Dandenong Theatre Company Inc.

PO Box 8028,

Dandenong, 3175.

 

Web: http://www.dandenongtheatre.com

Email: info@dandenongtheatre.com

Stage Chat

Member edition

October 2003

From the President

Welcome to another Stage Chat, keeping you informed of what’s happening at DTC!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat has come and gone, and what an amazing show it was!  This is one of those show that everybody involved will talk about for years to come.  The cast and all else who participated in this show should be extremely proud of this remarkable achievement.  See Scott’s article at the end of this newsletter for his view of the production!

Now that the fun and hard work of Joseph is over, it is time to turn our attention to our first musical of 2004 - Carousel.  We have assembled an exciting team to help us produce this favourite of musicals.  See below for details.

Those interested in auditioning for (or otherwise being involved in) Carousel should consider attending the information night to be held in late October.  Otherwise, please call us to book an audition.  See elsewhere in this newsletter for details!

Before we get too carried away with Carousel though, let’s not forget our play in January.  The play will be It's My Party (And I'll Die If I Want To), an amusing and clever Australian play by Elizabeth Coleman.  It will be directed by Sharon Maine, an experienced and talented DTC regular!  We still need a few people to help out with this play.  See over the page for all the details.

Stephen Oakes, DTC President

Carousel

DTC is proud to announce the following team for our April/May 2004 production of Carousel.

Director – Tony Bird
Tony has many years experience with theatre, and has directed many plays and musicals.  Most of his work has been involved with The Fabulous Nobodies, whom he helped found and manage.  This is Tony’s first production with DTC.

Musical Director – Andrew Head
Andrew is currently studying for a Bachelor of Music degree at Australian Catholic University.  He still manages to find spare time to be involved with theatre and has already musically directed several musicals including Oklahoma and The Pajama Game.

Choreographer – Kate Boyd
This is Kate’s second production with us as choreographer, the last one being My Fair Lady in 2001.  She has also performed in over 20 musicals, mostly as a dancer.  Welcome back Kate!

We look forward to working with these talented people!

 

DTC’s Stage Chat

Stage Chat is the official publication of Dandenong Theatre Company, Inc.

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Check out our web site!

All of our upcoming productions, auditions and special events will be announced on our website.  Please check it regularly for all the latest news!

www.dandenongtheatre.com

Articles wanted!

We are always looking for interesting material to be published in our newsletter.  If you have any informative or amusing (preferably theatre-related!) articles that you would like us to publish, please send them to us by email or post!

Auditions for Carousel!

An information night will be held on Monday October 27th to discuss this production.  Those interested in auditioning are invited to attend.  It will be held at the Dandenong Community Arts Centre, corner of Walker and Robinson Streets, Dandenong.

Auditions will be held on Monday 3rd and Wednesday 5th November.  There will also be a dance audition on Saturday 8th November.

Audition times may be booked at the information night, or phone Stephen or Fiona on 9584 7982 after October 24th.

It's My Party (and I'll die if I want to)

The summer play It's My Party (and I'll die if I want to) by Elizabeth Coleman is about to start under the experienced and capable direction of Sharon Maine.  Information night & read through is on Tuesday 14th October 7.30pm Dandenong Community Arts Centre, Auditions Thursday 16th October 7.30 pm.  These will be an open everybody has a turn at reading style.  Callbacks on Tuesday 21st Oct if needed.

Call Sharon 9755 2282 or 0419 118 917 for more information

Important dates are:

Last Rehearsal for 2003 December 18th and First for 2004 January 6th

Performances

Fri 23rd January 2004 8.00pm

Sat 24th January 2004 8.00pm

Sun 25th January 2004 5.00pm matinee

Thu 29th January 2004 8.00pm

Fri 30th January 2004 8.00pm

Sat 31st January 2004 8.00pm

 

Want to try something new?

Want to increase the range of your theatrical experience?

Like any show it needs more than a director and a cast!

A stage manager, lighting operator, props person, publicity dynamo and program designer will be needed to make it all happen.  Interested but not sure if you have the skills?  Just want to be generally helpful?  This is the perfect opportunity to have a go - the structure of the play is quite straightforward.  Furthermore, there are pleasant practical people around to consult, advise, encourage and be grateful that you are helping to spread the load.  Contact Clare Andrews - production person on 9555 5717 or dragonlady@smartchat.net.au if you have the right stuff (or want to get it).

Interested in tickets?

The ever faithful Natalie & Bill Irvine will be selling tickets so call them on 9790 0149 to secure your seats!

It’s My Party (and I’ll Die if I Want to) – Synopsis

It’s My Party (And I’ll Die If I Want To) is a black comedy written by Elizabeth Coleman.  It was first performed at the La Mama Theatre, Carlton, in conjunction with the Melbourne Comedy Festival on March 31st 1993.

Ron Patterson has been given three months to live by his doctor, and it is his last day!  He asks his wife, Dawn, to invite the children to their house, without revealing the reason for the family gathering.  We are immediately plunged into an evening of family squabbles, jealousies and competition where a few home truths are disclosed and episodes lurch between poignant and outrageous.

Ron is always in control, as he has been throughout the children's lives.  However, when he realises he is losing his grip he uses his condition as a convenient means of regaining control and continuing his manipulation right to the very end.  The last 10 minutes are downright bizarre with the final few minutes quite touching.

 

THE JOSEPH THAT WAS!!!

 

By Scott Hili.
Scott was the director and choreographer of DTC’s recent production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

 

Well what can I say about Joseph?  This was one of the most gratifying shows that I have done.  As a first time director and in the dual role of Director / Choreographer, I consider myself extremely blessed to have had such a talented and hard working cast, crew and company for this show.  It truly was COMMUNITY THEATRE at its best.

The auditions had me worried before they even began about finding 11 boys that could sing, dance and act, were the right ages for the vision that I had for the Brothers.  This to my great surprise was easy.  I had managed to cast 11 talented guys; who gets 11 guys for a musical without re-auditioning, perhaps begging?  I needed to cross my fingers and pray they all accepted the roles (they did) and that they stayed for the whole run.  What proved to be difficult was finding girls, I was for the first 3 weeks without a full set of wives until we filled one of the roles.  It was not until we had finished setting the first act and started the second during week 6 that our last wife joined the cast.  So we played Catch up with these two girls and were well on our way to having a fantastic show.

So at 6 weeks into rehearsals with 2 weeks to camp and 6 weeks till opening night, we had finished Act 1, had a full cast, and were kicking into the second Act.

By the end of Camp we had set the entire show, Mega mix and all.  Camp was very interesting; with marshmallow and spaghetti tower building contest on the Friday night and the funniest RED faces of all time on the Saturday, it provided a chance for the already hard-working cast to bond on a social level and there was a lot of BONDING.  Interesting how rehearsal camps always have a lot of Bonding on them.  One thing I will mention is “Scotiphar”.  Some of the cast got together under the guidance of our Canadian cast member (All the cold air must have affected his brain) and re wrote the lyrics to Potiphar and did one of the best “Send ups” in the history of “Taking the Mickey”.  Granted it was all about me, but it was the funniest thing I have ever seen.  Unfortunately it will only ever end up as a DTC Myth and Legend in years to come.  Due to the nature of the re-written lyrics it can not be re-printed. But Damn, it was funny!

By half way through Sunday we had set the Fashion show in an hour or two of absolute hysterics as we “did our little turn on the catwalk”.  I turned suburban mothers of 2, tree doctors, graphic designers, students and McDonalds employees into super models in just over an hour.  It was a sight to be beheld; even native animals were having a look see.

We ran the show from beginning to end including the bows twice with both casts of children.  This concluded our very successful rehearsal camp.

This then left us four weeks until opening night to clean and polish and ultimately present you with what many of you will have seen - the Joseph that was!

All involved in the production enjoyed themselves immensely, I know I did. Which brings me to some defining moments during Joseph that I would like to share with you all.  Ok SO IT’S GOSSIP!!!

 

(PTO for Scott’s hot gossip)

Scott’s Hot Gossip!

·        One cast member never wore underwear!

·        It took 6 Men and 12 hours to decide how to build a chariot.  It took one man 2 hours to actually build it.

·        Pineapple juice is extremely useful in more ways than one.

·        Hockey is an interesting way to warm up the voice.

·        This was definitely a show for romance.  Please note that just because someone has been cast as your wife does not obligate you to actually date them - that is taking character and role development a little too far.

·        (Upon careful consideration, the editor has had to remove this particular point.  Suffice to say that a certain amount of “tonsil-hockey” was enjoyed by certain members of the cast, crew, production team and even orchestra!)

·        Football on the radio at set construction does not get work done.

·        Gold paint is expensive - choose another colour!

·        It is wise to have rope in the waist of your tracksuit pants, and have it tied, because a certain tree doctor likes to see waistbands of track pants around ankles.

·        Cast members tend to do some bizarre things at parties and other social gatherings- very bizarre!

·        Some of the children were just too talented (and/or cute) for words!

 

I could go on for hours but there are many things only the cast will understand so I will leave your minds boggling.

Thank-you to all involved in the production.  We allowed ourselves to dream for a little while and it is a dream I won’t forget for a long time to come.

Have fun, keep taking risks, learn, grow and do what makes you happy.

Scott Hili – Director/Choreographer – The Joseph that was!

DTC’s calendar of events

2003

October 14th and 16th
Auditions for DTC’s production of It’s My Party (and I’ll Die if I Want to).

October 27th
Information night for DTC’s Carousel.  Are you interested in being involved with this show?  Then come along and find out all about it!

October 28th
Play reading for Hainsworth Holiday by DTC member Darren Brealey.  Please email Darren at cosmicplayers@yahoo.com.au if you would like to be involved with this event.

November 3rd, 5th and 8th.
Auditions for Carousel.

November 18th
Rehearsals for Carousel commence.

November 27th
DTC’s annual general meeting.  Do you want to be involved with DTC policy and organisation?  Why not join our committee?  Call Stephen on 9584 7982 for details.

2004

January 23rd to 31st
Performances of It’s My Party (and I’ll Die if I Want to).

April/May
Performances of Carousel.