By Anna Longaretti
Dir: Marilyn Ollett

In a busy call centre, the four female employees of Aphrodite, a sex toy manufacturer, take telephone orders for Teasey Maids, Titivators and rotating pearl g-strings. Beneath the cheerful customer service and easy banter, however, these very different women nurse their own desires and disappointments.

Sylvie is desperate to have a baby, but her single-minded approach is taking its toll on her marriage and causing friction with her co-workers.

With five children, Janice rarely finds time for herself or her husband. Tiffany is young and single, looking for ‘the one’, but wary of sacrificing her independence.

Star employee Lily, meanwhile, is stuck in a loveless marriage and estranged from her son, but buries her pain in wisecracks and work.

Their gentle and innocent manager Mr Causeway attempts to diffuse the tension between his staff while suppressing a longstanding crush on the oblivious Lily. Sex Cells is a very funny, poignant play about motherhood, friendship, love and loss

Cast

Lily ... Amanda Shields
Sylvie ... Sam McKinnon
Tiffany ... Shani Annand-Baron
Janice ... Jamie Lee
Mr Causeway ... John Boyce

“Carol & Nev”
By Phil Ormsby
Dir: Steve Millar

It’s the great Kiwi road trip. Straight down the Island, across Cook Strait and on to the bach. Five toilet stops, lunch on the road, sleep on the Ferry and straight on ‘til morning. Carol and Nev are on the road, taking the family campervan to their daughter’s wedding at the bay. Only catch is Carol died in 1984.

“Instinct"
By April Phillips
Dir: Fiona Bennetts

Two ordinary, everyday women stand before a bound hostage in an abandoned warehouse. They are armed with a gun, a knife and a video camera. Barbara is overwhelmed by suspicion and doubt. She wants answers. Carol is bitter, calculated and steadfast. She wants justice, and perhaps revenge.

“The Death Of Katie Myers”
By David Mitchell
Dir: David Mitchell


A Young couple explore an empty theatre – or is it? What is Katie Myers secret?

By David Auburn
Dir: Sam Primrose

The daughter of a brilliant but mentally disturbed mathematician recently deceased tries to come to grips with her possible inheritance: his insanity.

Complicating matters are one of her father's ex students who wants to search through his papers and her estranged sister who shows up to help settle his affairs.

Winner of 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play.


Cast & Crew

Catherine - Lisa Hall
Robert - Stephen Ingwell
Hal - Cameron Marriot
Claire - Nikki Bleyendaal

Director - Sam Primrose
Prod. Manager - Becs Sandys
Stage Manager - Dave Mitchell

By Jimmy Murphy
Dir. Garry Thomas

Set after the recent economic crash, the play represents a bachelorette party taking place in a rundown rural cottage some miles from Dublin. The newlyweds-to-be have purchased this country abode cheaply - the previous owners having suffered foreclosure.

Now looking forward to her new life in this out-of the-way little house, the bride, Una, celebrates the so-called Hen Night with her two closest friends, Kelly and Triona; her future mother-in-law Olive; and her future husband’s godmother, Anta. The revelry is short circuited, however, when troubling secrets surface. The bonds that connect these women are severely strained.

“Murphy’s piece is a subtle comedy that shades into poignant, thoughtful drama...”

“... the real crux of the play isn’t the overtly obvious subjects of abuse, promiscuity or relationship troubles, but the deep-rooted issues of loyalty, betrayal and acceptance.”

Cast & Crew

UNA - Nikki Conyers
TRIONA - Sam McKinnon
KELLY - Sheree Hawker
OLIVE - Felicity Watson
ANTA - Elizabeth Woods

DIRECTOR - Garry Thomas
PRODCTN MNGR - Susan Cameron
STAGE MNGR - Sonya Cameron
PROMPT - Bec Sandys
TECH - Craig Blaikie
WARDROBE - Barry Tomkinson

Elmwood Players Children's Theatre
presents...
"The Owl And The Pussycat" By Tim Bray

Directed by Anna Willows
January 2015 Production

• How did the Owl and the Pussycat meet?
• How did they fall in love?
• What do the Piggywig and the Turkey on the Hill have in common?
• And why is a Parrot running a Travel Agents?

Adapted by Tim Bray from Edward Lear's much loved poem this is a charming quirky story that fills in all the gaps behind the cutest love story ever written.

Auditions have been held and the cast is as below. The Owl and the Pussycat is now in rehearsal.

Cast:

Owl
Barry Tomkinson

Pussycat
Toni Green

Parrot
Rebecca Sandys

Piggywig
Shanice Adair

Turkey
Libby Wilson

Narrator
Bella Brown

Contact Anna 0272022778 or anna.willow@vodafone.co.nz for more info.

“GYM AND TONIC”(Season has now concluded)


by John Godber
Director: Steve Millar
Weds to Sat, 7:30pm
October 1-4 and 8-11
About the play:
In the middle of a mid-life crisis and a stagnant marriage, where’s the best place to go?


Well according to playwrite John Godber it would be the Scardale Hall Health Farm, and that’s just where Don and Shirley Weston have come to relax, pamper themselves and just possibly rescue their ailing marriage.


Known for his innovative work in Theatre (“Bouncers”, “Shakers” et al), John Godber is one of the most widely performed writers in the English language. Elmwood Players are excited to bring this production to the Christchurch stage this October.

Cast:
Don Weston – Geoff Kendall
Shirley Weston – Anna Willows
Gertrude Tate/Maggie Weston – Marilyn Ollett
Ken Blake – Scott Morrow
Zoe – Whitney Greene
Chloe –Shanice Adair
Shona/Sam Weston/Bellboy – Libby Wilson


Production:
Director - Steve Millar
Production Mgr - Samantha Creed and Garry Thomas
Stage Manager - Barry Mackenzie
Technical - Phil Dean
Properties - TBA
Wardrobe - TBA
FOH – Peter Clark

Season has now concluded
​
"Child's Play" (by T J Ramsey)
Dir: Sarah Coursey
Room 13 is for seven to eight year olds. Harry is the coolest kid in class. He's Camilla's best friend until the new girl arrives. (Adults play the roles of children)

"Verbatim" (by William Brandt & Miranda Harcourt)
Dir: Susan Cameron
Originally written to be performed in prisons, for prisoners,"Verbatim" tells the story of a home invasion ending in murder. It explores the impact of this event on the families of both victim and offender, and on the offender himself, giving unique insight into often over-looked lives and backgrounds.

"The 73rd Day" (by Brian Hannam)
Dir: Tom Hart​
In a buried bomb shelter after a nuclear holocaust three trapped men from widely varying backgrounds grind out a tenuous existence. Boredom and conflict leads to a bloody finale.

Season has concluded
By Tim Hambleton

Dir: Phil Dean


Two small town criminals must get their hands on some drugs. Their search takes them to the surgery of an off the wall doctor in financial difficulties.


What was meant to be a simple robbery becomes a complicated affair and the crooks find themselves barricaded in the doctor’s office with a number of his wacky patients as hostages, including a simple minded farming couple who mysteriously cannot get pregnant; and an eccentric hypochondriac who develops an affection for her captors.
CAST

DR MARCUS ROBINSON (M)
Sam Primrose

MISS CLAIRE HEWITT (F)
Sharon Nossiter

DYLAN (M)
Scott Morrow

DWAYNE (M)
Marty Ashby

LISA (F)
Libby Wilson

MRS VAN ROONEY (F)
Susan Cameron

GERALD SCRIMEGOUR (M)
TBA

RUSS WHITTIKER (M)
Geoff Kendall

SHARON WHITTIKER (F)
Rebecca Sandys

Season has concluded
"Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire

Dir: Garry Thomas

Rabbit Hole is the heart breaking story of Becca and Howie, a couple trying to recover from the accidental death of their four-year-old son, Danny. Becca's mother, Nat, and her younger sister, Izzy, try in their own ways to comfort the family.

When Izzy, always the family troublemaker, announces that she is pregnant, Becca and Howie must come to terms with the new life in the family while dealing with their grief. In the final act, Jason, the young man who accidentally killed their son, comes to their home. He has written a story about alternate realities in which those who die live on elsewhere. His visit helps Becca to realize the family must move on.

Deeply humane, occasionally funny and always heartrending, Rabbit Hole explores the ways we deal with grief, both individually and as families.

Recipient of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and nominated for several Tony Awards

Cast & Production Team

Becca
-Anna Willows

Howie
- Steven Barker

Izzy
- Sherree Hawker

Nat
- Amanda Shields

Jason
- Matt Bonniface

Director: Garry Thomas

Production Manager: Barry Tomkinson

Stage Manager: Dave Mitchell

Press Review - "Well performed very moving
and thoughtful production."

The Season has now concluded
Elmwood Players Children's Theatre
Opens January 16
“Jack the Giant and the Jiggery Plot” by Richard Blythe

Directed By Carole and Phil Payton

Performance Dates:
16-19 and 23-25 January 2014
6.30pm Thursday, Friday
11am and 2pm Saturday, Sunday
(no shows on Sunday 26th) 
​
Elmwood Players’ Children’s Theatre returns in January with this tale featuring the dim witted Jack, son of Mrs Wigglebottom (aka the old lady who lived in a shoe), and the Jiggery Plot to appease the Giant.