Theatre Onset

Theatre Onset in Bega is holding auditions and play readings for two plays to be performed in 2018:

1.       The first is for a play to be directed by Alex Nicol and performed in January 2018 (need to be available throughout November, December and January for rehearsal and performance). We are looking for a cast of 7.   Flora and Ulysses, adapted from the children’s book by Kate D’Camillo, is the unlikely tale of a squirrel sucked into a vacuum cleaner and who, as a result, has super powers. He gets his name from the enormous Ulysses 2000 X vacuum cleaner that sucked him up. Our super powered squirrel, like all good super heroes is strong and can fly but better yet, he writes poetry. He is adopted by Flora the ten year old daughter of a romance writing mother and a dithering father.

We would like to hear from people interested in the following:

·         a cast of seven with some actors doubling in smaller roles

i.      two young people capable of playing ten year old Flora and eleven year old William Spiver (ideally teenagers)

ii.      an actor capable of voicing Ulysses and manipulating a hand puppet.

iii.      A great character part for an older woman

iv.      two  roles for thirty/forty something women and

v.      a poor sad sack of a dad.

·         a designer who could bring the comic book  style of set to life

·         costume makers for the bright simple costumes,

·         carpenters for the comic-book cut out furniture; and

·         a live orchestra – someone with imagination to come up with weird ways of making sounds and performing them live during the show

Anyone interested in performance, backstage or technical roles should come to the Funhouse in Bega on Sunday 22 October 2-5pm.  Actors interested in auditioning are invited to call Alex Nicol on 6492 2619 to arrange an appointment.

2.       The second is for the play,  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, directed by David Stocker.  A play about hard decisions in a hard time, set in the Depression years.  Cast needed is for mainly males (piece workers on a barley farm).  This is a good play for new actors as there is a bunch of smallish parts.  A playreading will be held at the Funhouse on Sunday 5th November from 2pm at the Funhouse.  Please call David Stocker on 6492 6117 for further info, otherwise just turn up.  Set designers and builders also required.

Bega’s Theatre Onset plans to add an extra dimension to the summer festivities on the coast. The company is currently in negotiation for the performance rights of Flora and Ulysses, the smash hit Kid’s show with plans for a January production. A successful bid would likely see the company stage the Australian premiere.

Company president, Rebecca Lupton, says that the show is an adaptation of the Newberry Medal prize winning children’s book by Kate D’Camillo.

‘Oregon Children’s Theatre commissioned John Glore for the adaptation and the result is a slick comic book show that has delighted the kids and entertained their parents. The show premiered in the US in February this year and a rash of productions by children’s theatre companies across the country have followed. If we can pull this off we’ll be staging the Australian premiere here in Bega in January.’

Flora and Ulysses is the unlikely tale of a squirrel sucked into a vacuum cleaner and who, as a result has super powers. He gets his name from the enormous Ulysses 2000 X vacuum cleaner that sucked him up. Our super powered squirrel, like all good super heroes is strong and can fly but better yet, he writes poetry. It’s not great poetry but then, he is a squirrel.

Adopted, by Flora the ten year old daughter of a romance writing mother and a dithering father, Ulysses brings estranged parents back together, cures a neighbour’s blindness and proves, as if it ever needed proving, that love conquers all.

Theatre Onset has chosen Alex Nicol to direct and he’s planning a ‘comic book’ style production.

‘Nothing about this show will be real. There are tremendous opportunities here for a whole range of talented people. Who is going to make our Ulysses for us? We’ll need costume makers for the bright simple costumes, carpenters for the comic-book cut out furniture and I’m planning a live orchestra, with a difference.

‘Read any comic book and you’ll know that every stumble, collision or fall is emphasised with a ’POW!”  BASH!’ ‘THOCK!’. There’s plenty of action in Flora and Ulysses and I want that punctuated by live sound effects. Here’s a chance for someone with imagination to come up with weird ways of making sounds and performing them live during the show.’

Flora and Ulysses requires a cast of seven with some actors doubling in smaller roles. Principal requirements are for two young people capable of playing ten year old Flora and eleven year old William Spiver and for an actor capable of voicing Ulysses and manipulating a hand puppet.

‘Ideally teenagers will fill the roles Flora and William with the ages of other cast members being flexible,’ says Nicol.

Theatre Onset is inviting anyone interested in the back stage, technical or performance roles in the show to meet at the Funhouse, the old video store, in Bega on Sunday 22 October between two and five pm.  Actors interested in auditioning are invited to call Alex Nicol on 64922619 to arrange an appointment.

‘We’re planning a January production for Flora and Ulysses, says Lupton, ‘and that will mean that cast and crew will need to be available throughout November, December and January for rehearsal and performance. A true ensemble production is the plan with the back stage crew, technicians and actors all being fully involved. It’s a great chance to show our summer visitors that the coast can offer more than surf, sand and fishing. This is a major production; time is of the essence if we are to succeed and enthusiasm for the production meeting on Sunday 22 October is the key.’

On Friday 11 August  a one man show written and performed by Alex Nicol and based on his experiences of producing and presenting All Ways On Sunday opens at the Funhouse. All Ways On Sunday was a three and a half hour national radio program that Alex started back in 1969 (it’s still running under Ian Mcnamara as Australia All Over).

The show runs for one and a half hours of story telling.

The venue is the Old Video store in Bega, now the Fun House.

Performances Friday 11, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August, and Saturday and Sunday 19 and 20 August.

Big discounts are available for group bookings and social groups etc might like to look at it as a fund raiser.

There’s some interest in the show touring so be the first to see it in Bega!