Prospect Terrace

DIRECTORS NOTE Home for me is along the leafy green street of Prospect Terrace in a quiet suburb of Brisbane, surrounded by lovely old Queenslanders. It’s not the same street where Angela Murphy set her play of the same name, but that was serendipitous enough for me to take on the challenge to direct her play. And it’s a bloody great script!

Prospect Terrace is not only written by a Queenslander but is also proudly produced, directed, acted, and crewed by Queenslanders—a truly home-grown production. Even Jack’s house in the play is a Queenslander.

Having access to the playwright was uniquely advantageous, as Angela provided insights into the play that were pure gold—particularly the reference to the “laundry chute” days in her childhood home! Angela’s highly relatable story of a fractured family navigating generational conflict, sibling rivalry, family secrets, and ultimately familial love, gives us pause for thought. At its core, it is a memory play told by the character Delores. The story is not only about 80-yearold Jack, his two daughters, and off-stage son,

but about the house itself, which holds all the family memories and secrets. The house quickly became the fifth character in our production.

The set, beautifully realized by Brigitte Bennet, is a fragmented impression of the memories Delores and Jack recall of their life in their Queenslander on Prospect Terrace, Red Hill. Sound and audiovisual geniuses, Dan Hallen and Noah Milne, respectively, captured the memories and moods of the house with thought, skill, and creativity. The talented and hardworking cast delved deep into their characters’ texts and backstories, bringing freshness and life to their roles. We often discussed our own memories and experiences of old family homes, families, and life in general. On our first day on the rehearsal floor, I asked my cast and crew to consider this: If our production of Prospect Terrace is the answer, what then is the question?

What do you think?

A big thank you to our audience for spending a couple of hours with us at PIP Theatre and with the cast and crew of Prospect Terrace.

Bronwyn Nayler

Photos by Kris Anderson

CAST

STEVEN GRIVES Jack

BERNADETTE PRYDE Delores

Steven was born in Warwickshire, UK. Graduating from the Drama Centre in London, Steven commenced acting in various repertory companies including Exeter, Newcastle, the Royal Exchange Company Manchester, Watford, St Andrews and the English Shakespeare Company, Regents Park.

Bernadette is an actor, theatre-maker, singer, and writer. She has been a proud member of MEAA since 1990.

London’s West End theatre credits include, Tom Mallory in ‘Camelot’ with the late Laurence Harvey at Drury Lane; Joey in ‘Zigger Zagger’ at the Strand; Reece in ‘The Old Ones’ at the Royal Court Theatre; leading role in ‘Wren’ at the Mayfair; and leading role of David Wilton in ‘The Undertaking’ with the late Kenneth Williams at the Fortune. In 1976 Steven toured Israel playing Francisco in ‘Othello’ with the late Robert Stephens, whilst in Los Angeles he played Benedict in ‘Much’ Ado About Nothing” at the John Anson Ford theatre.

TV and Film credits include: Sandbaggers (1978), Flambards (1979), Danger UXB (1979), Captain Cook (1987), Dangerous Game (1987), Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), Beastmaster (1999-2002), Scooby-Doo (2002), Sinbad and the Minotaur (2011). I​n 1987, Steven produced the movie “The Right-Hand Man”, starring Hugo Weaving and Rupert Everett in the lead roles.

Queensland credits include, lead role in ‘Brazilian Blue’ with the late Keith Michell , Creon in ‘Antigone’ (Queensland Theatre) (awarded Matilda commendation), and at La Boite receiving a Matilda Best Actor award and a Queensland Government Excellence in the Arts award as Valdis in ‘The Drowning Bride’.

Bernadette has toured throughout Australia in work ranging from Shakespeare to Children’s Theatre.

She has appeared in television commercials, short films, an ABC television series, and a feature film.

Her original theatrical works have played in regional and urban centres.

In 2023 her Judy Garland tribute show boosted attendance at the annual Logan City Seniors’ Big Day Out by 39%. Bernadette publishes through Cambridge Press, Palgrave MacMillan and Taylor & Francis.

You can often catch her singing at the Brisbane Jazz Club.

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Photos by Kris Anderson

CAST

NATASHA MCDONALD Pepper

SAMANTHA PROCTOR Bunny

Natasha, a QUT graduate (Bachelor of Creative Industries & Grad Dip Education), has recently returned to Brisbane after working, studying & performing in Sydney for several years. She has directed several productions, including Short & Sweet (New Theatre) where Natasha won a judge’s award for best direction.

Samantha is an Australian born, NYC trained actor.

Her many theatre credits include ‘Thin Man’ (Nash Theatre), ‘Bard Wars’ (Brisbane Arts Theatre) & ‘Top Girls’ (Ad Astra, ‘Cleansed’ (X-Collective) & managing her own production company ‘Loquacious Creatives.’

Sydney performances include: ‘Rausch’ (NIDA), ‘Vincent Ergo’ (107 Projects), ‘Pygmalion’ & ‘Lovely Bones’ (New theatre) & Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’ (Genesian Theatre).

Natasha also played an Asgardian parent in feature fim ‘Thor: love and thunder’.

Natasha’s is a long serving member of MEAA.

Some of Samantha’s theatre credits include ‘Yelena’ in Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, ‘Ally Moncrieff’ in an adaptation of ‘The Importance of being Earnest’ called ‘The literary Lioness’ of Lower Manhattan, ‘Billie’ in a new works production called Medicine and ‘Dorn’ in a modern adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull.

Samantha is the lead in Nun Habits (on Roku), a heart felt comedy drama series where she played a weed smoking, gay Catholic Nun who fights against the staunch beliefs of the church. Samantha trained in Atlantic Acting school in NYC.

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Photos by Kris Anderson

CREW

BRONWYN NAYLER Director

JENNA TODD Assistant Director & Marketing Director

AVA MOSCHETTI Stage Manager

BRIGITTE BENNET Set Designer

NOAH MILNE Lighting, Projection Designer, & Sound, Light Operation

DAN HALLEN Sound Designer

Special Thanks JASON MCKELL - Fight Director PIF PRODUCTIONS - Hero Shots/Videography KRIS ANDERSON - Production Photographer

AMELIA SLATTER Production Manager

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Set Design SET DESIGNER BRIGITTE BENNET.

Our director gave me the prompt of “the suggestion of a Queenslander”, and from there we discussed all the things we remembered from different Queenslander houses we’d each known growing up. Tongue and groove walls with a picture rail are something we both remember well from houses we’ve visited or lived in, as is the coloured bubble glass in the high windows, and that classic Queensland verandah rail. You’d be hard pressed to find a Queenslander that doesn’t have at least one of the key features I’ve recreated on this stage. The suggestion of this house is one that evokes memories for many Queenslanders - whether you lived in one just like it, or your Great Aunt’s walls looked exactly like that - which sits beautifully with the themes of the play.

Photos by Kris Anderson

Show Dates: June 28 & 29 Show Times: Fri & Sat 7:30pm Produced by: JD Proco & PIP Theatre

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If you’re a theatre guru, this night is specially for YOU. Get ready to get your entire year’s musical theatre fix, in one night showcasing the voice and story telling of each artist involved.

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Show Dates: August 29th Sept 14th Show Times: Thu - Sat 7:30pm Sat 2pm matinee Produced by: PIP Theatre

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Music by Jeanine Tesori Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron Based on the Graphic Novel by Alison Bechdel When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-a-kind man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life.

Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her f ather’s hidden desires.

Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.

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