Wagga School of Arts members will step back on to the Civic Theatre stage next week – 50 years after the group staged the first performance there.
In June 1963, the local community theatre group raised the curtain with a performance of the comedy ‘Teahouse of the August Moon’. Sadly our life member Peter Barton who designed the first set in the theatre passed away at the weekend.
They will be part of the 50th anniversary celebrations in the theatre next week, with an encore performance of the Tenx10 short play festival on Thursday 27 June at 7.30pm.
For some members, including a few who were part of that memorable first show, it will be a nostalgic time; for newer actors and directors, a chance to tread the boards of Wagga’s own theatre.
The School of Arts’ involvement in the theatre’s anniversary celebrations recognises its major contribution made to the construction of the theatre.
Proceeds of the sale of the School of Arts’ Fitzmaurice Street property were given to Wagga City Council, so providing more than a third of the cost of the theatre’s construction in 1962-63.
This marked the start of an ongoing association with the Civic Theatre.
Between 1963 and 2000, the School of Arts presented 110 shows in the Civic Theatre, covering comedy, drama, musicals and the long-running drama festival.
Since then, productions have been concentrated in the group’s Basement Theatre.
But next Thursday, they’ll be back!
The recent Riverina Water Tenx10 PlayFest featured a collection of varied entertaining short plays and audiences were enthusiastic about the quality of the program. Tickets for Tenx10 Revisited at the Civic Theatre are available at the Theatre Booking Office at $15 each.
BACK TO THE THEATRE!
