Armidale Drama & Musical Society
Favourite Shorts 2011 - Armidale's 5th Festival of Short Plays
Produced by Diana Helmrich
Hoskins Theatre – The Armidale School, November 2011
Week One
Act I
A Collection of Poetzinc Mini Plays directed by Benjamin Thorn
City of Dreams by Benjamin Thorn
Heloise Fortin
Poverty by Sue McMichael
Margaret Sims
Pet Dogs by Val Chubb
Heather Grigg
The Supermarket by Benjamin Thorn
Jody Brash
Boy on Bicycle by Val Chubb
Simon Hamilton
What Happened? by Meredith Adams
Roslyn Manion, Jody Brash, Bob Thompson, Margaret Sims
One Short Life by Maxine Ross
Heather Grigg
Today by Val Chubb
Simon Hamilton
The Piano by Brian Neville
Brian Neville, Bob Thompson, Simon Hamilton
Homeless by Val Chubb
Heloise Fortin
Healing Words by Bernd Kusch
Roslyn Manion, Bob Thompson, Benjamin Thorn, Heather Grigg, Margaret Sims
Mail by Bob Thompson
Simon Hamilton, Jody Brash
The Sea Surrounds You by Meredith Adams
Heather Grigg
The Business of the Trough by Bob Thompson
Bob Thompson
Conjury by Val Chubb
Roslyn Manion
Houseboat by Val Chubb
Simon Hamilton
Ecosolution by Val Chubb
Heather Grigg
Innocuous as Old Age by Meredith Adams
Jody Brash
His Favourite Chair by Peter Langston
Margaret Sims, Heather Grigg
Ritual by Val Chubb
Heloise Fortin, Roslyn Manion, Heather Grigg, Jody Brash, Margaret Sims
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Act II
Thank You, Mr Pongpat by Frank Leggett directed by Ben Davies
Hamish: Boyd Ison
Lara: Laura Stodart
Mr Pongpat: Jo Ho
A couple in Thailand are picking up the dead brother of Hamish. Lara, a girl struggling to leave her working class roots behind, doesn't want to be there. She has no sympathy for Hamish, just contempt for him, the official and all of Thailand. They are offered a deal by Mr Pongpat, the Thai official, that is very tempting, well for Lara anyway. In the end they compromise and everyone is a winner, well almost....
Morality Play by Geoff Tanks directed by Ewan Paterson
Young Priest: Will Smidt
Older Man: Adam Cafarella
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A priest is held at gun-point by a sophisticated, well-mannered, yet intimidating villain, whose motive is initially shrouded in some mystery. It eventually becomes apparent that he seeks vengeance for robbing a woman of her right to die, upon the grounds of immutable religious principals. To challenge the priest's conception of moral judgement, the assassin forces him to make a confronting decision.
Baby Talk by Margaret Symonds directed by Laura Stodart
Sally: Jocelyn Harris
Tom: Will Smidt
Carol: Katya Gladiadis
Dan: Ewan Paterson
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Proud parents, Sally and Tom are at home with baby when their friends, Carol and Dan drop by for a visit. Carol and Dan are nosy, loud and obnoxious but Sally and Tom overlook their faults in the name of good will and friendship. They don't know that these two people they've invited into their house and accepted as Godparents to their son are also two-faced, judgmental snobs who make snide comments behind their backs and criticise everything from Sally and Tom's cooking to their parenting skills to their newborns hair colour!
Will Sally and Tom finally see through their friend’s facade? Will Carol and Dan get their comeuppance? And will Tom ever make it back from the hatstand?
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Brothers and Sisters by Adam Cafarella directed by Adam Cafarella
The sister: Laura Cannon
We often relish joyous moments in our lives where we reflect on thoughts and memories of family. But things can change in an instant and tragedy can overwhelm us in that instant, can make us question what it means to be brothers and sisters. A young woman reminisces about her family, her loss and the loss of others.
The Hatter by Alex Robson directed by Chris Curcuruto
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The Hatter: Alex Robson
When Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1865, there was no Mad Hatter. There was the Hatter, and he does first appear in the chapter titled ‘A Mad Tea-Party’, but nowhere in the novel is he called the Mad Hatter. Is he mad? Who calls him that? Why does he say what he says?
These are the questions that threaten to drive the Hatter mad…
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Week Two
Act I
A Collection of Poetzinc Mini Plays Directed by Benjamin Thorn
Drunk as a Skunk by Benjamin Thorn
Cecile Michels, Jonathon Larsen, Benjamin Thorn
Herbal Remedies by Sue McMichael
Mary Macken-Horarik
Winter Rose by Val Chubb
Bob Thompson, Jody Brash
Dark Spring by Bernd Kusch
Heather Grigg, Margaret Sims
Bin Boy by Val Chubb
Kyle Donnan, Phil Donnan, Jody Brash, Roslyn Manion, Mary Macken-Horarik
Losing Weight by Proxy by Peter Langston
Phil Donnan, Jody Brash
Identity Theft by Val Chubb
Heather Grigg
My Father and the Book Club by Brian Neville
Brian Neville, Phil Donnan, Mary Macken-Horarik, Roslyn Manion
Noon by Val Chubb
Kyle Donnan
Keeping Up by Ann Lax
Roslyn Manion
Statistic by Val Chubb
Bob Thompson
Point of View by Val Chubb
Simon Hamilton, Kyle Donnan
The Angel on the TV Antenna by Meredith Adams
Mary Macken-Horarik, Jody Brash, Bridget Driver
Winter Solstice by Maxine Ross
Roslyn Manion, Mary Macken-Horarik, Bob Thompson, Heather Grigg, Jody Brash
Observations by Bob Thompson
Simon Hamilton
See me Dance the Polka by Val Chubb
Margaret Sims, Bridget Driver, Madeleine Ho, Simon Hamilton, Kyle Donnan, Bob Thompson
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Act II
From a Great Height by Mark Konik directed by Martin Mantle
Dan: Warren Bartik
Dan is a man with a plan. Well if you call hoping his iPhone doesn’t have one of those programming glitches like not recognising daylight savings time, the trains run on time, some brat doesn’t get on the lift and press all the buttons because He’s going through a phase and he gets to work on time to ‘casually’ bump into Beth in the corridor two floors above the floor where Dan works, a corridor Dan has never been known to frequent, a ‘plan’. Then maybe, just maybe Beth will say yes to a drink after work.
Mr & Mrs Metcalfe Enjoy the Music of Elton John by Frank Leggett directed by Ben Davies
Keith: Saul Cafarella
Kylie: Mary Macken-Horarik
A loving couple are telling their life to camera as a last will and testament. They reminisce about the good times, the sad times, and their regrets before committing the ultimate sacrifice for love.
Catastrophe by Dona Parise directed by Chris Curcuruto
Greg: Alex Robson
Sue: Chloe Hutchins
Greg and Sue are married. They have been for many years. Something stands between them. Something always has. It is precious to Greg. It is beastly to Sue. Sue resents it. Greg treasures it. It threatens to tear them apart. Will Greg let it go? Will Sue let it go on?
If the Shoe Fits by Genevieve Yates directed by Margaret Sims
Nekiasha: Lisa Ward
Malena: Lisa Quast
Malena is looking for a new pair of shoes but this is not her real agenda. Watch out Nakiska, your rival knows who you are. What will Malena do for her friend Bec and Bec's husband Jeremy?
Compound written and directed by Warren Bartik
Steve: Connor Ward-Kenway
Anna: Madeleine Ho
Sienna: Bridget Driver
Chris: Jarod Hartung
Four young people find themselves thrown together following a major catastrophic event. For three days they face each other and themselves as they contemplate their fate and future. Are they together through accident or by design?
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PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer: Diana Helmrich
Artistic Directors: Jean Freer, Martin Mantle
Stage Manager: Colin Barry
Stage Crew: Luke Pavel, Warren Bartik, Chris Curcuruto
Lighting Design: Diana Helmrich
Lighting Desk: Jen Mitchell
Audio/Visual: Pat Bradley
Publicity: Warren Bartik
Photography: Terry Cooke
Front of House: Anne Cunningham, Anne Keoghan,
Annie Abbott, Ben Bible, Bernard Cunningham, Carol Elder, Cathie Lamont, Claire Keoghan, David Paterson, Dot Pollard, Garry Slocombe, Heather Pavel, Jan Patterson, Mike Gibson, Robyn Slocombe, Ros Brady, Sharyn Holmes
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THANKS
Ann Helmrich for making the Favourite Shorts, Armidale Tourist Information, Coles Supermarket for loan of shopping trolley,
Dymocks Bookshop as our ticket agent, The Armidale Express especially Michelle Turner, The Armidale Playhouse for rehearsal venue, The Independent Newspaper especially Lisa Walker, The New England Hotel for displaying our banner​
