Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Series

ORANGE CIVIC THEATRE

2019

Subscription Season new perspectives

ORANGE CIVIC THEATRE

theatre@orange.nsw.gov.au www.orange.nsw.gov.au/theatre 02 6393 8111 facebook.com/orangecivictheatre

The Sapphires

Contents

3 5

Senior Moments

7

An Afternoon at the Proms

9

360 ALLSTARS

11

Dr Gill Hicks

13

Billionaire Boy

15

The Tap Pack

17

Possum Magic

19

Jukebox Revolution

21

Rent

23

Emma Matthews Sings Mozart Arias

25

Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow

27

The Australian Tenors The Spirit of Australia

29

Much Ado About Nothing

31

Diplomacy

33

Roald Dahl’s The Twits

35

Hitler’s Daughter

37

Lady Beatle

39

Rainbow’s End

41

Circa’s Peepshow

43

Jesus Christ Superstar

45

Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase

47

Virtuoso #4: Severiano Paoli ‘Contrabasso Monumentale’

49

The Wharf Revue 2019

51

Sneaky Secrets for Successful Super Heroes

52

Subscribe & win

53

Subscriber information

54

Acknowledgements

56

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

The Gospel According to Paul

1

HIT Productions presents

The Sapphires Written and Directed by Tony Briggs

140 minutes including interval

The Sapphires is one of the Australia’s best-loved stories. Winning multiple awards as a play, film and soundtrack album there was one challenge left and that was to undertake a national tour of Australia; bringing the raw energy, fun and emotion of this story directly to stages like Orange and across the nation.

SUBSCRIBER $38.00

Writer Tony Briggs will direct his work in a version he promises will be the most intimate telling of The Sapphires story yet.

Thursday 28 February at 8pm

CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $30.00

Playwright and Director Tony Briggs

Associate Director

Kylie Bracknell [Kaarljilba Kaardn]

Musical Director Nathaniel Andrew

Set & LX Designer Mark Howett

Choreographer Leonard Mickelo

“I hope the audience will feel a fresh sense of connection to a story that has already successfully infiltrated the psyche of the Australian theatre and movie going public and get a sense of joy and understanding of who Aboriginal people are and walk away from ‘The Sapphires’ with a smile on their faces”, said Tony.

Four young Aboriginal women from regional Australia, who like singing country music, suddenly get the chance to change their tune and their lives. Wearing uniforms of sequins, armed only with microphones they find themselves trying to spread joy in the hell that is the Vietnam War. The Sapphires is a funny, heart-warming tale inspired by the true story of writer Tony Brigg’s mother. It tells of the incredible journey of a singing group of four Yorta Yorta Women, who sing Motown soul hits against the backdrop of personal change and massive social upheaval.

It is an energetic, fun and engaging play that affirms life and the realisation of dreams.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $46.00

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Photo by Brett Boardman

(Soft Tread Enterprises) presents

The Gospel According to Paul Written and performed by Jonathan Biggins

Tuesday 5 March at 7.30pm 75 minutes no interval

SUBSCRIBER $44.00

CONCESSION $48.00 JUNIOR $30.00

Director

Aarne Neeme

Designer

Mark Thompson

Lighting Designer Verity Hampson

Sound/AV Designer David Bergman

Cast

Jonathan Biggins

WARNING: Coarse Language

Jonathan Biggins’ performance as Paul Keating is well known from the longrunning Sydney Theatre Company success story, The Wharf Revue. Beyond the canny impersonation, Jonathan, like so many Australians, has long been fascinated

by Keating and what Keating means to Australia. Showcasing his eviscerating wit, rich rhetoric and ego the size of Everest, The Gospel According to Paul distils Keating’s essence into 75 minutes, focussing on key biographical milestones, landmark political achievements and personal obsessions. It shows the man who grew up in the tribe of the Labor Party and gained an education at the knee of Jack Lang, who treated economics as an artform, and demanded we confront the wrongs of our colonial past.

Biggins asks the question - what can we learn today from this singular politician, and the momentous time in our country’s history he dominated?

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $52.00

One of Australia’s favourite performers, Jonathan Biggins, is Paul Keating – visionary, reformer and rabble-rouser – in a highly anticipated new comedy, The Gospel According to Paul. Full of intelligence and wit, The Gospel According to Paul is a funny, insightful and occasionally poignant portrait of Paul Keating, the man that - as he tells it – single-handedly shaped contemporary Australia.

5

Return Fire Productions presents

Senior Moments

A comedy revue about ‘old’ people – and the young people they have to deal with.

26 & 27 March Tuesday 26 March at 2pm & 7.30pm Wednesday 27 March at 2pm

90 minutes no interval

ADULT $69.00 CONCESSION $65.00 GROUPS $55.00

Senior Moments is a comedy revue with a deliciously funny and fresh collection of comic sketches and songs performed by a cast who are old enough to know better.

Gold Logie winner John Wood (Blue Heelers, Rafferty’s Rules), Play School icon Benita Collings, master satirist Max Gillies (The Gillies Report) with former Channel 9 Midday maestro Geoff Harvey on piano, all combine to deliver a somewhat silly show for otherwise sensible seniors.

Senior Moments: a seriously funny revue for slightly old people. (That’s you. Be honest.)

Hurry, book now, before you forget!

Cast:

John Wood, Benita Collings, Max Gillies, Kim Lewis, Russell Newman, Emily Taylor, Christian Barratt-Hill,

“A fabulous, fun-filled 90 minutes…”

The Blurb Magazine

Music Director/Piano

‘Hilarious’ ‘A classic comedy revue...’

Dinner and Show

Written by

‘Funny’ ‘Delightful’ ‘Very clever and comical…’

Stage Whispers

Geoff Harvey

Angus FitzSimons & Kevin Brumpton

Director

Angus FitzSimons

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $62.00

John Wood, Benita Collings and Max Gillies are having some Senior Moments, with Geoff Harvey on piano, in this senior theatrical sensation.

7

Australian Global Entertainment presents

An Afternoon at the Proms

With a lavish new program for 2019, this stunning spectacular salutes the famous BBC Proms Concerts of London’s Royal Albert Hall performing all the wellknown favourites including Rule Britannia, Jerusalem, Radetzky March, and Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory.

100 minutes including interval

Join Australia’s most acclaimed international violinist Ian Cooper, along with Opera Stars, Prima Ballerinas, the Governor Macquarie Memorial Pipe Band with their tribute to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Blue Danube Orchestra as they perform highlights from Singin’ in the Rain, Dr. Zhivago, South Pacific, Oklahoma, Mary Poppins and the favorite Proms classics from the Waltz King - Johann Strauss, to evoke the sheer exuberance of An Afternoon at the Proms A Musical Spectacular.

SUBSCRIBER $74.00 ADULT $79.00 CONCESSION $77.00 JUNIOR $75.00 GROUP $75.00

This jubilant musical and visual spectacular will delights your hearts!

Bring your flags and come join the fun and frivolity of Ian Cooper’s An Afternoon at the Proms.

“An afternoon At The Proms - A Musical Spectacular’ attracted 2 full houses of approximately 4,000 people in The Sydney Town Hall. Feedback from the audience was ecstatic! They raved about the dancers, the soloists, the choir, the orchestra and the wonderfully accomplished and incredible Ian Cooper!”

Roy Watterson. OAM Nostalgia Productions

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

Sunday 7 April at 2pm

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The International Smash Hit Urban Circus presents

360 ALLSTARS

Wednesday 10 April at 7.30pm 70 minutes with no interval

SUBSCRIBER $30.00

CONCESSION $32.00 JUNIOR $26.00 FAMILY $98.00 SCHOOL GROUP $18.00

Produced by

Onyx Productions

Directed by Gene Peterson

WARNING: This production uses haze and strobe lighting.

Add to this a stunning live soundtrack composed by award winning master musicians, coupled with spectacular video projections, 360 ALLSTARS is as aurally exciting as it is visually astounding.

A magnificent, colourful & astonishing expression of a generation that has reinvented public performance, 360 ALLSTARS is a revolutionary production that will leave you dizzy with excitement!

“The most thrilling stage show ever” Weekend Notes “Blindingly talented. The energy is infectious” Broadway Baby “Destined to be a sell-out” TV Bomb, Edinburgh “Breathtaking... a rare mixture of talents” The Advertiser

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $36.00

A phenomenal physical performance exploring all forms of rotation, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Boasting a stellar international cast, including the two-time World Champion BMX Flatlander, two World Champion breakdancers, an internationally acclaimed basketball freestyler, and a World Record holding roue Cyr artist, 360 ALLSTARS is a spectacular fusion of the extraordinary artistry that emerges from street culture.

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Saxton Speakers Bureau presents

Dr Gill Hicks

Friday 3 May 11am & 7.30pm

60 minutes no interval

ADULT $46.00 CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $28.00 SCHOOL GROUPS $20.00

Her devotion to making a greater personal contribution and positive difference to the urgency of building peace was realised when she was made permanently injured in the London terrorist Bombings on July 7th, 2005.

But Gill is much more than a survivor.

Her presentation will focus on topics such as confidence and trust within ourselves, and how having both allows us to make transformational choices. Gill advocates for the growth of a more confident collective / communities, societies and as a nation.

As a finalist for Australian of the Year, her platform centred on the importance of growing a confident and cohesive Australia.

She speaks of change, or rather the negative connotation change has and how change-makers are often revered figures who are seen as ‘pioneers’ and ‘leaders’.

She encourages audiences to take control of change through our choice of how we react and respond…and use it as opportunity.

Gill’s ability to discover moments of kindness and insight (and even humour) in her ordeal is astonishing and deeply moving.

She tells her story in such a compelling manner; she generated a flood of warm responses from people who simply had to stop what they were doing, and just listen, spellbound, to her voice.’

Richard Fidler, ABC Radio

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $40.00

Gill Hicks is considered to be one of the most thought provoking, powerful and life affirming speakers in Australia and the UK. She is globally known as an Advocate for Sustainable Peace and a valuable resource in Countering Violent Extremism.

13

Billionaire Boy by David Walliams, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Cover Illustration © Tony Ross, 2010 Lettering on authors name © Quentin Blake, 2010

CDP Kids presents

a play by Maryam Master based on the best-selling novel by David Walliams

Billionaire Boy

6&7 May Monday 6 May at 1pm Tuesday 7 May at 9.30am & 11.30am

60 minutes no interval

ADULT $26.00 CONCESSION $22.00 JUNIOR $18.00 FAMILY $74.00 SCHOOL GROUP $12.00

Age recommendation: 6-12yrs and their adults.

WARNING: A small amount of theatrical haze will be used during the performance.

David Walliams’ best-selling book comes to life on stage for 6-12 year olds - and their adults! Don’t miss this original Australian adaptation as the team behind Mr Stink and The 13-, 26-, 52- and 78-Storey Treehouses live on stage return with songs, laughs and yes, that cat sick and sweet potato mash from the canteen…

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $18.00

Twelve year old Joe has everything a boy could ever want, from a golden underwater Ferrari to his very own cinema. Joe and his Dad have more money than you could imagine, but what Joe really needs is a friend. When Joe arrives at his new school, life really gets tough. Facing the school bully, his Dad’s new girlfriend and the world’s worst school canteen, Joe is about to learn that money might buy you a lot in Raj’s shop, but it can’t buy you everything.

15

The Tap Pack Pty Ltd Presents

The Tap Pack

Saturday 11 May at 7.30pm 120 minutes including interval

SUBSCRIBER $59.90

CONCESSION $64.90 JUNIOR $59.90

Created by

Jesse Rasmussen, Jordan Pollard and Thomas J Egan

Co-created and directed by

Nigel Turner Carroll

Produced by

Kym Halpin in association with SK Entertainment

Picking up where The Rat Pack left off…

THE TAP PACK conjures up a modern twist to the crooners and artists from the 50s through to the noughties! Featuring songs from Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr to Sheeran, Bublé and Beyonce, THE TAP PACK mix slick humour, high energy entertainment and world class tap dance.

A show of pure entertainment inspired by the legendary kings of swing, The Rat Pack, freshly created for the audience today.

Cool classics with a fresh new twist. All your favourites including “The Lady is a Tramp”, “Come Fly with Me”, “One for my Baby”, “Me and my Shadow” and much more.

With credits on stage, film and television and with over 20 musical theatre productions between them, THE TAP PACK is pure entertainment. They sing.

They dance. They joke. They bring a new, invigorating energy to a timeless style!

“Exhilarating” The Herald Sun “Knockout performances” The Age “Sensational evening” The Advertiser

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $69.90

Direct from sold out houses and rave reviews in London, Berlin and Beijing, Australia’s newest and hottest tap dance sensation, THE TAP PACK is coming to Orange this May for one show only!

17

Illustrations copyright Š Julie Vivas 1983

Monkey Baa Theatre Company presents

Possum Magic

Based on the book by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas

13 & 14 May Monday 13 May at 12.30pm Tuesday 14 May at 10.00am & 12.30pm

60 minutes no interval

Grandma Poss loves making magic. She makes wombats blue and kookaburras pink.

She makes dingoes smile and emus shrink.

But one day, when danger arrives in the form of a snake, Grandma uses her most magical spell to make Hush invisible. Hush has many wonderful adventures. But being invisible isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and Hush longs to see herself again.

Adapted for the stage by

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $18.00

For more than 30 years, Mem Fox’s Possum Magic has captivated and enchanted young people all over Australia.

Directed by

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ADULT $26.00 CONCESSION $22.00 JUNIOR $18.00 FAMILY $74.00 SCHOOL GROUP $12.00

Based on the book by

Mem Fox and Julie Vivas

One problem. Grandma Poss can’t find the spell to make Hush visible again. And then she remembers...this particular magic requires something more, something special, something to do with food…people food.

Eva Di Cesare and Sandra Eldridge

Sandra Eldridge

SMA Productions and Boys In The Band presents

Jukebox Revolution

Elvis, Bee Gees, Johnny O’Keefe, Queen, Jackson 5, Beatles, ACDC, John Farnham… and many more!

Saturday 18 May at 7.30pm 110 minutes with interval

SUBSCRIBER $38.00

CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $30.00

Starring Australia’s finest leading men and backed by their sensational band The Players, this dazzling performance features over 50 years of mega hits in an all singing, all dancing, high octane concert.

Boys in the Band has performed among star-studded company such as Pharrell Williams, Bon Jovi, Maroon 5 and Pseudo Echo, entertaining audiences across the globe. Highlight concert performances include: Singapore F1 Grand Prix, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, Mandela Theatre Johannesburg, The Star Gold Coast, Arts Centre Melbourne and festivals such as Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, Sydney Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo Twilight Series.

Get ready to join the revolution!

“A wonderful megamix of hits from 50s to 90s.

Gorgeous harmonies, slick chorey, fun show!”

Jo Litson, Sunday Telegraph “The audience lapped it up like root beer at a 1950s soda shop” Business Day News, Johannesburg “One hell of a show!”

Just Saying Magazine, Asia “The best of its kind” Arts Review

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $46.00

Following on from their 2018 sell-out concerts, internationally acclaimed Boys in the Band is proud to present their brand new show “Jukebox Revolution…every record tells a story!” celebrating the most iconic artists of the 20th century.

21

Cast not confirmed at time of print

Orange Theatre Company presents

Rent

Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

23-26 May Thursday 23 May at 8pm Friday 24 May at 8pm Saturday 25 May at 2pm & 8pm Sunday 26 May at 2pm

140 minutes with interval

ADULT $52.50 CONCESSION $47.00 GROUP $40.00

Musical Arrangements Steve Skinner

Original Concept Additional Lyrics Billy Aronson

Music Supervision & Additional Arrangements

Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’s Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general.

How these young bohemians navigate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this ground-breaking musical.

Tim Weil

23

Dramaturg Lynn Thomson

Director Sam Fuda

Musical Director Amy Denford

Choreographer Shea Coughlan

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $42.00

Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become a pop cultural phenomenon, with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages.

RENT was originally produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia). All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.

Image: Carolyn Mackay Clark

Sydney Symphony Orchestra presents

Emma Matthews Sings Mozart Arias

Saturday 1 June at 7pm 100 minutes with interval

SUBSCRIBER $68.00

CONCESSION $70.00 JUNIOR $40.00

Program

SCHUBERT Rosamunde: Highlights MOZART Voi avete un cor fedele The Marriage of Figaro: E Susanna non vien! ... Dove sono Ah se in ciel, benigne stelle SCHUBERT Symphony No.3

Emma Matthews is one of Australia’s most beloved performers and one of opera’s brightest stars. Her versatility, charisma and exquisite coloratura soprano are the perfect fit for Mozart’s arias, those musical expressions of character par excellence.

Schubert’s gift for song shines in his lyrical Rosamunde music and his sparkling Symphony No. 3.

Founded in 1932, the Sydney Symphony has evolved into one of Australia’s leading cultural organisations. Resident at the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Symphony also performs regularly across New South Wales, performing a wide array of music from classical repertoire to popular music working with guest artists and composers from around the globe.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $74.00

Enjoy an intimate evening of Mozart and Schubert with the Sydney Symphony and opera star Emma Matthews.

Conductor

Umberto Clerici

Soprano

Emma Matthews

with

Musicians of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra

25

Melbourne International Comedy Festival presents

Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow Grab a mate, grab a date‌ grab a ticket to the Roadshow!

Saturday 22 June at 8pm 130 minutes with interval

SUBSCRIBER $34.00

WARNING: Performances often contain coarse language, sexual references and material that can offend. It is recommended for people aged 15 years or older.

Smoke Machine/Hazer may be used during this performance.

For 20 years the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has been touring far and wide, bringing giggles, guffaws and good times to Australia and further afield. Whether you’re in Katherine, Quirindi, Kyneton or Orange, you can still experience Australia’s largest and best-loved comedy festival in your own backyard. We’ve got over 80 destinations on the laugh-laden schedule, and a line-up of artists to tickle anyone’s funny bone.

The Roadshow really has something for everyone! Grab a mate, grab a date… grab a ticket to the Roadshow!

‘A night out that does not disappoint, it’s truly a ‘something for everyone’ kind of event.’ peril.com.au

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $38.00

Looking for a laugh? The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow is coming to town. Forget I-Spy, spotto and stale servo snacks, this road trip is jam-packed with a crew of fantastically funny comedians, specially selected to bring the fun of the Festival to towns and cities around the nation.

27

Australian Global Entertainment presents

The Australian Tenors The Spirit of Australia

Friday 5 July at 7.30pm 130 minutes with interval

SUBSCRIBER $74.00

CONCESSION $77.00 JUNIOR $75.00 GROUP $75.00

The Australian Tenors

Lorenzo Rositano, Murray Mayday, David McKenzie, John Donohoe, Matthew Reardon.

Backed by

The Southern Cross Orchestra

Musical Director & Conductor Joseph Macri

Guest soprano Giuseppina Grech

Five of the best tenor voices in Australia bring romance and excitement along with warmth and humour to their performances.

Soloists in their own right, The Australian Tenors have performed extensively with Opera Australia, Australian and International Symphonies & Philharmonic Orchestras.

They unite in this wonderful concert with a dynamic display of true Australian talent.

A sensational program for 2019, the concert showcases the spirit, the beauty and vocal demand of truly authentic tenor voice.

Proudly Australian, The Australian Tenors is never complete without the ever popular Road to Gundagai, Waltzing Matilda, Dorothea Mackellar’s poem: Australia My Country, I Am Australian, among other favourites.

Their vocal artistry and powerful stage presence and their ability to connect with an audience is the trade mark of their worldwide success.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $79.00

The Australian Tenors’ versatility spans all genres of the classical tenor repertoire.

Audiences are thrilled by the ever popular classical arias from the best known Operas, traditional Neapolitan songs such as O Sole Mio, Funiculi Funicular, and popular tenor tunes from the hit music theatre productions such as Tonight from West Side Story, Bring Him Home, This Is The Moment, and beautiful duets including, The Prayer, Time to Say Goodbye and the Tenor trademark aria, Nessun Dorma.

29

Bell Shakespeare Company presents

Much Ado About Nothing

By William Shakespeare

12 & 13 July Friday July 12 at 7.30pm Saturday July 13 at 7.30pm

150 minutes with interval

ADULT $52.00 CONCESSION $48.00 JUNIOR $28.00

Director James Evans

With

Zindzi Okenyo

Recommended Age: 13+

Much Ado About Nothing is a saucy and razor-sharp battle of wits between the bickering Beatrice and Benedick, who wield words as weapons, their banter betraying their love for each other.

Claudio however is quickly consumed by envy and his idyllic world threatens to come tumbling down as he humiliates Hero.

Beatrice and Benedick must join forces to defend true love – even if they can’t recognise it in themselves.

But will truth and honesty win the day, and does love really conquer all?

Directed by Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Director, James Evans ( Julius Caesar) and starring Zindzi Okenyo (Antony and Cleopatra, MTC’s An Ideal Husband) as Beatrice, this Much Ado About Nothing will be a powerful exploration of the struggle for identity and self-knowledge in a maledominated world. The pursuit of love is framed in a social context that enhances the darker themes in this timeless comic gem.

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s contemporary comedies where romance is thwarted by dastardly plots, misinformation, false accusations, broken promises, and bumbling cops. Or is it?

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $44.00

Claudio and Hero are deeply in love.

Beatrice and Benedick would rather swap sassy insults than sweet nothings.

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Image: Christian Trinder

Ensemble Theatre presents

Diplomacy

By Cyril GĂŠly Translated and adapted by Julie Rose

Wednesday 31 July at 7.30pm 70 minutes no interval SUBSCRIBER $38.00 ADULT $46.00 JUNIOR $30.00

In 1944 at the Hôtel Meurice, the Swedish diplomat Raoul Nordling and the German General, Dietrich von Choltitz meet in a life or death situation for the city of Paris.

On abandoning Paris, Hitler has ordered its destruction. Raoul has one night to persuade the General to leave the landmark city standing. The many twists and turns of their negotiations play out in this highly entertaining thriller by Cyril Gély.

SCHOOL GROUP $20.00

Director John Bell

Assistant Director Anna Volska

“Gaden is nimble as the witty, wily, urbane Nordling, drawing humour and humanity from the unorthodox consul…The power of Diplomacy is a reminder of the fragility of a culture that was so nearly forever lost.”

The Sydney Morning Herald

Translation & Adaptation Julie Rose

Set Designer

Michael Scott-Mitchell

Costume Designer Genevieve Graham

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Lighting Designer Matt Cox

Composer & Sound Designer Nate Edmondson

Cast includes

John Bell, John Gaden, James Lugton, Joseph Raggatt

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

CONCESSION $42.00

After a sold out 2018 season, theatre legends John Bell and John Gaden reprise their roles in this unmissable production of this high-stakes WWII thriller.

Ensemble Theatre’s commission of the translation & adaptation of DIPLOMACY was made possible by the generous support of Jinnie and Ross Gavin.

Spare Parts Puppet Theatre presents

Roald Dahl’s The Twits

6&7 August Tuesday 6 August at 12.30pm Wednesday 7 August at 10am & 12.30pm

Mr and Mrs Twit, are the most horrible people ever to live on the stage of the earth! How unpleasant is Mr Twit, a hairy-faced, grubby and messy old man?

How mean-spirited Mrs Twit, whose once pretty face, now ugly and reflecting her consumption of nasty thoughts?

50 minutes and 10-minute Q&A

Being the delightful humans they are, Mr and Mrs Twit spend their days playing dirty tricks on each other.

ADULT $26.00 CONCESSION $22.00 JUNIOR $18.00 FAMILY $74.00 SCHOOL GROUP $12.00

Director

Michael Barlow

Mrs Twit puts worms in Mr Twit’s spaghetti – yuck! Mr Twit convinces Mrs Twit has the dreaded shrinks – how mean! Insults are flying left, right and centre and a tag game of revenge and out-trickery is neverending.

Meanwhile, Muggle-Wump, a poor little monkey is held captive by Mr Twit.

Obsessed with putting on The Great Upside-Down Monkey Circus, Mr Twit relentlessly trains Muggle-Wump to perform death defying stunts, punishing the monkey as he sees fit. Poor little MuggleWump.

Assistant Director

But! Fate changes for Muggle-Wump with the arrival of Roly-Poly, a glorious bird full of grace and pomposity. Together a plot is devised to secure Muggle-Wump’s freedom and punish The Twits forever.

Designer

Age recommendation 7 to 12 years

Co-creators

Humphrey Bower and Michael Barlow

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $18.00

Sam Longley

Leon Hendroff

Sound Consultant Lee Buddle

Lighting

Rhiannon Petersen

Performers

Jessica Harlond-Kenny, Geordie Crawley

35

Monkey Baa Theatre Company presents

Hitler’s Daughter Based on the book by Jackie French

27 & 28 August Tuesday 27 August at 6pm Wednesday 28 August at 10am & 12.30pm

60 minutes no interval

ADULT $26.00 CONCESSION $22.00 JUNIOR $18.00 FAMILY $74.00 SCHOOL GROUP $12.00

Adapted for the stage by Eva Di Cesare, Sandra Eldridge & Tim McGarry

Directed by Sandra Eldridge

Lighting Designer Luiz Pampolha

Set and Costume Designer Imogen Ross

Sound Designer Jed Silver

Age recommendation 10+ (Years 5 to 8)

Back at the bus shelter Mark becomes so engrossed in Anna’s story, he begins to wonder how it would feel to be the child of someone as evil as Hitler. As the play evolves, Mark’s search for truth in a world of half-truths becomes clearer and the story culminates in the bombing of Berlin, the fall of the Third Reich and the end of Heidi’s innocence.

Hitler’s Daughter poses powerful questions and examines moral issues in relation to society’s fears and prejudices.

When Monkey Baa first presented Hitler’s Daughter in 2006, the notion of a factual and historical event being told through the ‘story’ of a fictional character was exciting in that it allowed audiences to immerse themselves in history as it came to life on stage. The audience is left with the lingering question, as Mark is: Did Hitler really have a daughter? Was she real?

Today, in an age of fake news and fact manipulation, extreme ideologies and rising nationalism, there has never been a more important and relevant time to present this work. Hitler’s Daughter demands its young audiences to question the reality of truth, and notions of personal responsibility and prejudice.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $18.00

The play begins early morning somewhere in the Australian countryside. Four children wait for the school bus and they decide to play a game; a simple game of story-telling.

As they shelter in the bus stop from a raging storm, Anna creates an intriguing story and simultaneously on stage we begin to hear the bombing of Berlin and we see Heidi crawl from a bunker. With a large birthmark across her face, we discover that Heidi is the disfigured daughter of Hitler. Caught in the turmoil of war, she is hidden away by her father, one of the most dreaded men in history.

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Little Red Company & Critical Stages presents

Lady Beatle

Thursday 5 September at 8pm 85 minutes no interval

SUBSCRIBER $38.00

CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $30.00

Created by

Adam Brunes & Naomi Price

Lighting Design Jason Glenwright

Sound Design Jamie Taylor

Costume Design Leigh Buchanan

Starring

Naomi Price with Mik Easterman, Andrew Johnson, Michael Manikus, Jason McGregor

Starring UK-born Australian stage and screen star Naomi Price (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Rumour Has It, Ladies in Black, The Voice Australia) and inspired by true accounts, Lady Beatle is a rollicking magical mystery tour soundtracked by The Beatles’ biggest chart toppers, including Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Eleanor Rigby, Yellow Submarine and Penny Lane.

Flanked by a live band, Price transports audiences to 1960s Liverpool, taking the audience along for the ride as she riffs off the cuff, invites them to join in the big numbers, and ultimately has them on their feet for the show’s epic mega-mix finale dance party.

Lady Beatle proved a runaway hit when it premiered at La Boite in 2017, drawing capacity audiences and standing ovations at each performance and unanimous critical and audience acclaim. It epitomises The Little Red Company’s unmistakable brand of cabaret: tremendous heart and charm, world-class musicianship, seamless audience interaction, striking design and a triumphant central performance from Naomi Price.

“Naomi Price has the kind of voice that can raise goosebumps on arms when singing any song – combining this talent with the music of The Beatles is a stroke of genius… Fans of The Beatles will love the music, fans of cabaret will adore Price’s energy and emotional range.”

Australian Stage

originally produced by La Boite Theatre Company.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $46.00

From the creators of celebrated Australian works Rumour Has It and Wrecking Ball comes the must-see live music event of the year: Lady Beatle – a kaleidoscopic journey through the Beatles’ most monumental hits.

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Darlinghurst Theatre Company in association with Moogahlin Performing Arts presents

Rainbow’s End

By Jane Harrison

Friday 13 September at 11am & 7.30pm

90 minutes no interval

ADULT $46.00 CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $28.00 SCHOOL GROUP $20.00

Produced by

Darlinghurst Theatre Company in association with Mooghalin Performing Arts

Director

Liza-Mare Syron

Featuring

It’s the 1950s in Shepparton, Victoria.

Three generations of the Dear family live together in a rundown shack on the Goulburn River flats.

Gladys yearns for a better life, a real home and a decent job. Her teenage daughter Dolly has dreams of becoming a nurse, while her resilient grandmother, Nan Dears, is resistant to change.

Dolly falls for Errol, a travelling salesman, who offers her the prospect of another world. Together they embark on a journey of belonging where the search for a better life challenges the powerful bond that holds these women together.

In this powerful and tender story, where dreams for a fair go lie, acclaimed playwright, Jane Harrison, pens one family’s struggle for community acceptance in the Menzies era of Australia.

“[Rainbow’s End] quietly makes its point, leaving you aware and impressed by the staunchness of these women, the gains they made and the dignity with which they dealt with hardship”

Frederick Copperwaite

Sydney Morning Herald

Lighting Designer

“Beautifully crafted, elegantly scripted… “

Karen Norris

Australian Stage “A touching pot of theatrical gold…”

The Examiner

PLAYHOUSE

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $40.00

A First Nations story about the bond of family and the power of the land.

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Photo by Pedro Grieg

Circa presents

Circa’s Peepshow

Created by Yaron Lifschitz with Libby McDonnell and the Circa Ensemble

Saturday 21 September at 8pm 100 minutes with interval

SUBSCRIBER $38.00

CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $30.00

Circa’s Peepshow combines some of the finest acrobatic talent on the planet under the direction of circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz to create a playfully exhilarating ride into the beautifully bizarre recesses of your mind.

Come to Circa’s Peepshow and see the world from the other side of the mirror.

Director

Yaron Lifschitz

Associate Director & Costume Designer

“. . . packs a punch using the force, beauty and strength of the human body and it is laid bare in all its glory.”

Libby McDonnell

Pocket Size Theatre, UK

Technical Director & CoLighting Designer

“Physical eloquence . . . one moment they appear to defy gravity, biology, and common sense, and at the next is a delicately poised, piece of physical poetry.”

Jason Organ

Co-Lighting Designer Richard Clarke

Original Music by Ori Lichtik

Exuent Magazine, UK

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $46.00

Circa’s Peepshow turns cabaret on its head, literally. Join Circa as they embark on a seductive dance through the hall of mirrors that is your imagination. Circa’s Peepshow lurches from the thrillingly acrobatic to the comically playful. Expect teetering towers of balanced bodies, extreme bending and devilishly precarious aerials.

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Orange Theatre Company presents

Jesus Christ Superstar

24 - 27 October Thursday 24 October at 7.30pm Friday 25 October at 7.30pm Saturday 26 October at 1pm & 7.30pm Sunday 27 October at 1pm

SUBSCRIBER $42.00 ADULT $52.50 CONCESSION $47.00 JUNIOR $30.00 GROUP $40.00

Written by

Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice

Director

Bruce Buchanan

Musical Director Amy Denford

In 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar burst onto the worldwide stage and changed the face of musical theatre forever.

Through the eyes of the betrayer, Judas Iscariot, Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of the last days of the man he once loved and admired.

Through Judas’ eyes, the very human soul beneath the divine icon is bared – troubled, doubting, loving and scared.

A blazing score from Andrew Lloyd Webber of The Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Cats fame combines with Tim Rice’s inventive and evocative lyrics to make a musical still as devastatingly powerful as the first time it hit the stage.

Nominated for eight Tony Awards and seven Olivier Awards over its almost 50 year history, the greatest rock opera ever created shines a light on the power of the human spirit.

What would it take for you to betray the Son of God? And how would you feel if you did?

Never before has a simple kiss on the cheek meant so much.

Choreographer Jamie Schmich

Costume

Angie Mason

By arrangement with Origin Theatrical

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

210 minutes with interval

With thirty pieces of silver and a kiss on the cheek, the ultimate act of betrayal is committed.

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Sydney Comedy Festival presents

Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase The festival’s funniest hit the road

Saturday 2 November at 8pm 120 minutes including interval

SUBSCRIBER $33.00

CONCESSION $33.00 GROUP $35.00

WARNING: May contain coarse language and adult themes.

Recommended for 15 years + Parental discretion is advised

Expertly curated and lovingly presented, the Showcase will feature some of the Festival’s hottest acts live on stage for an incredible two hours of hard-hitting laughter. Boasting a line-up of veteran favourites, international stars, and some of the freshest emerging talents, this jampacked night of pure entertainment will leave you sore from belly laughs!

So call your pals and grab your tickets to the funniest night of entertainment you will see all year – don’t miss out on a huge night of laughs!

“The comedians all knew what they had to do to get a laugh, and had the crowd in constant stitches... the talent on show definitely left the crowd wanting more...”

AU Review

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $37.00

The Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Tour will be tearing up the freeways of Australia for the seventh year in a row to bring the crème de la crème of the 2019 Festival to Orange!

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Colour City Chamber Orchestra presents

Virtuoso #4: Severiano Paoli ‘Contrabasso Monumentale’

Saturday 23 November at 8pm 100 minutes with interval

SUBSCRIBER $40.00

CONCESSION $42.00 JUNIOR $20.00

Solo Double Bass Severiano Paoli (Italy)

Colour City Chamber Orchestra

Andrew Baker - Founder and Leader

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

ADULT $45.00

In his Australian debut performance, Italian Double Bass virtuoso Severiano Paoli will perform as soloist with the Colour City Chamber Orchestra. The Double Bass is traditionally an instrument that ‘accompanies’ other instruments, however it has evolved as a magnificent solo instrument through the work of particular classical double bass performers and composers. In this concert, CCCO and Severiano will explore music from the baroque to the romantic, with a dazzling display of virtuosity!

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image: Rene Vaile

Sydney Theatre Company presents

The Wharf Revue 2019 Back with a bang

Written and Created by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott

26 & 27 November Tuesday 26 November at 8pm Wednesday 27 November at 8pm

90 minutes no interval

ADULT $52.00 CONCESSION $48.00 JUNIOR $30.00

Cast

Simon Burke, Drew Forsythe

The West is crumbling, democracy is besieged and the world is run by morons with funny hair. You have to laugh. And that’s exactly what The Wharf Revue delivers. The indefatigable team is back once more to dig through the year’s political dirt and unearth comedy gold.

From the movers to the shakers, from the winners to the losers, the stage will be filled with uncanny impressions of the year’s most memorable characters and the moments they’d prefer to forget.

Stalwart performer Drew Forsythe returns with special triple-threat guests including the hilarious Simon Burke. The choreography is tight, the wigs are loose, the punchlines are loaded. Everything is ready for a big night of laughter and mayhem.

“The Revue is an equal opportunity satire – no political party is left unstoned, nor cultural shibboleth unmauled.”

Stagenoise

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

SUBSCRIBER $44.00

The all-singing, all-dancing, side-splittingly funny solution to all the world’s problems returns for another year of satirical genius.

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shake & stir theatre co and Orange Civic Theatre presents

Sneaky Secrets for Successful Super Heroes School Holiday Workshops

15-18 April

Following the overwhelming success of last year’s shake & stir drama workshop, the award-winning theatre company is back in 2019 ready to empower another cohort of budding young performers.

4 day workshop

During the April school holidays shake & stir is teaming up with Orange Civic Theatre to unleash an action-packed 4 days of Superhero skill-building! Using the magic of performing arts, uncover your secret super powers through a series of acting activities, hilarious scripts, side-splitting slap-stick, all finishing with a bang on the last day with a performance for friends and family! Perfect for dramatic thrill-seekers aged 7-12.

Contact Theatre for details

shake&s ir theatrecot

Bookings essential.

Subscribe & win!

Subscribers to Orange Civic Theatre’s 2019 Season have the opportunity to win one of three fabulous theatrical prizes.

If we receive your completed subscription form by 5pm on Wednesday 12 December 2018 you will automatically be placed in the draw for:

First Prize – Complimentary Season

Second Prize – Complimentary Season

Tickets to the subscription package you indicate on your 2019 subscription will be presented to you with our compliments, up to the value of $300.00

Third Prize – Complimentary Season

Tickets to the subscription package you indicate on your 2019 subscription will be presented to you with our compliments, up to the value of $250.00

The draw will take place at the Orange Civic Theatre, 12 noon on Thursday 13 December 2018.

Winners will be contacted by phone, mail and email by Monday 17 December 2018.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

Tickets to the subscription package you indicate on your 2019 subscription will be presented to you with our compliments, up to the value of $450.00

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Lottery-Trade Promotion-Single Promotion.

Licence Number: LTPS/18/29585

Subscriber information Who is a subscriber?

A subscriber is a person who buys at least FIVE productions (up to 25) from our entire 2019 season in one commitment. Subscribers receive first choice of seats, benefit from huge discounts on ticket prices and receive notice and discounts for other events at the theatre during the year.

Subscribe with friends

If you wish to be seated with friends, please ensure all forms are returned together to avoid a delay in processing.

Speed and accuracy

Subscription bookings are processed in strict order of receipt, so subscribing early ensures the best possible seats.

Upon receipt of your tickets, please check to ensure the dates and times are correct.

Expanding your subscription Subscribers may purchase tickets to additional performances at subscriber prices at any time.

How to book tickets

Once you have completed your booking form: MAIL TO:

GST where applicable.

Refunds or exchanges

We understand that the dates you choose at the beginning of the season may not be suitable at performance time. As a subscriber, we offer you an exchange to another performance of the same show — a minimum of 2 weeks notice prior to performance date is required for this to occur. NOTE: For single performance shows there are no refunds or exchanges.

Delayed payment option

Subscribers may choose to have the cost of subscription tickets charged to their credit card periodically throughout the year. Seats will be allocated at the beginning of the year. Approximately two weeks before each of your chosen performances this amount will be charged to your credit card and the tickets mailed to you. Please notify the Box Office of any changes to your ticketing requirements prior to the processing of your tickets. Strict conditions are applicable: ~ Offer only available to a credit card holder ~ Subscribers are committed by signature to paying the full amount indicated on their Subscription Bookings form.

Subscriptions Orange Civic Theatre PO Box 35 ORANGE NSW 2800 or EMAIL TO: theatre@orange.nsw.gov.au

Ticket collection

or DELIVER TO: Orange Civic Theatre Box Office.

Box Office hours are 9am–5pm Monday to Friday and 1 hour prior to performance. All prices are inclusive of

The auditorium doors open 20 minutes prior to the commencement of a performance. Please be aware, latecomers will not be admitted into the theatre until there is a suitable break in

It is requested that tickets be collected at least half an hour prior to the start of a performance.

Admittance and latecomers

the performance.

Food and drink

Food is not permitted in the theatre.

According to the terms of our licence alcohol is not permitted in the theatre however patrons may take in bottled water.

Bags and prams

Babies in arms policy

Orange Civic Theatre’s children’s programs are designed to encourage access for younger audiences to the performing arts. For the children’s programs babes in arms (that is babies who remain in their carers’ arms during a performance and do not participate in the event), are admitted free of charge.

Any children aged 12 months or older must have a ticket to these events.

For the comfort of others

We request that mobile phones, pagers and alarms be turned off prior to entering the theatre. Cameras or any forms of electronic recording equipment are not permitted in the auditorium.

The number of free tickets provided for registered carers is strictly limited.

These tickets are only available for childcare staff accompanying children as a condition of their paid employment.

In order to be eligible for the special childcare rates and free carer tickets, a childcare/ vacation care group must be registered for the Government Childcare Rebate. The registration or customer reference (CRN) number is required when booking.

School groups

One complimentary teacher ticket will be allocated with every 20 students booked. A school group rate is applicable for a group of 10 or more in the booking.

Please advise us at time of your booking if any student has special needs.

Special assistance

Wheelchairs and mobility impaired patrons can be comfortably accommodated in the theatre.

A hearing loop is available from any position within the theatre. Please indicate your requirements on your booking form. Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact the Box Office on 02 6393 8111.

Orange Civic Theatre 2019 Subscription Season

For the safety and comfort of Orange Civic Theatre patrons, bags larger than a small, A4-sized handbag and prams are not allowed in the auditorium during a performance.

Childcare groups

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Acknowledgements This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

This project is assisted by the New South Wales Government through Arts NSW.

Orange Civic Theatre is a facility of Orange City Council

Orange Civic Theatre & Ticketek — Code of Practice

OCT and Ticketek are committed to observing the Code of Practice for the Ticketing of Live Entertainment in Australia, as compiled by the Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA).

This booklet was designed in-house by Orange City Council

Details in this brochure are correct at the time of publication. Management reserves the right to add, withdraw or substitute artists and vary the program should the necessity arise.