Theatre Onset

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll opens Friday 30^th May
Bega Valley audiences will soon have the chance to experience one of Australia’s most powerful and enduring plays, as Theatre Onset stages Summer of the Seventeenth Doll  – Ray Lawler’s unforgettable story of love, change, and the passing of time.

The play is directed by Eva Mills and features a stellar cast of local actors — Jodie Stevens, David Newell, Kym Hawthorne, Pete Wild, Mahamati, MayaRae Navarrete and Jack Grey. 

Set in 1950’s Melbourne, the story follows two cane cutters who return south for their seventeenth summer, expecting the same carefree reunion they’ve always had. But this year, things are different — and what unfolds is a deeply human exploration of relationships, identity, and the cost of holding on to the past.

“What drew me to this play was the sense of truth in the relationships between the characters. For me, that’s what makes great theatre” says Mills. “ It’s raw and real, and it still resonates. This isn’t just a story from the 1950s — it’s a story about us.”

Theatre Onset invites you to experience this moving and memorable production at the Old Uniting Church, Bega, with performances running from May 30 to June 8.

Tickets available now via TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/DAYKG

Links

https://www.facebook.com/Theatreonset

https://www.instagram.com/theatreonset/

Contact

Eva Mills – eva.matrie@gmail.com 0423 498 056

Mahamati – mahamati.currie@gmail.com 0448 248 322

https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1387418

Mayarae Navarrete as Bubba Ryan

Kym Hawthorne as Pearl Cunningham

Jodie Stevens as Olive Leech

Mahamati as Emma Leech

Pete Wild as Barney Ibbot

David Newell as Roo Webber

Jack Gray as Johnnie Dowd 

Opening on May 30th, Theatre Onset will present Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, written by Ray Lawler and directed by Eva Mills. 

It’s 1953, and two seasoned cane-cutters have returned to Melbourne to be reunited with their long-time companions. But this year, everything is different. Relationships begin to unravel as the harsh realities of time and change take hold… 

Performance dates:

May 30 and 31, June 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8. 

Theatre Onset is seeking actors for their upcoming play, the Australian classic, “The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll”  by Ray Lawler. At this stage, the play will be rehearsed Feb-April and performed in either Bega or Tathra with performances in early May. Rehearsal times will be worked out when the cast is finalised.

Eva Mills,well known to local audiences as singer, musician and actor, will be the Director.

The first read through/audition will be on Saturday 14th December 2024 from 2-5pmat the Uniting Church, 125 Gipps St, Bega (opposite St Vinnies,halfway up the hill).

Casting – roles are open to people of all genders and ethnicities.  Following gender-inclusive and colour-conscious casting principles, we are looking for the following 7 cast members:

• Bubba Ryan:                  womanin early 20s
• Pearl Cunningham:        woman, late 30s to 50s
• Olive Leech:                   woman, late 30s to 50s
• Emma Leech:                 woman, 60s to 70s
• Barney Ibbot:                  man, late 30s to 50s
• Roo Webber:                 man, late 30’s to 50s
• Johnnie Dowd:              man, 20s to 30s

If you are interested in coming to the read through/audition on 14th December, please contact Eva Mills on 0423 498 056 or email her on eva.matrie@gmail.com.

 

Theatre Onset and the Merimbula School of Music are having a reading of The Songcrafters, a new musical by Jamie Forbes and Nick Keeling (Goldilocks and the Three Bros), which is planned for production in 2025. This won’t be a casting session, just a chance to see how the script is working and who might be interested in helping to bring it to the stage. 

The Songcrafters is the story of a search for the missing verses of a song which began the universe … and might end it if it falls into the wrong hands! It has great music and a big cast, with a lot of fun parts, and is quite technically ambitious. 

For the reading we need at least sixteen high school-age kids and several adults (of various ages!). For the show we’ll need a fair amount of crew (lighting, backstage, tech for the screen, etc.). We’re also looking for a director! If you’d like to be involved, or at least see what it’s all about, come along to the Old Uniting Church in Bega (125 Gipps St.) on Sunday, September 29, at 2pm.

To register your interest, please call Becky on 0414812749, or drop her a line, beckylupton@gmail.com.

We’d love to see you there!

THEATRE ONSET PRESENTS SWEET ROAD, a play by DEBRA OSWALD

Theatre Onset’s next fabulous production will be “Sweet Road” by Australian playwright Debra Oswald and will be performed at the old Uniting Church in Bega from Friday 23 August to Sunday 1 September.

Jo, Michael, Danny, Carla, Frank, Yasmin & Curtis are all on the road in outback NSW. Some of them are heading towards something, some of them are running away from something. At times, their lives weave and intersect while on the road. Full of vitality and good humour, this is a play which explores the aspirations and idiosyncrasies of seemingly ordinary people as they cross the vast, far from ordinary Australian landscape.

Directed by Mahamati and with a stellar local cast, this is a play not to be missed.  

Venue:  the Auditorium at the old Uniting Church in Bega

Dates:  Opening on Friday 23rd August at 7pm and ending with a matinee on Sunday 1st September.  

Bookings:  trybooking.com/CTVPT  

Tickets:  $28 (adults) / $24 (members and conc) / $18 students (14-18 years)

Recommended for over 14 year olds due to coarse language. Parental guidance recommended

Cast:

Eva Mills

Pete Wild

Nayara Piloni

Becky Lupton

Jesse Tankard

Sarah Lingard-Sinclair

Dennis Stanton

Bob Buck

Theatre Onset IncBringing you theatre news from around the Bega Valley

Theatre Onset is seeking  actors to be in Theatre Onset’s next production, “Sweet Road” by Debra Oswald.  This is a 7-hander with actors ranging from 18 to 70 years old.  We will rehearse from June-September, gradually increasing the frequency of rehearsals but starting with Monday nights.  Performance dates will be at the end of September (this is open to some negotiation). All rehearsals and performances will be in Bega. If this is something you think you would be interested in doing, please send me an expression of interest.  We will have a few read throughs/informal auditions and the play will be cast by the end of May.PS. This is not a musical – no singing or dancing required! Cast: Jo – mid 30’s to mid 40’s but must be able to feasibly look like she could get pregnant. Sensible but has temporarily gone off the beam.   Carly – late 20’s to late 30’s. Foul-mouthed and bad tempered Andy – late 20’s to late 30’s.  Manic, motor mouth Michael – mid 30’s to mid 40’s. Gentle, emotionally damaged Frank – 60’s or 70’s. A widower Yasmin – late teens to late 20’s – a bit of a space case Curtis – 20’s or 30’s. Not very nice Also looking for people to be in our production/creative team – set building, set painting, props procurement, backstage, front of house, publicity, lighting and sound. I look forward to hearing from you!Mahamati 0448 248 322 Director Theatre Onset

Theatre Onset will be presenting Stories in the Dark, a play by Australian playwright, Debra Oswald, in the coming months.

We’re interested to hear from high school aged students who would like to be part of the show, either onstage or offstage, part of the production team, or in speaking or non-speaking roles.

If you or a student you know are interested in being part of this production, please forward this message to them, then get in touch with me and I will send out an Info Pack with more details. We will be holding an open audition/read through of the play on Thursday 8th February at the old Uniting Church on Gipps St, Bega from 3:30-6pm and again on Tuesday 13th February from 3:30-5:30pm. You don’t have to come to both but you can if you want to.

All rehearsals and performances will be at the old Uniting Church in Gipps St, Bega.

Please pass this information on to any young people you think may be interested.

Many thanks,

Mahamati 0448 248 322

Director

Dear Friends of Theatre Onset,

Theatre Onset will hold their AGM on Sunday 17^th December at high noon (12pm) at Tarraganda.  All interested people are invited.  We love welcoming new people to our committee and/or our theatre productions. We will hold the AGM, eat together and discuss projects for 2024.

Address supplied when RSVP is received.

We will contribute towards the BBQ, salads, sweet offerings and drinks but some BYO would be appreciated, especially your signature dish!

RSVP by Friday 15^th December to Mahamati

Cheers,

Mahamati 0448 248 322

Secretary

Theatre Onset

Theatre Onset is proud to present Mr Bailey’s Minder by Australian writer, Debra Oswald, from Thursday 13 April to Sunday 23 April at the old Uniting Church on Gipps St, Bega.

Leo Bailey is cantankerous, abusive and a chronic alcoholic.  He is also one of Australia’s leading painters and a national living treasure.  His daughter has employed a string of carers to look after him but none have stayed until along comes Therese, feisty, young and fresh out of jail.  She is determined to make a go of this job and is tough enough to last. 

Dealing with themes of shame and redemption, love and duty, Mr Bailey’s Minder is funny, tough and heart-warming.  

This gem of a play will be performed by Juliet Fontaine, Dennis Stanton, Jesse Tankard and Eva Mills and directed by Mahamati.  

For more information about performance dates and times, and to book a ticket, head to http://www.trybooking.com/CGQSI

For more information about the show and about Theatre Onset, head to the Theatre Onset website, http://www.theatreonset.com.au 

Mr Bailey’s Minder is for an adult audience, 15 years and above.

NFP

Media enquiries to Mahamati 0448 248 322

mahamati@internode.on.net