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Rehearsals are well underway for the full-length winning play of the E.B.C. Playwriting competition 2022. Auditions saw a wonderful turnout of local talent, keen to take part in this exciting local production, set in colonial Australia and written by award winning local playwright, Sue Sewell.

Keep up to date on our FB and Instagram accounts for sneak peaks into the production’s rehearsals.

Make sure you get in early, as this play promises to be a real hit with local audiences.

We are complying with current government measures to limit the spread of the virus.
Check in code will be used at all rehearsals and events. Masks must be worn inside the venue. There are no restrictions for distancing if all attendees are fully vaccinated (please show your green tick to staff when attending or a proof of vaccination certificate). We are unable to conduct rehearsals at the venue or host events under strict social distancing restrictions (if a member or patron is not fully vaccinated i.e. 2 vaccinations) we will therefore have to ensure all attendees are fully vaccinated and appreciate your understanding. It is therefore a requirement that all members attending rehearsals or patrons attending performances are fully vaccinated and able to prove this on either their Qld Covid App or with vaccination certificate for entry to venue.

Qld Health Website

Thank you for your understanding and compliance to these measures, we have a duty of care to ensure the safety and well-being of our patrons and staff.

-End of year party

-Power of a Cultured Woman

-New ideas

Thank you to all members who recently joined us at the Sands Tavern for our end of year party. It was wonderful to meet new people and socialise with friends in the theatre. We welcomed several new members, involved in our upcoming January production of The Power of A Cultured Woman and shared stories and experiences of the theatre and the Coastal life.

We are well underway for our rehearsals for the January production and look forward ro seeing everyone again in the new year. The Power of a Cultured Woman is a new concept for sharing a more diverse and broader experience for our audiences as local scriptwriters, actors, dancers and singers, share their unique experieces and aspects of their varied cultural heritage. What a wonderful concept to engage in a storytelling style that often reflects ancient custom of oral history keeping by placing front and centre, stortellers and creatives, sharing their OWN story, rather than being the subject for a story by a writer, who views from an exterior lens.

As this is a fresh and inivative production, we invite members to get involved. We are still seeking roles to be filled within production areas and are always keen to welcome new members to our company. The idea for our January production, was first put forward by our secretary Kiti. At BATS, we pride ourselves in mounting diverse and innovative productions for our community and providing everyone, regardless of experience, an opportunity to get involved. It was wonderful to see, those who are long standing members of the theatre company, who have contibuted much to our company over the years, meet and mingle with recently joined members at the Sands. The turn out was fantastic and augurs well for the future of BATS. Next May, we look forward to taking part in the BWMCA 75th Anniversary celebrations, Alex Tillack and I have compiled an audio/visual celebration through the decades for an afternoon tea event-we will be sharing our story, history and celebrating everyone who has contributed over the years and the many groups that utilise this special community space. A ‘living’ memorial to the memory of those in the services during times of conflict, who sacrificed so much for peace.

When you consider the Amateur theatre not for profit, company that was formed in 1924, grew and evolved into our current BATS Theatre Incorporated Company, we will shortly be celebrating our 100th anniversary. We are still proudly community based and focused. Alice Rea recently handed over another cheque to the fabulous Buderim Foundation of several thousands of dollars, with all proceeds of opening night for ‘All the Great Books’ being given to the Foundation. We are still proudly associated as a not for profit affiliate of the BWMCA. Connections such as these matter and go beyond individuals. Indeed, our approach reflects a team spirit of collective involvement. From our hard working from of house volunteers, to the stage crew, the costume and tech crew, the creative production personnel-all play a vital role in the company.

Our identity is all the years that have been, the people who have come and gone, the individuals who have shaped the company, worked tirelessly given much. We value and appreciate the support of patrons and organisations, who have continued to be invested in a thriving local live theatre. We celebrate our unique part of the wider Buderim story, acknowledge the indigenous elders, past, present and emerging, on whose land we create and assert our continued commitment to creating and strengthening links with community.

Our local community has evolved and adapted over the years and we are so fortunate to have new members join us, sharing their stories and taking an active part in our creative endeavours.

As we look towards 2022, let us continue to be bold and take risks, rather than producing regularly, plays that have been literally ‘done to death’; the tried and true ‘old favourites’ are still a part of what we do but we continue to find that members and patrons are being engaged with new works or stories told with a distinctly fresh approach. Doing the same old, same old, in the same old way, offers little in the way of a challenge and how we like to challenge ourselves at BATS!

Perhaps you would like to join us at a meeting next year and please, bring ideas to the table. If you have an idea for a production, that might sound a bit /left of field’, we welcome it and can provide mentors to assist those who may be looking are looking to dip their feet into the performing arts. It’s a safe, welcoming and supportive environment at BATS.

If you would like to discuss ways you can be involved in our company, or discuss an idea you may have for a project, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us via admin@batstheatre.com or direct line to relevant production personnel on our website contact page.

Wishing all members and their loved ones a safe and joyful festive season.

Peta (Production Manager)

Thank you to all who supported our recent production of All the Great Books (Abridged). Though the play had a small cast, Jessi, Tom and Peta there were many assisting the production. From the wonderful organisation of props manager Wendy and props masters, Julie, Meghan and Anna- through to our design and tech teams Nancy, Alex and Anita and FOH and publicity staff and managers Louise, Bruce and Alice and all the volunteers.

A hearty congratulations to Nick and Samantha, the co-directors and Caitie and Darcy (SM and ASM respectively). The smiles on the faces of audiences and the laughter, were a joy to witness. Had excellent feedback both from returning patrons and new audiences.

Was also an honour to host a fundraiser for the Buderim Foundation on opening night & reaffirm our strong commitment to the Buderim community who we have been serving for over 100 years, through our foundation as the Buderim School of Arts to our current incarnation of BATS Theatre Company Inc.

Look forward to seeing you all in January for our next production of “The Power of a Cultured Woman” (a celebration of our multicultural community, through story, song and dance.

Thank you all for your continued support of community theatre.

SUBMISSION REQUEST FOR SHORT PLAYS – WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR WORK PERFORMED ON THE BATS’ STAGE?

BATS Theatre Company Inc. is inviting playwrights, poets, dancers and singers to the stage.

The BATS’ Committee hopes to attract stories about migrant women who have moved from their birth country and settled in Australia.  Your stories could introduce the struggles, the love and the adventures of the integration of the two cultures, your experiences of leaving family, love, life, and your life journey to the present.

We also welcome storytelling on behalf of your parent/s or grandparent/s experiences.

Narratives can be:

performed as a short play –

performed as a cultural dance –

performed as a monologue, or

performed as a song.

We encourage performances to be a maximum of 15 minutes.

The closing date for your submission is September 20^th 2021.  We envisage that auditions for the production will be held in the Buderim War Memorial hall on Monday 27^th September, 2021.

Rehearsals will be held on Monday and Thursday nights 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.  The project will be performed from 28^th January 2022 to 5^th February 2022 in the Buderim War Memorial Hall.

Would you please send your submission/s to the co-ordinators Kiti Bruinsma kiti.bruinsma@gmail.com or Alice Rea to post office Box 223, Buderim, Qld. 4556.  Alternatively, for any further details please phone Kiti on 0499 888 943 or Alice on 0427 856 680. 

BATS Theatre Company Inc. is a not for profit voluntary theatre organisation and continues to bring live and interesting theatre to the Sunshine Coast and surrounds.