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Homegrown Presented by: Loose Tooth Theatre as a co-production with PIP Theatre Writer: Sarah Esser Co-Directors: Annabel Gilbert and Grace Longwill Set and Costume Designer: Scarlett Hughes Lighting and Vision Designer: Charlii Lobley Sound Designer: Annabel Gilbert Puppet Fabricators: Sarah Esser and Grace Longwill Photography: Annabel Gilbert and Sarah Esser “Every relationship has a gardener and a flower.” I've accidentally sent enough houseplants to the great garden in the sky to understand their dramatic nature. However, it wasn't until seeing Homegrown that I considered they might also be emotionally manipulative. Presented by Loose Tooth Theatre at PIP Theatre, Homegrown is a 90-minute play blending dark humour with unsettling strangeness. It begins in the painfully realm of infertility and relationship strain, then sprouts into something closer to The Exorcist: Bunnings Edition. Written by Sarah Esser and co-directed by Annabel Gilbert and Grace Longwill, the play creeps between relationship drama, psychological thriller, magical realism, and botanical horror. The story follows Tash and Sophie, a couple who share a home, a life, and a semi-successful gardening publication. After eight failed cycles their dream of motherhood has curdled into sorrow and exhaustion. When Sophie’s latest attempt fails, Tash wishes to close this chapter move on, while Sophie is not ready to give up. When a spilled fertility drink mixes with a mysterious plant spray, something starts sprouting beneath their floorboards. Tash assumes it's a weed and wants it gone. Sophie, still grieving and drawn to the possibility of new life, pleads to study it instead. Before they know it, the plant is growing faster than a teenager's appetite and becoming more like an overbearing roommate with zero regard for boundaries! At the centre of the play were two vulnerable and physically demanding performances from Geena Schwartz and Billy Fogarty. Tash was supportive and practical, but underneath, her life was a compost bin of unresolved messes. She was carrying religious trauma, nightmarish premonitions, sensual dreams about the overtly sexual postman, and the tension between her queer identity and her mother’s faith. Schwartz had to let all that inner chaos spill out through voice modulation, choking, gagging and stage combat, and she made every bit of it seem truly connected to Tash’s fear and frustration. Fogarty was equally strong as Sophie: a loving partner, wounded, stubborn, and consumed by the desire to have a family. As a character with a doctorate in botany whose world was built around growth, the infertility carried an especially cruel irony. Fogarty captured the frustration and devastation of that with painful accuracy, especially in lines like, “I wanted so bad to follow the rules of my own biology. To think nature has got my back.” Both Schwartz and Fogarty gave realistic intimacy, arguments, breakdowns, and frightening screams of trauma. Their performances had that awful recognisable rhythm of two people who love each other, but have been stuck hurting in the same pattern for too long. The Plant, played by Indiah Morris, was a standout stage creation. Painted green and bonneted, it looked like a curious baby straight from Whoville. Morris had such particular physicality in her movements — toddling, crawling, tripping, and observing everything with wide eyes. The way she played it was both cute and unsettling. The costuming and puppet fabrication were well-crafted too, subtly evolving scene by scene as the Plant claimed more space in the house. The Plant was not scary in a “feed me, Seymour” kind of way. At least, not at first... It was a reflection of what both women desired and dreaded. For Sophie, it offered a sense of motherhood, attachment, and nurture. For Tash, it became an invasive sickness, a poison pushing her toward psychosis. The Plant was not inherently harmful; it was more like an infant: needy, grabby, and amoral. Oscar Thelander brought great comic contrast as the Postman, strutting in with an aggressive commitment to package delivery. His scenes interrupted the domestic tension, allowing Homegrown to explore farcical elements amid the heavier themes. The writing captured the exhaustion of fertility treatment with brutal simplicity: “Run all the tests, rack up all the costs, and then… nothing.” That line sums up so much of the play’s emotional terrain: the endless tests, money, hope, routines, humiliation, and feeling abandoned by nature while others seem to bloom. Homegrown took that pain and externalised it into something impossible to ignore. Scarlett Hughes's set design features an expansive lower and elevated stage with a dollhouse, tattered couch, and plant décor, and an underlying hollow space that gave the whole thing a secretive, rotting-under-the-surface quality. The dollhouse was a clever visual metaphor too: a mini version of the perfect home they desired, while their real home grew feral around it. Multimedia elements, including videos, graphics, and sound, conveyed a sense of reality distorting and glitching. Charlii Lobley's lighting and Annabel Gilbert's sound design make the home feel progressively unstable. Homegrown kept diverting expectations, beginning as an intimate relationship drama before twisting into something stranger, bloodier and much harder to categorise. It dug into infertility, grief and sacrifice, while still making room for wit, imagination and bold choices. It was a curious little beast of a play and it trusted the audience to follow it all the way into the garden shed of emotional doom.

EPIC Love Stories Presented by VOX Theatre Arts at The Loft, West End Directed by Tayla Simpson Hosted and Vocal Direction by Rhona Bechaz Band: Sean Alan Fagan, Benjamin Richards and Nathan Cho Set Design: Tamzen Hunter Sound and Lighting: Maddy Simons, Steve Maples and Melanie Simons Photography: Aylish Tan – Artist Focused Valentine's weekend can be a bit of a minefield. Maybe you're happily loved up, maybe you're rolling your eyes at the price of roses, or maybe you've watched The Princess Bride enough times to firmly believe that nobody will ever top Wesley and Buttercup (Just me?) Thankfully, VOX Theatre Arts had the perfect answer. Epic Love Stories was a cheeky cabaret-burlesque celebration of iconic couples from film and musicals, taking all those swoon-worthy romances, grand gestures and wonderfully ridiculous tropes we know and love and turning them up several notches. And what a collection of couples it was! Dirty Dancing, Titanic, Wicked, The Addams Family, Mamma Mia!, Rocky Horror, The Great Gatsby, Death Becomes Her, Brokeback Mountain, Little Shop of Horrors, Barbie and Ken, and even the Mystery Inc. gang all got their moment in the spotlight. The Loft in West End was made for this sort of show. Audience members enjoyed themed cocktails while settling in for a night of romance, nostalgia and blushing. Guiding us through the evening was vocal director Rhona Bechaz, whose old-Hollywood accent, dimpled smile and gloriously bad jokes quickly won over the crowd. Under Tayla Simpson's direction, the show gleefully embraced every cliché. There were longing gazes, dramatic dances, discarded items of clothing, and enough smouldering looks to fog up the room. No matter what nonsense arrived next, everyone threw themselves into it without hesitation. The evening opened with a sweet rendition of L-O-V-E, before Hannah Box brought all the sass and razzle dazzle required for Funny Honey (Chicago). She later joined Aimee Segal for a spirited queer rendition of What Is This Feeling? (Wicked), complete with plenty of knowing glances between Elphaba and Glinda. Historia Scott and Campbell Briggs made a highly convincing Morticia and Gomez, bringing plenty of passion to Live Before We Die (Addams Family), while Ashlin Cork looked like she was having a blast in the wonderfully silly I'm Just Ken/Barbie Girl mash-up. Venus brought Romy and Michele's particular brand of disco glamour to life and had me singing along! Elsewhere, Lay All Your Love On Me (Mamma Mia) delivered all the yearning that young love could muster, while Billy Gray arrived in gold hotpants and absolutely no shame for Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me (Rocky Horror). Skye Schultz and Jack Barrett's Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy gave Brokeback Mountain a theatrical makeover, leaning into the joke with cowboy hats, hobby horses, and absolutely no concern for subtlety. Annie Rose Paroz proved to be one of the vocal powerhouses of the evening. Her voice soared through several numbers, particularly Back to Black, where her vocals accompanied Tayla Simpson's sultry performance inspired by Daisy and Jay from The Great Gatsby. Paroz returned later with a gorgeous rendition of My Heart Will Go On, while Angelina Mustafay and Skye Schultz turned Jack and Rose's doomed romance into something far less tragic and far more ridiculous as Rose gradually strip off while displaying very little concern for poor Jack's fate. I never thought I'd find myself laughing like a hyena through a song that normally leaves me sobbing. Somehow, Titanic, burlesque, and a few well-placed props proved to be a winning combination. Speaking of props, Jack Barrett's Grow For Me alongside a particularly frisky Audrey II puppet provided one of the biggest laughs of the night. That plant had absolutely no business behaving the way it did, and yet somehow the audience accepted its questionable behaviour without hesitation. And then there was Let's Get It On. Featuring the Mystery Inc gang and Mark James singing as Scooby-Doo himself, the number descended into complete nonsense. You really haven't lived until you've witnessed a Scooby-Doo orgy parody. And somehow, this is actually my second... The live band, featuring Sean Alan Fagan, Benjamin Richards and Nathan Cho, brought a warmth and spontaneity that recorded tracks simply can't match. Tamzen Hunter's oversized heart set piece dominated the stage with all the subtlety of Sharpay Evans entering East High. Lighting and sound from Maddy Simons, Steve Maples and Melanie Simons kept pace with the show's constant swings between romance, comedy and after-dark antics. By the time the company came together for This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), I left feeling exactly as a Valentine's cabaret should make you feel: transported, thoroughly entertained, and perhaps just a little bit flustered. In a world that feels permanently glued to bad news headlines, I can't think of a better excuse to indulge in a little fantasy for a couple of hours. Epic Love Stories reminded me that sometimes it's perfectly okay to surrender to the cheese, root for the happy ending, and sing along to the love songs. Because the world could always use a little more epic romance...

Into the Blue Presented by: The Australian Voices Artistic Director / Composer / Conductor: John Rotar Tides of Ocean — Matthew Orlovich Pearl — Gordon Hamilton Anthos — Alys Rayner Meteora — Meta Cohen And There Was No More Sea — Margaret Tesch-Muller Island Songs — Stephen Leek Bellbird Valley — John Rotar Into the Blue — John Rotar Waltzing Matilda — Traditional, arranged by John Rotar “There is a magic in the world when you’re a kid” There’s nothing quite like strolling into a choral concert and being whisked away on a mental vacation across the vast Australian landscape, all through the power of voices. No orchestra, backing tracks, or elaborate staging — just lungs, humans, harmony, and vocal control that makes me wonder if these singers have superpowers! Founded over 30 years ago, The Australian Voices is renowned for championing contemporary Australian choral music, and this program was a strong reminder of just how much variety, imagination, and emotional colour can exist within a choir. Led by the maestro of melodies, John Rotar introduced the inspiration behind the program and its individual pieces. The concert explored the vastness of the Australian environment, from the deep seas to open skies, flower fields to childhood beaches and the little mythologies we build around places. John spoke passionately to offer context that shaped the listening experience and encouraged us to engage our own imaginations actively. After all, listening to music is not a passive activity. The venue itself beautifully enhanced the visual and auditory experience. The tall archways and brickwork of St Brigid's Church were illuminated with gradients of colour, transitioning through blues, violets, oranges, and pinks based on the mood of each piece.The acoustics were so clear that you could pick out individual voices distinctly, even within the full ensemble sound. At one point, a little songbird in the eaves joined in, which was either a coincidence or excellent unpaid immersive design. The concert opened with Matthew Orlovich’s Tides of Ocean, which ended up being my favourite. It was bright, consuming, and full of movement, with the choir creating wave-like sounds that pulled the audience straight into the water. Without any instruments, the singers created an entire oceanic world through shifting vocal patterns. It was like being serenaded by a school of musical fish. Gordon Hamilton’s Pearl was like a musical cloud floating through the room, with layered harmonies, descending trills, and some beautifully controlled soprano lines floating above the ensemble. The low bass moments were particularly resonant too. The balance between the voice parts and dynamics was one of the choir’s major strengths, with the ensemble shifting swiftly from delicate transparency to a much fuller sound without losing clarity. Alys Rayner’s Anthos and Meta Cohen’s Meteora redirected our attention skyward, moving from flower fields and blue skies to a cosmic journey through galaxies and vast distances. Both pieces explored ideas of separation and connection, particularly the image of two people gazing up at the same sky from different corners of the world. Meteora was especially demanding, playing with repeated text, canons, and tempo changes. In Anthos, the phrase “under the air” returned again and again in different forms, passed around the ensemble until it seemed to orbit overhead. Margaret Tesch-Muller’s And There Was No More Sea took us on a deep dive into the murkier waters of life’s big questions. Penned by a member of the choir, the piece explored mortality, chaos, and the sea, with the men’s voices bringing a low, thunderous weight to the sound. It was something of a philosophical storm at sea, giving the program a moment to sit with something more existential. Stephen Leek’s Island Songs honoured the choir’s founder, and I had a little personal flashback here. I once sang the good old Monkey and Turtle in a bossa nova arrangement — a sentence that will make instant sense to choir people and absolutely no sense to everyone else. That small connection was a lovely reminder of how widely Australian choral music travels through classrooms, choirs, and community spaces, often shaping musical memories in ways we do not realise at the time. John Rotar’s Bellbird Valley was one of the most moving parts of the concert. Based on a family poem and a location held in memory, the piece captured the warm, bittersweet nostalgia of looking back at a place you cannot quite return to — not because it has vanished, but because you are no longer the person who first knew it. The world premiere of Into the Blue transformed John Rotar’s childhood memories of Coonarr beach into a grand narrative. The work had a childlike mythology to it — the way a beach can become an entire kingdom when you are small. The composition featured depictive lyrics, percussive vocal effects, manipulated vowels, and even a cheeky nod to the Jaws motif for the bull sharks. It captured the magical blend of wonder, danger, and imagination in childhood memories. This concert differed from my usual coverage of plays and musicals, which involve characters, staging, choreography, design, and narrative all working together. Into the Blue was far more stripped back, but definitely not simpler. If anything, it required closer attention because the music is exposed and immediate. No lighting cue or costume change could save a harmony or mask an imperfect entrance. It served as a reminder that skilled singers like these can evoke landscapes, weather, tension, humour, memory, and movement with just their voices. The Australian Voices performed with focus, stamina, discipline, and a shared understanding of the music. Most pieces were memorised, with eyes fixed on John’s conducting as entrances, cut-offs, dynamics, and tempo shifts landed with impressive precision (and some seriously strong breath control!). John was visibly working hard too — conducting contemporary choral music is clearly not a low-sweat activity. The large crowd packed into the church seemed very willing to take the journey with them, and it was heartening to see hundreds of people turn up for contemporary Australian choral music. Unfortunately, I had to leave before the finale because Into the Blue was only the first stop on a three-show review day! But watching a video later of John Rotar’s arrangement of Waltzing Matilda confirmed what a fitting closing choice it was. Concluding a program of sea, sky, landscape, and national sound with a fresh percussive take on a familiar tune perfectly suited a choir dedicated to evolving Australian music. Into the Blue was thoughtfully programmed, exquisitely sung, and deeply connected to place. More than anything, it showed how powerful a room full of voices can be when they are used with this much care, imagination, and purpose.

Discover the latest in Brisbane theatre auditions and reviews on Stage Buzz Brisbane. Your go-to source for all things theatre in the Queensland capital. WELCOME TO STAGE BUZZ BRISBANE This dynamic hub for South-East Queensland thespians is your go-to source for audition updates, performance reviews, and engaging content that celebrates the vibrant local theatre scene. From spotlighting talented actors to providing valuable tips, it's a community-driven platform that brings the magic of the stage to the forefront, fostering connection and celebration among theatre enthusiasts in the region. NICE TO MEET YOU Embrace the enchanting world of South-East Queensland's theatre scene right here on Stage Buzz Brisbane! We're your go-to hub for all things theatrical: upcoming performances adult audition alerts youth auditions performance reviews exclusive spotlight interviews with local talents rehearsal/performance venue database Whether you're a seasoned thespian or a passionate supporter of the arts, join us on this exciting journey as we celebrate the magic that unfolds on our local stages. At Stage Buzz Brisbane, we believe every production deserves its moment in the spotlight. If you know of any upcoming productions or hidden gems that have slipped under the radar, don't hesitate to reach out and share your insights or let us know about the productions that deserve extra applause. Together, let's shine a light on the vibrant and thriving community theatre culture in South-East Queensland. Let the curtains rise, and let the show begin! Contact

< Back MUSICAL: Sister Act - Savoyards 27 June 2026 Season: June 27th - July 11th, Title: Sister Act Presented By: Savoyards Music Comedy Society Genre: Musical Theatre Synopsis: When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder, she is placed in protective custody in the last place anyone would think to look for her — a convent. Disguised as a nun, Deloris finds herself at odds with the strict Mother Superior and the quiet life of the convent. Using her vibrant personality, powerful voice and infectious energy, she transforms the struggling choir and breathes new life into the community. But when her newfound fame attracts unwanted attention, Deloris must rely on the strength of her sisterhood to stay one step ahead of danger. Based on the hit film, Sister Act is a feel-good musical comedy packed with humour, heart and an uplifting score by Alan Menken. Performance Dates: June 27th – July 11th, 2026. Performance Times: Saturday 27 June – 7:30pm Sunday 28 June – 1:30pm Saturday 4 July – 1:30pm (AUSLAN Interpreted Performance) Saturday 4 July – 7:30pm Sunday 5 July – 1:30pm Saturday 11 July – 1:30pm Saturday 11 July – 7:30pm Performance Location and Address: Iona Performing Arts Centre, Iona College 85 North Road, Lindum QLD 4178. Ticket Costs: Adult – $58 Concession – $52 Junior (School Students to Year 12) – $35 Group Ticket (10+) – $46 Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children) – $149 Ticket Link: Buy Tickets - Sister Act Warnings: Contains themes of crime, mild violence and theatrical effects. Recommended Age: Suitable for family audiences. Duration: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, including interval. Cast: Deloris Van Cartier – Rudo Banya Mother Superior – Beth Lowe Sister Mary Robert – Wednesday Reign Sister Mary Patrick – Emma Brack Sister Mary Lazarus – Helen Beauchamp Monsignor O'Hara – Warryn James Curtis – Lonnie Toia Eddie Souther – Lachie Gleadhill TJ – William Chen Joey – Joshua Langdon Pablo – Montil Djumapili Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours – Constanza Acevedo Burckhardt Sister Mary Theresa – Johanna Toia Tina – Jaymie Houtman Michelle – Priscilla Bernard Deloris Van Cartier (Understudy) – Alicia Brite Ernie – Jay Koloi Ensemble: Alicia Brite, Maree Butterworth, Ashlin Cork, Leah Harford, Julie Hogg, Kim Kee, Sophie Kersnovski, Jay Koloi, Kate Moriarty and Elloise O'Connell. Creative Team: Director – Andrew Cockroft-Penman Assistant Director – Adelle O'Connell Cultural Consultant – Matthew McKenzie Musical Director – Sally Faint Choreographer – Natalie Lennox Assistant Choreographer – Wallis Nersesian Music – Alan Menken Lyrics – Glenn Slater Book – Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner Additional Book Material – Douglas Carter Beane Production Website: Savoyards - Sister Act Other Information: Based on the Touchstone Pictures motion picture Sister Act , this internationally acclaimed musical features a joyous score by Alan Menken ( Beauty and the Beast , Little Shop of Horrors , Newsies ) and has become a favourite with audiences worldwide. Savoyards brings the production to Brisbane with a large cast and creative team in one of the city's premier school performing arts venues. The Saturday 4 July 1:30pm performance will be AUSLAN interpreted . The Iona Performing Arts Centre offers accessible entry, wheelchair access and accessible amenities. Patrons requiring accessibility assistance are encouraged to contact Savoyards prior to booking on 0401 565 439 or via bookings@savoyards.com.au . Previous Next

< Back CIRCUS: Cirque Nouvelle - The Star Gold Coast 27 June 2026 Season: June 27th, 2026 Title: Cirque Nouvelle Presented By: The Star Gold Coast Genre: Contemporary Circus / Family Entertainment Synopsis: After sell-out performances across Australia, Cirque Nouvelle returns with an internationally acclaimed cast of elite circus artists. Combining breathtaking acrobatics, aerial artistry, balancing acts, juggling and physical theatre, this spectacular production showcases the extraordinary talents of world-class performers in a fast-paced and visually stunning contemporary circus experience. Designed to entertain audiences of all ages, Cirque Nouvelle blends elegance, athleticism and theatrical flair into a captivating evening of live entertainment. Performance Dates: Sunday June 28th, 2026 Performance Times: 6PM Performance Location and Address: The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach QLD 4218 Ticket Costs: $35 - $75 Ticket Link: Buy Tickets - Cirque Nouvelle Warnings: May contain theatrical lighting effects, haze and high-impact circus performances. Recommended Age: Suitable for all ages. Duration: Approximately 75 minutes with no interval. Production Website: The Star Gold Coast - Cirque Nouvelle Other Information: Cirque Nouvelle brings together a versatile cast of world-class circus artists in a contemporary production that celebrates skill, creativity and human achievement. The show features a variety of circus disciplines performed by internationally experienced artists, making it an ideal family outing and a highlight of the winter entertainment season. The Star Gold Coast offers wheelchair-accessible seating, accessible amenities, lift access and accessible parking. Patrons requiring accessibility assistance are encouraged to contact The Star Box Office prior to booking to discuss seating and access requirements. Previous Next