Newcastle playwrights feature in UpStage 2024
- intouch Magazine
- Aug 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Our December InTouch edition brought news of a new local program, UpStage at the Playhouse, an initiative of City of Newcastle and Civic Theatre Newcastle that provides local creatives with a launching pad for new or reimagined theatre works. Fast forward several months, and after many hours in the rehearsal studio, these deserving productions are about to take to the stage.
Shepherding the UpStage season to the intimate Playhouse in August is Blueberry Play, written by Ang Collins. This one-woman show explores the highs and the lows of being a teenage girl in a small town, packed with heart, humour and aching nostalgia. Collins' name is also behind Spewy, the sold-out smash hit of New Annual festival in 2023.
September brings Romeo and Juliet: A reimagining by Charlotte De Wit & Pip Thoroughgood. This adaption of the timeless classic seeks to bridge the gap between centuries, weaving the enduring beauty of Shakespearean prose with the visceral power of movement, dance and physical theatre.
A new musical written by Carl Caulfield, Karma Kafe premieres in October and captures a day in the life of a modern café, inspired by Goldbergs on Darby Street. It features a large all-singing, all-dancing cast, live music, and the scent of roasted coffee.
The 2024 season will close with The Magic Hour, a dark comedy written by Vanessa Bates, described as Little Red Riding Hood meets Trainspotting, featuring an episodic take on Grimm’s fairy tales, where Jack’s beanstalk grows in his parent’s backyard and Rapunzel’s tower is on top of a housing commission high-rise.
Already working on the 2025 UpStage program, with expressions of interest recently closed, Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said the program is delivering local shows to local audiences and highlights the creativity in our region.
UpStage at the Playhouse 2024 is presented by Civic Theatre Newcastle.
Blueberry Play
14 - 17 August
Romeo & Juliet: A Reimagining
19 - 28 September
Karma Kafe
3 - 12 October
The Magic Hour
21 - 30 November
Book today at civictheatrenewcastle.com.au/upstage
