Category: Upcoming

This project is supported by Mount Alexander Shire Council

BOOKINGS

The CTC Youth Theatre Lab is now open for bookings for Term 4 2025. It will be a short term with just 6 workshops, Tuesdays 5-7pm. The group will continue through 2026. Bookings can be made term by term. The workshops will be facilitated by Karen Berger and Charlie Lloyd-Byrnes. We will be continuing with developing performance skills and improvisation, with the addition of explorations of scripts. There will be a performance outcome in the second half of 2026, with the possibility of small showings throughout the year, to be decided by the facilitators.

VENUES FOR TERM 4:

• 11 Nov – Castlemaine Senior Citz Hall, Mechanics Lane
• 18 Nov – Phee Broadway Theatre Stage, Mechanics Lane
• 25 Nov – Over the Moon Ballet Studio, Templeton Street
• 2 Dec – Castlemaine Senior Citz Hall, Mechanics Lane
• 9 Dec – CTC Etty Street Studio
• 16 Dec – CTC Etty Street Studio

Meet our new co-facilitator, Charlie Lloyd-Byrnes:

Previously at the Lab

Over 9 weeks in Term 3, the CTC Youth Theatre Lab, a team of talented young people aged 13-18, have been learning performance, stagecraft, collaboration and devising skills with facilitators Karen Berger and Thea Sydes. Focusing on collaboration and creativity, the team have developed 4 scenes set on the Castlemaine to Swan Hill train line. Each scene takes place in a different carriage in a different decade – have your tickets ready for the spooky conductor, in a night of murder, mystery and mayhem. It’s “OFF THE RAILS!” (Off the Rails was performed at The Phee Broadway Theatre, 3 October 2025)

Facilitators/Directors:

Karen Berger is new to Castlemaine and has worked developing performance with young people and community all over the world. She brings a breadth of expertise in a range of performing arts disciplines, as well as being an experienced director and teacher.

Working alongside Karen will be our youth facilitator Thea Sydes. Thea grew up in Castlemaine and has performed in a number of CTC shows including Peter Panto, Romeo and Juliet and Qubit. Thea is currently studying year 11 at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, specialising in Theatre Studies. Last year they worked on two projects with Melbourne-based theatre collective Pony Cam, devising performances here in Castlemaine, and also in Frankston.

Bookings

‘Piece of Mind’ is written by Melbourne playwright Emma Wood. A quirky comedy, it nevertheless tackles some universal themes: ageing and mortality, financial insecurity, difficult relationships and the vitality of women’s friendships.

Cast: Jan Cook, Laura Elliott, Jane Montgomery Griffiths, Carolyn Palmer, Kate Stones, Michael Uniacke

Synopsis
With not-so-comfortable retirements looming, long suffering nurses Gwen and Allie launch a daring (and maybe-not-entirely-thought-through) business venture — a peaceful parlour featuring a really quite splendid coffin which couples can rent by the hour as means of ‘getting things off their chest’. It’s quick-fix relationship therapy with a bit of funereal cosplay for fun. What could possibly go wrong? Especially when Gwen and Allie leap in with more enthusiasm than business acumen? Throw in some cross-generational confusion, a few less than stable clients, a dynamic, tech-savvy daughter, and a fearsome octogenarian aunt with deep pockets and things quickly get out of hand, threatening Gwen and Allie’s savings, their future and even their friendship.

Playwright
Emma Wood is an award winning, internationally produced playwright. With a determination to write stories both entertaining and thought-provoking, Emma’s plays have been widely acclaimed by audiences and critics around the world. Her ability to create passionate, substantial roles of all ages delights actors and audiences. Emma’s full-length plays are very different but have common threads: engaging characters, sparkling dialogue, and a satisfying story to tell. She has become known for writing plays that feature challenging, dynamic lead roles for middle aged and older women and narratives exploring issues that affect them.

Emma’s work has been produced by professional and community theatre companies in UK, Australia, USA and Asia. Her most recent play, Piece of Mind, premiered in L.A. with Write Act Repertory, receiving rave reviews. Her perfectly pitched prequel to Pride and Prejudice, Mr Bennet’s Bride, has garnered wide acclaim in 10 productions to date. Other producing companies include Newcastle Theatre Company, Malvern Theatre Company, Lilydale Athenaeum, Priory Theatre, Canberra Repertory, Ballarat National Theatre, KrisP Productions, Grassington Players and Elanora Players among others.

Director
Stephen Mitchell is a writer, actor and director. His radio drama ‘Margaret and Mimi’; was produced by ABC Radio National, and he won an Australian Writers’ Guild Award for his SBS teleplay ‘Wee Jimmy’. In 2012, he directed and acted in ‘The Local Stigmatic’ for Castlemaine Theatre Company, going on to appear in productions of ‘The Ghost Train’ and ‘As You Like It’, as well directing the acclaimed ‘Frankenstein’s Children’ in 2019. He has performed in numerous theatre productions and a handful of films since the late 80s, as well as fulfilling many off-stage roles, and is a regular contributor to CTC as designer and photographer.