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Tuesday 19 October 2010
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BY ALISON MARTIN WHEN Peninsula Players take to the stage next week for their swansong, more than 25 years of Bellarine theatre will come to a close. Rena and Dennis King and their troupe have been bringing a burst of theatrical culture to the region while raising more than $30,000 for a local charity since 1985. However, they have announced they will retire after the final performance of their next production A Month of Sundays. “We’re all in our 70s and it’s been wonderful but if you love something, it takes a lot of work‌ and we’ve done a lot of work of the years,â€? Rena said. She said Peninsula Players was the start of theatre on the Bellarine and the group began performing three plays a year in Drysdale’s old Methodist Hall, with proceeds from the opening night of each show going to Portarlington’s aged care facility Ann Nichol House. “I was smitten with theatre when I moved to Clifton Springs, having been a member of Geelong Repertory Theatre where I met Dennis,â€? Rena said. “We called a theatre interest meeting in 1984 and 40 people turned up and Peninsula Players was formed in 1985. “More recently we have only performed two shows a year but the first night has always been a charity night.
Founders of theatre on the Bellarine, Rena and Dennis King, are preparing for their swansong.
“We’ve never charged much, tickets have only been $12 for years; it’s just been about making sure we can cover costs,� she said. Peninsula Players have performed all the classics including The Importance of Being Earnest, in which Rena played Lady Bracknell, but have also carefully selected their shows to suit their audience. “There’s been no foul language, and basically they’d been comedies, some dramas, but all good quality plays,� Rena said. She said another key to the success of the Peninsula Players had been the dedication of its small but hardworking committee and community support. “Margaret Wild has been our secretary for 25 years; gaining permission for copyright and all the
other paperwork, our treasurer Richard, who has been so important, and his wife who is great with making sets “And we have had such a loyal audience base who come from across the Bellarine,� Rena said. “At the end of each show we’re all exhausted but it leaves us with a good feeling.� The Peninsula Players last play, A Month of Sundays, will be directed by Tony Wright and has been described as a comedy with poignant parts, leaving the audience laughing one minute and shedding a tear the next. A Month of Sundays will be performed on October 27, 28, 29 and 30 at Springdale Neighbourhood Centre, with tickets available at Drysdale Pharmacy or by phoning 5251 2671.
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