News

Northern Light Theatre Company is now calling for submissions from directors for their production in the second half of 2010. The NLTC committee supports directors and production teams with strong business practices and a desire to produce quality productions that will appeal to their audience (primarily based in the northern suburbs of Adelaide).

Interested directors are encouraged to email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or PO Box 112, Elizabeth SA 5112 the following information:

Directors who have previously applied to NLTC are encouraged to re-submit with the information requested above for consideration.

Submissions for the second show of 2010 must be received by 5pm on Monday 31st August.

FAME the Musical

Aladdin Auditions go well

After a full on day of auditions the production team for our October production, Aladdin, went home happy. "the calibre was high and we were able to cast all the principal roles" said Brian Godfrey, the director.

Everyone is now looking forward tostarting rehearsals. The first rehearsal will be on Tuesday 29th Julay at 7.30pm in the Activities Room at Parafield TAFE. Most rehearsals will be held in the Elizabeth studios of Total Image Dance Company, but as the studio is not available on a Tuesday night due to dance lessons, the two Tuesday rehearsals will be held at TAFE. Apart from being a first rehearsal the production team will also finalise the chorus auditions that night for those people who contacted us before the audition date but were unable to attend on Sunday 13th July. We are not looking for any more children or ladies (only those with auditions already booked) but would be interested to hear from any males out there who would like to join the fun! Call the Production Manager on 0419 846 058 if this is you!

Cashing in on some fast comedy!

Cash on Delivery, the very funny play by Michael Cooney is set to make the Shedley Theatre shake with laughter. Its got twists to spare and a range of wacky characters, just like any real British comedy should have.

Eric, a con artist, has duped the welfare authorities for years by claiming every type of benefit for the innumerable people he claims live at his address. This scam nets him tens of thousands tax free. Just when he decides to kill off many of the imaginary dole recipients because matters are getting a bit too risky, welfare investigators show up. Some make inquiries about what is going on while others offer additional benefits for which he has not yet applied. To outwit the investigators, he enlists help from one of his real lodgers and from his Uncle George, who also volunteers to convince Eric's wife that he is not a transvestite

With the notable talents of Paul Briske in the role of Eric this production is off to a good start. His long suffering wife, Linda, is played by Kate Brooker, with Gary Harrison adding to the fun as Uncle George. Norman, the lodger, gives Alex Jean plenty of scope for laughs while Jessica Barlow spends her time as Norman’s confused girlfriend, Brenda. Doing more harm than good as Marriage Guidance Counsellor, Dr Chapman, is Mark Ormsby.

Trying to bring a little order to the mayhem is Amanda Knott as Sally Chessington from the Welfare, Kevin Knott as the beleaguered Mr Jenkins from the council and Fran Edwards as Mrs Cowper, his boss. Add to this mix an undertaker (yes, an undertaker) played by David Wilson and the stage is set for hilarity. All under the capable control of director George Humphries, who Northern audiences will remember from “Scrooge – the musical” in 2005, and ably assisted by Pat Brooker the fun should be on the money!

Cash on Delivery runs from Friday July 4th to Saturday July 19th, in the Shedley Theatre, Playford Civic Centre, Elizabeth. Dates: July 4, 5, 11, 12, 17, 18 & 19 at 8pm and Saturday July 12 at 2pm. Tickets: Adult $25, Conc. $20. Bookings on 8255 0362. Bookings can also be made via email on northernlighttheatre This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Witches are set to enchant!

The Witches of Eastwick, the musical adaptation of John Updike's 1984 novel, made famous by the Jack Nicholson film, is smart, sexy, and slightly sinister. John Dempsey's literate and witty script and lyrics travel a pleasingly adult path on a journey that really goes somewhere.

The three witches of the title, Alexandra (Paula Williams), Jane (Kira-Marie Laverty) and Sukie (Robyn Smith) vie for the attentions of the devilish Darryl Van Horne (Scott Nell) with dramatic effects on the small town of Eastwick. The charismatic Darryl of course has an arch enemy in the form of the uptight, leading light Felicia Gabriel (Megan Humphries), wife of Clyde Gabriel (Damon Hill), the editor of the local paper. Add the young lovers in the guise of Felicia's daughter Jennifer (Lauren Brumby) and Alexandra's son Michael (Evan Lever), mix with a little magic and things really start to happen.

This production is directed by the talented Ceri Hutton-Horner with the very able Peter Johns in charge of the music and the extremely imaginative Kerreane Sarti choreographing. All have worked on award-winning productions for Northern in the past and promise this is a show not to be missed.

With a cast full of talented regulars and newcomers, including Sue Pole, Nikki Gaertner-Eaton, Drew Webb, Paul Symmons, Russell Ford, Fran Edwards, Millie McAdam, Kat Sasche, Rebecca Payne, and with dancers, Shenayde Wilkinson-Sarti, Alana Shepherdson and Max Trengove, audiences can look forward to some real theatrical magic!

Witches of Eastwick runs from Friday March 28th to Saturday April 12th, in the Shedley Theatre, Playford Civic Centre, Elizabeth. Dates: March 28, 29, Apr 4, 5, 10, 11 & 12 at 8pm and Sunday Apr 6 at 2pm. Tickets: Adult $25, Conc. $20. Bookings on 8255 0362. Bookings can also be made via email on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

For further information visit our website at www.users.on.net/northernlight/, contact Delwyn on 8255 3296, Fran on 0419 846 058 or Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Submissions

Northern Light Theatre Company has called for submissions from experienced directors for the 2009 season.

Submissions should have some detail as to the style of production, suggested production team and cost.

The seasons we are trying to fill are:

Please send your written submission to PO Box 112 Elizabeth, SA 5112, by 20 May 2008.
If you would like to discuss any of the aspects of a NLTC production please feel free to contact Fran Edwards (President) on 0419 846 058 or John Sheehan (Vice President) on 08 8523 0482.

Blues Returns!

After its highly acclaimed July 2007 season Northern Light Theatre Company is bringing the Blues back by popular demand.

The critics loved this show! They called it "a scorching, sultry show" (ATG) with "a killer cast" (Advertiser) which with "Mark Horner's hip six-piece band" (Messenger) gave us "a wonderful entertaining cabaret style night of music" (Bunyip)

Blues in the Night uses the great blues and jazz songs of the 1920s and 1930s to explore the lives of three women and a saloon singer in a cheap hotel during the course of a long, memory-filled evening. The songs have been specifically chosen to accomplish several things, but their most important function is to celebrate a great period and style of American music and to explore the influences and the roots of the jazz idiom as they grew from blues music.

Megan Humphries, "shines as the Lady from the Road" (ATG) with "a touch of class" (Bunyip), Humphries' powerhouse voice brings the Lady to life on stage - she not only sings the blues, she is the blues.

Kira-Marie Laverty, is "one hot blues mamma"(ATG), and she "makes the room sizzle" (Advertiser) as she plays Woman of the World, in a "sensuous performance" (Bunyip).

Rod Schultz, who rounds off the ensemble cast as the Man in the Saloon, is "sex on legs" (ATG), he "sang with a raw honesty" (Bunyip), in fact he "was born to sing the blues" (ATG)

Michelle Pearson bubbling with energy and enthusiasm as the Girl with the Date, "delivers Willow Weep for Me with a passion that shakes the walls" (Advertiser). She is "fresh and in superb voice" (ATG) as her character copes with yet another disappointment.

The band lead by Daniel Brunner on keyboards and directed by Mark Horner "is tight bluesy and a joy on its own" (ATG). So when they "serve up a feast for lovers of all things blues" (ATG) "it's the music that lingers on" (Messenger).

The show is being directed by the multi-award winning Ceri Hutton-Horner, she has received many accolades for her work, being nominated for, and winning, several Best Director and Best Show awards. She is joined by her husband Mark Horner, who is musically directing the show. Horner is best remembered for being MD of Northern Light's critically acclaimed Jesus Christ Superstar.

Kerreanne Sarti, "has choreographed some great moves for four young standout dancers" (ATG). Her tight and snappy choreography is singularly impressive and always entertaining, and with a troupe of dancers (Shenayde Wilkinson-Sarti, Alana Shepherdson, Abbie Wait and Max Trengove) adding "grace notes to the music" (Advertiser), the show is nothing short of amazing.

The show is being presented cabaret style with a bar offering very reasonably priced drinks and the invitation to bring a basket supper to complement the experience.

Blues in the Night: Return Season runs from Thursday February 7th to Saturday February 9th, in the hall at Deaf SA, 262 South Tce, Adelaide. Dates: Feb 7, 8, & 9, at 8pm: Adult $25, Conc. $21. Bookings on 8100 8236.

For further information visit our website at www.users.on.net/northernlight/, contact Ceri on 8100 8236, Fran on 0419 846 058 or Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Congratualtions to Ann Humphries who won the Best Technical/Design (Amateur) Award in the Adelaide Theatre Guide's Curtain Call Awards for her costumes for The Wizard of Oz. Well done, Ann!

On Friday 17 February at the Theatre Association of South Australia AGM the Criti-cal Award for 2005 was announced! The winner was Northern Light for A Fractured G & S Trilogy! The announcement said:

I am pleased to announce that the winner of the 2005 Criti-Cal Award for Excellence is Northern Light Theatre Company for their clever, funny and unique production of A Fractured G & S Trilogy written by Damon Hill.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this original and highly professional production, which is still talked about regularly in theatre foyers around town.

To celebrate the new year, Northern Light hosted a party in the Playford Civic Centre Function Rooms. A fine time was had by all, with the Showcase of talent from 2005, The 2005 Catcus Awards and the NLTC Party Band all going down a treat! Thanks to all those who lent a hand on the night, and special thanks to the Playford Civic Centre staff for their support of the event.

View the photo gallery here

Northern Light Theatre Company has been nominated for this year's Coopers Group Award For Excellence (Amateur) for the 24 Hour Show (South Pacific). This fundraising event extroardinaire, was a great success for the Company in many ways. In fact it was the most successful single fundraising event ever staged by Northern Light!

The Adelaide Critics' Circle is a collective of South Australian Arts Critics representing all major media including The Advertiser, Messenger Newspaper Group, Encore Magazine, Rip It Up, dB Magazine, Radio Adelaide and many more. Each year, Arts SA sponsors the Critics' Circle to present Awards in range of professional categories, while Coopers Brewery kindly sponsor the amateur awards.

Northern Light took out the same award in 2004 for our productions od Copacabana and Jesus Christ Superstar. This year's Awards ceremony will be held at the Bakehouse Theatre on the evening of Monday 5 December 2005 . NLTC members are welcome to attend the ceremony to cheer on and support all nominees, and to remain for drinks and nibbles afterwards.

Another Award for Copa!
At the Adelaide Theatre Guide Gala Awards Night on Saturday 23 July 2005, NLTC'S 2004 production of Copacabana was awarded Best Musical (Amateur)! Another coup for this fabulous production.

NLTC congratulates the Hills Musical Society and Therry Dramatic Society who were also nominated in this category and made the win worth even more because of the high level of competition.

Congratulations also to all other award winners and to the ATG for such a fabulous night!

Northern scoops the "Messenger Light Year Awards" pool!
NLTC Members take a bow!

In December 2004, the Messenger drama critics handed out awards to Adelaide's amateur theatre community for achievement throughout the year. These awards, which are in name only, are an adjunct to the 2004 Light Year Awards in The City Messenger.

Northern Light Theatre Company "Scooped the pool", taking honours for 8 of the awards (including the coveted "Best Musical" award) and one runner up!

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY:
Theresa Dolman as Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters (Northern Light Theatre Company).

BEST MUSICAL:
Barry Manilow's Copacabana (Northern Light Theatre Company). Runners-up: Les Miserables (MS Society), Jesus Christ Superstar (Northern Light).

BEST LEADING MAN & LEADING LADY IN A MUSICAL:
Rodney Hutton and Kerri Hutton in Copacabana (Northern Light).

BEST CAMEO ROLE IN A MUSICAL:
Ian Rigney as Sam Silver in Copacabana (Northern Light) and as President Roosevelt in Annie (Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company).

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL:
Ceri Horner for Copacabana (Northern Light).

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION:
Tammy McInness for Copacabana (Northern Light).

Northern Light Wins The Cooper's Group Award for Excellence!
Congratulations to us!!

Monday night 6th December 2004 at the Adelaide Critics Circle Awards Northern Light won the very prestigious Coopers Award for Excellence for a Group. This is awarded to one amateur group for excellence in any one year and encompasses all groups musical and non-musical.

Fran Edwards with the Coopers Group Award

Fran Edwards with the Coopers Group Award

The other nominees were MS Society and Mixed Salad Productions. ACC is an organisation of respected Adelaide critics, comprising some 20 critics from mainstream and alternative media. Glenn Cooper from Coopers Brewery was unable to be there so the award was presented by Ian Rigney on his behalf (along with a $500 cheque!) The award was read out by Rod Lewis, who said that our production of JCS was the best of that musical he had seen, amateur or professional, and that Copacabana was, in his opinion the best amateur production this year!

On behalf of the committee I would like to thank everyone who helped out in any way, no matter how small, on these two productions. You deserve this award - we deserve this award. Well done!

Fran Edwards - President

If you want to check out the other awards (there are only two specifically amateur, called the Coopers) and previous winners, the site is: http://www.adelaidecritics.com/index.html

News

Calls for Submissions 2010

FAME the Musical

Aladdin Auditions go well

Cashing in on some fast comedy!

The Witches are set to enchant!

Submissions

Blues Returns!