First published2007 www.aussietheatre.com

I have spent since early April developing and producing a week of new one act plays. I have hired a theatre space, bought public liability insurance and selected 9 scripts (with the help of a producer/actor Helen Stuart), I have found directors, actors, and people to be involved. It’s a roller coaster though.. and at each moment of doubt something wonderful happens… the other day I was having a hard time with a script and out of the blue an amazingly wonderful thing happened. Larry Kelly a lighting designer called me and offered his services and lights. I was gearing up the courage to ask him… but he heard I was going to be looking… and he called first. Amazing, generous guy. And a laugh too!

The premise of this week is to offer people who are in between shows, or have a small project they want to test or develop an opportunity to show themselves what they can do. Last Sunday I had the directors and writers meet at my house, with a afternoon tea under the frangipani tree in my back yard. Tea, coffee, a fruit platter, cheeses and Portuguese tarts on a table. One of the directors turned up early and watched as I put a large bunch of white lilies, iris and velvet-red snapdragons on the table. And she said something along the lines of, “why are you fussing with that, we are just a bunch of out of work bums.” That’s not how I see them. I think are and deserve the best. They work hard, will be working hard and without them, theatre would be monochromatic and dull.

It’s not a competition. It’s the opposite, it’s for people to make connections, do the work they want to do, to meet and appreciate, to suggest actors, to share resources. I am putting up all the money to get the shows up and I hope to cover costs. If we do, great. If we don’t that’s fine aswell because at least we had a red hot go… at least we dared to do it ourselves. And if I lose money, but I had a great time, learnt a lot about my peers, the process and producing.. I think that’s worth it, don’t you?