Armidale Drama & Musical Society
Favourite Shorts - 2014
The Armidale Club, Armidale
March 2014
Produced by Alex Robson
A (Favourite) Short Note from the Creative Director
This year's Favourite Shorts have taken a remarkably (favourite) short amount of time to get together. Following the (favourite) shortlisting of the plays, the directors got to pick their favourite (shorts) play, cast their actors - some of whom, like myself are (favourite) short and so here we all are!
What you will see is a wide range of plays of varying lenghts, tones and themes. Some of the plays are written by locals, others from playwrights across Australia. All of our actors and directors are however fresh off the streets of Armidale, with varying levels of experience. It is a core principle of Favourite Shorts to enable newcomers to theatre to try their hand (buttocks?) at something which interests them and I am delighted to see so many new actors, directors and playwrights this year, as well as some old favourite (shorts). I'll stop that now.
"Amateur" is not a dirty word and these performances are amateur. And that is not to denigrate them. The actors and directors - mostly - have lives outside of these short plays and yet for the past few months have laboured over them with "professional" dedication. All involved are to be commended for their efforts.
I have tried - with questionable success - to present a balanced two-week program of plays, mixing up the colours and flavours, so each play is the next enticing course in a gluttonous banquet of theatre. The brief that the playwrights and directors were given was to keep it simple and focus on the storytelling. A story told well is far better than a story told prettily with lots of different fonts and colours and borders and illustrations and stuff. We are also very excited to be performing in this very dynamic venue! It is not a conventional theatre and you not be watching conventional theatre.
So sit back, listen to the stories, look at the storytelling, have a beer and pull on your favourite shorts!
Week ONE
'Caught with her Shorts Down' written and directed by Jenny Greaney
Jennifer: Jenny Greaney
'Everlasting' by Donatella Parise and directed by Greg Balcombe
Linda: Lauren Bale
John: Ben Bible
'My Life is in my Handbag' by J. Cole and directed by Hilary Mackay
Woman: Hilary Mackay
'Flight Path' by Deborah Sheldon and directed by Jocelyn Harris
Jack: Tim Cluley
Maggie: Linda Ogonowski
'Wherefore Are Thee?' written and directed by Mark C. Bourne
Diana: Lisa Quast
'The Chopping Block' by Victor Reed-Cretia and directed by Jessica Vince-Moin
Arthur: Nicholas Kelly
Susan: Grace Beissel
'To the Manor Killed' written and directed by Ewan Paterson
Lady Torrington: Roslyn Manion
Major Torrington: Conrad White
Bygraves: David Seaman
Charlotte: Alma Geesink-Anton
Bof: Kyle Donnan
Det. Shopenhauer: Katya Gladiadis
Constable Murray: Katie Broomfield
Reverend Ogilvy: Jim Harrop
Plato: Ewan Paterson
Haggis MacMacintosh: Jenny Greaney
Dale Woods: Joel Hooper
Mignon: Nick Sinclair
Week TWO
'The Bitter Divorcee's Blind Date' by Danny Gibbins and directed by Nick Sinclair
Paula: Marney Tilley
Brendan: David Trestrail
Waitress: Emily Waldron
Waiter: Alex Robson
'The Mailman' written and directed by Ben Davies
Father: Saul Cafarella
Son: Jim Harrop
'Mrs Boardman Widens her Horizons' by Frank Davidson and directed by Margaret Sims
Mrs Boardman: Jan Wyles
Doreen Middleton: Sorcha Harrop
'The Colour Red' by Gavin Austin and directed by David Trestrail
Val: Liz Ellis
Caitlin: Bianca Schloeffel
'Telling Stories' written and directed by Jobi Strike
Jobi: Jobi Strike
'Redundance' by Ewan Paterson and directed by Bianca Schleoffel
Manager: Margaret Sims
Pamela: Nicollette Burr
Beatrice: Jan Miller
Ernest: Luke Schloeffel
PRODUCTION TEAM
Creative Director/Producer: Alex Robson
Publicity: Marney TIlley
Poster/Program: Matthew Whittingham
Front of House: Diana Helmrich, Marg Kennedy
THANK YOU
Steve Jackson and the Armidale Club for their invaluable support and generous hospitality