephyr Burns Wardrobe: Delma Odger and Kaisa Howard Stage Manager: Jacob Olsen Photography: Justin Marriner Welcome back to Rydell High, where the skirts are big, the hair is slick, and emotional maturity is still several years away. Ipswich Musical Theatre Company has taken over the Ipswich Civic Centre with Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s original stage musical. If the 1978 film is your main reference point for Grease, prepare for a few “wait, that’s different” moments. Bethanie Walsh is perfectly cast as Sandy, floating in with her buttery hair, a daisy-yellow OOTD, and a soft speaking voice (no Aussie accent in this version, btw), every inch the sweet new girl at Rydell. Then she opens her mouth to sing and has an entirely different set of lungs hidden there. “Hopelessly Devoted to You” lets her massive voice loose, with clear notes sailing through the Civic Centre. Unfortunately, from the balcony, several scenes staged downstage disappear from view, including parts of Sandy’s solo. Lachlan Dodd leans into Danny’s peacocking and absolute lack of relationship competence. There are points where I’m practically willing Sandy to grab her cardigan and save herself the trouble, which says a lot about how fully Dodd commits to the character. He also finds plenty of comedy in Danny’s cool-guy swagger. Vocally, “Sandy” is where Dodd finally gets the stage to himself, and he sounds superb. His warm tone carries the number easily, while “Summer Nights” and “You’re the One That I Want” show how naturally he fits the score. The Pink Ladies are one of those groups where everyone feels exactly right for the part. Elly Rowbotham’s Marty has the poise and self-assurance the role needs, with “Freddy, My Love” giving her a lovely chance to settle into the character’s teenage romantic fantasy. Trinity Young makes Jan’s awkwardness completely endearing, Olivia MacGillivray gives Frenchy an easy sweetness, and Jaime O’Donoghue cuts through the group with Rizzo’s dry bite. Together, they nail those doo-wop harmonies and that teenage-girl intimacy where loyalty, gossip, affection, and emotional warfare can all happen within the same five minutes. Jaime O’Donoghue’s Rizzo could probably make someone cry with a raised eyebrow. Her “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” draws audible reactions from the audience as Rizzo tears Sandy to pieces. Then “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” (my fave) pulls the rug out from under all that attitude. O’Donoghue settles into a darker vocal colour, backed by some killer saxophone from the band, and lets the song breathe. After spending so much of the show armed with a comeback, Rizzo suddenly has nowhere to hide. The T-Birds match the girls for personality, with Oliver Edgar’s Kenickie, Alex Holmes’ Doody, Lucas Van Stam’s Sonny, and Pat Daley’s Roger forming a rowdy little ecosystem of bravado, stupidity, and teenage-boy nonsense. “Greased Lightnin’” belongs to Oliver Edgar. As Kenickie, he attacks it with crazy legs, Elvis pelvis, deep vocals, and the air of a teenager who has become sexually attracted to his own car. Around him, the other T-Birds are determined to test the structural integrity of said car. The audience is singing and cheering before the number’s even over (and it gets multiple encores anyway). Alex Holmes gets Doody’s big moment in “Those Magic Changes”, sailing into the upper range while the boys around him go feral with the choreography and props. The T-Birds hold their harmonies just as well as the Pink Ladies, and Pat Daley’s Roger gets a crowd favourite with “Mooning”, joined by Trinity Young’s Jan for one of the show’s sillier little duets. This cast commits to every bit (but no butts are seen). Oliver Edgar also provides opening night with an unintended moment of drama when his foot catches on a loose stair and sends him tumbling. As somebody who has personally broken a foot on a dodgy stage step, I felt panic in my soul. Thankfully, Edgar recovers instantly and later drops into a jazz split like it’s nothing. Excuse me, stage queen! Tobey Ogilvie as Patty Simcox certainly knows how to get noticed. Always operating at 170% enthusiasm, with a crush on Danny so obvious she may as well be carrying a neon sign, Patty treats every entrance as another chance to get herself directly into his orbit. Meanwhile, Jaxon Anderson’s Eugene occupies the opposite end of the Rydell social food chain, attracting plenty of sympathy from the audience. Ipswich River 94.9’s Greg “Hinksy” Hinks plays Vince Fontaine, because the easiest way to cast a convincing radio personality is simply to go and get one! Under Thomas Armstrong-Robley’s direction, this huge cast behaves exactly like a bunch of teenagers left unsupervised. They’re loud, hormonal, and always ready to flirt, sulk, gossip, or start trouble. A few jokes fall flatter than intended. Timing and enunciation play a part, as does material that’s showing its age, while busy staging occasionally pulls the eye away from the punchline. Then there’s “Beauty School Dropout”... Thomas Armstrong-Robley steps out from behind the director’s chair to play Teen Angel, appearing in a huge white wig somewhere between celestial lounge singer and Beetlejuice after an aggressive bleaching session. The whole sequence goes gloriously over the top, with LED-lit steps, a glitter curtain, spotlights, and the women’s ensemble in sparkling aprons and hair rollers. Armstrong-Robley throws himself into every bit of the cameo. The number does, however, keep going... And going. Every moment gets milked for all it’s worth until the scene starts feeling like its own mini cabaret, slowing Act Two more than it needs to. By the time Teen Angel has completed his celestial residency, I feel as though Frenchy could’ve finished beauty school after all. Simon Lind’s choreography grabs me early. It’s inventive, tight, and stylistically varied, and the cast look happiest when handed a big dance sequence to devour. “Born to Hand Jive” fills the stage with big skirts and ’50s dance vocabulary, with Lachlan Dodd and Annie Sutherland’s Cha-Cha tearing through the dance contest with flashy flourishes and lifts. The sheer number of bodies moving around the Civic stage creates the school-dance frenzy the scene needs. The band sits elevated across the rear of the stage, visible through much of the show, while the set stays fairly simple for the scale of the Civic Centre. Two staircases dominate the space, with a jukebox and smaller pieces shifting us between locations. It leaves plenty of room for the cast to dance (which they absolutely need), though a few transitions still have that final-dress-rehearsal feeling. Scene changes occasionally sit in dead space, and late or missing blackouts leave us watching the reset happen. Opening night still had a few technical edges to smooth out. The sound mix also gets crowded when the full company joins in. With microphones on almost everyone, backing vocals can overpower the lead, and some dialogue gets lost between the accents, enunciation, and mic balance. You can hear that the cast know the material, but the mix doesn’t always let the right voice come through. Lighting could help guide the eye more through the larger scenes, too. With so much of the stage fully lit, I sometimes found myself watching movement elsewhere while someone was speaking. During the dance sequence in particular, dialogue bounces around the company and there were a few moments where I genuinely had no idea who the voice belonged to. Costumes by Delma Odger and Kaisa Howard, with wigs, hair, and makeup by Odger, suit each character nicely. Nobody looks like they’ve been handed the same generic ’50s costume from a rack, and everything fits extremely well. I particularly loved Sandy’s main wig. Then she returns for the finale having spent intermission backstage with Dolly Parton’s hairdresser. Then there’s the actual plot of Grease (none of which is IMTC’s fault). Ah yes, 1959... when boys treated girls terribly, discussed them as bodies to be conquered, and our romantic conclusion involves Sandy changing her clothes, hair, behaviour, and general identity to keep her man happy. Romance! And then there’s “We Go Together”, which the stage musical places at the end of Act One. We’ve reached neither graduation nor resolution, nobody has learned anything, and suddenly everyone is celebrating eternal friendship. It’s a strange bit of structure, but once the full company piles onto the stage, the sheer energy carries it. By the finale, the audience is singing along to “You’re the One That I Want,” the cast is still somehow finding energy, and Rydell High has descended into one last frenzy. IMTC has assembled a fantastic cast willing to throw themselves bodily into Grease (sometimes literally down the stairs). For all the opening-night rough edges, I mostly remember just how much fun the people onstage were having together.

Are You Lonesome Tonight Produced by: Opera Queensland Presented at: Brisbane Festival, Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent Date Attended: 9 September 2026 Concept: Patrick Nolan Director: Laura Hansford Design: Penny Challen Lighting: Wesley Bluff Musical Directors: Steve Russell & Trevor Jones Music Consultant (Opera): Dane Lam Music Consultant (Country): Sara Storer Cast: Marcus Corowa, Gabrielle Diaz, Alec Steedman, Trevor Jones Photography: Dylan Evans It’s either ‘I love you, but I’m dying of TB,’ or ‘I love you, but I love my pickup truck more.’ Turns out opera and country music have been hollering about the same problems for ages. We’re talking cussin’, fightin’, lovin’, drinkin’, cheatin’, and dyin’. One genre belts it out in Italian while dressed to the nines, and the other usually involves a pickup truck and a cowboy hat. Returning to Brisbane Festival after a hugely successful regional tour, Patrick Nolan’s concept turns that overlap into part concert, part musical showdown. Opera Queensland’s Are You Lonesome Tonight? spends an hour throwing Puccini, Verdi, Dolly Parton, Troy Cassar-Daley, Taylor Swift, and several centuries’ worth of other musical gatecrashers into the same country bar. The clearest evidence arrives when Bizet’s Carmen collides with Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” The chords line up with almost alarming neatness, as do the swagger, seduction, and general suggestion that this woman has had quite enough of a man’s nonsense. The repertoire keeps finding these entertaining collisions. Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” crashes into La bohème on the shared rush of young people making romantic decisions far too quickly. Verdi and Hank Williams reveal themselves as fellow specialists in tunes that will get stuck in your head. Opera, as the performers gleefully point out, has spent a big chunk of its history inventing creative ways to kill the women off. Country music may let more of its sopranos survive... but the cheaters, scorned lovers, doomed romances, and family disasters remain plentiful. With several centuries of opera and an enormous country-western catalog available, I don't envy whoever had to narrow down the playlist! The program also widens beyond the familiar American cowboy mythology into Australian storytelling, with Banjo Paterson’s “Clancy of the Overflow,” music from Kate Miller-Heidke’s The Rabbits, and Troy Cassar-Daley among the selections. "Take a Walk in My Country" gets room to breathe after the rapid genre-hopping, with their three-part harmonies easily lifting one's spirits. Holding this musical pile-up together is an absurdly versatile cast of four. Trevor Jones spends the night at the piano, anchoring repertoire that changes century, genre, and vocal style at a moment’s notice. Marcus Corowa regularly moves to acoustic guitar, Alec Steedman on violin, and Gabby Diaz on cello and percussion. Specialising in one thing was deemed insufficient I suppose! Their voices are asked to ricochet between styles without much time to settle into a single vocal setup. Corowa’s warm tone sits beautifully in the country material, with an easy, grounded quality over acoustic guitar and a smoothness that suits the gentler storytelling. Steedman produces a rich, rounded sound that prompted the extremely technical note in my notebook: “sounds like Josh Groban, but better.” I stand by it. His violin adds another melodic line to arrangements already juggling plenty, while his voice carries depth for both crooning and classical repertoire. Gabrielle Diaz flicks between operatic grandeur and western twang, changing vocal placement, tone, and attack mid-song to make the contrast immediately audible. Later, she turns that genre-hopping into an actual singing lesson during “Jolene”. The audience is enlisted for the chorus, with one important condition: we’re singing it opera style. Diaz demonstrates the difference between the open resonance of her classical sound and the brighter nasality associated with country-western before setting us loose on poor Jolene ourselves. Brisbane Festival has involved me in many unusual audience participation experiences over the years. This was a new one! The arrangements deserve their own cowboy hat tip. Tempos, keys, styles, and musical fragments are stitched together so that one song keeps unexpectedly opening a door into another. The closing megamix barrels through classical repertoire alongside John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Shania Twain, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and more, like somebody has been handed control of the world’s most chaotic jukebox. Visually, the production follows the same logic. Sparkling cowboy boots appear beneath Diaz’s glossy red gown, tuxedos meet bolo ties and oversized belt buckles... Are we at a grand aria or a particularly glamorous rodeo? Curved illuminated set pieces frame the performers with a stylised western flourish that suits the mirrors, velvet, and cabaret intimacy of Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent. That venue is a particularly good home for a piece originally created for touring to communities where an opera company doesn’t regularly roll into town. The formality surrounding opera is quickly dismantled. You don't need to know your arias in advance, because the performers chat between songs, explain the musical connections, and provide enough history to keep newcomers oriented. There are limits to what can be squeezed into an hour though. Plenty of famous names receive little more than a passing shoutout, and the opera excerpts are obviously sung without surtitles, so I hope you brushed up on your French and Italian beforehand if you want to understand it! Still, the surrounding context usually makes it fairly obvious whether somebody is in love, betrayed, drunk, dying, or enjoying the traditional operatic luxury of several of those at once. The title song, “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”, brings out the full crooner treatment before that gloriously full final medley sends everyone back into the festival with hundreds of years of music competing for space in their heads.

Title: Wonderland – A Family Musical Adventure Presented By: Noosa Arts Theatre Genre: Family Musical / Musical Adventure Synopsis: Written and directed by Russell Krause, Wonderland – A Family Musical Adventure is a colourful reimagining of the classic Alice story, filled with music, comedy, magic, and larger-than-life characters. When Alice chooses to follow an unfamiliar path, she discovers a whimsical world populated by a frantic White Rabbit, an enigmatic Cheshire Cat, an eccentric Mad Hatter, a Queen of Hearts obsessed with perfect order, and many other curious inhabitants. Designed for the whole family, the production celebrates imagination, wonder, curiosity, and the joy of stepping into the unexpected. Audition Date: Monday 14 & Wednesday 16 September 2026 Audition Time: Young performers – 4:30pm–5:30pm group session Adult/Lead roles – from 5:30pm Audition Location and Address: Noosa Arts Theatre, 163 Weyba Road, Noosaville QLD 4566 Audition Requirements: The audition process is intended to be friendly, relaxed, and fairly quick. The team is looking for personality, connection to the material, imagination, and responsiveness to direction rather than memorisation or imitation of well-known screen versions. Auditionees do not need to use accents or costumes. For young performers, enthusiasm, confidence, imagination, and a willingness to work as part of a team are valued more highly than prior stage experience. For adult/core roles: Prepare a short song of your own choice, approximately 60 seconds. The song does not need to be from a musical or resemble the style of Wonderland. The song may be performed with a backing track or unaccompanied. If using a backing track, have it cued and ready on your own phone/device. Read the supplied audition extract for the role you are most interested in. Memorisation is not required, though auditionees should be very familiar with the excerpt. You may be asked to repeat part of the scene after receiving a different direction. A short, simple movement/dance combination may also be taught. This is intended to assess rhythm, confidence, character, and willingness to participate rather than advanced dance technique. For young performers: Auditions will mainly take place as a group. The session may include a short warm-up, simple dance/movement routine, group singing, character reactions, and a short reading for performers interested in featured/speaking roles. A prepared solo is optional for young performers. Audition Registration: Book an audition time by contacting Margaret Courtney: Email: theperegianpair@hotmail.com Mobile: 0407 450 621 Audition Pack: Wonderland Character Ages & Audition Excerpts Performance Times: Thursday 7 January – 6:30pm Friday 8 January – 6:30pm Saturday 9 January – 2:00pm Sunday 10 January – 2:00pm Thursday 14 January – 6:30pm Friday 15 January – 6:30pm Saturday 16 January – 2:00pm Sunday 17 January – 2:00pm Performance Location: Noosa Arts Theatre, 163 Weyba Road, Noosaville QLD 4566 Rehearsal Dates: Beginning 29 October 2026 Rehearsal Times: October & November – Tuesday and Friday early evenings or Sunday afternoons, TBC December – Tuesday early evenings and Saturdays, 10:00am–2:00pm Performer Age: Mixed ages. Creative Team: Writer & Director – Russell Krause Production Website: Noosa Arts Theatre – Auditions Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Cheshire Cat | Age range 20+ | Good vocals | The central storyteller and audience guide. Playful, warm, clever, and slightly mysterious. The role requires strong audience connection, stillness, confidence, and comic timing. No “cat voice” is necessary. Alice | Age range 14–25 | Observant, curious, genuine, and determined. Alice is the audience’s entry point into Wonderland, so naturalness, listening, and emotional truth are more important than eccentricity. Queen of Hearts | Age range 25+ | Strong singer | Commanding, theatrical, and very funny, but not simply a one-note villain. She genuinely believes that order and rules are necessary to protect Wonderland. Requires authority, precision, comic seriousness, and flashes of vulnerability. White Rabbit | Age 17+ | Strong singer | Fast, anxious, lovable, and physically comic. The Rabbit is frantic because he genuinely knows something important is unfolding. Requires pace, physicality, clarity, and strong comic instincts. Hatter | Age 17+ | Eccentric, unpredictable, warm, thoughtful, and sincere. The Hatter can move effortlessly between ridiculous comedy and heartfelt sincerity. Performer should be able to sell a song. March Hare | No specific age | The Hatter’s high-energy comic partner. Mischievous, physical, quick, and generous with other performers. Strong comic timing and fearless commitment are important. Tweedle Dee | No specific age | One half of a comic double act. Requires strong rhythm, wordplay, physical precision, and chemistry with Tweedle Dum. The pair should feel deeply connected even while contradicting each other. Tweedle Dum | No specific age | The other half of the Tweedle double act. Requires timing, physicality, partnership, and the ability to switch unexpectedly between nonsense and genuine sincerity. Sleepy Dormouse | No specific age | A character-comedy role built around pauses, facial expression, physical timing, and contrast. Sleepy, slightly grumpy, strange, and capable of suddenly changing pace. Young Ensemble } Approximately ages 8–16 | A small but important ensemble bringing Wonderland to life through roles such as Playing Cards, Cheshire Kittens, Little White Rabbits, Forest Creatures, Flowers, and other colourful characters. There will be opportunities for individual character moments, comedy, featured parts, and short speaking roles.

Title: The Prom Presented By: Phoenix Ensemble Genre: Musical Comedy Synopsis: Four eccentric Broadway stars are desperately in need of a new stage. When they hear that controversy is brewing around a small-town Indiana prom, they decide it is the perfect opportunity to put a spotlight on the issue, and themselves. The town’s parents are determined to keep the high school dance on the “straight and narrow,” but student Emma Nolan simply wants to bring her girlfriend to prom. The visiting Broadway performers join forces with Emma, setting in motion a transformation that brings the community together in the name of love and acceptance. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, The Prom combines the humour and heart of a traditional musical comedy with themes of LGBTQIA+ identity, acceptance, community, and standing up for yourself. Audition Date: Friday 2 & Saturday 3 October 2026 Audition Time: Friday 2 October – from 6:00pm, Saturday 3 October – from 9:00am Compulsory Dance Call: Saturday 3 October, 11:30am–12:30pm Audition Location and Address: Phoenix Ensemble – The Pavilion Theatre, Beenleigh Showgrounds, James Street, Beenleigh QLD Audition Self-Tape Due (if applicable): Video auditions will be accepted for performers unable to attend in person. Email auditions@phoenixensemble.com.au for video submission requirements. Audition Requirements: All auditionees complete an individual audition incorporating singing and acting, plus the compulsory group dance call. Music: Prepare two contrasting songs in the style of the show, each approximately 45 seconds–1 minute. Songs should showcase your voice, demonstrate connection to character and storytelling, and not be from The Prom. No pianist will be provided. Bring backing tracks on a Bluetooth-compatible device or an AUX-compatible device. Acting: Select one of the supplied audition sides corresponding with the character you are auditioning for. If auditioning for multiple characters or ensemble, choose the side you feel most drawn to. The scene does not need to be memorised. All audition scenes should be presented in a General American accent. Dance: All auditionees must attend the group dance call on Saturday 3 October, 11:30am–12:30pm. Choreography will be taught on the day. Bring water and wear clothes suitable for movement. Audition Registration: Book Your Audition Audition Pack:The Prom Audition Pack Performance Dates: Performances commence Friday 5 February 2027 and run for four weeks, concluding before bump-out on Sunday 28 February 2027. Performance Times: Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings, with Saturday matinees. There are no Sunday performances. Performance Location: Phoenix Ensemble – The Pavilion Theatre “The Tin Shed”Beenleigh Showgrounds, James Street, Beenleigh QLD Rehearsal Dates: Rehearsals commence Sunday 8 November 2026. Rehearsal Times: Mondays – 7:00pm–10:00pm Wednesdays – 7:00pm–10:00pm Sundays – 2:00pm–8:00pm Warnings: The musical deals with themes including homophobia, LGBTQIA+ discrimination, bullying, conservative opposition to same-sex relationships. Performer Age: All performers must be 18 years or older by the first rehearsal on 8 November 2026. Teenage characters have stage ages of approximately 16–18, but performers themselves must be adults. Creative Team: Director – Hayley Gervais Choreographer – Jaya Music Director – Rae Rose Assistant Director – Emma Parkinson Production Website: Phoenix Ensemble – Auditions Other information: This is an amateur production and no performing roles are paid. Audition outcomes are expected to be communicated by Tuesday 13 October 2026. Callbacks, if required, will be held by invitation on Tuesday 6 October from 7:00pm. Phoenix Ensemble strongly encourages performers from varied cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, religious and political perspectives, people with disability, neurodivergent performers, and performers with a variety of lived experiences to audition. Successful cast members must become financial members of Phoenix Ensemble on or before the first rehearsal. All members must also hold, or be willing and able to obtain, a valid Blue Card. All known rehearsal, performance, and production conflicts should be disclosed when registering. Tech/final rehearsals and the performance period are compulsory attendance dates. Audition enquiries: auditions@phoenixensemble.com.au Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Emma Nolan Female-presenting | Stage age 16–18 Vocal Range: F3–E5 | Strong mix/belt A teenager from Indiana who reluctantly becomes a public face for LGBTQIA+ youth. Emma is highly intelligent with a slightly tomboyish quality, underdog energy, and an endearing awkward/anxious sense of humour. Requires a strong actor and singer. Guitar ability is an advantage but not required. Dee Dee Allen Female-presenting | Stage age 40–55 Vocal Range: E3–D5 | Strong belt or very strong mix/belt A Broadway diva whose enormous ego matches her enormous talent. Dee Dee is hilariously self-involved but begins to yearn for an opportunity to genuinely help someone other than herself. Requires powerful Broadway vocals and a commanding stage presence. Barry Glickman Male-presenting | Stage age 35–45 Vocal Range: B♭3–F#4 A flamboyant Broadway star who is impulsive, theatrical, politically incorrect without realising it, and never afraid to make a scene. Barry becomes particularly invested in Emma’s situation because he longs to give her the prom experience he was unable to have as a teenager. Alyssa Greene Female-presenting | Stage age 16–18 Vocal Range: A♭4–E♭5 A cheerleader, top student, and secretly Emma’s girlfriend. Alyssa faces enormous pressure from her mother and friends and desperately tries to meet everyone’s expectations. She wants to fit in and struggles to find the courage to stand up to her mother. Mr. Hawkins Male-presenting | Stage age 40–50 Vocal Range: G2–F4 The straight-laced and easily flustered principal of a small-town school. Underneath his reserved exterior, he is an enthusiastic Broadway fan. Angie Dickinson Female-presenting | Stage age 40s Vocal Range: A♭4–E5 A long-running ensemble performer in the Broadway production of Chicago, where she has spent approximately 20 years. A jaded Fosse girl with a heart of gold. Requires a strong actor, singer, and dancer. Flexibility is an asset. Mrs. Greene Female-presenting | Stage age 35–45 Vocal Range: A3–C5 Alyssa’s intimidating, conservative single mother and head of the PTA. Deep down, Mrs. Greene recognises that Alyssa is struggling with her identity, but she is frightened of confronting the reality because she fears her daughter will face a difficult life. Trent Oliver Male-presenting | Stage age 30–40 Vocal Range: C3–A♭4 A pretentious Juilliard graduate recently cast in a non-Equity tour of Godspell. Handsome, charming, funny, and very fond of hearing himself speak. Requires a strong actor, singer, and mover. Sheldon Saperstein Open presenting gender | Stage age 30–40 Vocal Range: Open and adjusted to suit performer A charismatic press agent representing both Dee Dee and Barry. Dry wit is essential. Shelby / Ensemble Female-presenting | Stage age 16–18 Vocal Range: A♭4–B♭5 A popular cheerleader, Kaylee’s second-in-command, and Kevin’s girlfriend. She begins as a bully but eventually learns to accept Emma. Kaylee / Ensemble Female-presenting | Stage age 16–18 Vocal Range: A♭4–C5 The head cheerleader and school’s leading mean girl. Nick’s girlfriend. Popular, confident, and admired by her classmates, she initially bullies Emma before eventually learning acceptance. Nick / Ensemble Male-presenting | Stage age 16–18 Vocal Range: C4–F4 A popular school jock and Kaylee’s boyfriend. Extremely handsome and socially successful. He initially participates in bullying Emma but eventually changes his attitude. Kevin / Ensemble Male-presenting | Stage age 16–18 Vocal Range: D3–G4 A school jock, Shelby’s boyfriend, Nick’s right-hand man, and the class clown. Like the other popular students, he begins as a bully before ultimately learning to accept Emma. Ensemble / Multiple Roles Mixed presenting genders | Mixed vocal ranges These tracks cover numerous featured and ensemble characters throughout the show, including Broadway reporters, high school students, parents, Godspell cast members, and other supporting characters. Strong singing, dancing, and acting skills are required.

Title: Nerdy Prudes Must Die Presented By: Javeenbah Theatre Company Genre: Musical / Teen Slasher Comedy / Horror Comedy Synopsis: From the creators of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals and Black Friday, Nerdy Prudes Must Die is a teen-slasher comedy about a group of geeks and their ghostly tormentor. When the biggest losers at Hatchetfield High unwittingly complete an ancient evil ritual, they unleash an all-powerful, angry spirit with a grudge against nerds. Stephanie Lauter, Grace Chasity, Peter Spankoffski, and their fellow social rejects must fight to save themselves and nerdy prudes everywhere from the fury of a bully beyond the grave. Audition Date: Sunday 27 September 2026 Audition Time: 10:00am–3:30pm 10:00am–11:30am: All auditionees attend for drama/acting audition 12:30pm–3:30pm: Individual vocal audition times, allocated separately Audition Location and Address: Javeenbah Theatre, 21 Stevens Street, Nerang QLD 4211 Audition Requirements: Acting/Drama: The acting audition will include drama and improv games, as well as informal “get to know you” activities. Auditionees will then read selected scenes in groups for the roles they are auditioning for in front of the panel. Scripts are available through the audition material link on the Javeenbah website. Vocal: Prepare two songs: One song from the supplied audition material for your chosen character. One 60–90 second cut of a song of your own choice. This is intended as your opportunity to show off your vocal strengths. If auditioning for more than one role, only prepare one character song from the supplied audition material. The production team is looking for vocal talent and agility, as well as the ability to communicate character through singing and vocal choices. Vocal cuts and backing tracks are provided in the audition material folder. Audition Registration: Register for Nerdy Prudes Must Die Auditions Audition Pack: Download the Audition Pack Audition Material: Nerdy Prudes Must Die Audition Material Performance Dates: 13–27 February 2027 Performance Location: Javeenbah Theatre, 21 Stevens Street, Nerang QLD 4211 Rehearsal Dates: Rehearsals will take place on Wednesday nights and Sundays. Rehearsal Times: Wednesday evenings and Sunday half-days, with Sunday times varying. Performers will only be called to rehearsals where they are required. Performer Age: Adult performers. Creative Team: Director – Jocelyn Moore-Carter Music Director – Jake Goodall Choreographer – Georgia Ogge Assistant Music Director – Kylah Yvonne Production Website: Javeenbah Theatre – Auditions Other information: The audition panel will consist of the Nerdy Prudes Must Die creative team and members of Javeenbah’s production management committee. The production uses extensive role doubling, with many performers playing a principal character plus several supporting, ensemble, or supernatural roles. For questions, contact npmdjbah@gmail.com Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Max Jagerman | Male | Stage age 18–25 | Plays Max Jagerman and multiple offstage singing tracks. Stephanie Lauter | Female | Stage age 18–25 | Plays Stephanie Lauter and Cast 3. Grace Chastity | Female | Stage age 18–25 | Plays Grace Chastity and Cast 2. Peter Spankoffski | Masc-presenting | Stage age 18–28 | Plays Peter Spankoffski, Dan Reynolds, and Cast 1. Ruth Fleming | Fem-presenting | Stage age 18–25 | Plays Ruth Fleming, Donna Daggit, Emma Perkins, and Blinky. Richie Lipshitz | Masc-presenting | Stage age 18–28 | Plays Richie Lipshitz, Reporter 1, Cast 4, Paul Matthews, and Wiggly. DC Shapiro | Any age | Any gender | Plays Detective Shapiro, Nerd, Brenda, Reporter 2, and ensemble parts. Mayor Lauter | Any age | Any gender | Plays Cop, Jason, Mayor Lauter, Pokey, and ensemble parts. Mark Chastity | Masc-presenting | Stage age 18–40 | Plays Officer Bailey, Kyle, Mark Chastity, Announcer, and Tinky. Miss Mulbery | Fem-presenting | Stage age 18–40 | Plays Miss Mulbery, Miss Tessburger, Karen Chastity, Stacey, and Nibly.

Title: The Dolls of New Albion: A Steampunk Opera Presented By: Vox Theatre Arts Genre: Steampunk Opera / Sung-Through Musical Synopsis: The Dolls of New Albion is a 90-minute, four-act musical following four generations of the McAlistair family in the fantastical city of New Albion. The story begins with brilliant scientist Annabel McAlistair, who attempts to resurrect her dead lover Jasper by placing his soul inside a mechanical Doll. Her discovery reverberates through the lives of her son Edgar, grandson Byron, and great-granddaughter Priscilla, with each generation’s involvement with the Dolls contributing to the gradual downfall of New Albion. Narrated by the mysterious Kate, the story explores love, power, greed, loss, political unrest, inherited trauma, rebellion, and the consequences of scientific and technological advancement. Vox Theatre Arts will present the Australian premiere of the work, accompanied by a four-piece live band. Audition Date: Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 September 2026 Audition Time: 9:00am–12:00pm both days. Individual audition slots are selected through the registration form. Audition Location and Address: Northside Studio, Unit 24/11 Buchanan Road, Banyo QLD 4014 Audition Self-Tape Due (if applicable): Video auditions may be arranged for those unable to attend either audition date. Contact info@voxtheatrearts.com to arrange a submission. All audition applications must be received by Thursday 17 September 2026 at 11:59pm. Audition Requirements: Prepare two songs: one that best demonstrates your vocal ability and a second that demonstrates your acting through song. Auditionees should also prepare to tell a story of no more than two minutes, either through improvisation or a prepared monologue. A vocal range test may also be conducted. Bring backing tracks on a Bluetooth-compatible device. No live accompanist will be provided. There is no movement component at the initial audition, although cast members need basic movement/dance skills sufficient to participate in ensemble movement. Callbacks will be held Tuesday 22 September, 7:00pm–10:00pm and may include a movement exercise, group vocal harmony exercise, and individual singing work. Callback materials will be supplied to all auditionees one week before auditions. Applicants must also upload an artist resume and headshot with their application and disclose all known conflicts between October 2026 and the end of January 2027. Audition Registration: Register for The Dolls of New Albion Auditions Applications close Thursday 17 September 2026 at 11:59pm. Audition Pack: The Dolls of New Albion Audition Pack Performance Dates: 28–30 January 2027 Performance Location: PIP Theatre, Milton QLD Rehearsal Dates: 20 October 2026 to 24 January 2027 Rehearsal Times: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Rehearsals will take place at Vox Studio, Upper Mount Gravatt. Warnings: The production contains sensitive and mature subject matter including suicide, police violence, domestic violence, coercive relationships, implied drug use, death, loss, and grief. Performer Age: Performers must be 18 years or older by the commencement of rehearsals. Vox strongly encourages applications from performers with varied experiences, perspectives, identities, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, abilities, and neurodiversity. Creative Team: Director – Tamzen Hunter Musical Director – Molly Parker Assistant Director & Choreographer – Rhona Bechaz Producer – Eloise Newman Production Website: Vox Theatre Arts – Auditions Other information: This is an amateur production and all performing roles are unpaid/volunteer. Vox Theatre Arts annual membership for 2026 is $25, payable by the close of the first rehearsal. Casting outcomes and offers are scheduled to be emailed on Wednesday 23 September 2026. All cast are required at the Meet & Greet/Table Read on 29 September and must have full availability for the 25–27 January tech and dress period, although they may not be required for the entirety of each day. Available Roles/Character Breakdown: All cast members will perform as part of the ensemble when not appearing in their principal character roles. Annabel McAlistair | Alto F3–C5 | Femme | 18–45 | A brilliant scientist who resurrects her dead lover Jasper by placing his soul inside a mechanical Doll. Annabel is the focus of Act One, and her scientific breakthrough sets in motion events that affect generations of her family and the city of New Albion. Edgar McAlistair | Bari/Tenor Bb2–A4 | Masc | 18–45 | Annabel’s son. A wealthy businessman whose ambition, business interests, and pursuit of progress contribute to New Albion’s growing corruption.Please note: this character is coerced into a relationship. Byron McAlistair | Baritone F#3–G4 | Masc | 18–45 | Edgar and Fay’s rebellious son. Byron becomes involved in politics and the Voodoopunk movement as he attempts to change New Albion and its society.Please note: this character has implied drug use. Priscilla McAlistair | Mezzo F#3–C5 | Femme | 18–45 | Byron’s daughter. A reclusive young woman whose story forms the centre of Act Four and brings Jasper back into focus as the consequences of the McAlistair family legacy come to a head.Please note: this character dies as a result of police violence. Jasper the Doll | Bari/Tenor G2–A4 | Any gender | 18–45 | Annabel’s deceased lover, whose soul is resurrected inside a mechanical Doll. Jasper remains connected to the McAlistair family throughout all four acts and generations. Fay | Mezzo G3–D5 | Femme | 18–45 | Edgar’s unhappy wife and Byron’s mother. Her actions have profound consequences for her family.Please note: this character is coerced into a relationship. Amelia | Mezzo G3–D5 | Femme | 18–45 | Byron’s close friend and a Voodoopunk high priestess who becomes deeply involved in his political and spiritual rebellion.Please note: this character has implied drug use and dies by suicide. Soldier 7285 | Tenor C3–Bb4 | Any gender | 18–45 | A young soldier within New Albion’s increasingly authoritarian police force whose story intersects with Priscilla’s during Act Four.Please note: this character engages in police violence. Kate the Narrator – PRE-CAST | Alto F3–C5 | Femme | 18–45 | The omniscient narrator who guides the audience through four generations of the McAlistair family and the history of New Albion. This role has already been cast. Ensemble – New Albion Citizens / Voodoopunks / New Albion Police | Any vocal type / gender. The ensemble portrays the ordinary citizens of New Albion, members of the rebellious Voodoopunk spiritual movement, and the increasingly militarised New Albion Police.