BATS Theatre Co. Inc. is proud to present
Romeo and Juliet
A drama
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Catherine Steer
This classic tragic love story is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. An exhilarating and engaging production, incorporating live music and dance scenes from the early 1960’s.
Please note: this production includes music and adult themes
Performances
Preview Night – Friday 15 June – 7:30pm
Special online-only prices
Evenings: Saturday 16 June; Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June 2018, at 7:30pm.
Matinees: Sunday 17 and Saturday 23 June at 2:00pm.
Ticket Prices: Adults $30, Seniors $24, Members / Students $22
Group Bookings – 10+ $22 per person (group bookings must be prepaid)
Belfry Bar open for all performances.
Bookings: Book online, or phone Nan on 0466 923 395.
Venue
Buderim War Memorial Hall
Cnr Main and Church Streets, Buderim
Director
Catherine Steer
Catherine Steer is a working theatre practitioner, with 25 years of experience in directing and developing actors for the stage.
She has a lifetime of working in theatre, starting as a Butlins’s Redcoat, then starting a children’s entertainment company, touring as a puppeteer across England for 12 years which sustained university life, studying for a degree in Performing Arts. Working in Theatre in Education for The Wolsey, Ipswich and then forming Impact Theatre Company to bring shocking and moving productions to the public, Catherine then left touring to settle down for a bit after having two sons. She applied to be a volunteer teacher at her local high school and was offered the full time post of Head of Drama instead:
“I think that moment was a huge turning point in my life, I’d underestimated my ability as a theatre practitioner probably because I’d always found it so easy to create and get on with projects, so I took the job and ran the Drama department for 6 years, rewriting the outdated entire drama curriculum taking on all the examination work before deciding to emigrate to Australia. I’m not very good at settling down, I always have to have a challenge!”
Arriving in Nambour in 2009, with husband, two sons and the dog, she ultimately wanted to continue as a high school teacher but passion for acting and directing led her down another path. She had to wait three months for her teacher registration to come through and so while she was waiting decided to start up a youth theatre at Lind Lane Theatre. She ran it for two years and then opened a private theatre school, Queensland School of Performing Arts, in Nambour. She never got to take on a full time contract in high school as she liked running her own business too much.
“Life is always exciting, I manage my sons rock band, Led Angels and held the first Youth Shakespeare Festival last year with my company. Specialisms are Shakespeare for Young people, mask work and Commedia Dell Arte. Oh, and dogs. I can’t live without dogs. Dogs and Theatre have never let me down.”
For BATS, Catherine directed Blood Brothers in 2016.
Assistant Director
Alaxzandra Allen
Alaxzandra is a fourth year Bachelor of Creative Industries student at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She is Assistant Director and Stage Manager for this production on internship from the University. Alaxzandra recently worked with acclaimed director Daniel Evans in “Cosi” as Cherry and is president of Ursa Major Theatre Association. She has performed in the 2017/2018 Anywhere Theatre Festivals and aims to create more original theatre productions for the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.
Cast
Tom Jermyn – Lord Capulet
Tom has spent eleven years performing in youth theatre, in such productions as Much Ado About Nothing, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dracul, Romanov, and many other well known plays. Tom is not new to Shakespeare, as this will be his second time performing in Romeo and Juliet where he previously played Paris and Benvolio. Tom is enjoying playing Lord Capulet on this occasion as well as being involved in this ensemble.
Tom is an avid supporter of community arts and looks forward to being a part of more productions on the Sunshine Coast and beyond, and we hope to see more of Tom at BATS.
Sian Ayton – Lady Capulet
Sian is studying for a Bachelor of Secondary Education/Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Her experience in theatre has been through the University, Queensland School of Performing Arts and BATS doing shows such as Hamlet, Blood Brothers and various contemporary and physical theatre performances through University.
She is excited to be playing Lady Capulet as well as for the first time singing in front of an audience. She has immensely enjoyed working with such a large ensemble and the idea of reimagining ‘a tale of old as time’ play such as Romeo and Julie and giving it a fresh new look with mafia, disco and tribal people. Sian hopes that by the end of the degree, she will be teaching youth drama as well as directing her own shows and performing in others. Theatre will always be a strong part of who Sian is. She does not plan to stop soon! Welcome back Sian, BATS loves your work.
Peta Beattie – Tybalt
Peta has taught Drama to over 3000 students privately, in youth theatre and at various primary and secondary schools on the Sunshine Coast since 2000. She is currently studying Social Work and Drama Therapy and has a keen interest in promoting the Arts that connect to social issues. Peta has directed over 50 productions and has written numerous plays and adapted works for the stage. She also has a keen interest in classic literature and world history and many of her plays reflect this love. Shakespeare is one of Peta’s not-so-secret passions and the obsession extends to her knowing several plays word for word having acted and directed them on multiple occasions.
For BATS, Peta directed The Crucible (2007) (STAAR Award for Best Drama), To Kill a Mockingbird (2008), Pippin, Midsummer Night’s Dream (STAAR Award in 2000 for Best Production, Lighting, Stage Management), Oklahoma, Pippin, and Theatre Festival, One Act Play seasons. She taught BATS Youth Theatre from 1998 to 1999 before it became BYTE. Her acting credits include Eponine in Les Miserables for BATS in 2008.
Previously Peta has been on the BATS committee from 2005 until 2009. This year we welcome Peta Beattie once again to the BATS Committee in the capacity of Production Manager.
Peta is enjoying playing the part of Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. This role is one she relishes as she does the challenge of presenting this villain with a unique twist.
Audrey Rose – Juliet Capulet
Audrey starred in her high school’s production of Oliver, and Grease, where she played the roles of Oliver Twist and Sandy Dumbrowski, respectively. This is her first adult production and first with BATS. She has enjoyed this experience of being in an ensemble and meeting fantastic and talented new people and loves how hard everyone works to make the show a success.
Audrey plans to audition for the Griffith Conservatorium later this year in the hope of being accepted for the Bachelor of Musical Theatre course, a goal she has had for several years. BATS welcomes Audrey.
Samantha Rose – Mercutio
Samantha has played numerous roles throughout High School. Since returning to the Sunshine Coast she has been active with BATS, as stage manager in And Then There Were None, and performing in Love in a Food Court, one of the Edythe Brook Cooper finalist plays. Samantha enjoys being part of this ensemble and loves characterisations. BATS is pleased to have Samantha back in this active part and she hopes to be in more productions with BATS in the future.
Alice Rea – Princess of Verona
Alice studied in Sydney with the Australian Academy of Dramatic Arts, Jesters, and Phillip Street Theatre. She was with a casting agency in Sydney and performed in a few plays. Since arriving on the Sunshine Coast, Alice has performed in over forty plays, mainly with Airmar Theatre, The Lind, Coolum Theatre Players, Caloundra Chorale and now with BATS.
She enjoys all aspects of theatre and the arts. Alice has also directed and written plays, which she loves to do as well as perform. She won an award for her first written play and hopes to write more in the future. She has been active in dance and sang in a choir at Maleny for many years.
Alice has performed in many plays with BATS, most recently A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody. She was in Catherine’s previous play Blood Brothers, and enjoys the experience greatly. She is always up for a new challenge and particularly working with Catherine in this innovative and creative production of Romeo and Juliet. Alice is passionate about art (as an artist), yoga (as an instructor), and dance. She has been on the Committee of Airmar, The Lind and is now President of BATS.
Martin Fogarty – Romeo
Martin is currently a drama student at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Recently he played Doug in a USC production of Cosi. He is excited to be involved with this production and learning how to cooperate with a large ensemble to put on a memorable show. Of course, he doesn’t like the experience of killing himself!! Martin says that playing the role of Romeo is far beyond anything he has ever done. It has enabled him to become more confident as he has had to challenge himself greatly in creating a memorable and unconventional, iconic character. He has loved working with Catherine and the rest of the amazing ensemble. BATS loves having Martin on board, and hopes to see more of him in the future.
Felix Nicholls – Benvolio
Felix spent three years with BYTES. He played Captain von Trapp in Sunshine Coast Grammar School’s The Sound of Music. He has attended a number of acting workshops, most notably with Shake and Stir Theatre Co, as well as professional coaching with the Meisner Acting Technique and studying the Howard Fire method of acting at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Felix says he has learnt that maintaining good relationships with your fellow actors is vital to the cohesion of the performance, and is enjoying working with a passionate cast.
Sam Buston – Lord Montague
Sam has attended Stagecoach and is trained in acting, singing and dance. He has had roles with Harvest Rain and workshops with Black Swan Theatre Company, WA Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Sam played Tha in The Play Lovers production of The Jungle Book. He feels fortunate to be a part of this wonderful production of Romeo and Julie and has really enjoyed working with the director Catherine. He looks forward to what the future has in store for him. We hope Sam auditions for more shows with BATS.
Lloyd Steer – Sampson
BATS is pleased to have Lloyd return, whom you may recall from Blood Brothers. Lloyd is a musician and actor and decided to use his free time between studying a double Bachelor of Management and Marketing degree and rocking out with his band Led Angels, to perform in Romeo and Juliet. He has been in two musicals, one in the band for NHS Production of Little Shop of Horrors and the other as the star of The Wiz, plus multiple gigs throughout the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane with his band.
Nicholas Smith – Paris
Nick has acted on and off in the UK, Argentina and Australia for many years. He performed in a number of plays in South America (both in English and Spanish) and in the UK, starting at university, in plays ranging from Shakespeare to Agatha Christie. He has been involved with BATS from when he moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2015.
His first production with BATS was a One Act Play called Love in a Food Court, and followed that up, amongst others, as one of the brothers in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, the Inspector in Night Must Fall and now as Paris in Romeo and Juliet.
With his second time working with Catherine Steer as director – he believes she is highly motivating and innovative, and the ensemble method works beautifully for the cast in general and for Nick, in particular.
Nick has learned a huge amount in this rehearsal process, and has found the cast to be, without exception, motivated, talented and great fun!
Nick feels sure the audience will love this production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Ethan Farquharson – 1st Servant, Cupid, Musician 1
Adele Truman – Peter, Watchman 2
Adele has been with BATS for the last couple of years and we are pleased to welcome her back in this wonderful play in the role of Peter. Her first production with BATS was in Blood Brothers, also directed by Catherine. Adele has been in the pantomime, Red Riding Hood. Adele loves entering a new world and stepping away from normality. We would love to see Adele again at BATS.
Lauren Willett – Apothecary, 2nd Citizen, Watchman 1, Musician 3
This is Lauren’s first play with BATS. Lauren is studying a Bachelor of Social Work/Criminology at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Being involved in Romeo and Juliet is a welcome reprieve from her busy life and having the opportunity to be a part of the ensemble has reinvigorated her love for theatre. She has previously acted in productions such as Picnic at Hanging Rock and A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a part of BYTES for over eight years during primary and high school years. She has enjoyed meeting new people in this production and the talented actors. Lauren hopes she will be able to use the skills she has learned during her time in Romeo and Juliet and be involved in more acting and theatre opportunities in the future, such as this wonderful production.
Holly Wiley – Potpan, Lady Montague, Angel
Holly has been involved in numerous plays including OZ and Alice in Wonderland, both presented by The Little Seed Theatre Company, and The Miracle Worker at the Lind Theatre. Her most recent production was in the play Metamorphosis which took part in the Anywhere Theatre Festival. She has attended an intensive holiday course at NIDA, and a masterclass at NIDA. She has previously been part of The North Shore Drama Academy in Sydney. Recently Holly attended weekly classes at The Little Seed Theatre Company and now the Buderim Youth Theatre of Excellence. She loves being involved in this ensemble and working with talented actors where everyone shares the same goal supporting each other, and, of course sharing a love of theatre. This production has intensified Holly’s passion for acting, allowing her to appreciate the magic of theatre, which she has not previously experienced. We hope to see more of Holly in the future.
Cameron Halliday – 2nd Servant
Cameron and his family have recently moved from Victoria to the Sunshine Coast. He is enthusiastic about exploring his interest in theatre. Previously Cameron has completed ten adult acting classes with Catherine Steer and is a talented pianist. He is pleased to be involved in this ensemble and working with BATS has found the atmosphere friendly and accommodating with the amateur and advanced members involved in this production. We hope to have Cameron involved in further productions. Welcome Cameron.
Samantha Whittaker – Friar John, Musician 2
This is Samantha’s second play. The last play which she performed in and really enjoyed was Blood Brothers in 2016, which was also directed by Catherine and produced by BATS, hence wanting to be in Romeo and Juliet. She loves the ensemble and being part of a team working together, where everyone is able to express their ideas openly. She loves the mix of people from all walks of life and ages; leaving the real world behind for a few hours. Samantha says ‘her memory is very poor and she won’t be in any lead roles unless there is little to say.’
Dominique Pahud – Friar Laurence
Dominique commenced community theatre in 2015 and had previously only acted in school productions, some 35 years prior. Her first adult play was as the dizzy Fairy Godmother in Alice in Wonderland for Coolum Theatre Players. Since then she has appeared in 10,000 Cigarettes, Moving Shortly, Mad Woman of Athens in Lysistrata, and Waiting for Godot. She has attended classes with Little Seed Theatre Co, Suzuki Method with Jo Loth, as well as clowning workshops in the U.K. BATS sees Dominque back after her last performance in Blood Brothers. Playing Friar Laurence is Dominique’s biggest part to date, where she has learned discipline to learn lines, having a greater appreciation of the huge amount of work that goes into being an actor and producing a play of this calibre. BATS is hopeful Dominique will be back in future productions.
Sangita Ghodke – Friar John, Gargoyles, Angel
Sangita is a first timer with ‘real’ theatre and with BATS of course. There is nothing that Sangita does not love about ensemble theatre, except, perhaps, when it is time to stop, and getting up early the next morning for her job at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Outside of theatre and her paid job, Sangita helps her husband with his business and is a chauffeur with an attitude to her two teens.
Kiti Bruinsma – Nurse
BATS welcomes back Kiti who has performed in many plays on this stage including Cinderella, Long Story Short in 2015, Million Dollar Question, Old Fashioned Manors to name a few. Kiti asks, “Why do we have “tongue twisters” when we have Shakespeare?’ – she describes this ensemble as like a bag of ‘mix-ups’. Some crispy, some nutty and others colourful. She believes there is no better leader than Catherine, to bring humour and tragedy to BATS in this production. Thanks Kiti, and BATS loves having you on board.
Kyria Gahan – Abraham Balthazar
This is Kyria’s first play with BATS. During her time at University in Brisbane, she was a member of the mass ensemble for the productions of both Hairspray and Grease with Harvest Rain Theatre Company. She also performed in musicals in her hometown of Bundaberg, such as Into the Woods, Fame and 13 the musical. Kyria is very happy to continue her passion for theatre by teaching dance and drama to high school students on the Sunshine Coast. We will be seeing more of Kyria as she has successfully been cast in our next production in late September/October, The Fox on the Fairway, playing a major part as Louise.
Jeremiah Marland – Gregory, Cousin Capulet
Jeremiah has been a student of drama for many years as he made his way through high school. He became completely immersed in stage production and truly found his niche amongst theatre friends, putting on amazing and exciting productions for all the world to see; well friends and family at least! As an adult, it has been a few years since his last rush of adrenaline on the stage. When an opening came for him to be involved in Romeo and Juliet, he came on board and could not hesitate to accept this role and being part of this wonderful ensemble. This is Jeremiah’s first play with BATS. We love having him on board.
