UpStage to scale dramatic new heights following successful 2024 season

A new cohort of artists and creatives will get the chance to share the limelight when City of Newcastle's UpStage at the Playhouse live performance program returns to the Civic Theatre in 2025.

Teen-led theatre company Hyde Entertainment will take to the stage with a hilarious story of unrequited feelings, love notes and high school insecurity, as one of four local productions selected to bring new and adapted works to life at the Playhouse next year.

Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace, Program and Venues Lead Jordan Campbell, Ticketing and Audience Lead Jo Michel join the artists and creatives who will present the 2025 UpStage at the Playhouse program.Chair of City of Newcastle's Community and Culture Advisory Committee, Councillor Jenny Barrie, said the first season of Upstage at the Playhouse was a resounding success.

"Civic Theatre and City of Newcastle are proud to foster and support the wonderful creative talent that exists in our region,” Cr Barrie said.

“UpStage at the Playhouse helps build the capacity and exposure of local artists while enhancing Newcastle's reputation as a cultural capital.

"Our 2024 season was a huge success, with the four productions selling more than 3000 tickets at the 195-seat Playhouse and being nominated for a total of nine City of Newcastle Dramatic Association Awards.

“I congratulate the local theatre companies and playwrights selected to take part in the program next year and look forward to seeing them present a mix of newly written pieces and adaptations of two classics."

Founded by 18-year-old Seb Smee, Newcastle theatre company Hyde Entertainment will debut a re-imagining of Edmond Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac called Calvin Berger, while award-winning playwright Pip Thoroughgood will breathe new life into a timeless Shakespearean classic in The Prophetic Tragedy of Macbeth and Those Who Knew Him.

A Very Newy Chrissy, a joint production between One For The Road Productions and Insight Acting, is an original work that tells the story of modern families and well-worn traditions, while #This Is Not Journalism, created by playwright Ross Mueller, is a contemporary comedy about truth, news and alternative facts that shows what happens when the story-behind-the-story, becomes the story.

Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said UpStage at the Playhouse has already made a positive difference to local creatives.

"We've had feedback from participants in this year's program saying the support we've offered has made a real difference in staging their new and adapted works, helping them to build and sustain their careers in Newcastle,” Ms Wallace said.

"The four productions have been a huge hit with audiences and attracted a broad demographic of theatregoers, achieving sold out opening nights for each of the productions.”

Each of the new shows will be given a two-week placement in the Playhouse, which is co-located in the same building as the iconic Civic Theatre.

Tickets for UpStage at the Playhouse are now on sale, with The Prophetic Tragedy of Macbeth and Those Who Knew Him to raise the curtain on the 2025 program in March.

For more information visit https://www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au 

The Prophetic Tragedy of Macbeth and Those Who Knew Him | 20 - 29 March
 Written by William Shakespeare, adapted by Pippa Thoroughgood
 Produced by All's One Theatre
 
Calvin Berger | 4 - 12 July 
 Book, Music and Lyrics by Barry Wyner 
 Orchestration by Doug Besterman
 Original Direction by Kathleen Marshall
 Scene Change Music Arranged by Aron Accurso
 Produced by Hyde Entertainment

 #THIS IS NOT JOURNALISM | 26 September - 4 October
 Written by Ross Mueller
 Produced by Australian Writers Theatre
 
A Very Newy Chrissy | 6 - 15 November
 Written by Nat Newman
 Produced by One for the Road Productions