New Theatre Launches Queer Fringe; Line-Up Announced

In 2016, New Theatre was the proud recipient of the ACON Honour Award for Arts & Entertainment, in recognition of their 25-year commitment to LGBTQI content, including their annual production for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, and for acknowledging diverse sexualities and genders as an important demographic within the theatre's community and audience.

In 2017, they're expanding and reinforcing that commitment. Over two weeks in September, they are focussing their Sydney Fringe Festival program on the telling of LBGTQI stories in a curated season of six plays.

As well as producing two plays 'in-house' (5 Guys Chillin' and The HIV Monologues), New Theatre will be hosting four independeNT Productions (Cry Havoc, The Things I Could Never Tell Steven, All Our Lesbians Are Dead! and Diva Wars),

It's a program ranging across comedy, drama, verbatim, satire and music theatre, including three Australian premieres, and two world premieres of new Australian works.

New Theatre is excited to be bringing such a diverse and entertaining two weeks of theatre to Sydney audiences.

12 - 15 September
5 GUYS CHILLIN'
By Peter Darney
Based on true stories, this is a graphic, gripping, funny and frank look at the drug-fuelled, hedonistic, highly secret world of the gay chemsex chill-out scene.
Director: Patrick Howard
Cast: John Michael Burdon, Tom Christophersen, Stevie Haimes, Will Reilly, Tim de Sousa
Australian premiere, produced by New Theatre

12 - 17 September
CRY HAVOC
By Tom Coash
Culture, religion, politics and and sexuality are deftly explored in this story of a British expatriate writer and his young Egyptian lover in present-day Cairo.
Director: Neil Khare
Cast: Penny Day, Ivan Laprida, Jess Scott Driksna
Australian premiere, produced by Neil Khare

15 - 18 September
THE THINGS I COULD NEVER TELL STEVEN
By Jye Bryant
Laugh, squirm and cry as this crazy Australian musical comedy takes you on a roller-coaster ride with a modern dysfunctional family.

Director: Alex Kendall Robson
Musical Director: Antonio Fernandez
Cast: Lucas Glover, Adam Majsay, Matilda Moran, Ruth Strutt

Produced by Jye Bryant

16 - 19 September
ALL OUR LESBIANS ARE DEAD!
By Natalie Krikowa
Why do queer female characters on tv dramas inevitably end up dead? This new Australian play is a satirical look at the storyline cliché that continues to rear its ugly head.
Director: Natalie Krikowa
Cast: Felicity Keep, Stephanie Hamer, Gemma Scoble, Teneale Clifford and Laura Nash
World premiere, produced by Natalie Krikowa

19 - 23 September
DIVA WARS
By Wayne Tunks
Madonna. Britney. Kylie. Gaga. Pick a diva, defend her at all costs. This insightful drama and naughty comedy examines what it's like to be a gay man in 2017.
Directors: Jace Pickard, Wayne Tunks
Cast: Tristan Clark, George El Hindi, Lucas Glover, Dan Healy, Timothy Tari, Wayne Tunks, Andrew Wang
World premiere, produced by Tunks Productions

20 - 23 September
THE HIV MONOLOGUES
By Patrick Cash
In a series of funny, heart-warming and poignant personal stories, three men and a woman reveal how they live with HIV - as lovers, carers, survivors.
Director: Alice Livingstone
Cast: Les Asmussen, Bishanyia Vincent
Australian premiere, produced by New Theatre

For more information visit www.newtheatre.org.au.

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