The season will be October 19th – November 3rd 2012 at the Theatre Royal.

If you are 18 – 30 years old and interested in being on the list email graemepaine@netspace.net.au

Back to the 80′s is the story of a graduating year of William Ocean High School as they live through their senior year and experience the fun, the heartbreak and the loves of growing up. All set to the biggest hits of the 80′s:

Material Girl   * Walking On Sunshine * Centrefold * Kids In America * I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) *Love Shack * Total Eclipse Of The Heart. * Wake Me Up Before You Go Go *Don’t Worry Be Happy * Video Killed The Radio Star * Footloose * Girls Just Want To Have Fun* Mickey* Glory Of Love * Lets Hear It For The Boy * You Give Love A Bad Name * Nine To Five * * Man In The Mirror * Get Outta My Dreams (Get Into My Car) * Lost In Your Eyes* Never Gonna Give You Up *We Are The World * (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.

Set in the era when actors became American Presidents, when Bubble skirts were cool, when Atari was cutting edge technology and when mobile phones were as big as bricks. The play is from the era that brought the world the Rubik’s Cube, Max Headroom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Throw in a Star Wars dream sequence, high-energy dance routines, the obligatory 80′s party scene, copious amounts of blue eye-shadow, twenty cans of hairspray and you have a musical that will delight and amuse audiences of any age.

The school this year is being run by some of Hobart’s leading theatrical practitioners and any young people involved should gain maximum benefit.

Director: Darren Sangwell (Most recent production Mikado for G & S Society)

Musical Director: Aaron Powell (Most recent production SPAMALOT TTUT)

Designer: Jon Bowling (Most recent production SPAMALOT TTUT)

Band Simon Reade (Conductor Hobart City Band National A Grade Champions)

Choreographer: Jacquie Coad (Dance teacher Hutchins School and past 4 Summer Schools)

So you can see the school is in very good hands with the cream of Hobart Theatre involved.

Auditions are Sunday 6^th November at 50a Letitia Street and if you are interested in auditioning you should email Graeme paine graemepaine@netspace.net.au

Click here for a pdf document with audition details for the show.

Something different, something … original.

Underground Magic

Mick and Lara

Here is the crit published in today’s (14 May 2011) Mercury. Not too bad at all. Well done Mick!

Larageddon (Uni Revue 2011)

Old Nick Theatre Company

Theatre Royal, May 13-28,

It’s been a big week for Lara Giddings. First there was all that work stuff. And now Old Nick are blaming her for the ending of the world.

First-time Revue director Mick Lowenstein hangs this year’s Uni Revue on an only-slightly tenuous notion that all the recent global natural disasters have coincided with Lara’s political career. An A-team, led by Will ‘the Hodgmanator’ Hodgman, is mobilised to save us all from Larageddon: The Ultimate Disaster.

Lowenstein structures Larageddon with a strong narrative through-line that’s more plot than theme, and the show hangs together well with still plenty of room for the familiar skit-based non sequitur sketches, jokes and songs. And there are the requisite groan-out-loud puns, running jokes, self-referential and meta comedy, nudie runs, cross-dressers, and North/South taunts and political and pop-culture references.

The humour’s sharp without cruelty, intelligent without weightiness, and, of course, bawdy without apology. It’s a script-based show – don’t expect flashy sets or huge song-and-dance numbers (though there are some middle-sized numbers, and the band, under Musical Director Craig Wood, contribute healthily) – and the writing is enjoyable.

Sophie Tyrrell (Lara) and assistant director Ben Paine (the Hodgmanator) deliver clean, confident performances with plenty of charm, leading a young ensemble cast whose zeal and sincerity make up for what’s occasionally lacking in polish.

I hope it brightened Lara’s weekend.

Anica Boulanger-Mashberg

Just a subtle, friendly reminder …

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Don’t be put off by the title.  Urinetown is an affectionate and gloriously funny musical that never stops taking the, um, urine out of itself.

It’s the sixth annual production of the Hobart Theatre Summer School, involving 60+ participants from nineteen different secondary institutions.

This is a fiendishly difficult and demanding show, and of course the young performers lack the technique of older trained actors.  Some of the acting is extremely broad, and many nuances in the dialogue scenes are difficult for them to bring off.

Yet the show is irresistibly engaging.  The vocal sound is rich, the choreography precise and joyous, and the feeling of achievement palpable.  Every single individual gives a committed, confident, tightly-executed performance.

There are several outstanding leads.  Rob Manion lends his beautiful voice and dashing Prince Charming demeanor to the hero role, opposite the equally sweet-voiced Grace Ovens, who also demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of style, especially in the first act.

Hannah McGown as Little Sally is a delicious.  And there’s Nelson Ohl.  Silky voiced, smooth, lanky and loose limbed, his is perhaps the most detailed characterisation.  As the narrator, he looks comfortably at ease on stage, and makes us feel welcome and in very safe hands.

This is a hard hard show.  But they did it.  They brought it off in an impressive display of talent.

Robert Jarman

Bookings are now open for the 2011 Uni Revue!

Book now at the Theatre Royal for the Hobart season. Call 03 6233 2299, or book online here!

Book now at Theatre North for the Launceston season. Call 03 6323 3666, or book online here!

Uni Revue Auditions
LARAGEDDON – The Ultimate Disaster
Directed by Mick Lowenstein
Musical Director Craig Wood
Assistant Director Ben Paine

11am, Sunday, 27th February

Old Nick building, 50a Letitia St., North Hobart.

For further information, call Graeme Paine on 0419 544 147

It’s here! Now!

Old Nick presents the 2011 Hobart Theatre Summer School production Urinetown – the musical.