 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
History
1993 - Phoenix was born out of friendship and a need for creative exploration. It was born out of the minds of eight people who believed it was possible to create a community theatre group that produced professional quality productions and enhanced the lives of its members and the general public.
Thanks to the following people who were the driving force behind Phoenix: Anne & Wal Lotocki, John & Judy Davidson, Heather Scott, Mark Williams, Maureen Jackson and Helen Holt.
First up in 1993 we formed the Phoenix choir and travelled to RSL clubs with the theatre restaurant show Dimboola. This provided us with enough money to secure rights for our first major production and it was during this time we commenced the search for a permanent home.
1994 - Windaroo Cottage restaurant proved to be a great theatre restaurant venue and it was here that we performed Commedia del Arte (Italian street theatre), which we adapted to suit an Aussie audience. That same year we travelled to various venues around south-east Queensland with Musical Showstoppers.
Also in 1994, Phoenix became the first Queensland theatre company to produce Into the Woods, so it seems fitting that Phoenix celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2004 with the same production that really started the ball rolling.
1995 - This year we performed a charity concert “The Lachlan Boyd Memorial SIDS Day Concert” in memory of Lachlan Boyd – Kathleen and Aaron Boyd’s son who had tragically died of SIDS.
It was also the year Phoenix moved into the "tin shed" at the Beenleigh Showgrounds, which we now know as the Pavilion Theatre. The year started with Nunsense II directed by Col Hamblyn. The year also saw Phoenix produce one of its most successful productions, Sherwoodstock. It had a cast of 40, a rock band, a ridiculous script and lots of classic bad over-acting … and audiences went wild.
In September 1995, Phoenix produced The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, followed by Oklahoma at the end of the year.
1996 - Audiences were still getting to know Phoenix, so we decided we needed a couple of major productions that we knew theatre fans would flock to see. In April, Guys and Dolls was a huge success, and in August we presented Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. The production team of Anne Lotocki, John Davidson and Heather Scott decided Pirates needed a new lease on life, so the show was produced Egyptian style, which proved to be an absolute delight for Ray Aubrey, by now a regular Phoenix fan and set artist.
Many members were keen for Phoenix to produce a serious drama, so in September 1996 Anne Lotocki directed Brilliant Lies by David Williamson.
Our second play for the year was the comedy Sailor Beware and the third major musical production for 1996 was Calamity Jane. With three large musicals and two plays, 1996 proved to be a very busy year for Phoenix.
1997 - By now Phoenix was moving along quite nicely, but that had not diminished the drive to find productions that would totally wow audiences. We found this production in Godspell, which sold to capacity audiences and, in fact, it was so popular the season was extended.
The thriller Wait Until Dark opened in June, followed by the comedy Living Together in July, which in turn was followed by the tap-dancing comedy Stepping Out.
November 1997 saw Heather, Anne and John revisit West Side Story, which they had worked on together in 1990 with Beenleigh Theatre Group. Auditions for this production pulled people from far and wide and Phoenix discovered some wonderfully talented people who are still with us today.
1998 - Following on from the success of West Side Story, Tim Mason, one of our younger members, displayed his creative ability by writing a spoof of West Side called The Other Side.
Because West Side Story had attracted dancers it provided the opportunity for Phoenix to follow up with A Chorus Line, which opened in May. This production introduced us to the talents of Alan Davidson, who acted as Musical Director. Ray Cooney’s comedy It Runs in the Family followed in June.
Jesus Christ Superstar, which opened in August, proved to be an amazing success for Phoenix, with a cast of 30 high energy dancers and singers. It was a truly joyful production and helped form some wonderful friendships, as well as cementing Phoenix’s reputation for providing absolute quality performances.
The end of 1998 saw Phoenix produce the spicy comedy Don’t Dress For Dinner.
1999 - In March, Phoenix produced La Cage aux Folles. This proved to be a trying time in the history of the group, with our lead performer Brett Coates having a heart attack only one week before opening night. Tony Alcock and Trevor Young stepped in to cover the role at the last minute. Brett made a full recovery and returned to Phoenix the following year.
1999 also brought us the talents of Joan Stalker-Brown, who directed Hotel Sorrento in June. This production was well received by company members who yearned for the challenge of performing serious drama.
The rest of this year proved extremely busy with a repeat season of Godspell, the comedy Out of Order and Dimboola.
 2000 - The year 2000 started with the youth production of Bugsy Malone in January.
This was followed by How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, closely followed by the hilarious Aussie mental hospital comedy Cosi.
Phoenix then staged its biggest musical production ever, Les Miserables, directed by Anne Lotocki. People said it couldn’t be done in our tin shed but we proved them wrong, as we so often do. Les Mis was so huge and had so many talented cast members that we had two separate lead casts that alternated for each performance.
The end of 2000 saw the production of Funny Money directed by Joan Stalker-Brown.
2001 - The season conclusion of Funny Money also brought about major changes in our ensemble directorship, with prominent members of the board resigning from their positions.
With so many changes taking place, the first half of 2001 saw the Pavilion Theatre quieter than in previous years, although Tammy Gosling did manage to write and direct Goose Tales.
With limited funds available, there was a great urgency to attract past members back to the company and to show the local community that Phoenix was still a viable and creative theatre company.
We decided to put together a compilation show of all the favourite musicals numbers from previous years. Mark Williams took on the role of director with musical direction by James Feagai. Encore proved to be a turning point for Phoenix with audiences once again filling our theatre and enabling us to obtain enough money for performance rights for upcoming shows. At the end of this year Col Hamblyn directed Run for your Wife, which also ran to packed houses.
2002 - It was important that we started 2002 with a huge show that would once again establish Phoenix as a strong and unified community group. Tracey Hutley took on the role of director for Oliver, which had a cast and crew of nearly 50 people. Oliver sold out to packed audiences every show. It attracted numerous talented children to the theatre, which prompted the creation of the Phoenix Youth Theatre (initially directed by Kathryn Anderson), which is still thriving today.
2002 also saw us perform Jest at the West, directed by Luke Hutley, at the Beenleigh Bowls Club and at the Pavilion Theatre.
Phoenix, in conjunction with Logan City Choir, then came together to present The Golden Years of Operetta, directed by Leonard Lee. This was the first time Phoenix had collaborated with another local group and the show was well accepted by Phoenix audiences.
By the end of the year, the junior group was ready to present its first production, Once Upon a Groovy-tale, written and directed by Kathryn Anderson.
Finally, Chicago, directed by Joan Stalker-Brown, saw the Pavilion theatre transformed into a futuristic wasteland of steel, with a Honda Zot on stage. Because of Chicago’s popularity, audition numbers were large and the talent within the show exceptionally high.
2003 - Phoenix continued growing in strength. Thanks to the quality of talent in the Youth Theatre, we were now able to present shows specifically for younger audiences, and in 2003 Phoenix produced Tarzan 2 the Rescue, written and directed by Patrick Carswell.
Stags and Hens, directed by Heather Scott, followed soon after and proved to be the most successful play ever produced at Phoenix. Once again, an amazing set was built by Rob McFarlane, who was even able to get running water on stage.
On a suggestion from Tracey Hutley’s parents, we decided to perform a 50s and 60s night of rock’n' roll, which we called For One Night Only. It played to packed houses at the theatre and at the Beenleigh Bowls Club.
Our 10th anniversary celebration production was Into the Woods, which proved to be the hardest show - musically and technically - Phoenix had produced to that point. Once again, amazing set construction by Rob MacFarlane and art work by Ray Aubrey was a feature, and the show was a huge success.
Into the Woods was followed by the comedy She’s Done It Again, directed by Jo Castle, and then member Nick Ng’s original gangster musical Murphy’s Law gave the year a successful finale.
2004 – Following on from the success of the 60s rock’n’roll night in 2003, Phoenix produced a fun show of 70s songs. Boogie Fever (directed by Tracey Hutley, with musical direction by Alan Davidson), was a huge hit with audiences, which was then followed by the Sondheim musical Company (directed by Joan Stalker-Brown).
Phoenix also presented its first season of one-act-plays, offering new writers, directors and performers a chance to work alongside more experienced members. Audiences responded well to the four productions of the One Act Showcase: Double Bourbon, a Backseat and a Book (a debut production from local writer Paula Weston, directed by Heather Scott), Take Five (directed by Jo Castle), Dear Cally (an original work by local writer Gatsby Blazely and helmed by debut director Lisa Killeen), and the Youth Theatre production Urbs Urbis, directed by Senior Youth Theatre Directors Andy MacFarlane and Frog Johnson.
The one-act season was followed by the hugely successful Sweet Charity, starring Heather Scott and directed by Tracey Hutley, who showed great imagination and innovation to effectively present the challenging show in a theatre without a fly tower.
The year concluded with Fairytale Bits and Bytes, a fun production from the Junior Youth Theatre and Peter Pan, presented by the Senior Youth Theatre.
2005 – Phoenix continues to grow in strength, and today enjoys its largest audience base and membership of its 11-year history.
The year began with Brett Coates’ tribute to the songs of the celluloid with The Movies! The Music!, which again showcased the vocal and dance talents of Phoenix performers. Phoenix’s Junior Youth Theatre then presented the clever and funny Go Noah, directed by Jo Castle.
That show was followed by another successful one act season, Short and Sweet. This year’s collection featured the powerful X-Stacey, directed by Frog Johnson and showcasing the depth of talent among Phoenix’s young adult performers; the black comedy It’s Customary To Call the Fire Brigade, directed by David Hamblyn; Life is Too Short to Hold Back, an original play by Frog Johnson, helmed by first-time director Rhylee Nowell; and Khadijah Khan made her directorial debut with Opposites Attract.
Phoenix also had a very successful season with the fun and upbeat production of A Slice of Saturday Night directed by Steven Days and featuring the live band Dr Crowe and the Eggmen.
The middle of 2005 saw Phoenix produce the original full length play Double Bourbon, a backseat and a book, written by Phoenix pubilcity officer, Paula Weston and directed by Heather Scott. This play was very well received by audiences who enjoyed strong, realistic performances by several Phoenix regulars. October/November 2005 saw Phoenix produce The Secret Garden, directed by Tracey Hutley and the first time ever performed by a community theatre group in Queensland. With beautiful sets, clever direction and wonderful performances, The Secret Garden was a definite crowd pleaser.
Finally, 2005 comes to a close with The Wiz, performed by the Phoenix youth Theatre. This show promises to be an energetic and fun for all the family!
In 2006, we asked our audiences to trust us, with a daring calendar that had us facing new and exciting challenges. The year got off to a flying start with the colourful, fun, show You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, directed by Barb Ekstrom. Audiences loved the quirky performances of the adult cast, capturing the wit and sense of fun of Charles M Shulz's beloved Peanuts characters. Next, we flexed our dramatic muscles, with an acclaimed season of Arthur Miller's dark fable, The Crucible, directed by Tammy Gosling. Shows quickly sold out, as word spread about the quality of the production, which showcased the depth of acting talent within the company, and attracted exciting newcomers. We returned to musicals for the next production, but it was no ordinary show: Rent, the hip, grunge rock musical about life, love and living with HIV/AIDS had a blockbuster sell-out season. Directed by Rhylee Nowell, it was a landmark production for Phoenix, tackling tough, controversial topics, which our audiences embraced. The show saw an influx of fresh, new talent to round out the quality ensemble cast, drawing performers from the Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast. Stephen Sondheim's macabre musical Sweeney Todd was a brave choice for director Tracey Hutley, but one that paid off, with large audiences loving the show, particularly the innovative set, and talented vocal cast. It was a rare musical thriller - chilling, suspenseful, heart-pounding and witty - and was proof that Phoenix fans love the off-beat nature of Sondheim shows. In September, our youngsters took to the stage for the delightful Cinderella for Kids. Under the direction of Junior Tutor Jo Castle, the enthusiastic cast charmed audiences with this classic fairytale. The end of 2006 saw the bright, breezy Broadway musical The Pajama Game directed by Joan Stalker-Brown (in October and November). 2007 got off to a flying start with a one act play season titled Plan B = Passion. Three plays (Love in Laundromat directed by Heather Scott, Garbage directed by Frog Johnson, Bombshells, directed by Lisa Killeen) were all based around love and/or passion. Next Phoenix was privileged to have the Australian non-professional premiere of The Producers - the new Mel Brookes Musical. This production, directed by Rhylee Nowell, with an energetic and talented cast played to full houses. Still to come in 2007 is the classic wartime tale of South Pacific, directed by Tracey Hutley, followed by a musical production devised and directed by Jo Castle, Living in the 80s. A snapshot of Phoenix Ensemble productions since 1993 A Chorus Line
Boogie Fever
Brilliant Lies
Calamity Jane
Chicago
Company
Cosi
Dimboola
Don’t Dress for Dinner
Double Bourbon, a Backseat and a Book (full play)
Encore
Fairytale Bits & Bytes
Funny Money
Godspell
Go Noah
Goosetales
Guys & Dolls
Hotel Sorrento
How to Succeed in Business without really Trying
Into the Woods
It runs in the Family
Jesus Christ Superstar
La Cage Aux Folles
Les Miserables
Living in the 80s
Living Together
Murphy’s Law
Nunsense II
Oklahoma
Oliver
One Act Play Showcase (Double Bourbon, A Backseat and a Book, Take Five, Dear Cally, Out of Order)
Plan B = Passion (Love in Laundromat, Garbage, Bombshells)
Pirates of Penzance
Rent
Run for your Wife
Sailor Beware
Sherwoodstock
She’s Done it Again
Slice of Saturday Night
Showstoppers
Short and Sweet (One acts: X-Stacey, It’s Customary to Call the Fire Brigade; Life is Too Short to Hold Back, Opposites Attract)
South Pacific
Stags and Hens
Stepping Out
Sweeney Todd
Sweet Charity
Tarzan 2 the Rescue
The Crucible
The Importance of Being Ernest
The Movies! The Music!
The Other Side
The Pajama Game
The Producers
The Secret Garden
The Wiz
Urbs Urbis)
Wait Until Dark
West Side Story
You're a good man, Charlie Brown
LINKS
www.stagediary.com for Brisbane audition details
www.wprasek.com a fabulous website by Warren Prasek who has photographed many Phoenix productions
www.goldcoasttheatre.com.au a website dedicated to Gold Coast community theatre companies
www.qldtheatreco.com.au Queensland Theatre Company entered into a community theatre education program partnership during 2005
|
WHAT'S NEXT -
You will require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the documents on this webpage. If you do not have it already you can download Acrobat Reader here for free. If you have downloaded Acrobat Reader and still have trouble viewing these documents, please contact us at info@phoenixensemble.com.au
