Volume 1, Issue 6

Wednesday 8 June 2011

SH IRE MUSIC THEATRE INC.

Hi there Theatre Nerds! We have lots of newcomers to our newsletter this issue so welcome to you all and thank you for your interest both via email and online. You guys went so crazy downloading that you crashed our site! Well done! Luckily the committee high-fived one another instead of freaking out. It was nice to feel popular. :) Thank you to Frances who got it all sorted before long.

Lots of news this issue but firstly, thank you so much to our awesome audience for your support of CABARET. A huge thank you of course to Lauren Kate Butler, Rebecca Gordon and Simone Sallé, our committed production team. Thank you for putting everything you could into CABARET. SMT was so proud and pleased for you all.

The Front of House staff were given some really beautiful feedback from all you shy audience members some of which wouldn’t dare approach the perform-ers or production team… (By the way, this is VERY naughty - make sure you have a chat with our performers, they are lovely people and are always keen to hear what you have to say, good or bad!) Your feedback is very important!

Unfortunately, during the run of the season, Andrea

Munn, our Stage Manager, fell ill and has been trying to recover ever since. We adore you, Cranky Pants and we missed you dreadfully and you are in our thoughts.

A special thanks to Rhonda Black, Ross Howie, Phil McIntosh, Curtis Jobe, Chris Malliate, Kate Selsby and Chae Rogan who multi-skilled their butts off for Cabaret. As well as the rest of the SMT Committee; Howie, Dan, Ebony, Sally and Kylie. So much respect and appreciation.

AND NOW PANTO PLAY-WRIGHT AND DIRECTOR, Sally Redman, along with Musical Director, Ebony Black and Choreographer, Nikki Bunch are super excited for the auditions of our upcoming October production, “Snow White and the Pirate Adventure” THIS COMING WEEKEND!! Sunday 12 June at the Shire Music Theatre Rehearsal Space 308-338 Box Road, Sylvania.

With terrific all-singing, all-dancing performance opportunities for both adults and children, the Panto-mime this year is sure to be a huge amount of fun for everyone involved and we can’t wait to meet the lucky cast and crew.

We are currently looking for a Production Manager and Front of House Manager for the show plus various other

team roles.

If you would like to be a part of this exciting new adventure, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Sally for an audition on 0416 473 241.

2012 ANNOUCEMENT… “RENT’ kept coming up again and again from both our members and the committee for next year’s season... So we are pleased to announce that our final show for a 2012 December season is the hard-hitting “RENT’.

Shire Music Theatre would like to hear expressions of interest from potential Directors, Musical Directors, Choreographers and Production Managers for “RENT” in the coming months. Don’t rush! We have PLENTY of time :)

On Sunday 12 June from 5:30pm, we have invited potential Directors who would like to submit for our two other productions for the 2012 season. They will pitch to the committee their show choices.

If you would like to be included in this, we intend to finalise our choice that evening after seeing/meeting everyone who is interested. Contact us at info@shiremusictheatre.org.au for further details of when and where. Happy Reading! xTeam SMT

Curtains close on cabaret, open on argh!

The pirate and a ’season’ announcement. . .

Farewells to our friends 2

ALW/Schwartz Concert 2

June Calendar 3

Work Placement 4

Cabaret Awards 4

The Theatre Show 4

Member response form 6

Farewell Wall 5

Next to Normal 7

Don’s Word 6

The Trapdoor 7

Letters and feedback 8

Name that… 8

Inside this issue:

WHAT’S THE BUZZ?

• Panto Auditions THIS SUNDAY! Both children’s AND adults roles are available. Great songs and a highly entertaining script for our little ones to enjoy! Call Sally on 0416 473 241 for an audition time.

• Like us on Facebook for all the most up to date info.

• Let us know if you are interested in enjoying a Christmas Shopping Trip this year as in the past and we will start organising it again!

Smt Newsletter

Jenny Barker (Schneider), Joel “smiley” Duffy (Cliff), Brendan Hay (Emcee), Katie Headrick, (Sally), Kerstyn Walsh (Kost), Ray Dubber (Schultz), and Brad Facey (Ernst)

P A G E 2

composers, songs, themes and blend of voices and stressing because you, the audience, aren’t telling us specifically what you want and then we will completely give up and by chance, 15 years later, a new commit-tee will come on board and choose to have a go at Andrew Lloyd Webber,

succeed tremendously and thus the circle will continue…

We like to mix ALW with other composers to make sure the concert remains fresh. This year we have put together the beautiful songs of Stephen Schwartz famous for “The Baker’s

Wife”, “Pippin”, “Working” and “Wicked”.

Dean Turner is heading the Team this year as Musical Director. Ebony Black will take on her first supported Director position (after Musical Directing SNOW WHITE AND THE PIRATE ADVENTURE)

...with the magnificent performers; newly-married Louise (Butler) Symes and Andrew Symes, Congratulations! And Bec Bec Gordon, Johnny Acosta, Christopher Malliate, Kate Selsby, Kylie Loveday and Daniel Nichols. We are yet to confirm our final two performers but hope they will be able to commit closer to date. Watch this space for further details!

The Shire Music Theatre Andrew Lloyd Webber Concert has become a bit of an institution over the years. You are all a little bit crazy for them, aren’t you? It’s understandable with amazing songs like “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”, “Memory”, “Close Every Door” and “Tell Me On A Sunday”. We don’t mind, we will keep giving you what you clearly want from this concert... Unless of course you change your mind for a season, and then we will spend years trying to find the correct mix of

The Andrew Lloyd Webber and

Stephen Schwartz Concert will be

held on Sunday 25 September

2011 at the Memorial School of

Arts Theatre at 2pm. Tix $15

Schwartz and Lloyd webber head to head

S M T N E W S L E T T E R

A night in the eather

And onto the u.s . for brighter lights!

Way back in Issue 3 we told you about Jackson Eather, (SMT’s Spring Awakening and EMS’ Seussical and All Shook Up) who was accepted into the American Musical Dramatic Academy in New York for the three year Musical Theatre course.

On Sat 4 June, Jackson and his family organized a fund raising concert to help him out. The night was filled with musical performances by the multi-talented Jackson, the Bratty

Spring Girls (Kate Selsby, Claire Janes, Ebony Black and Taylor Thomson) all accompanied by The Spotlight award winning, Andrew Howie. (Hehe, sometimes I like to bring this up in casual conversation just to watch him blush…)

have decided to spend the next couple of months ordering around American children at Camp USA!

It sounds like half way between awesomeness and torture… :)

The wonderfully talented Katie Headrick, Sally Bowles from our recent production of CABARET has also recently gone to the U.S. to pursue the brighter lights.

SMT wishes every one of them all the very best for their adventures and performing futures. But keep in contact ploise! We want details (but not too much, keep it nice-ish!) And come home safely XSMT

Also performing was the beautiful Bec Bec Gordon (Cabaret and Spring Awakening Musical Director) who is also about to embark on her own all-American Adventure with Tanya Boyle (most recently seen strutting as Maisie in EMS’s Seussical and Joelene in RMS’ “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. Both talents

Jackson Eather, kazoo and ukulele

Berni, Jackson and Bronte Eather

Bec BEC Gordon and Tanya Boyle Katie Headrick as Sally Bowles

P A G E 3

Shire Music Theatre proudly presents… THE CONCERT SERIES

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER/STEPHEN SCHWARTZ CONCERT SUN 25 SEPTEMBER 2PM TICKETS ONLY $15

SNOW WHITE &

THE PIRATE ADVENTURE

8230 0668 or www.shiremusictheatre.org.au

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

1 2 3

The Goodbye Girl

4

JACKSON EATHER

5

The Good-bye Girl

6 7 8

JOEL LEFFLER

9

As You Like It

10

Little Women

11

Little Women

12

SMT PANTO

13 14 15

Little Women

16

Closer 17

Little Women

18

Little Women

19

Little Women

20 21

Les Mis Kirrawee HS

22

Les Mis Kirrawee HS

23

Piranha Heights

24

ACTIV’s 6th Birthday

25

Les Mis Kirrawee HS

26

27 28

Piranha Heights

29

Piranha Heights

30

Piranha Heights

June 20 1 1 • Fri 27 May - 11 June BTS “The Goodbye Girl” Bankstown Arts Centre Theatre 9676 1191

• Sat 4 June “ Jackson Eather’s Going Away Concert Shindig” Loftus Community Hall

• Wed 8 June “Joel Leffler Band” The Brass Monkey www.brassmonkey.com.au

• 9-11 June “How It Is OR As You Like It” Pratton Park Bowling Club FREE 9798 7959

• 12 June SMT’s Auditions for Snow White and

the Pirate Adventure at 308-338 Box Rd Sylvania. Call Sally on 0416 473 241

• 10-19 June MMS “Little Women” Sutherland Memorial School of Arts 8814 5827

• 15-18 June “Closer” District 01 www.mochtix.com.au

• 16 June-2 July “Piranha Heights” Spare Room, New Theatre.

• 21-25 June Kirrawee High School “Les Miserables” 9521 2099

• 24 June ACTiv turns 6 “All The World’s A Stage” Sutherland Memorial school of Arts 0403 806 599

Schedule of Events

Please note that any shows or dates that clash with Shire Music Theatre projects will not be published

Sat & Sun shows 8, 9, 15, 16 OCT 8, 9, 15, 16 OCT 8, 9, 15, 16 OCT 8, 9, 15, 16 OCT 10am & 2pm Sutherland Memorial School of Arts, East Parade, Sutherland

BOOK NOW FOR BOTH!BOOK NOW FOR BOTH!BOOK NOW FOR BOTH!BOOK NOW FOR BOTH!

The majority of you all have heard this before but for the newcomers to our newsletter here is the back story to below photograph.

Years ago, Lyn Garrard, ex-President of SMT, established a link between SMT and Sutherland Business Education Network. The project allowed SMT to connect with Year 11 and 12 students from schools all over the Sutherland

communicate far more clearly with a full set of two-way radios and head-sets, hazer, fog machine and projector. Any left over money will be given to the professional contractors we employ who are willing to give instruction to the students with their equipment.

PHOTO: Opening Night at CABARET; Back Row; Dan Nicholls, Vice President of SMT; Katie Headrick, Sally Bowles in CABARET, Lee Evans MP, Member for Heathcote; Clr Carol Provan, Sutherland Shire Council; Graham Annesley MP, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Member for Miranda; Sharyn May, Sutherland BEN, Joel Duffy, Cliff Bradshaw in CABARET and Bridget Keating, President of SMT and our Work Placement Students; Hannah, Mitchell, Robert, Laura, Adam and Rachael.

We thank all the students (and their teachers) for their valuable contribution to CABARET. We were very lucky to have such a committed group and we look forward to meeting the next group in September for the SNOW WHITE AND THE PIRATE ADVENTURE and ALW/Schwartz Concert!

was a far cry from what we have ever (or could ever) attempt before with it’s HD quality and editing.

We couldn’t have been happier with their work and thank them deeply for the support.

And due to the high volume of people who watched our promo, The Theatre Show got into the Top 100 Producers for the week the promo went up on YouTube! Go team!! And keep supporting them!

Ok, so we tried something a little different for CABARET’s publicity. The Theatre Show is a cool little programme focused purely on Community Theatre that airs on TVS and YouTube. They recently finished their first series and agreed to come in and film our production and it’s Production Team and Leads for the “Spotlight On…” section of their show.

The completed product was a 4 min promotion of CABARET complete with introduction, interviews, and titles. It

P A G E 4

Shire and give them the chance to have a work placement experience in a specific field. This relationship has been upheld ever since and has resulted in SMT being well supported by amazing young people from our local area. It has also given the kids a chance to see what this ‘theatre thing’ is all about.

Last financial year, a Sutherland Shire Council Community Arts Grant was awarded to SMT for the purpose of further enriching the Sutherland BEN work place-ment student’s experience with a more hands-on opportunity. With the money we were given, the students can now

The Committee then presents, to a worthy recipient, the Don Lang Award. This award is given to someone who gives above and beyond their role. Chae Rogan certainly achieved this. He risked his life with toxic fumes, painted at dizzying heights, designed lights, added lights, operated lights, made the Cabaret sign, emergency stage managed and even did bar and front of house!

Thank you SO much for your help!

Like most Musical Theatre groups we like to give out awards! They make us happy.

For CABARET, the Production Team was asked to choose a member from the cast for the Encouragement Award. This award is presented to the person who continues to work hard over the whole process, from rehearsal to bump out. Also nominated for this award was Kira Nelson and Claire Janes. This award was presented to Sam Larielle! Yay!!

S M T N E W S L E T T E R

Spotlight on… The theatre show

Smt honour roll for a deserving pair

A work Experience

we were proud to share

Sam Larielle Chae Rogan

Joel Duffy and Katie Headrick being interviewed by The Theatre Show

P A G E 5

Farewell and thank you to the

cabaret team, cast and crew!

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 6

P A G E 6 S M T N E W S L E T T E R

Memories of ssloc/smt with don lang -

A place for everything and…

Bill has spent a lot of his life making things go, or making sure they were going and would continue to do so. When he came ashore after a stint in the engine rooms of merchant ships, in the days when that had been a risky business, he worked a while in British industry with the job title ‘Millwright’, being a person who fixes whatever needs fixing. He is not of titanic build. It does seem appropriate nevertheless that in Orpheus in the Underworld he had the role of Vulcan. In Desert Song he was one of those who had to pick his way through the large rocks to be expected in the Desert landscape de-picted there. Some of the entrances and exits had to be made quite smartly, which inevitably led to the odd collision. Bill encountered a rock in center stage that had lost its place, and so somehow sent it further on its way. About then he spotted the untidy effect. The boulder, from visual mem-ory, could be estimated to weigh about half a tonne. On that stage, of course, Bill could perform as if in the role of Vulcan, so he picked up the lump of rock just as if it had just been paper molded over a wire framework, and returned it to its designated spot. Quite a number of the audience and some on stage were impressed enough to comment afterward. Then and since, Bill has shown a touching modesty about his strength.

Everyone knows that The Sound of Music gets the audiences in. It also incorporates a lot of ladies performing as nuns in some well-known numbers. Someone putting together a program for Australia Day in Cronulla remem-bered our skills from late the previous year and invited the ladies to appear and perform. Not everyone could make it but Mary got out the costume

and dressed for the day. She drove down to Cronulla and found the place filling up. She headed for somewhere to park and joined a line of cars. Soon enough a man in uniform appeared at her window, looked in and asked, “Are you here officially, Sister?”. Mary naturally said “Yes”, and was directed into the next stage of her drive, which landed her in a convenient parking area with the cars carrying Councillors and so on, none of whom knew her or were bothered by her presence. It was only later that she discovered that not all of her ‘sisters’ had been so blessed. By that time it was safe to share the story.

We never did get the full audience effect from the delivery on stage of one of the great lines in Call Me Madam. Just excuse my details. The

outline involves a decision by a lady from Washington DC, to drive once in Europe, on the way to take up a position, to which ‘Harry’ had appointed her, as an Ambassador. The lady appeared for her welcome a bit late and with a complaint. She had been deflected. She had arrived at a border en route, which she planned to cross. “I expected to go through Italy, but what was in front of me was green. My road map shows Italy as being red.”

Don Lang

Editor’s Note Editor’s Note Editor’s Note Editor’s Note ---- Don Lang is our Public Officer here Don Lang is our Public Officer here Don Lang is our Public Officer here Don Lang is our Public Officer here at SMT. He is an advisor and mentor in many at SMT. He is an advisor and mentor in many at SMT. He is an advisor and mentor in many at SMT. He is an advisor and mentor in many

ways and is always a source of information and ways and is always a source of information and ways and is always a source of information and ways and is always a source of information and humour. I look forward to hearing more about humour. I look forward to hearing more about humour. I look forward to hearing more about humour. I look forward to hearing more about

the Sutherland Shire Light Opera Company/Shire the Sutherland Shire Light Opera Company/Shire the Sutherland Shire Light Opera Company/Shire the Sutherland Shire Light Opera Company/Shire

Music Theatre history in this column. Music Theatre history in this column. Music Theatre history in this column. Music Theatre history in this column. xxxxxxxx

Name

Address

If you were given the opportunity to create your own 20 minute Cabaret what would your opening song and closing song be??

Please complete the following and post to Newsletter Issue 6, PO Box 382, GYMEA, NSW 2227 for your chance to win!Please complete the following and post to Newsletter Issue 6, PO Box 382, GYMEA, NSW 2227 for your chance to win!Please complete the following and post to Newsletter Issue 6, PO Box 382, GYMEA, NSW 2227 for your chance to win!Please complete the following and post to Newsletter Issue 6, PO Box 382, GYMEA, NSW 2227 for your chance to win!

MEMBER/NON MEMBER RESPONSE FORM

Email

What productions do you want to see Shire Music Theatre produce in the coming years?

Fill out your form and post it back to us before 15/09/11 for your chance to win Fill out your form and post it back to us before 15/09/11 for your chance to win Fill out your form and post it back to us before 15/09/11 for your chance to win Fill out your form and post it back to us before 15/09/11 for your chance to win

2x FREE tickets2x FREE tickets2x FREE tickets2x FREE tickets ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER/STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

Concert on Sunday 25 September 2011 at 2pm Concert on Sunday 25 September 2011 at 2pm Concert on Sunday 25 September 2011 at 2pm Concert on Sunday 25 September 2011 at 2pm

What type of involvement would you like to have with Shire Music Theatre in the future?

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

Who cares what ‘normal’ is when

insanity is far more entertaining? stand-alone and then comes that music. The good and bad thing about never seeing the show is that your imagination can run wild with the potential staging and gorgeous moments…!

The good and bad thing about finally seeing the show is that all of a sudden your imagination’s version fades away and is replaced with fluidly moving sets, colours and projections, beautifully performed interconnecting

dialogue, staging choices and intense underscoring. Theatre is so bloody cool.

Please go and see “Next To Normal” if you get a chance. This Australian premiere is directed by Dean Bryant and Musical Directed by Mathew Frank.

Kate Hendall plays the coveted role of Diana. What an amazing character for an actress to attack. Highs, lows, comedy and tragedy

We weren’t the only Musical Theatre losers who went cross country to see the critically acclaimed “Next to Normal” by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey at the MTC but we were probably the only ones who literally spent less than 24 hours in Melbourne due to the Cabaret Bump In the following day...

“Next To Normal” is one of those shows you hear about well before you get the guts to buy yourself. But once you are finally alone and get a chance to listen to it in the car with no interruptions it becomes one of those stories you want to share with anyone, everyone. Even the colleague who has no choice but to listen on the way to a meeting…

The concept is edgy ‘loss and depression’, the story is

and kick-ass songs. Love love love. But even more, character-wise is the divinely written Dan Goodman, her husband played by Matt Hetherington. Jeez… what a patient, loyal man. I wonder who he was based on?

Incidently, all three of the younger performers Christy Sullivan (Natalie), Gareth Keegan (Gabe) and Benjamin Hoetjes (Henry) are all WAAPA Grads and were all pretty exceptional!

Looking forward to seeing what happens with Emily Hart and Melissa (Muffy) Nadin! Hope you girls are having fun and are taking care. x

You know Johnny Acosta. He was Johnny O’Keefe in Shout, Georg in Spring Awakening, Lefou is Beauty and the Beast... Beautiful voice, healthy ego and an all-time hoot to be around. So, every time we see Johnny Acosta who is ‘allegedly’ writing his own musical, he says “It’s done!, I’ve finished!, I just need to…” And to be honest I’m getting a bit sick of him.. So if anyone else has a new musical they’d like to… I’M KIDDING. If you know Johnny then you will understand that teasing him and being teased is all part and parcel of having him around. We love you, Johnny! And we can’t wait to support this project. Exciting news for him also includes his new job working with—literally next to Les Solomon, one of our leading Talent Agents. It is such an exciting

opportunity for him to gain the connections and learn more about the professional side of this cool, little industry. (and of course pass on all the gory details and contacts to his awesome friends at SMT… Probably not after that intro though…) Anyway! I digress… Come and be one of the first to hear the gorgeous songs and story of Johnny Acosta’s rehearsed reading of his developing musical, “The Trapdoor” on Saturday 24 SEP 7:30pm at Sutherland Memorial School of Arts! $10 only (just to cover the hall costs) BYO everything and we will have a fun night afterwards too

We hope to continue to encourage up and coming writers to use SMT as a place to develop their work. Next year will be an opportunity for 6 of our performance members to create and present their own 20 min Cabarets! If you are interested, email us. Details are on the back page. See you there!

The trapdoor takes Acosta ages and ages to

finish and we are still waiting :P

Johnny Acosta

P A G E 8 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 6

WE ARE EVERYWHERE!

Post: PO Box 382, GYMEA NSW 2227 Reh Space: 308-338 Box Rd, SYLVANIA NSW

Perf Space: Sutherland Memorial School of Arts, East Parade, SUTHERLAND NSW 2232 Email info@shiremusictheatre.org.au

Online: www.shiremusictheatre.org.au

We would like to sincerely thank...

Just returned home after seeing Cabaret, our congratulations

on another exceptional show. Please pass on our thanks to

the cast and crew.

No worries, Pete. Will do! I’m sure they will be tickled that you took the time to write in.

And since creating the SMT Newsletter we have had lots of verbal feedback which is al-ways nice but it was great to receive these two emails from two amazing women after Issues 4 & 5.

Kerrie Hartin of Local Musical fame wrote;

We receive letters here and there sporadically (some of which are handwritten and gorgeous) but we never seem to do anything about them except raise them in our committee meeting, give ourselves a nice little pat on the back and file them away...

Our website has a cute little old school guestbook feature which allows you to comment directly on our page. Until recently, it hadn’t been used since Big River! Just so you know, it is under “Contact Us” and after all the addresses etc.

Peter from Como wrote;

Great newsletter …. A pleasure to read. Love the pics and the

humorous comments

Just quietly, we think Kerrie should write in every month just to pick up our spirits. :)

And then our ex-President Frances wrote;

Not sure exactly who is writing the newsletter, but it's a really

good read!! :-)

Damn, I wish we had have thought to try to make it all secretive and interesting but alack /alas we didn’t…

Thank you for writing to us!! And keep ‘em coming!

Your Letters and feedback

Bit of fun! Can you Name the show, year,

performer and photographer? Email us !

We may or may not reward you. . .