Theatre: Drama / Musical

We like to attend, as a group, mid-week evening performances of Drama at The Theatre on Chester [56a Chester Street, Epping, NSW] and Musicals at the Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society [14 Lakeside Road, Eastwood, NSW], with an occasional Sunday matinee at say Shore School, North Sydney. Performances by these companies, whether light or serious, have invariably been of very high standard; excellent productions indeed. Members, partners and friends are encouraged to join us.

Planned Theatre Outings:

• Wednesday 15 November 2023, 8 p.m.: our Theatre Group plans to see Theatre on Chester's production of American playwright Sandy Rustin's play Clue (2022), an hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery, an adaptation of the cult-hit film. Tickets $25.00 p.p. Optional dining beforehand (6 p.m.) at Ta One Thai, 288 Malton Rd., North Epping.   Enquiries to Wal Gallagher – 0429 484 639 or at wwg@bigpond.com.
• Sunday 8 October 2023, matinee: our Theatre Group plans to go to a matinee performance of Iolanthe (or, The Peer and the Peri), a comic opera by W. S. Gilbert (libretto) and Arthur Sullivan (music). NOTE THAT for ‘technical reasons’ the performance on 8th October has been switched from the Shore School to The Governors Centre, Sydney Boys High School, 556 Cleveland Street, Moore Park: there will be free parking on site, alternatively the Light Rail stop at Moore Park, 2 stops from Central Station (6 minutes), is across Cleveland Street from the theatre.
  $44.00 p.p.  Enquiries to Wal Gallagher – 0429 484 639.
  Option to  have dinner afterwards: a suitable venue is being looked for, or we may go over to the Kirribilli Club.  Enquiries to Wal Gallagher – 0429 484 639 or at wwg@bigpond.com.
• Wednesday 16 August 2023, 8 p.m.: our Theatre Group will see Theatre on Chester's production of Australian playwright Debra Oswald's play The Peach Season (2005), a powerful, salutary tale showing what it’s like to be a young person desperate for independence, but also, crucially, what it’s like to be a parent during the painful process of letting children fly the nest. Tickets $25.00 p.p. Optional dinner beforehand (6 p.m.) at Ta One Thai, 288 Malton Rd., North Epping.   Enquiries to Wal Gallagher – 0429 484 639 or at wwg@bigpond.com.

Recent Theatre Outings:

• Wednesday 26 April 2023, 8 p.m.: After 17 of us dined at Ta One Thai, 288 Malton Rd., North Epping, 21 members and guests were among the audience for the Theatre on Chester's excellent production of Noël Coward's comic play "Blithe Spirit" (1941), often described as ‘An Improbable Farce’, the play is about the chaos that arises when the ghost of Charles Condomine’s former wife, Elvira, appears after a séance that he organises in his house (only Charles can see and hear her ghost).  The eveining was organised by Wal Gallagher.
• Wednesday 26 October 2022, 8 p.m.: Theatre on Chester's production of English playwright Peter Quilter's stage-comedy Glorious! (2005), telling the story of Florence Foster Jenkins, "the worst singer in the world", was well received by attendees.
  We dined beforehand (6 p.m.) at Ta One Thai, 288 Malton Rd., North Epping.  Organised by Wal Gallagher.
• October 2022, matinee: our Theatre Group went to the Smith Auditorium Lyric Theatre, Shore School, 66-68 William St, North Sydney, for a matinee performance of G&S’s 1879 two-act comic opera Pirates of Penzance (a.k.a. The Slave of Duty), retreating afterwards to the Kirribilli Club for dinner.  Organised by Wal Gallagher.
• Wed. 3 August 2022, 8 p.m.: The Theatre on Chester presented American playwright David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Proof (2000). This play is the second in a series of three in the Theatre's 2022 season with the general theme “Proof That Things Are Glorious”. Tickets $27.50 p.p. Optional dinner beforehand (6 p.m.) at Ta One Thai, 288 Malton Rd., North Epping.  Organised by Wal Gallagher.
• April 27 2022, 8 p.m.: the Theatre on Chester's presentation of Andrew Bovel's Things I Know to Be True (2016) was thought excellent by all. Set in Adelaide, South Australia, the 'naturalistic' plot follows the story and the many struggles of the Price Family. Bob and Fran Price have been married for 30 years and brought up four children. Instead of enjoying retirement, it becomes clear that a parent’s job is never really finished.
  Nineteen members and guests attended, most of whom dined beforehand at  at Ta One Thai, 288 Malton Rd., North Epping.
  
• Fri. 18 February 2022, 8 p.m.: due to Covid, we were unable to attend any performances at all by the Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society in 2021. In 2022 the EUCMS programme will begin this week with a musical performance of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.
• Fri. 25 June 2021, 8 p.m.: the Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society's presention “When You Wish”, with a range of songs from musicals and Disney shows, was CANCELLED by EUCMS due to new COVID-19 health guidelines issued by the NSW government on 23 June 2021.  
• Wed. 28 April 2021, 8 p.m.: 'Theatre on Chester' was back on stage and presented their production of Israel-born Australian Ron Eisha's thought-provoking play "In Duty Bound".   
• Our entire 2020 Theatre schedule was SUSPENDED due to the COVID-19 pandemic.. 
• Wed. 20 November 2019, 8 p.m., Theatre on Chester, Epping (NSW):
  John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt: A Parable" (2004), directed by Carla Moore. 
• Wed. 8 November 2019, 8 p.m., Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society, Eastwood (NSW):
  "Me and My Girl" (1937), a Musical by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose; revised by Stephen Fry (1980s). 
  
• Sun. 13 October 2019, 2 p.m., Smith Auditorium Lyric Theatre, Shore School, William St., North Sydney (NSW):
  "The Mikado", or, "The Town of Titipu" (1885), a comic opera by Arthur Sullivan (music) and  W. S. Gilbert (libretto). 
  
• Wed. 7 August 2019, 8 p.m.:, Theatre on Chester, Epping (NSW):
  Tom Stoppard's "The Real Inspector Hound" (1968), directed by Isaac Owen. A spoof.
• Wed. May 2019, 8 p.m., Eastwood Uniting Church Musical Society, Eastwood (NSW):
  "Oklahoma!" (1943), first Musical by Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). 
  
• Wed. 17 April 2019, 8 p.m., Theatre on Chester, Epping (NSW):
  Australian playwright Donald McDonald's "Caravan" (1983), directed by Joy Sweeney. A comedy.