Tag Archive for 'Stories from the 428'

Stories from the 428- Week 1

Published
on March 16, 2010
. Closed

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In eight days time, Sidetrack Theatre will be hosting the first week of Stories from the 428. In under 3 months, two groups (a cluster perhaps?) of 8 writers will have created two full length works – which have been auditioned for by 150 actors, rehearsed by 8 directors and finally staged at Sidetrack Theatre, in the Addison road centre…

Largely this has been a playground for theatre practitioners: writers- given permission to write hatever they want (to a maximum of 12 minutes) and know that whatever they offer, will be staged. Directors- given actors, time, space and scripts with which to work. Actors- given a chance at being a part of an exclusive Australian premiere. Designers- given the chance and the challenge to create for 32 vignettes…

Over the past 6 weeks, I have been asked “where did the idea for this project come from?” and “what’s it about”… to which I take a deep breath and reply- community. more…

Practise your Practice

Published
on March 15, 2010
. Closed

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Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers examines the reasons or causes behind people who are high acheivers- the thesis goes onto explain that for any person to be a leader in their field, they need to accrue 10,000 hours of practice in their given field. Gladwell sites the practise of The Beatles (who played 8 hours straight in Hamburg 5 days a week) and Bill Gates (who used to sneak into his local university at 2am to work on Computers as a teenage boy) … its a fascinating idea- and a hypothesis that rings true in the realm of the theatre. more…

Stories from the 428- THE LAUNCH

Published
on March 3, 2010
. Closed

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Stories from the 428 launched last night- with the help from our friends at the Coopers Hotel in Newtown, Marrickville Council, ACTT and Queen Street Studio- writers, directors, designers, crew came together to have a few drinks, to meet the people who they will be working with in the next 3-4 weeks. This launch was for the participants… United by a love of theatre, new Australian Playwriting and buses- nearly 100 local artists are starting rehearsals this week.

428 launch
more…

Cut & Paste- 21st February- The Old Fitz

Published
on February 11, 2010
. Closed

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It’s true that I spend a good deal of my time looking for, creating projects for, promoting new writing talent. In the last 3 years I have created 3 independent projects (Metamor/phases, Brand Spanking New, Stories from the 428) and a script development hothouse (Off the Shelf) culiminating 64 opportunities for writers/directors/actors to develop/practice/ showcase their art. In the middle of all of this- working a full time job, maintaining my relationship and writing for myself and for a company in Canada when I can. I’ve tried to create opportunities that I would want – places of experimentation, colleagiate regard as opposed to competition, places where work can be written, developed and produced within a year (yes- how novel!). How delighted I was when Phil Spencer contacted me about putting a little something forward for Cut and Paste! more…

Stories from the 428- An introduction

Published
on February 5, 2010
. 1 Comment

The view from the 428- it's a sign

The view from the 428- it's a sign


It was May last year when I starting thinking about Sidetrack Theatre. I took a half day off from my day job to meet with Don Mamouney and to ask him about the theatre. A couple of weeks prior I had gone to the theatre with Jonathan Wald to see Wayne Tunks’ latest production. Sidetrack had remained a “venue for hire” after it’s funding was cut- and seemed to have occasional shows on- but nothing that splashed loudly in the print media or on the web. It is the theatre which I am geographically closest to. If Belvoir is Mr Waites’ “local”, then “Sidetrack” is certainly mine. more…

Stories from the 428| THE WRITERS

Published
on January 20, 2010
. Closed

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For some, summer is a time for squeaky sand between the toes, stinging sunburn and relaxing in a resort… for me – the summer of 09/10 will forever be remembered as the summer I spent talking about buses. In a three week period I have been meeting and greeting playwrights and directors who have expressed interest in a project I am heading called “Stories from the 428″. more…